By Jacob Pommerer
West Fargo – Ryan Braseth outlasted two pre-race favorites to earn one of four INEX Legend Dirt Nationals Championships handed out Saturday night at the Red River Valley Speedway.
Front row starters Ty Wilke and Cole Klein looked to be the two cars to beat early in the Young Lions division main event. Klein grabbed the early lead with Wilke hot on his heels. On lap five Wilke found a way to take the lead away from Klein. However, just a few laps later Wilke spun in front of the field bring out the caution and putting Wilke to the back of the pack. On the restart Ryan Braseth inherited the lead from Wilke. Braseth tried to pull away from the field however in the closing laps Wilke worked his way from the back of the pack to Braseth’s back bumper. Braseth however would hold off the hard charging Wilke to win the Young Lions Dirt Nationals Championship.
The second feature to hit the track was the Semi-Pro Legends. Front row starters Tim Estenson and Jackson Lewis raced hard in the opening laps for the lead. On lap two Estenson spun which brought out a yellow and put Estenson to the back of the pack. On the restart Lewis pulled away from the pack as Estenson worked his way towards the front from the back of the pack. Within ten laps Estenson found his way back up to second right on Lewis bumper. Lewis and Estenson battled side by side for the lead, neither driver giving an inch some contact was made between the two leaders. Under an ensuing caution both drivers were black flagged for rough driving. As a result, Mason Chaney took over the lead. Chaney, Dylan Johnson, Duantae Martin put on a great race for the lead, this allowed Austin Wiest to close in on the leaders. With only a handful of laps remaining Wiest worked his way into third and put his car on the top of the speedway in pursuit of Johnson and Martin. Wiest found enough speed to pass both Martin and Johnson and take the lead and the eventual win.
Dave Comer left the fans with no doubt who was the fastest lNEX legend in the Masters division was. Comer started the 30-lap main event on the pole and was never challenged during the feature event to earn a Dirt Nationals Championship.
Dave’s son Justin Comer paced the field early in the Pro Legends main event. Comer received heavy pressure from Andrew Jochim in the races early stages. Glen Arnold who started 13th on the field and Baiden Heskett made it a four-car race for the lead. Arnold found his way through traffic and was able to pass Comer for the lead and the win.
Jake Hagemann looked to picked up his second win of the weekend in the IMCA Sport Mods. Hagemann used his front row starting spot to jump out to the early race lead. Meanwhile Kelly Jacobson moved from seventh up to second. A restart at the halfway point would be exactly what Jacobson needed. As Hagemann worked the top side of the speedway as Jacobson ran right around the tires on the bottom and took the lead. Jacobson pulled away from the field in the closing laps to pick up the win.
Rick Shultz led the opening lap on the IMCA Stock Car feature. Fifth place started Shane Laske wasted no time moving up to second and racing Shultz for the lead. Laske and Schultz swapped the lead numerous times before Laske was able to get the upper hand and go on to grab the win.
Bryce Borgen led every lap of the IMCA Modified feature, however it was not without a fight from sixth place starter Tyler Peterson. Peterson moved from sixth to second in the opening lap and tried to run down Borgen. Peterson was able to pull alongside Borgen on numerous occasion just never having enough speed to make the pass.
