Sports

Race season begins at speedway

By Bottineau Courant Staff (Photo by Scott Wagar)

05/22/2012

The 2012 race season officially began last Sunday as Thunder Mountain Speedway greased it’s gate for patrons to enter for the season opener.

A new time of 4 p.m. allowed for more cars in races and more excitement for fans.

About 15 sport stocks and 15 Wissota Midwest Modifieds competed, putting a car count that was higher than any all of last season.

In the sport stock division Matt Hunter, Steve Beckedahl and Erik Blada ran good races to win each of their respective heats.

Blada, of Kramer, proved to the be the best of the night though, the 2011 Thunder Mountain Speedway track champion opened 2012 successfully. Blada followed his heat victory with a trophy dash win as well as the win in the feature race, making it a perfect trifecta for him on the night.

Landa’s Beckedahl came in second, while Lance Schill leapfrogged Matt Hunter for third place in the feature.

Following the races, the top five in points are:
1. Erik Blada 60
2. Steve Beckedahl 58
3. Lance Schill 56
4. Matt Hunter 56
5. Russ Reimer 54

The Modified races went much the same way as Bryan Kakela took home wins in his heat, the trophy dash and the feature.

Also winning heat races were Jess Brekke and Tyler Dosch.

Rick Hamel and Cole Haugland improved their standing by finishing two, three in the feature after taking second and third place respectively in each of their heat races.

Last season’s track champion in the modified division, Shawn Nostdahl, of Bottineau, finished fifth in the second heat, and took 13th place in the feature race.

Point standings in the modified divison are:
1. Bryan Kakela 56
2. Rick Hammel 53
3. Jess Brekke 52
4. Cole Haugland 51
5. Norm Reitan 49

The race was the 4th annual Steven Peck Memorial race.

Thunder Mountain Speedway will host their next race at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 3.