8/13/2014
Ryan Bowers Races To First-Ever Sprint Car Win
Ogilvie, MN
For the second straight UMSS event, a first-time winner emerged. Back on July 26, Rick Kobs won his first sprint car feature. On Saturday August 9 at the Ogilvie Raceway, rookie driver Ryan Bowers of Ham Lake picked up his inaugural win in a sprint car when he led all 25 laps at the fast 3/8 mile dirt oval. A large crowd was on hand, as not only were the Upper Midwest Sprintcar Series winged sprints on the program, the WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series was also at Ogilvie. Bowers, making just his sixteenth career start in a sprint car, raced ahead of the field for a good portion of the race. During the last several laps, a plume of white smoke followed his MBR 199 sprinter around the track caused by an oil line leak. Bowers was able to finish the race and pick up his first win.
Following the typical double round of qualifying races for the UMSS winged sprint cars, Tony Norem was the high point driver. Norem drew a six pill for the feature race invert. Chris Graf and Norem won the heats while a pair of rookie racers, Jamey Ogston and Bowers, topped the Challenge Races. Race fans also enjoyed the autograph session during intermission with both the sprint car and late model drivers participating. It was then time for feature race action to begin.
Bowers and Ogston brought the field to the green. Bowers immediately blasted into the early lead. Chad Patterson dropped out after one lap with an oil leak but the race stayed green. Norem was on the move forward from his sixth starting spot, and soon found himself running second behind Bowers. Norem quickly closed in on the leader. Norem contact the front stretch wall at the conclusion of lap 9, rode the wall into turn one, climbed the wall, contacted the turn one safety fence, spun around and landed upright. The race was under a red flag then, as a portion of the catch fence needed to be repaired. Although the damage to Norem's car was not too severe, it was certainly enough to put him out of the race.
On the restart, Bowers stretched his lead while the battle for second heated up between Graft, Ogston, Jerry Richert Jr, and Anna Kouba. With Bowers comfortably out front, positions 2-5 traded hands on several occasions. At the checkers, it was Bowers followed by Graf, Ogston Richert and Kouba in the top five. Leigh Thomas, who was debuting a brand new car, finished sixth. Engine problems kept Jennifer Eriksen and Rick Kobs from starting the feature race while Patterson and Brandon Halverson, driving the Valentine 32 sprinter, had engine issues in the feature race. Norem was out due to crash damage.
The UMSS sprints will prepare for a three race stretch starting Thursday August 14 at the KRA Speedway in Willmar, moving to the Princeton Speedway on Friday August 15 for Night #1 of the 22nd Annual Kouba Memorial, and concluding on Saturday August 16 for Night #2 of the Kouba Memorial at the St. Croix Valley Raceway.
UMSS Race Results - Ogilvie Raceway August 9, 2014 (Race #15)
Alpha Apparel & Promotions Ultimate Sprint Race #1 (6 laps): 20G Chris Graf, 63 Jerry Richert Jr, 5 Anna Kouba, 03 Jamey Ogston, 15 Chad Patterson, 10x Jennifer Eriksen, 34 Rick Kobs DNS.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Sales Ultimate Sprint Race #2 (6 laps): B1st Tony Norem, 32 Brandon Halverson, 29 Leigh Thomas, 199 Ryan Bowers, 28 Jeff Pellersels, 91A Reed Allex.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race #1 (8 laps): Ogston, Norem, Richert, Thomas, Allex, Patterson DNS, Eriksen DNS.
Hoosier Racing Tire Challenge Race #2 (8 laps): Bowers, Graf, Kouba, Halverson, Pellersels, Kobs DNS.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Feature (25 laps): Bowers, Graf, Ogston, Richert, Kouba, Thomas, Pellersels, Allex, Halverson DNF, Norem DNF, Patterson DNF, Eriksen DNS, Kobs DNS.
Lap Leaders: Bowers 1-25.
Cautions: (1)
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Jacy Norgaard at JNP Photography.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
