6/7/2017
Norman County Raceway
Aaron Olson Remains Undefeated at Norman County
ADA, Minn. (June 1, 2017) – After a week off, Thursday Night Thunder, presented by Christian Motors, roared back to life at Norman County Raceway. Austin Arneson, Jesse Skalicky, Aaron Olson, and Tim Church took home the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing wins, while Lucas Rodin picked up the lone WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series victory.
Corry VanMil brought the Norman County Implement IMCA Stock Cars to the green flag and jumped out to the early lead. On lap three, VanMil had a five car length advantage over Kelly Jacobson, but drove his machine too hard into turn three and slid off the embankment to bring out the caution.
That handed the lead over Jacobson, who had Rick Schulz and Aaron Olson lined up behind him for the restart. As the race resumed, Olson got by Schulz for second before tracking down Jacobson.
With 11 circuits remaining, Olson took the lead and checked out for his third win in as many races at NCR.
The Sanders Metal Products IMCA Modified feature got off to a rough start as a four car pile occurred on the opening lap. Fortunately, three of the four cars involved were able to continue racing. Cale Arneson was the only driver forced to go back to the trailer.
On the restart, polesitter Dale Kraling led the field to the green as Lucas Rodin and Tyler Hall fought for second. On lap six, the battle for second went three wide as Austin Arneson had reeled in Hall and Rodin.
Arneson was the beneficiary, moving from fourth to second in one set of corners. From there, the Fargo driver set his sights on Kraling for the lead.
Arneson caught Kraling and took the lead with nine laps to go. Kraling fought hard to keep the lead, but Arneson was too strong and eventually pulled away from the field and taking the win.
On the final lap, ninth place starter Jason Strand passed Kraling coming out of turn four to steal the runner-up position.
The Titan Machinery IMCA Sport Mods had a trio of number three’s mix it up for the feature win. Aaron Wetterlin, No. 3W, Andy Wagner, No. 3X, and Jesse Skalicky, No. 3S, all led the race at one point throughout the 16-lap event.
Wagner and Wetterlin began the race with an intense battle for the lead. With Wetterlin running down low, Wagner used the high lane to keep his momentum up. With eight laps to go, fourth place starter, Skalicky, caught the leaders before making an aggressive move for the lead.
While Wagner and Wetterlin were still racing side by side for the lead, Skalicky split both drivers in a three wide move that allowed him to go from third to first in one corner.
Once out front, Skalicky drove away from the field to pick up the win.
Grady Shearer jumped out to the early lead of the Christian Motors WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature. Shearer, a rookie in the class, had built up a somewhat comfortable lead, but it was all erased when he drove too hard into turn three and spun off the track.
As as result, Larry Samuelson inherited the lead, but he was surpassed by Lucas Rodin with 10 laps remaining. Within a matter of laps, Rodin stretched his lead out to a full straightaway as Matt Schow moved into second.
Rodin went on to take the win over Schow, Dylan Goplen, Don Scholler, and Sam Zender.
In a crazy finish, Tim Church scored the Christian Brothers Ford IMCA Hobby Stock win after another highly contested battle with Brandon Schmidt. However, Church’s steering broke after taking the checkered flag, which sent him hard into the outside wall. Church was given a ride to KRJB Victory Lane on the back of an NCR official’s four-wheeler.
Racing continues next Thursday night at NCR, featuring the fan favorite Meet ‘n’ Greet during intermission where fans can get an up close look at the cars and get autographs from their favorite drivers.
