Andy Pake wins smooth sprint feature at RCS
· Yahoo Sports
Aug. 1—GRAND FORKS — There are a number of advantages to starting a sprint car race on the pole. Then again, there are mind games that come into play when a driver starts up front — making the top starting spot a little risky.
"There is a little bit more on your mind when you start on the pole," said Andy Pake. "I haven't started up there at all this year so I had to have a little different mindset because you're not chasing people down."
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But it didn't matter to Pake. Drivers chased him all night and he survived every challenge as he won Friday night's 25-lap feature at River Cities Speedway, his third win of the season.
Pake beat Weston Olson to the flag stand by 0.743 seconds. Mark Dobmeier, who started ninth, finished third, followed by Alex Truscinski and Austin Pierce.
A week ago, the sprint feature at RCS took more than 30 minutes to complete amid 13 caution flags. There was only one yellow flag thrown Friday and also a red flag for a Jack Croaker crash on the front straightaway with four laps to go.
The actual race time was 11 minutes, 44 seconds, although the race was further delayed during the red flag for a medical emergency in the pits.
The delay didn't necessarily help Pake.
"My car was really good at the beginning of the race, and then after that long red I don't know if my tires changed or what. But it was a little trickier after that. The last two laps I was just hanging on.
"I was just trying to finish the race without sliding off the top, which I usually do."
Pake had the fastest lap time of 10.378 seconds, coming on Lap 2.
Pake hit lapped traffic with 22 laps to go. He maneuvered the lapped traffic without many problems.
"I got hung up with a couple of lappers but for the most part I got around them," said Pake. "My car had a good pace and I knew if I could keep that pace I'd be all right."
There were five classes that raced at The Bullring on Friday.
And once again, Tyler Peterson dominated two of them — the modified and late models.
He's become unbeatable at RCS and he's winning in dominant fashion.
In the 20-lap late model feature, Peterson started on the pole and was never threatened, winning by a whopping 6.845 seconds over second-place Shane Edginton. Tucker Peterson, Brody Troftgruben and John Seng rounded out the top five.
Why is Peterson dominating at RCS?
"Everyone has their favorite track and this one is mine," said Peterson. "I raced here for the first time 14 years ago in a B mod and I've loved it ever since. Everyone has a track where they're good at."
Peterson has won the last five late model features at RCS.
And he also dominated the 20-lap modified feature. He started sixth and took the lead with 15 laps to go. He had a 6.379 second advantage over second-place Rick Delaine. Aaron Holtan, Jordan Duray and Brenden Luschinski completed the top five.
In the Midwest modified feature, Jory Berg perhaps had the best drive of the night as he came from the 12th starting position to win the scheduled 20-lap event.
He grabbed the lead with nine laps to go with a pass out of Turn 4.
The race was shortened by five laps after the seventh caution flag was waved with seven laps remaining.
But Berg managed to keep the lead on the green-white-checkered restart. He edged Austin Hunter, last week's winner, by 0.995 seconds.
"I just had to be patient and smart," said Berg.
In the 20-lap streets feature, Greg Jose, who started on the pole, took the checkered flag. He beat Doug VanMill by 1.834 seconds.
River Cities Speedway
Friday's results
Streets
Feature — 1. Greg Jose, 2. Doug VanMill 3. Trey Hess, 4. John Halvorson, 5. Blaine Barnes
Midwest modifieds
Feature — 1. Jory Berg, 2. Austin Hunter, 3. Brennan Schmidt, 4. Reise Stenberg, 5. Taylor Jacobson
Modifieds
Feature — 1. Tyler Peterson, 2. Rick Delaine, 3. Aaron Holtan, 4. Jordan Duray, 5. Brenden Luschinski
Sprints
Feature — 1. Andy Pake, 2. Weston Olson, 3. Mark Dobmeier, 4. Alex Truscinski, 5. Austin Pierce
Late models
Feature — 1. Tyler Peterson, 2. Shane Edginton, 3. Tucker Pederson, 4. Brody Troftgruben, 5. John Seng