8/16/2012
Tatnell is King of KRA for 7th UMSS Win
Tatnell is King of KRA For Seventh UMSS Win
Willmar, MN
Making their first-ever appearance at the KRA Speedway in Willmar, the Upper Midwest Sprintcar Series (UMSS) winged sprints drew a field of 16 competitive cars on Thursday August 16. Brooke Tatnell earned the King of KRA title when he drove to his seventh UMSS feature win of the season on a pleasant but somewhat cool evening for racing. Tatnell passed leader Leigh Thomas following a restart at the halfway mark and was never headed.
Sprint cars had not raced at the KRA oval for fourteen years. Donovan Peterson was the last driver to win a sprint feature at KRA, but now Tatnell holds that distinction and joins Travis Whitney and Donny Schatz as previous KRA winners dating back to 1995. "I didn't think the race was ever going to end with all of those yellows in the final few laps, but I hope the fans enjoyed the sprint cars," commented Tatnell following his victory.
Racing action throughout the three heats and two challenge races only produced one yellow flag, but the feature event made up for the lack of cautions. With Derrik Lusk, making his first UMSS start of the season on the pole, and 2009 UMSS Champion Leigh Thomas to his outside, it was Thomas taking the early lead. Thomas held the top spot until the second caution for a spin with 10 laps in slowed the pace. Tatnell, who redrew the #4 pill for the feature race invert, had worked his way forward to the runner-up spot by this time. When the green blinked on again, Tatnell made the winning pass in turns 1-2 and set sail out front.
The feature race got bogged down under yellow fever in the final four laps, as five yellows and one red waved for various incidents. It took three times to complete a green-white-checker dash to the finish which jumbled the final finishing order somewhat. Thomas held the second place spot until he and Chris Graf tangled. Then third place runner Jason Tostenson spun in turn two on the restart. The third time was the charm, and the race was finally completed with Tatnell topping Tony Kaus. For Kaus, it was his best UMSS finish so far. Current UMSS point leader Jerry Richert, Jr. finished third ahead of Jordan Wilmes and Sye Anderson. For Wilmes, it was also his best UMSS finish. Rounding out the remaining cars that finished were Tostenson, Graf and Thomas. Attrition took its toll, as Scott Broty and Mike Stien completed the top ten but were not around at the checkers.
The GRP Motorsports High Five Championship Bonus Chase is heating up, as drivers are allowed to throw out their two worst point scores in order to determine the 2012 UMSS Champion. With twelve races in the books so far this season, defending UMSS Champion Jerry Richert, Jr. leads Scott Broty, Sye Anderson, Chris Graf and Brooke Tatnell in the top five spots. James Broty appears to have a lock on the 2012 UMSS Rookie of the Year title.
The UMSS winged sprints will run a double-header next weekend with a Friday night August 24 show at the St. Croix Valley Raceway and their annual Summer Sizzler at the Rice Lake Speedway on Saturday August 25. Several teams who only run on occasion with the UMSS have inquired about the upcoming late August weekend of racing, and the UMSS is expecting a talented field of cars to be on hand at both events with car counts similar to the KRA show. Driver and fans can keep tabs on the championship point races, race results and check out the remaining race schedule on the UMSS website at www.umsprints.com or become a friend of the UMSS on their Facebook page. Weather permitting, the UMSS still has eight races on their 2012 schedule before the season ends with the Fall Dirt Nationals at the Elko Speedway in early October.
UMSS Race Results - KRA Speedway August 16, 2012 (Race #12)
Alpha Apparel & Promotions Ultimate Sprint Heat #1 (6 laps): Cam Schafer 54, Jason Tostenson 36, Chad Patterson 15, Sye Anderson 37, Tony Norem 45, Scott Broty 33.
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Heat #2 (6 laps): Jerry Richert Jr. 63, Derrik Lusk 93, Chris Graf 20G, Tony Kaus 3TK, Josh Zieske 7Z.
Driverwebsites.com Sprint Heat #3 (6 laps): Brooke Tatnell 86AU, Leigh Thomas 29, Mike Stien 4S, Jordan Wilmes 20, Anna Kouba 5.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race #1 (8 laps): Wilmes, Thomas, Richert, Stien, Tostenson, Anderson, Zieske, Kouba.
Sprintsource.com Challenge Race #2 (8 laps): Kaus, Tatnell, Graf, Patterson, Lusk, Norem, Schafer, Broty.
GRP Motorsports A Main (20 laps): Tatnell, Kaus, Richert, Wilmes, Anderson, Tostenson, Graf, Thomas, Broty DNF, Stien DNF, Lusk DNF, Kouba DNF, Norem DNF, Patterson DNF, Schafer DNF, Zieske DNF.
Lap Leaders: Thomas 1-10, Tatnell 11-20.
Cautions: (8)
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