IMCA Modifieds:
A Feature: 1. 10-Austin Arneson, [8]; 2. E85-Jason Strand, [9]; 3. 7-Dale Kraling, [1]; 4. 60-TYLER HALL, [5]; 5. 19-Lucas Rodin, [3]; 6. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson, [7]; 7. 88B-Brady Petermann, [2]; 8. 25-JAMIE TRAUTNER, [10]; 9. K9-Tom Cummings, [13]; 10. (DNF) 84-Michael Johnson, [4]; 11. (DNF) 21-Dev Malmlov, [6]; 12. (DNF) 71-Trent Grager, [14]; 13. (DNF) 7B-Bryton Foss, [12]; 14. (DNF) 99-Cale Arneson, [11]
Heat 1: 1. 7-Dale Kraling, [1]; 2. 19-Lucas Rodin, [3]; 3. E85-Jason Strand, [6]; 4. 60-TYLER HALL, [4]; 5. 25-JAMIE TRAUTNER, [7]; 6. 99-Cale Arneson, [5]; 7. K9-Tom Cummings, [2]
Heat 2: 1. 88B-Brady Petermann, [2]; 2. 10-Austin Arneson, [5]; 3. 21-Dev Malmlov, [4]; 4. 84-Michael Johnson, [3]; 5. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson, [7]; 6. 7B-Bryton Foss, [1]; 7. (DNF) 71-Trent Grager, [6]
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds:
A Feature: 1. 19-Lucas Rodin, [5]; 2. 2S-Matt Schow, [6]; 3. 6D-Dylan Goplen, [7]; 4. 80D-Don Scholler, [10]; 5. 7S-Sam Zender, [8]; 6. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [3]; 7. 188-Hunter Hougard, [9]; 8. 19D-Noah Metzger, [11]; 9. 22S-Tyler Schow, [13]; 10. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [2]; 11. (DNF) 97-Grady Shearer, [1]; 12. (DNF) 11*-Larry Samuelson, [4]; 13. (DNF) 28S-Ryan Schow, [12]
Heat 1: 1. 6D-Dylan Goplen, [2]; 2. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [1]; 3. 19-Lucas Rodin, [3]; 4. 11*-Larry Samuelson, [5]; 5. 188-Hunter Hougard, [6]; 6. 19D-Noah Metzger, [4]; 7. 22S-Tyler Schow, [7]
Heat 2: 1. 7S-Sam Zender, [1]; 2. 97-Grady Shearer, [3]; 3. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [2]; 4. 2S-Matt Schow, [4]; 5. 80D-Don Scholler, [5]; 6. 28S-Ryan Schow, [6]
IMCA Sport Mods:
A Feature: 1. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, [4]; 2. 3W-Aaron Wetterlin, [1]; 3. 3X-Andy Wagner, [5]; 4. 8J-Luke Johnson, [6]; 5. 51-Kelly Jacobson, [3]; 6. 22-Vince Jegtvig, [2]; 7. (DNF) 1RM-Taylor Grove, [7]
Heat 1: 1. 22-Vince Jegtvig, [2]; 2. 3W-Aaron Wetterlin, [1]; 3. 51-Kelly Jacobson, [4]; 4. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, [5]; 5. 3X-Andy Wagner, [6]; 6. 8J-Luke Johnson, [7]; 7. 1RM-Taylor Grove, [3]
IMCA Stock Cars:
A Feature:. 14-Aaron Olson, [5]; 2. 40-Corry VanMil, [2]; 3. 1-Kelly Jacobson, [4]; 4. 76Z-John Sandvig, [1]; 5. 4-Rick Schulz, [3]
Heat 1: 1. 40-Corry VanMil, [2]; 2. 1-Kelly Jacobson, [4]; 3. 14-Aaron Olson, [5]; 4. 4-Rick Schulz, [3]; 5. 76Z-John Sandvig, [1]
IMCA Hobby Stocks:
A Feature: 1. 21-Tim Church, [3]; 2. 219-Brandon Schmidt, [4]; 3. 14-Alyssa White, [2]; 4. 37N-Nick Nelson, [5]; 5. 069-Kalvin Kesselberg, [1]
Heat 1: 1. 21-Tim Church, [3]; 2. 219-Brandon Schmidt, [4]; 3. 37N-Nick Nelson, [5]; 4. 069-Kalvin Kesselberg, [1]; 5. 14-Alyssa White, [2]
Article Credit: Mike Spieker
