by Dale Leech
On a special "Back to School Night" at the Minneapolis Raceway, Danny Morrison Jr conducted some schooling of his own for the Casey's General Store IMCA Modified class, garnering wins in his Heat race, the Cash Dash, and the A Feature race. Also in doing so, the defending class champion tied Corey Lagroon for the season points lead as the 2010 season begins winding down.
A full house deck of IMCA classes took to the track Saturday as 100 cars competed for a good sized and appreciative crowd. Billed as "Back to School Night", many children were in attendance to participate in drawings for many bicycles and toys.
The night was marked by multiple come from behind finishes and unfortunately 2 savage rollovers that left the cars greatly damaged but from which drivers Ryan Ohlde and Alan Rice both walked away, apparently uninjured.
The Lott Implement IMCA Sport Compacts started off the A Feature action by setting the trend that continued throughout the night, a come from behind win. Jamie Rice took an early lead from his inside pole position. After two caution restarts, the second of which occurred with his father Alan's car being put out of action by a roll-over, Rice eventually gave way to Dayton Wollenberg who took the lead in the race. However, in the last several laps he was challenged by 3 other drivers, Cody Johnson, Mark Colton, and Andrue Halpain. In the white flag lap on the backstretch, a three wide race for the lead occurred with Wallenburg, Colton, and Johnson. As they passed the flag stand to begin the last lap, Colton took the lead and left the other three to battle for second. Colton captured the checkered flag, his second of the season and 3rd overall with Halpain winning the battle for 2nd. The Heat races were won by Mark Colton, Jamie Rice, and Shianne Carter.
In the Terry Smith Plumbing IMCA Sportsman Modifieds, Shane Meeks took an early lead out of the outside pole position and held off several challengers for 6 laps until Jason Nelssen passed him at the start of the 10th lap. By the start of the 6th lap, points leader Tyler Frye had worked his way into a solid second position in the race. With 5 laps to go, Frye passed Nelssen and began to build his customary large lead to finish the race. With the checkered flag, Frye captured his 5th Feature win of the season and 25th overall. Shaylon Holloway, Brian Fink, Tracy Holloway and Frye won the Heat races, while the B Feature was captured by Kurtis Phil. In the
3rd Heat race for this class, Ryan Ohlde and Ryan Grit got into one another, with the Ohlde's car careening out of control and hitting the bottom side up high on the fence in front of the crowd before turning over and coming to a rest on the track.
Bob Arnold took an early lead in the Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Car Feature from his outside pole position and held it for 8 laps. By this time Dustin Newlin had made his way to the second place using the low inside line to pass traffic and started to challenge Arnold. A caution restart put Newlin back to the 3rd spot but this time
Tony Steenson took the low line and kept Newlin at bay for a lap when another caution occurred. On this restart, Newlin was able to pass Steenson on the low line again and was free to challenge Arnold. Newlin then passed Arnold on the inside coming out of turn 2 with 8 laps remaining. Newlin prceeded to build a substantial lead
and held on for the win, his second of the season and 2nd overall. The Heat races were won by Arnold and Scott Cossel.
For the Coors Lite IMCA Hobby Stocks, 2 early cautions took the early leaders Allen Thornton, Austin Carter, and Ron Rous out of contention. This left Duane McAnarney, GW Fuller, and Chris Pollet and Casey Gilmore to battle for the lead. For several laps McAnarney held the lead before colliding with GW Fuller in front of the flag stand at the end of lap 11. McAnarney's car suffered the worst damage, ending up on the retainer wall going into turn 1. GW Fuller then took the lead out of the caution restart and held off Gilmore to win the Feature, his 3rd of the season and 7th overall. The Heat races were won by Carter, Fuller, and Rous.
Lastly, the Casey's General Store IMCA Modifieds took to the track for their A Feature race. In the previous week this Feature was completed with no cautions but this installment was plauged by 5 caution flags. Shannon Johnson took an early lead out of his inside pole start position but was soon passed by Brad Morris who started
in the position behind him. It wasn't too much longer before Larry Sutton took the lead. From then on it was a race for Sutton to keep challengers such as Brian Knoell, Rodger Peck, and Kurt Johnston at bay. Meanwhile, Danny Morrison Jr., ended up working his way into the mix by driving the low groove. Once Morrison got into
second place a battle ensued with Sutton for the lead for the last few laps, but Sutton was prevailing on the high groove. With the white flag, Morrison started getting real close with Sutton still holding the lead. Finally, going into turn 4 of the last lap Morrison swung out from behind Sutton down to the low groove and passed Sutton for the win within about a car length of flag stand leaving all in attendance both stunned but exilihrated with this exciting finish to an outstanding race. It was Morrison's 3rd Feature win of the season and 10th overall. The Heat races were won by Johnson, Morris, and Morrison Jr. These three drivers then competed in a 3 lap Cash Dash that featured a 3 wide start. Morrison Jr. won this race going away for the $100 prize.
Next Saturday is King of the Hill night for the IMCA Hobby Stock class. Also racing will be the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars and Sport Compacts. The Pit Gates will open at 4pm followed by the Grandstand gates at 5pm. Hot Laps are set to begin at 6pm with the first green flag racing at 7pm.
