Buffalo River Speedway
Johnson grabs NLRA victory at Buffalo River
GLYNDON, Minn. (Aug. 11) — Zach Johnson of Kensington, Minn., came from outside the fourth row Sunday at Buffalo River Race Park to scored his series leading third Northern LateModel Racing Association victory of the season. Johnson earned $1,100 in taking the checkers ahead of front-row starters and Grand Forks, N.D., drivers Dustin Strand and Brad Seng, who finished second and third.
Mike Balcaen of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who won Saturday’s NLRA event in Jamestown, N.D., was fourth with John Kaanta of Elk Mound, Wis., rallying from his 23rd starting spot for a fifth-place finish in the 25-car field.
Notes: Johnson’s No. 73 Pierce Race Car is sponsored by Glenwood State Bank, Midwest Grain Services and Elite Shock Services. ... Johnson’s previous series victories came May 26 at Viking Speedway in Alexandria, Minn., and June 19 at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn. ... All but one of Johnson’s 10 career NLRA victories have come in his home state. ... Besides Balcaen’s victory Saturday at Jamestown, Kent Arment won NLRA’s Thursday Thunder stop at Norman County. ... Donny Schatz, fresh off his seventh career Knoxville Nationals victory, jumped back into his Rocket Chassis Late Model for a sixth-place finish. He started 25th. ... Twenty-two of 25 starters were running at the finish. ... NLRA drivers return to action Aug. 16-17 with North Dakota events at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks and Devil’s Lake Speedway in Doyon.
NLRA @ Buffalo River Race Park: (1) Zach Johnson, (2) Dustin Strand, (3) Brad Seng, (4) Mike Balcaen, (5) John Kaanta, (6) Donny Schatz, (7) Joey Pederson, (8) Cole Schill, (9) Troy Schill, (10) Shane Edginton, (11) Dusty Peterson, (12) Bill Mooney, (13) Matt Aukland, (14) Billy Michaelson, (15) Norman Olson, (16) Brian Bernatos, (17) Steffen Snare, (18) Jeff Hapala, (19) Kyle Olson, (20) Coard Allard, (21) Josh Johnson, (22) Dewayne Rector, (23) Tom Corcoran, (24) Steve Anderson, (25) Mitch Johnson. Heat race winners (among 25 cars): Edginton, Aukland, Strand, Seng.