Southwest Speedway
Weiss tops Balcaen, Doar for season's 19th victory
By Chris Stepan
DirtonDirt.com correspondentDICKINSON, N.D. (Aug. 18) — Canadian youngster Ricky Weiss continued his best-ever season Wednesday, outdueling fellow Manitoba driver Mike Balcaen at Southwest Speedway for his third career Northern LateModel Racing Association victory. The 21-year-old Weiss of St. Francois Xavier, Manitoba, won in the fifth of six consecutive daily races on the NLRA tour and captured his 19th overall victory of the season.
Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., a two-time winner during the Aug. 14-19 stretch, was second followed by Balcaen and Joel Cryderman of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Zach Johnson of Kensington, Minn., rounded out the top five.
The polesitter Balcaen took the early lead in the 30-lapper with Doar eventually reeling him in to set up a tight battle for several laps while Cryderman, Weiss and Johnson battled for third behind them.
A lap-20 caution bunched the field, and Weiss slipped past Doar on the restart, then ran side-by-side with Balcaen for six laps before taking command on lap 27. Doar dropped Balcaen to third in the final laps.
Home-state driver Jeremy Keller restarted on the tail after an early spin but rallied to finish seventh.
NLRA @ Southwest: (1) Ricky Weiss, (2) Pat Doar, (3) Mike Balcaen, (4) Joel Cryderman, (5) Zach Johnson, (6) Brad Seng, (7) Jeremy Keller, (8) Hank Berry, (9) Cody Skytland, (10) Troy Schill, (11) Troy Heupel, (12) Kelly Hample, (13) Bill Mooney, (14) Steve Anderson, (15) Brian Swenson, (16) Cole Schill, (17) Paul Mueller, (18) Bruce Hart, (19) Adam Fischer, (20) Rock Degele. Heat race winners (among 20 cars): Doar, Balcaen, Weiss.
