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Back-to-back runner-up finishes highlight Minnesota trip

Back-to-back runner-up finishes highlight Minnesota trip

Made it up to 2nd from 10th at Chateau Raceway. Congratulations to Brandon Davis on the win. Thank you Chateau Raceway for the awesome fireworks and Thrivent for bringing Michael McDowell to your facility. Now to make it out of the parking lot. It is a great thing to have such a crowd!

LANSING, Minn.—It was the annual Fireworks night at Chateau Raceway in Lansing Friday with the action not only in the sky after the races but on the track as well all night long. Added to the excitement was the presence of NASCAR driver Michael McDowell. The evening was promoted by his sponsor Thrivent Financial as part of a fund raiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Blooming Prairie and the annual Paint The Town Pink Promotion to raise money for Cancer Research at the Hormel Institute in Austin. Along with the 50/50 fundraiser there was a silent auction held before the races and at intermission a live auction with several racing items.

Come evening though it was time to race as he got the a track prepared USRA Modified to do battle on the dirt with the local boys. McDowell told fans that he grew up racing in Arizona on asphalt in go carts and open wheeled road courses and had only driven on dirt a handful of times in these promotional events. McDowell's first time out in his heat ended a little early as he went pit side with some mechanical issues before the end of it. However, he was able to keep the car under him for all 25 laps of the main event as he finished ninth in a fast-paced race that was only stopped once for an early caution on lap 3.

Brandon Davis of Medford picked up his fifth feature win of the season at the track coming out of row two to move by early leader Doug Hillson of Blooming Prairie. Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, started back in row five, and despite turning the fastest laps of the race had to settle for second. By the time he worked through traffic Davis had checked out on the field. Jason Cummins of New Richland had a nice run coming from row four up to third ahead of another driver who started deep in the field, Steve Wetzstein of West Concord. Hillson rounded out the top five. VanderBeek and Greg Pfeifer Jr. of Brownsdale were the heat winners.

In three weeks the rescheduled Mike Guttormson Memorial is on the schedule for July 29 with the USMTS slated to be a part of that night's race for that big paycheck. Racing action gets underway every Friday night at 7 p.m. as the 60th Anniversary season rolls on during the summer of 2016 at Chateau Raceway.

RESULTS

Feature: 1. Brandon Davis, Medford; 2. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa; 3. Jason Cummins, New Richland; 4. Steve Wetzstein, West Concord; 5. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie; 6. Darwyn Karau, Kasson; 7. Joe Horgdal, Kasson; 8. Greg Pfeifer Jr., Brownsdale; 9. Michael McDowell, Glendale, Ariz.; 10. Alex Hanson, Northwood, Iowa; 11. Matt Stark, Austin; 12. Al Wagner, Orchard, Iowa.

Heat #1: 1. VanderBeek; 2. Karau; 3. Hillson; 4. Horgdal; 5. Stark; 6. McDowell.

Heat #2: 1. Pfeifer; 2. Wetzstein; 3. Davis; 4. Cummins; 5. Wagner; 6. Hanson.

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Had a great time at Deer Creek for the Gopher 50. It was 50 laps for the WoO Late Models and 30 laps for the USRA Modifieds. The Casey's General Store 33z Racing team started fifth in heat #1 and finished second. The top four were in and the top two got to redraw. Redrew eighth for starting position and then finished second to Jesse Glenz. The trophy was awesome—wanted it really bad.—but congratulations to Jesse on the win. Thank you to the Queensland family for having a great track and a fun event overall. Thank you for the pork chop lunch. Pretty good stuff there. Thank you to NAPA Auto Parts for sponsoring the event. For the fireworks... the invocation was thoughtful for the tragedy in our country right now. Playing of the taps with the gun salute and the Blooming Prairie Fire Department raising the huge flag on the ladder was very moving. Good people... fun times. Now for a few days of R&R before the next swing starting Thursday. See ya at Kasson!

SPRING VALLEY, Minn.—It was a glorious day for racing at Deer Creek Speedway for the 37th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50. This year's event was once again presented by NAPA Auto Parts, NAPA Auto Care Centers, Miner's Outdoor & Rec and the Blooming Prairie Lions.

