9/4/2017
Buffalo River Speedway
Three-peat complete for Greseth at Buffalo River Race Park
By Mike Spieker
GLYNDON, Minn. – Buffalo River Race Park wrapped up its 68th regular season Sunday night. Michael Greseth of Harwood, N.D. picked up his third consecutive IMCA modified feature win in dominating fashion, while Tyler Hall claimed his first modified track championship.
“This is just one of those race tracks I grew up on and I just love racing here,” said Greseth in victory lane. “We took the whole car apart and found some stuff wrong with it. The car has definitely woken up at the end of the year here.”
The race was stalled after lap one due to consecutive multi-car pileups. Once the race had a stretch of green flag racing, Greseth powered from the third starting position to take the lead away from Nick Curtis.
Greseth opened up a comfortable lead in the early going of the 30-lap feature, but a caution brought Hall, who started eighth, right to the rear bumper of Greseth.
Hall took full advantage. Hall drove his No. 60 modified around the outside of Greseth with 15 laps to go, but he didn’t have much time to enjoy the lead. Greseth mustered up enough speed to get back by Hall on the low side of the speedway before taking Hall’s line away on the top.
“I didn’t know if the top side was there and I knew the corner four exit was good so I knew I only had one shot to get up in that groove if I wanted to get up there,” continued Greseth. “I saw [Hall] coming down the back straightaway and I just shot up there and ran around there the rest of the time.”
Greseth ran the second half of the race relatively unchallenged as he cruised to his fourth overall win at Buffalo River, which ties him with Rob VanMil for the most in the track’s premier division.
The only thing that could slow Matt Talley during the IMCA sportmod feature was the caution flag. Talley, of Sabin, led all 30 laps during the main event, but had to hold off veteran driver Scott Jacobson on four restarts.
The final restart came with just one lap to go and Jacobson was looking to pounce on Talley as the green flag waved. Talley remained calm under pressure, however, as he drove flawlessly around the fast and tacky quarter-mile clay oval to claim his second win of the season.
Kelly Jacobson of Fargo claimed the sportmod track championship.
The INEX legends feature was decided until the final lap. Fifteen-year-old Tim Estenson was in search of his 21st win of the season overall, while Andrew Jochim of Glyndon was looking for his first. Estenson drove into turn one on the final lap with the lead, but Jochim emerged out of the corner with the top spot. Estenson threw everything he had at Jochim in the final set of corners, but Jochim prevailed to grab the win.
At the halfway point, the race was red flagged for Kasey Kurtz, who got upside down on the back straightaway. Kurtz walked away from the incident uninjured.
Estenson completed the sweep of the three local track championships at Buffalo River Race Park. He also won titles at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn. and Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo.
After getting spun out on lap two, Tim Church of Moorhead charged through the field to claim an IMCA hobby stock-leading sixth win of the season. In the second half of the race, Church withstood a restart with eight laps to go and held off Kyle Hallgren to take the win.
Brandon Schmidt took the hobby stock track championship.
Matt Pederson won the IMCA sport compact feature, while Brady Moore won the class’ track championship.
Buffalo River Race Park will bring its 2017 season to a close with the fan-favorite Corn Cob Nationals on September 16 and 17.
Results:
IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Feature – 1. Tim Church, Moorhead, Minn.; 2. Kyle Hallgren, Hankinson, N.D.; 3. Maranda Borg, Harwood, N.D.; 4. Torey Fischer, West Fargo, N.D.; 5. Caleb Gardner, Glyndon, Minn.
INEX Legends:
Feature – 1. Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn.; 2. Tim Estenson, Fargo, N.D.; 3. Josh Julsrud, Barnesville, Minn.; 4. Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; 5. Dean Julsrud, Barnesville, Minn.
IMCA Sportmods: 1. Matt Talley, Sabin, Minn.; 2. Kelly Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.; 3. Scott Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.; 4. Dan Dowling, Wheatland, N.D.; 5. Luke Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.
IMCA Sport Compacts:
Feature - 1. Matt Pederson, Lake Park, Minn.; 2. Parker Bilden, Erhard, Minn.; 3. Brady Moore, Ulen, Minn.; 4. Austin Lammers, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; 5. Levi Lease, Harwood, N.D.
IMCA Modifieds:
Feature - 1. Michael Greseth, Harwood, N.D.; 2. Tyler Hall, Fertile, Minn.; 3. Bryce Borgen, Perley, Minn.; 4. Allen Kent, West Fargo, N.D.; 5. Michael Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.
Submitted By: Mike Spieker