5/24/2017
Buffalo River Speedway
VanMil Reigns Supreme at Buffalo River Race Park Opener
By Mike Spieker
GLYNDON, Minn. – Buffalo River Race Park opened its doors to a great crowd Sunday evening with its 62nd season opener. Rob VanMil capped off the night by clinching a thrilling IMCA modified feature in the closing laps.
“I’ve got a lot of opening night wins here. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t win on opening night, so it’s awesome to keep that going,” said VanMil in victory lane.
The Barnesville driver started outside of the front row and engaged in a heated battle with Michael Johnson at the drop of the green flag. Johnson ran the low groove while VanMil wheeled the top side as they traded the lead for the first four circuits.
On the restart, Hickson, N.D. hotshoe Tyler Peterson moved into the runner-up position and set his sights on VanMil for the top spot. Peterson reeled in VanMil’s No. 4D on lap five of 20 as another battle for the lead was on. Peterson led four consecutive laps around the smooth semi-banked quarter-mile oval until VanMil regained the lead for good on lap nine.
“That was definitely one of the most fun races I’ve ever had,” continued VanMil. “It’s always cool when you can run side by side like that. It’s awesome that you can run that hard and that clean with all of these guys out there.”
Peterson and Tyler Hall rounded out the top five.
Alabama’s Kevin Thomas, Sr. claimed the NLSA lightning sprint feature in the class’ first event as a weekly fixture on the BRRP schedule. Thomas, Sr. started sixth in the field before taking the point away from Alan Truscinski on lap nine of 15.
Tim Estenson backed up his INEX legends win Friday night at Red River Valley Speedway with an impressive victory at BRRP. The 15-year-old Fargo, N.D. native withstood several challenges from a pair of Shakopee drivers, Baiden Heskett and Tim Brockhouse. On three consecutive restarts, Heskett and Brockhouse threatened to take the point away from Estenson, but Estenson was able to prevail each time.
Chris VanMil took the IMCA sport mod lead on lap three of 20 before taking the feature win. In the closing laps, Kelly Jacobson reeled in VanMil, the 2015 BRRP track champion, but VanMil held off Jacobson by a half-second at the checkers.
Tim Church amassed a comfortable lead in the early going of the IMCA hobby stock feature, as Brandon Schmidt and Torey Fischer fought for the second spot. Church went on to take the win as Schmidt and Maranda Borg rounded out the top three.
Austin Lammers won the IMCA sport compact feature, while Phillip Whitt took the sling shot victory.
Racing continues next Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Modifieds:
Feature – 1. Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 2. Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.; 3. Tyler Hall, Fertile, Minn.; 4. Allen Kent, West Fargo, N.D.; 5. Michael Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.
Lightning Sprints:
Feature – 1. Kevin Thomas, Sr., Cullin, Ala..; 2. Alan Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn.; 3. Josh Abrahamson, Moorhead, Minn.; 4. Alex Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn. 5. Jason Berg, West Fargo, N.D.
SportMods:
Feature – 1. Chris VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 2. Kelly Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.; 3. Matt Talley, Sabin, Minn.; 4. Luke Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.; 5. Nick Thoreson, Valley City, N.D.
Hobby Stocks:
Feature – 1. Tim Church, Moorhead, Minn.; 2. Brandon Schmidt, Hillsboro, N.D.; 3. Maranda Borg, Harwood, N.D.; 4. Matt Milbeck, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; 5. Nick Nelson, Georgetown, Minn.
Legends:
Feature – 1. Time Estenson, Fargo, N.D.; 2. Baiden Heskett, Shakopee, Minn.; 3. Josh Julsrud, Barnesville, Minn.; 4. Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn.; 5. Kaitlyn Skalicky, Fargo, N.D.
Sport Compacts:
Feature – 1. Austin Lammers, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; 2. Levi Lease, Harwood, N.D.; 3. Alvin Amberson, Fargo, N.D.; 4. Rob Hansen, Fargo, N.D.; 5. Tanner Engen, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Article Credit: Mike Spieker
Submitted By: Mike Spieker
