Crowded on the track
Space was hard to find on the track at Rugby’s Geographical Center Speedway for the IMCA Stock A-Main.
Twenty-two cars were jockeying for position for 25 laps on the three-quarter mile.
When it was over, Randy Brands of Boyden, Iowa bested the field to claim the checkered flag, the $500 first prize and get a leg up on the field after night one of the seven-race IMCA Dakota Stock Tour on July 9.
Minot’s Kelly Henderson and Nathan Burke, both regulars at the GCS, finished second and third, respectively.
There was just two local drivers in the field and Rugby’s Tyler Dosch was 16th. Layne Opstedal of Rolette was 20th.
A large came out on a beautiful evening to see the first night of the tour and catch the three other racing classes on the the third program of the GCS season.
And it just wasn’t the IMCA Stocks which featured a large car count.There were 15 cars in the Midwest Modified division with drivers from nine different towns.
Minot’s Jeff Hooker, formerly of Rugby, won the feature, becoming the third different feature winner at the GCS this season. Shawn Nostdahl of Bottineau was second and Scott Bintz of Jamestown was third.
Rugby’s Ken Hooker was fourth. Other local finishers included: Josh Sattler, Rugby, sixth; Norm Reitan, Bottineau, seventh; Chad Bush, Harvey, ninth; Kelly Bonn, Rugby, 14th.
In the Pure Stocks, 10 drivers competed in the feature won by Rugby’s Larry Vetsch, his second win of the season. Westhope’s Mike LeMay had to settle for runner-up to Vetsch for a second time. Brad Fritel was third.
With three races to go, those three drivers have separated themselves from the rest of the field in the race for the season points title.
Racing returns next week – a rare Thursday, July 22 program, beginning at 7:30 p.m.