Home » Minneapolis Raceway

Blochlinger headlines at Minneapolis Raceway

Minneapolis, KS - June 12, 2011
By: Dale Leech

After a week off, great racing action resumed at the Minneapolis Raceway with a “Full House” race card featuring 5 IMCA classes and the All-American Towing Mod-Lite series. 103 Drivers took to a fast track that turned dry slick half way into the Features as a stiff southeast breeze persisted throughout the evening.

 

Lott Implement IMCA Sport Compacts

John McNabb waited until his 2nd year of racing to get his first win and apparently liked it so well that he decided he might as well take 2 checkered flags on the night. In his Heat race, McNabb started on the outside pole position and rode the advantage to his first ever win at Minneapolis Raceway. In the Feature, McNabb started on the inside pole position and staked out a lead that he would never relinquish. Other more experienced drivers hounded McNabb relentlessly for several laps but it came down to rookie Matt Echevarria providing the longest challenge run to McNabb throughout the last half of the race. Winner of 2 Features in a row, Echevarria came from 3 rows back to push McNabb to the end of the race. McNabb drove well enough to hold off Echevarria as the two teenagers battled for the checkered flag. In a tight finish McNabb took the win and claimed his first Feature trophy. The other Heat race winner was Allen Rice, the current leader for local and State Points in this IMCA class.

 

Coors Lite IMCA Hobby Stocks

Dennis Berry jumped to an early lead in the Hobby Stocks Feature from his outside pole position and built an early lead. However, the first of four caution restarts gathered the field back together again and within a lap, Mike Traskowsky had made up ground and passed Berry on the backstretch of the 5th lap. Traskowsky held off all challengers for several laps through 2 more caution restarts but couldn’t survive the final one as Adam Armstrong passed him on the front stretch with 2 laps remaining. Armstrong then cruised to victory to win his 5th Feature this season and 6th overall as he continued his domination of the Hobby Stocks. Winners in the Heat races were Armstrong, GW Fuller, and Brandon Belville.

 

All-American Towing Mod-Lites

This Feature race was a major battle of attrition even with only 3 caution restarts. BJ Dauer established an early lead from his outside pole position but was soon chased by Earl Kinderknecht and quite a battle ensued for a few laps. On the 5th lap, a “bump” occurred between Dauer and Kinderknecht coming out of turn 4 resulting in Dauer careening violently into the wall and flipping on to his side. After the safety crew righted the car, Dauer quickly emerged to the relief of all the fans. Both Dauer and Kinderkenecht were finished for the night with Dauer leaving on the hook and the “Pearl” leaving for other mechanical issues. Ethan Houlton led off the caution restart but surrendered the lead to Justin Kinderkenecht after one lap. Kinderkenecht then held the lead through two more caution restarts as the field dwindled from 15 to 6 cars. Amongst the survivors was the venerable Bud Lee who overtook Kinderkenecht on the inside of turn 2 on the last lap and charged to the Feature win. This was Lee’s 2nd Feature win of the season and 11th overall. Dustin Forsburg and Earl Kinderkenecht won the Heat races.

 

T&R Dirt Construction Sportsman Modifieds

Last week’s Feature and King of the Hill winner, Dan Smith started on the 2nd row inside position and within a lap of the start of this feature gained a lead that he wouldn’t let go of. Jerry Lambeth was an early challenger but left due to mechanical issues. The excitement in the race featured competition between 5th and 6th row starters, Josh Rice, Tyler Sutton, Bryan Lariviere, and Tyler Frye battling for the 2nd and 3rd positions. Through seven caution restarts, Frye established a solid 2nd position while Rice and Lariviere battled side by side for several laps for the 3rd position. However, none of the challengers could make up ground on Smith. The top four cars finished the race with no more than a 2 car length lead over one another. Smith captured his 2nd Feature win of the season and his career. Jerry Lambeth, Kurtis Phil and Smith won the Heat races for the division.

 

The Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Cars

This division is starting to gain ground as the largest car count division at Minneapolis Raceway. It wasn’t too many years ago that only one Heat race would occur in the division, even though the racing competition was very good. Now without a special purse attraction, 3 Heat races were required for the 20 drivers taking to the track this night, including 3 past Division champions. In another caution restart filled race, Cory Struckhoff gained a lead within a few laps that he wouldn’t relinquish to anyone. His challengers gave a great effort with several instances of 3 wide racing but Struckhoff took advantage of the smooth dry slick track to hold his lead and win going away. The win was the first for Struckhoff this season and his first since 2009 when he dominated the class. He notched Feature win number 17 overall. Heat winners were Struckhoff, Justin Murdock, and Jim Stolzenburg, who took his first checkered flag 3 years and 2 days after his last win at Minneapolis Raceway.