On a special "Back to School Night" at the Minneapolis Raceway, Danny Morrison Jr conducted some schooling of his own for the Casey's General Store IMCA Modified class, garnering wins in his Heat race, the Cash Dash, and the A Feature race. Also in doing so, the defending class champion tied Corey Lagroon for the season points lead as the 2010 season begins winding down.
A full house deck of IMCA classes took to the track Saturday as 100 cars competed for a good sized and appreciative crowd. Billed as "Back to School Night", many children were in attendance to participate in drawings for many bicycles and toys.
The night was marked by multiple come from behind finishes and unfortunately 2 savage rollovers that left the cars greatly damaged but from which drivers Ryan Ohlde and Alan Rice both walked away, apparently uninjured.
The Lott Implement IMCA Sport Compacts started off the A Feature action by setting the trend that continued throughout the night, a come from behind win. Jamie Rice took an early lead from his inside pole position. After two caution restarts, the second of which occurred with his father Alan's car being put out of action by a roll-over, Rice eventually gave way to Dayton Wollenberg who took the lead in the race. However, in the last several laps he was challenged by 3 other drivers, Cody Johnson, Mark Colton, and Andrue Halpain. In the white flag lap on the backstretch, a three wide race for the lead occurred with Wallenburg, Colton, and Johnson. As they passed the flag stand to begin the last lap, Colton took the lead and left the other three to battle for second. Colton captured the checkered flag, his second of the season and 3rd overall with Halpain winning the battle for 2nd. The Heat races were won by Mark Colton, Jamie Rice, and Shianne Carter.
In the Terry Smith Plumbing IMCA Sportsman Modifieds, Shane Meeks took an early lead out of the outside pole position and held off several challengers for 6 laps until Jason Nelssen passed him at the start of the 10th lap. By the start of the 6th lap, points leader Tyler Frye had worked his way into a solid second position in the race. With 5 laps to go, Frye passed Nelssen and began to build his customary large lead to finish the race. With the checkered flag, Frye captured his 5th Feature win of the season and 25th overall. Shaylon Holloway, Brian Fink, Tracy Holloway and Frye won the Heat races, while the B Feature was captured by Kurtis Phil. In the
3rd Heat race for this class, Ryan Ohlde and Ryan Grit got into one another, with the Ohlde's car careening out of control and hitting the bottom side up high on the fence in front of the crowd before turning over and coming to a rest on the track.
Bob Arnold took an early lead in the Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Car Feature from his outside pole position and held it for 8 laps. By this time Dustin Newlin had made his way to the second place using the low inside line to pass traffic and started to challenge Arnold. A caution restart put Newlin back to the 3rd spot but this time
Tony Steenson took the low line and kept Newlin at bay for a lap when another caution occurred. On this restart, Newlin was able to pass Steenson on the low line again and was free to challenge Arnold. Newlin then passed Arnold on the inside coming out of turn 2 with 8 laps remaining. Newlin prceeded to build a substantial lead
and held on for the win, his second of the season and 2nd overall. The Heat races were won by Arnold and Scott Cossel.
For the Coors Lite IMCA Hobby Stocks, 2 early cautions took the early leaders Allen Thornton, Austin Carter, and Ron Rous out of contention. This left Duane McAnarney, GW Fuller, and Chris Pollet and Casey Gilmore to battle for the lead. For several laps McAnarney held the lead before colliding with GW Fuller in front of the flag stand at the end of lap 11. McAnarney's car suffered the worst damage, ending up on the retainer wall going into turn 1. GW Fuller then took the lead out of the caution restart and held off Gilmore to win the Feature, his 3rd of the season and 7th overall. The Heat races were won by Carter, Fuller, and Rous.
Lastly, the Casey's General Store IMCA Modifieds took to the track for their A Feature race. In the previous week this Feature was completed with no cautions but this installment was plauged by 5 caution flags. Shannon Johnson took an early lead out of his inside pole start position but was soon passed by Brad Morris who started
in the position behind him. It wasn't too much longer before Larry Sutton took the lead. From then on it was a race for Sutton to keep challengers such as Brian Knoell, Rodger Peck, and Kurt Johnston at bay. Meanwhile, Danny Morrison Jr., ended up working his way into the mix by driving the low groove. Once Morrison got into
second place a battle ensued with Sutton for the lead for the last few laps, but Sutton was prevailing on the high groove. With the white flag, Morrison started getting real close with Sutton still holding the lead. Finally, going into turn 4 of the last lap Morrison swung out from behind Sutton down to the low groove and passed Sutton for the win within about a car length of flag stand leaving all in attendance both stunned but exilihrated with this exciting finish to an outstanding race. It was Morrison's 3rd Feature win of the season and 10th overall. The Heat races were won by Johnson, Morris, and Morrison Jr. These three drivers then competed in a 3 lap Cash Dash that featured a 3 wide start. Morrison Jr. won this race going away for the $100 prize.
Next Saturday is King of the Hill night for the IMCA Hobby Stock class. Also racing will be the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars and Sport Compacts. The Pit Gates will open at 4pm followed by the Grandstand gates at 5pm. Hot Laps are set to begin at 6pm with the first green flag racing at 7pm.
