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Richert, Yager, Coopman, and
Strandberg take Jackson Season opener wins By: Tom Svoboda/Jackson Speedway Jackson Minnesota (May 12, 2007) - The 2007 racing season kicked off this past Saturday night at the Jackson Speedway, and picking up the nights feature race wins were Jerry Richert, Jr., Forest Lake MN, KUQQ 360 Outlaw Sprints; Ryan Yager, Ringsted IA, Pizza Ranch Limited Sprints; Jerry Coopman, Mankato MN, Performance Center IMCA Stock Cars, and Dan Strandberg, Worthington MN, IMCA Hobby Stocks. Two different drivers led in the 20-lap KUQQ 360 Outlaw Sprint Car feature race. On the initial start of the race Joe Riedel, Harrisburg SD, went off the track in turn two breaking the front end and needing a tow back to the pits. On the complete restart Chad Meyer would get the early lead from the pole starting spot. Jerry Richert, Jr., would get the second spot with Chris Graf, Glencoe MN, the third spot. On lap two the caution came out when Jake Leighty, Worthington MN, would clip one of the inside retaining tires breaking the front end and ending up going to the pits. On the restart Meyer would hold off Richert, as Graf remained in the third spot. On the seventh lap Richert would make his move into the top spot as he got by Meyer coming out of turn four. One lap later Shawn Van Wyhe, Rock Rapids IA, spun in turn two bringing out the caution flag. On the restart Richert held the field behind as the battle for second heated up and both Graf and Wade Nygaard, Fargo ND, would work their way around Meyer sending him back to the fourth spot. On lap twelve Wade Nygaard, Fargo ND, would pressure Graf and get by him to move into the second spot. On lap seventeen the red flag flew over the speedway when Mike Sitzman, Jr., Tappen ND got over the cushion in turn four and got into the wall, and moments later Neil Stevens, Bingham Lake MN, also did the same thing, resulting in two separate accidents almost at the same time. Both drivers were ok but done for the night. On the restart Richert would keep the field behind and go on to claim the win. He was followed by Wade Nygaard, Chris Graf, Chad Meyer, and Mark Toews, Spirit Lake IA. Heat race winners were Joe Riedel and Bill Boles, Harris IA. Two red flags slowed the 15-lap Pizza Ranch of Jackson Limited Sprint Car feature race. At the drop of the green it was Ryan Yager getting the number one spot with Bruce Anderson, Trimont MN, the second spot and Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur IA, the third position. The leaders would race in this order until lap five when Justin Swenson, Westbrook MN, got into the wall in turns three and four. Bruce Anderson would also make hard contact with wall following Swenson's mishap. Both drivers were ok but the cars were done for the night. On the restart, the red flag would fly again as Nate Eakin, Milford IA, would get into the wall in turns three and four. Eakin was also ok but done for the night. On the restart Yager would hold off the field, as Friedrichsen and Curt Thurmer, Jackson MN, raced in the second and third spots. On lap twelve Steve Yarns, Jackson MN, would get by Thurmer for the third spot and while Yager was still up front, Yarns would get by Friedrichsen for second while working on lap thirteen. With just one lap too go Yarns would try to reel in Yager but the laps would run out, and Ryan Yager would pick up the win. Steve Yarns settled for second with Casey Friedrichsen taking third. Curt Thurmer and Doug Bratrud, Jackson MN, rounded out the top five. Heat races went to Ryan Yager and Bruce Anderson. The 15-lap Performance Center IMCA Stock Car feature race went green-white-checkered. At the start of the race it was Jerry Coopman getting the early lead from his pole starting position. Jeffrey Larson, Rushmore MN, would get the second spot with Brad Scheibel, Essig MN, getting the third spot. On lap two Trent Schroeder would move up in the second spot after crossing the finish line on lap one in fifth. Gary Bannister, Lakefield MN, would also move into the third spot putting many of the races early top runners deeper in the field. The leaders would now race with Coopman up front and pulling away followed by Schroeder and Bannister. On lap eight Jim Larson, Rushmore MN, moved into the third spot getting by Bannister. On lap eleven Schroeder would have something go wrong with his car and he was forced to the pit area. That handed the second spot to Larson with Bannister third. As the race wound down Coopman would work up about a half lap advantage over Larson and go on to take the win. Jim Larson would cross the finish line in the second spot but was later disqualified when he was found to be too light at the scales. That moved the finishing order up one spot and gave second place to Gary Bannister followed by Brad Scheibel, Jeff Senne, Fairmont MN, and Roger Nielsen, Estherville IA. Heat races went to Trent Schroeder and Jerry Coopman. Two different drivers led in the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature race that also went green-white-checkered. At the start of the race Doug Wark, Jordan MN, would get the early lead from the pole followed by Dan Strandberg. While working lap four Strandberg would make his move into the lead on the back straightaway going into turn three for the lead. Wark would fall back one spot to second as Dustin Larson, Rushmore MN, ran in the third spot. Strandberg would lead the remaining laps of the race with Wark and Larson following until the end of the race when Larson had problems with his car not allowing him to finish. When the checkered flag flew it was Dan Strandberg picking up the win followed by Doug Wark, Tim Wilcox, Ida Grove IA, John Briggs, Calumet IA, and Jerry Gronewold, Worthington MN. Heat races were went to Dan Strandberg and Doug Wark. Next Saturday night will be Poppe's 66 of Fairmont and Welcome Meats race night. Hot laps will be at 7:00 p.m. with racing to follow. KUQQ 360 Outlaw Sprints (16 Cars) Pizza Ranch of Jackson Limited
Sprints (12 Cars) Performance Center of Estherville
IMCA Stock Cars (13 Cars) IMCA Hobby Stocks (12 Cars) |
