Wisconsin driver wins NLRA final, sets his sights on Seitz feature
Sep. 8—GRAND FORKS — A,J. Diemel doesn't race full time at River Cities Speedway. But it's hard to tell that watching the driver of the No. 58 late model smoothly maneuver his way around The Bullring.
Diemel captured Thursday night's 25-lap NLRA Late Model Racing Association feature, which served as the prelude to this weekend's 17th annual John Seitz Memorial Late Model Invitational that ends Saturday night with the feature winner walking away with $9,200.
Diemel, of Elk Mound, Wis., grabbed the lead with 15 laps to go and wasn't threatened the rest of the way, He beat Winnipeg's Shane Edginton to the flagstand by 2.099 seconds. Scott Ward was third, followed by Mike Greseth and Jordan Tollakson.
Greseth, however, was crowned the NLRA season points champion. It was his third-straight points title.
Diemel is the only three-time winner of the Setiz, and put himself in solid position to win No. 4 as he dominated the field of 55 late models.
Qualifying for the Seitz began Friday night, with all eyes on Saturday's big payday — one of the biggest each year for late models in the Upper Midwest.
"The track was so tricky tonight," said Diemel. "There was a lot of traction and a lot of grooves. The rest was tricky. I was pleased with the way the night went for us."
Diemel has his eye on a fourth Seitz title but he knows it won't be easy.
"It would mean a lot," he said. "That would put us out there a little way. But I'm not saying nobody will ever catch that. There are so many good cars that come here each year to race this thing."
Diemel started sixth in the NLRA feature and was one of only three drivers among the 27 who started the race to post a sub 14-second lap time. Greseth posted the fastest lap time of 13.603 seconds, that coming on the opening circuit.
The Seitz weekend has become a major race event in Grand Forks each season.
On Thursday, there were 172 cars that checked in to race in five different classes.
The number of laps raced made for a challenging track surface by the time the late models took to the oval around 8 p.m. The night, however, went smooth for the number of cars that raced. There were only a handful of caution flags waved throughout the progam, which ended at 11:31 p.m.
With construction of the Grand Forks County Correctional Center addition underway adjacent to the track, pit space for cars was limited. But RCS officials managed to accommodate all 172 cars and their crews.
But the night was smooth for the drivers and track officials.
"This track has been good to me throughout the years," said Diemel. "It's s a good track for late models. You can get around on this track and go everywhere."
In other features, Hunter Carter captured the streets main event, taking the lead with three laps to go. He edged Kyle Anderson by 0.265 seconds.
Matt Schow won the Midwest modified feature. Nate Reynolds took second. Schow posted the only sub 14-second lap at 13.879 seconds.
Tyler Peterson won the modified feature in dominating fashion. Dustin Strand was second, 4.453 seconds off the pace.
River Cities Speedway
Thursday's results
Streets
First heat — 1. Cole Greseth, 2. Jeremy Gust, 3. Hunter Carter
Second heat — 1. Jerome Berger, 2. Kyle Anderson, 3. Trey Hess
Third heat — 1. Justin Vogel, 2. Royce Jawaski, 3. Shane Swenson
Feature — 1. Carter, 2. Anderson, 3. Greseth, 4. Gust, 5. Derek Turner
Midwest modifieds
First heat — 1. Matt Schow, 2. Dylan McGaughan, 3. Nick Audette
Second heat — 1. Michael Blevins, 2. Austin Hunter, 3. Brandon Rehill
Third heat — 1. Jason Halvorson, 2. Aaron Blacklance, 3. Lance Schill
Fourth heat — 1. Nate Reynolds, 2. Jamie Dietzler, 3. Ryne Uhrich
B main 1 — 1. Blake Adams, 2. Reise Stenberg, 3, Connor Graf
B main 2 — 2. Lucas Rodin, 2. Taylor Jacobson, 3, Jory Berg
Feaure — 1. Schow, 2. Reynolds, 3, Hunter, 4. Dietlzer, 5. Blevins
Super stocks
Fist heat — 1. Shawn Wagemann, 2. Jeremy North, 3. Doug Koski
Second heat — 1. Brandon Duellman, 2. Blake Whitlock, 3. Trevor Nelson
Modifieds
First heat — 1. Parker Anderson, 2. Ryan Schroeder, 3. Matt Aukland
Second heat — 1. Dustin Strand, 2. Scott Ward, 3. Mike Stearns
Third heat — 1. Brock Gronwold, 2. Lee Grosz, 3. Zach Johnson
Fourth heat — 1. Tyler Peterson, 2, Cayden Schrenke, 3. Dylan Zabel
B main 1 — Davy Mills, 2. Jeff Reed, 3. Aaron Blacklance
B main 2 — Dustin Wahl, 2. Aaron Holtan, 3. Jesse Young
Feature — 1. Peterson, 2. Strand, 3, Johnson, 4. Stearns, 5. Ward
Late models
First heat — 1. Josh Skorczewski, 2. Gunner Frank, 3. Ryan Corbett
Second heat —1. Tyler Peterson, 2. A. J. Diemel, 3. Bryce Sward
Third heat — 1. Shane Edginton, 2. Mike Greseth, 3. Trevor Anderson
Fourth heat — 1. Mitch Johnson, 2. Amelia Eisenschenk, 3. Chad Mahder
Fifth heat — 1. Tom Corcoran, 2. Jordan Tollekson, 3. Brad Seng
Sixth heat — 1. Cole Schill, 2. Todd Frank, 3. Joey Pederson
B main 1 — 1. Dustin Strand, 2. Lance Schill, 3. Brad Seng
B main 2 — 1. Jake Redetzke, 2. Cole Seaering, 3. Jeff Massingill
B main 3 — 1. Trevor Anderson, 2. Mike Balcaen, 3. Chad Becker
Feature — 1. Diemel, 2. Edginton, 3. Ward, 4. Greseth, 5. Tollakson
