GRAND FORKS, N.D. (May 26, 2017) – Austin Pierce led all 25 laps in the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprint Car feature, claiming his first win of the 2017 season.
“That definitely woke me up,” said Pierce in RydellCars.com Victory Lane. “I got a little too excited coming off the bottom and got my tires in the slime. I thought I cost myself the race, but I was able to get back to the bottom in turn one.”
Pierce came back with a bid for the lead down the back straightaway, however, and regained the point in turn three.
Wade Nygaard stole the second spot from Martin in the closing laps. Martin, who was in his backup car Friday after destroying his primary car the previous week, challenged Nygaard for the second spot but was never able to regain the position.
Pierce went on to take the win by two-and-one-half seconds over Nygaard and Martin, while Casey Mack rebounded from a midrace spin to finish fourth. Chris Ranten rounded out the top five.
“Usually we don’t get our first win until sometime in July, so it feels great to get one right away in May,” concluded Pierce.
RESULTS:
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 2A-Austin Pierce[1]; 2. 9N-Wade Nygaard[4]; 3. 10TRB-Robert Martin[2]; 4. 8-Casey Mack[6]; 5. 27-Chris Ranten[10]; 6. 20A-Jordan Adams[3]; 7. 7-Trent Stengl[13]; 8. 26-Blake Egeland[5]; 9. 8H-Jade Hastings[12]; 10. 13T-Ty Hanten[8]; 11. 99-Jordan Graham[9]; 12. 6-Wilde, Zach[22]; 13. 35-Brenden Wilde[16]; 14. 91M-Jackson Moffett[11]; 15. 4M-Cale Mack[15]; 16. 12-Brayden Pengilly[19]; 17. (DNF) 31-Shane Roemeling[7]; 18. (DNF) 92-Mitch Mack[20]; 19. (DNF) 42-Rick Bates[17]; 20. (DNF) 14-Tom Egeland[21]; 21. (DNF) 24-Jon Sorenson[18]; 22. (DNF) 8C-Jack Croaker[14]
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 26-Blake Egeland[1]; 2. 9N-Wade Nygaard[5]; 3. 10TRB-Robert Martin[7]; 4. 8H-Jade Hastings[3]; 5. 91M-Jackson Moffett[8]; 6. 35-Brenden Wilde[4]; 7. 42-Rick Bates[6]; 8. 12-Brayden Pengilly[2]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 8-Casey Mack[1]; 2. 31-Shane Roemeling[2]; 3. 99-Jordan Graham[4]; 4. 27-Chris Ranten[6]; 5. 92-Mitch Mack[7]; (DNS) 14-Tom Egeland; (DNS) 6-Wilde, Zach
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 20A-Jordan Adams[2]; 2. 13T-Ty Hanten[1]; 3. 2A-Austin Pierce[7]; 4. 7-Trent Stengl[3]; 5. 8C-Jack Croaker[6]; 6. 4M-Cale Mack[5]; 7. 24-Jon Sorenson[4]