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By Mike Spieker

WEST FARGO – Tyler Peterson of Hickson collected his second IMCA Modified win of the season at the West Fargo dirt track after starting in the ninth position. Dylan Goplen and Rob VanMil led the pack early on, but while racing for the lead, VanMil slid into Goplen which forced them both to spin. The caution was called on VanMil, while Goplen reclaimed his spot back in the lead for the ensuing restart.

Photo: Tyler Peterson raced to his second IMCA Modified win of the season Friday at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo.

As the race went green, a four-car battle for the point broke out between Goplen, Casey Arneson, Dave Shipley, and Peterson. Arneson won the fight to take the lead.

At the halfway point, Michael Greseth and Peterson caught Arneson. Peterson took the lead as a caution reset the field on the following lap.

Cautions plagued the second half of the race, but in the closing stages, Greseth and Arneson mounted one last charge on Peterson. With three to go, the lead trio went three wide for the lead, but Greseth suffered a push in turn one, which allowed Peterson to maintain the lead and Arneson to gain second.

Peterson fended off Arneson on the final lap to claim the win.

Kelly Jacobson of Fargo picked up his second IMCA SportMod win of the week. Jacobson, who won Thursday night at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn., charged into the lead on lap two with a three-wide pass over Charlie Jensen and Torey Fischer. A few cautions throughout the race kept Jacobson at bay to the rest of the field.

With eight laps remaining, Matt Talley began closing in on Jacobson for the lead. Jacobson was able to hold on to claim his first Red River Valley Speedway win of 2018 over Talley and 10th place starter, Chris VanMil.

One of the biggest fields of IMCA stock cars of the season was on hand. It took two attempts at a complete restart to get the race underway, but once it did, Larry Niemi took the lead while a four-wide battle for second broke out behind him. Brandon Schmidt, who also won at Norman County Raceway earlier this week, and Rob VanMil raced for second before getting by Niemi to make it a fight for the lead. Schmidt and VanMil traded the spot back and forth for the remainder of the event.

VanMil got a good run on Schmidt into turn three on the final lap, but Schmidt held on for his second consecutive Red River Valley Speedway win.

In just his second start of the season at Red River Valley Speedway, Andrew Jochim of Glyndon, Minn. picked up the INEX legends feature win. Jochim and fellow fifth-row starter, Tim Estenson, sliced their way through the field to find the front with five laps to go. Jochim and Estenson raced three wide for the top spot with Tye Wilke into turn three. Jochim emerged as the leader with Estenson in tow.

Estenson, who was in search of his 11th overall win of the season, used every inch of the three-eighths-mile clay oval trying to find a way around Jochim but came up short at the checkers.

Adam Goff of Minot has three starts at Red River Valley Speedway thus far in 2018. By night’s end, he would leave West Fargo with his second IMCA Hobby Stock victory. Goff, Tim Shiek, and Eric Novacek went three wide for the lead early on before Goff claimed the point. Once out front, Goff checked out as he cruised to the win.

RESULTS:

IMCA Modifieds:
Feature – 1. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D., 2. 2-Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., 3. 17-Michael Greseth, Harwood, N.D., 4. 99-Cale Arneson, Fargo, N.D, 5. 72-Dave Shipley, Argusville, N.D.

IMCA SportMods:
Feature – 1. 51-Kelly Jacobson, Fargo, N.D., 2. 5T-Matt Talley, Sabin , Minn, 3. 40-Chris VanMil, Barnesville, Minn., 4. 8J-Luke Johnson, Moorhead, Minn., 5. 6-Austin Veralrud, Fargo, N.D.

IMCA Stock Cars:
Feature – 1. 219-Brandon Schmidt, Hillsboro, Minn., 2. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn., 3. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, N.D., 4. 4-Rick Schulz, Horace, N.D., 5. 14-Nick Johansen, Tyler, Minn.

INEX Legends:
Feature – 1. 21-Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn., 2. 14T-Tim Estenson, Fargo, N.D., 3. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 4. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, Fargo, N.D., 5. 5D8-Dylan Johnson, Durbin, N.D.

IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Feature – 1. 30A – Adam Goff, Minot, N.D., 2. 31X-Tim Shiek, Fargo, N.D., 3. 3XL-Brad Orvedal, Fargo, N.D., 4. 14-Alyssa White, Ontonagon, M.I., 5. 106-Eric Novacek, West Fargo, N.D.