 

Casey’s General Store IMCA Modifieds

The winner of the last two Features, Brandon Blochlinger moved to the inside pole position from the 2nd row after the driver who had the pole position surrendered it to go the rear of the field. After two original restarts, Blochlinger lead the way with Corey Lagroon and Brian Knoell right on his tail. With only one more caution restart in the race, Blochlinger maintained his lead on a very fast track even though he had several challenges by Lagroon. But with great driving skill and no mechanical failures, Blochlinger left no doubt in anyone’s mind who was going to claim the checkered flag at the end. This was win number 3 on the season and career for Blochlinger at the Minneapolis Raceway. Brian Knoell and Blochlinger won the Heat races for the division.

 

Another Full House race card is scheduled again next Saturday for Father’s Day weekend. The Pit gates will open at 4pm followed by the Grandstand gates at 5pm. Hot laps are scheduled for 6pm followed by Green Flag racing at 7pm at “The Place to Race”, the Minneapolis Raceway.

 

 

RESULTS

Minneapolis Raceway
Minneapolis, KS

Sat. June 11, 2011

 

Hobby - A Feature

Finish Car No Driver Hometown

1 06A Adam Armstrong Beatrice, NE
2 23 Mike Traskowsky Woodbine, KS
3 69 Brendon Stigge Fairbury, NE
4 01X GW Fuller Tescott, KS
5 88B Pete Beaumont Concordia, KS
6 06 Tony Slothower Salina, KS
7 82 Mark Normandin Salina, KS
8 06J Jacob Harms Beatrice, NE
9 07 Lee Horky Fairbury, Ne
10 60P Chris Pollet Delphos, KS
11 22 Dennis Berry Salina, KS
12 77M Larry Jantz Enterprise, KS
13 34J Bryan Johnson , KS
14 21K Mike Wilson Beloit, KS
15 70K William Medley Abilene, KS
16 08G Casey Gilmore Chapman, KS
17 06R Roy Armstrong Beatrice, NE
18 51 Brandon Belville Concordia, KS
19 31M Aaron McBride Barnard, KS
20 85 Kevin Lilley Gypsum, KS

Hobby - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 01X GW Fuller Tescott, KS
2 06 Tony Slothower Salina, KS
3 06R Roy Armstrong Beatrice, NE
4 23 Mike Traskowsky Woodbine, KS
5 77M Larry Jantz Enterprise, KS
6 70K William Medley Abilene, KS
7 85 Kevin Lilley Gypsum, KS

Hobby - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 51 Brandon Belville Concordia, KS
2 69 Brendon Stigge Fairbury, NE
3 31M Aaron McBride Barnard, KS
4 88B Pete Beaumont Concordia, KS
5 07 Lee Horky Fairbury, Ne
6 21K Mike Wilson Beloit, KS
7 08G Casey Gilmore Chapman, KS

Hobby - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 06A Adam Armstrong Beatrice, NE
2 22 Dennis Berry Salina, KS
3 82 Mark Normandin Salina, KS
4 60P Chris Pollet Delphos, KS
5 06J Jacob Harms Beatrice, NE
6 34J Bryan Johnson , KS

 

Mod Lites - A Feature

Finish Car No Driver Hometown

1 21 Bud Lee Salina, KS
2 51 Justin Kinderkenecht Salina, KS
3 27 Ethan Houlton Abilene, KS
4 83 Corbin Pickerill Salina, KS
5 48 Dan Huff Concordia, KS
6 19 Ryan Ayers Salina, KS
7 23 Sam Morris Augusta, KS
8 48B Brandon Gray Bennington, KS
9 33 BJ Dauer Marquette, KS
10 151 Earl Kinderknecht Salina, ks
11 55B Brian Davidson Bennington, KS
12 03 Dustin Forsberg Wichita, KS
13 15B Tyler Bradshaw Salina, KS
14 12 Ryan Secrest Newton, KS
15 57 Karmon Kindall Salina, KS

Mod Lites - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 151 Earl Kinderknecht Salina, ks
2 21 Bud Lee Salina, KS
3 15B Tyler Bradshaw Salina, KS
4 19 Ryan Ayers Salina, KS
5 48B Brandon Gray Bennington, KS
6 12 Ryan Secrest Newton, KS
7 23 Sam Morris Augusta, KS
8 57 Karmon Kindall Salina, KS

Mod Lites - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 03 Dustin Forsberg Wichita, KS
2 33 BJ Dauer Marquette, KS
3 51 Justin Kinderkenecht Salina, KS
4 55B Brian Davidson Bennington, KS
5 27 Ethan Houlton Abilene, KS
6 83 Corbin Pickerill Salina, KS
7 48 Dan Huff Concordia, KS

 

Modified - A Feature

Finish Car No Driver Hometown

1 9 Brandon Blochlinger Concordia, KS
2 24 Corey Lagroon Salina, KS
3 06B Brian Knoell Falun, KS
4 14M Danny Morrison Jr. Minneapolis, KS
5 719 Joe Cleveland Delphos, KS
6 75 Tad Davis Mt. Hope, KS
7 12 Rodger Peck Minneapolis, KS
8 01V Chris Vogan Minneapolis, KS
9 53T Larry Sutton Beloit, KS