WORTHINGTON -- It was only fitting that Nobles County Speedway had so many people Sunday night, remembering not only American veterans, but also the history of racing.
Vintage car racers -- 13 old, steel-body sprint cars, varying in makes and ranging from the 1930's up to 1970 -- took to the Worthington track for its Memorial Day weekend event. The Grain Exchange sponsored the night, Steve Newman Construction gave bikes away and the Alpha Battery 1st-125th field Artillery did the honors of placing the flag and throwing out candy and other goodies at intermission.
Sportsman
Brent Hulstien and Jenna Klaukas brought the field around to take the green flag. Hulstien jumped out to the early lead but brought out the first caution as he spun in the corner, with the entire field splitting up and down the track to get past him.
This moved Brandon Bullerman up to the front row, and he took the lead from Klaukas as the flag went green. The second caution would go up when Malik Sampson spun around coming out of corner two. Dan Probst, who snuck his way up to the front, would bring the field around to take the green with Bullerman right behind.
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The third caution would soon fly as Dan Probst found himself spinning around. Probst soon found himself back up front, and Bullerman would join the back of the pack. As the drivers all battled for position, another caution flag would be brought out for Klaukas.
Probst continued to lead with Cory Probst, Bullerman and Sampson all right behind. Bullerman would eventually go too hard in the corner, causing his second caution flag and putting an end to his evening. The two Probsts and Sampson all would go on to race for the top spot. Sampson would pass Cory Probst for the second spot and put his sights on the top position, but his run was put on hold as the Klaukas car drove into the guard rail.
With Probst, Probst and Sampson giving it their all for the green-white-checkered finish, Sampson would get both Probsts to emerge with the win. Cory Probst was second, Hulstien took third and Dan Probst was fourth.
Hobby
Dan Strandberg jumped out to an early lead with Jerry Groenwold, Brandon Bosma, Scott Hector, Dustin Larson and Justin Luinenburg all racing pretty much side by side before Clyde Krog would bring out the first caution. As Strandberg brought the field around to take the green, Strandberg was running the top and Groenwold the bottom as Groenwold found himself taking the lead. The caution flag would next fly for Brad Halbur.
Brandon Bosma would bring out another caution flag, but Groenwold and Hector had their own battle going on as they got tangled with each other and each needed to go into the work area. Shane Klaasse, Larson, Luinenburg and Trinity Lansik took the top five places on the restart. As they got ready to go green, Larson pulled to the top of the track with car trouble that ended his night. Not even a lap after the green flag flew once more, Lansik found himself sideways with Halbur and Bosma not making it through -- putting an end to all of their evenings.
With the time running out and three laps left Strandberg, Klaassen and Luinenburg came to take the final restart. Klaassen would take the checkered with Strandberg second and Luinenburg third. Groenwould (58) and Hector both made their way back up to round out the top five.
Hornet
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Jake Schroeder started on the inside and Brady Schroeder on the outside. Brady fell back, letting Denny Johnson and Brandi Dalin find their way around him.
As Jake took the high side and Johnson the inside, they would go back and forth for many laps. Jack Schroeder would go on to get the win with Johnson second and Dalin third. At the checkered Brady Schroeder would take the fourth spot from Brad Bohn, who took fifth.
B-Mod
Jason Fisher and Collen DeRuyter (on the front row) and Steve Bents and Dan Ahlers (second row) took the green flag. As the field moved through corner three and came into corner four, Fisher found himself being spun around. He would soon find his way back up to the top spot and Bents found his way to the back for causing a caution flag. DeRuyter later join Bents at the back due to a flat tire.
After a complete restart, Fisher was in the top spot when Rick Reed brought out the second caution. Jason DeBoer would later bring out the third caution.
On that restart, Ahlers and Bents snuck their way back up into the mix. Smith went high and would wind up battling side by side with Ahlers at the halfway mark. Smith would hold second, leaving Ahlers to battle with Bents for third.
Fisher's luck would run out with car trouble, which would bring out another caution and leave Smith and Bents to battle for the lead. Smith would take the win with Bents second, Joynt third, Ahlers fourth and DeRuyter fifth.
Street Stock
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Chris Palsrock, who started on the pole, held on to the early lead, but Trent Schroeder -- who started last -- would get a great start to move into third. Brad Klaassen would find himself making his way to the front, but as he went around Plasrock, so did Rich Gregoire to take the top spot from both of them.
Ron Prins, not holding anything back, would come up to take second, with Klaassen third and Schroeder fourth. As they all raced to the checkered flag Prins stuck his car under Gregoire, forcing him to slide up. As they came down the front stretch side by side, Prins pulled off the photo-finish win. Gregoire was second, Klaassen third, Schroeder fourth and Luck Sathoff fifth.
A-Mod
As the dust flew at the Nobles County Speedway, so did the flying farmer from Brewster. Ron Luitjens jumped out to the early lead, with Josh Mattik and Ben Mattik working their way up to stay close behind.
Mattik would go high to try and take the lead from Luitjens, but Luitjens lucked out when Justin Anderson stopped for a flat tire and put him back in front for the restart. With the Mattik boys right behind, Luitjen would have his hands full trying to keep them both back.
As the green flag dropped Josh Mattik went low as Luitjens protected the bottom, leaving Ben to go high and take over the top spot. At the halfway mark, Don Gerritsen Jr. tried to work his way into the third spot, but Ben would hold him off. Aaron Betz spun in corner four, bringing out the caution.
Luitjens got loose on the restart and spun, taking Anderson and Jason Briese along with him. Anderson headed to the work area, and Briese needed help off the track. Luitjens found himself at the back, leaving both Mattiks and Gerritsen to bring the field around as they would go single file to the checkered.
Ben Mattik would get the win, with Josh Mattik second, Gerritsen third, Josh Klay fourth and Luitjens fifth.
