From NOSA
GLYNDON, Minn (Septmeber 4, 2016) — Twenty-one NOSA Sprint Cars were signed in for night three of the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge Sunday night at Buffalo River Race Park. Austin Pierce started on the pole and backed up his win Saturday night at Greenbush with another $1,500 payday at BRRP.
Outside pole sitter, Shane Roemeling, jumped out to the early lead and led the opening circuit over Pierce, Dusty Zomer, and Wade Nygaard. Pierce quickly found his groove around the tight quarter-mile as he chased down Roemeling and made the pass for the lead on lap five. Zomer was hot on the heels of Pierce as he passed Roemeling for second one lap later and set his sights on the Opp Construction/Lithia Ford #2A of Pierce.
Zomer placed a bid for the lead at the halfway point when the leaders found themselves in heavy lapped traffic. Zomer drove to the inside of Pierce and had a good run going, but as soon as he did that the caution flew for two cars spun in turn two.
Pierce chose the inside line for the double file restart, which proved to be the faster groove as the racing surface began to take rubber towards the second half of the 25-lapper.
Pierce was able to open up a 10 car length lead over Zomer as the green flag flew, but the yellow flag was quickly displayed as Jackson Moffett jumped a tire on the front stretch, which sent him hard into the outside retaining wall. Moffett was ok, but he was done for the night.
Again, Pierce was able to pull away on the restart and left Zomer as Casey Mack drove from fifth to third in one lap.
Unfortunately Mack, the 2011 series champion, suffered mechanical issues that left him coasting to a stop with just two laps to go.
That left a two-lap dash and an automatic bid into Friday night’s Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge event on the line, but once again Pierce was able to jump on the throttle and pull away from Zomer as the green flag flew. With a clear track ahead, Pierce cruised to his second career BRRP win and 14th NOSA win overall.
Zomer, Nygaard, Roemeling, and Zach Wilde rounded out the top five. After the checkers flew, Nick Omdahl made heavy contact with the turn three wall and went airborne momentarily. Omdahl, who started 13th, ran inside the top five at the midpoint of the race and ended with a sixth place finish.
Coming into the night Nygaard held a slim two point lead over Casey Mack in the NOSA standings, but with Mack ending with a disappointing 17th place finish, that should opening things up for Nygaard heading into Monday’s race at River Cities Speedway.
For race fans that attend Monday’s Labor Day special at River Cities in Grand Forks, they will receive free admission into Thursday night’s Prelude to the Johnny/NLRA season championship at the Bullring. The NOSA Sprints will also be in action Thursday night for night number five of the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge.