9/2/2018
Buffalo River Speedway
Borgen uses last-lap pass to score modified win at Buffalo River Race Park
Story & photo by Mike Spieker
GLYNDON, Minn.-The 33rd annual Corn Cob Nationals and the 2018 season at Buffalo River Race Park came to a close on Sunday as Bryce Borgen of Perley, Minn., claimed the IMCA Modified win in dramatic fashion.
Borgen ran in the second position for the majority of the 25-lap feature, but a restart with four circuits remaining gave him new life. Polesitter and race leader, Tyler Hall, led the field as the race resumed, but Borgen was hot on his heels. Borgen pulled even with Hall's No. 60 machine as the white flag waved.
Borgen ran the extreme outside line, while Hall tip-toed around the infield tire barriers on the low side. The lead duo remained side by side until Borgen used his momentum to power into the lead coming to the checkered flag.
"On the restart, I knew Tyler [Hall] was going to be on the bottom and I knew the top side was good," said an elated Borgen in victory lane. "I just had to send it into turn three every lap, wide open."
Borgen's margin of victory at the line was 0.139 seconds - less than a half car length.
"A Corn Cob Nationals win is huge. I've been racing here my whole life and never got one until now," said Borgen.
Shawn Perdonic picked up the largest sport compact payout in track history. The Winnipeg driver won the 50-lap, $1,000-to-win 4-Cylinder Nationals feature over Grady Shearer of St. Cloud, Minn.
For the second year in a row, Matt Talley of Sabin, Minn., closed his season at Buffalo River with a Corn Cob Nationals title. Talley grabbed the early lead from the pole position of the IMCA sportmod feature and checked out from the 24-car field. Saturday's winner, Scott Jacobson, reeled in Talley a bit in lapped traffic, but never mounted a serious threat. The win was Talley's first of the season at the Glyndon quarter-mile oval. Jacobson was followed to the checkers by his son, Kelly Jacobson.
The top spot changed hands three times in the second half of the IMCA stock car feature. Tyler McDougall led the first 11 circuits until Rich Schulz drove around the outside of him in turn four to take the lead. Schulz led for three laps before the hard-charging Rob VanMil powered his way to the point on lap 15 of 20.
VanMil had heavy pressure from 10th place starter, Brandon Schmidt, following a restart with three to go, but held on to remain unbeaten in the stock car division at Buffalo River.
Josh Julsrud of Barnesville, Minn., denied Andrew Jochim of sweeping the INEX legends features this weekend with a late-race pace for the lead. Jochim led 18 of the 20 laps, but lost the lead to Julsrud on the penultimate lap. Jochim rallied back on the final lap to pull even with Julsrud, but came up a half car length short at the line.
Will Smith of Glyndon battled back from engine troubles after Saturday's event to pick up his first career IMCA hobby stock win.
Joe Lewis beat younger brother, Noah, for the slingshot feature win.
IMCA Modifieds
Feature: 1. 99-Bryce Borgen, Perley, Minn. 2. 60-Tyler Hall, Fertile, Minn. 3. 4D-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn. 4. 33-Allen Kent, West Fargo. 5. 20-Dev Malmlov, Moorhead.
Sport Compacts
Feature: 1. 96-Shawn Perdonic, Winnipeg. 2. H1808-Grady Shearer, St. Cloud, Minn. 3. 7X-Neil Walton, Engelvale, N.D. 4. 63X-Grayson Pratt, Dayton, Minn. 5. 34-Jason Reinke, Moorhead.
IMCA SportMods
Feature - 1. 5T-Matt Talley, Sabin, Minn. 2. 5-Scott Jacobson, Fargo. 3. 51-Kelly Jacobson, Fargo. 4. 55-Kenneth Bye, Moorhead. 5. 22-Vince Jegtvig, Dilworth.
IMCA Stock Cars
Feature: 1. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 2. 4-Rick Schulz, Horace, N.D. 3, 219-Brandon Schmidt, Hillsboro, N.D. 4. 21-Tim Church, Glyndon, Minn. 5. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, N.D.
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Feature: 1. 11S-William Smith, Glyndon, Minn. 2. 37N-Nick Nelson, Georgetown, Minn. 3. 22W-Will Miller, Sacred Heart, Minn. 4. 106-Eric Novacek, West Fargo. 5. 73-Maranda Borg, Harwood, N.D.
INEX Legends
Feature: 1. 69T-Joshua Julsrud, Barnesville, Minn. 2. 21-Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn. 3. 60-Drew Papke, Bismarck. 4. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn. 5. 58-Sean Johnson, Kindred, N.D.
Submitted By: Mike Spieker
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