There were all sorts of ore-race activities for race fans to take in. There was the NAPA Tailgate Tent where games were played and prizes handed out. Ron Capps NHRA Funny Car was on display for everyone to take a look at. A driver autograph session was held and fans got a great opportunity to meet their favorite driver. Also free Pepsi products and popcorn were available to munch on.

A stellar field of 37 NAPA Auto Care Centers USRA Modifieds signed in to battle it out for a possible $4000 payday for the winner. That field was whittled down to a 26-car field for the 30-lap feature. Dustin Sorensen and Jesse Glenz led the pack to the green flag.

Nate Wasmund bolted from row two on the start to nab the lead with a three wide procession behind him. Glenz took the lead two laps into it while Zack Vanderbeek raced from eighth to third. Vanderbeek then vaulted to second as Glenz opened up the lead.

The leaders would eventually work their way into lapped traffic. Vanderbeek tried in vain to catch Glenz but was never able to close the gap. Glenz sliced through the lapped cars with ease and was able to hold Vanderbeek at bay.

Eleventh starter Brandon Davis got the high side to work and charged to third late in the race. Defending track champion Josh Angst also worked his way through traffic after he started 13th and had a really good late race run.

Glenz raced on to win the race and take home the $4,000 check along with the unique wood carved gopher trophy and Husqvarna chain saw. It was car owner Dale White's second straight Gopher 50 title as Jimmy Mars drove White's car to victory in 2015. Vanderbeek would end up in second with Davis in third. Wasmund had a very good run in fourth and Angst's drive would bring him to fifth on the final lap.

RESULTS

First Heat: 1. Mark Motl (Owatonna), 2. Zack VanderBeek (New Sharon, Iowa), 3. Brandon Davis (Medford), 4. Dwaine Hanson (Lakefield), 5. Todd Stinehart (Waseca), 6. Joel Alberts (Mantorville), 7. David Schuster (Waterville), 8. Tammy Soma Clark (Rochester).

Second Heat: 1. Craig Thatcher (Knapp, Wis.), 2. Jacob Bleess (Chatfield), 3. Brent Larson (Lake Elmo), 4. Brad Waits (Rochester), 5. Jay Ihrke (Dover), 6. Cory Crapser (Chippewa Falls, Wis.), 7. Jason Cummins (New Richland), 8. Joe Ludemann (Grand Meadow).

Third Heat: 1. Nate Wasmund (Rochester), 2. Jesse Glenz (Cadott, Wis.), 3. Josh Angst (Winona), 4. Dan Ebert (Lake Shore), 5. Erik Kanz (Winona), 6. Joe Horgdal (Kasson), 7. Keith Foss (Winona).

Fourth Heat: 1. Dustin Sorensen (Rochester), 2. Rodney Sanders (Happy, Texas), 3. Craig Shaw (Dexter), 4. Chris Oertel (Marshfield, Wis.), 5. Robby Bunkelman (Abbotsford, Wis.), 6. Doug Hillson (Blooming Prairie), 7. Levi Nielsen (Evansdale, Iowa).

Fifth Heat: 1. Jake Timm (Winona), 2. Kevin Stoa (Albert Lea), 3. Bob Timm (Winona), 4. Steve Wetzstein (West Concord), 5. John Doelle (Arcadia, Wis.), 6. Darwyn Karau (Kasson), 7. Les Duellman (Winona).

"A" Main: 1. Glenz, 2. VanderBeek, 3. Davis, 4. Wasmund, 5. Angst, 6. Bleess, 7. Sanders, 8. Thatcher, 9. Waits, 10. J. Timm, 11. Wetzstein, 12. Sorensen, 13. Kanz, 14. Larson, 15. Bunkelman, 16. Stoa, 17. Ebert, 18. Karau, 19. Oertel, 20. Crapser, 21. B. Timm, 22. Duellman, 23. Ihrke, 24. Shaw, 25. Motl, 26. Hanson.

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