By Mike Spieker
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (September 8, 2017) – Thomas Kennedy started fifth on the 24-car grid for the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprint Car Blazin’ Challenge feature before taking the lead and lapping up to fifth place in the process.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (September 8, 2017) – Thomas Kennedy started fifth on the 24-car grid for the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprint Car Blazin’ Challenge feature before taking the lead and lapping up to fifth place in the process.
It took the driver of the Kennedy Floorings No. 21K exactly half the race to make it up to leaders Nick Omdahl and Austin Pierce, but once he did, he was able to get by them and set sail.
“The car was great. It took me about five laps to get my rhythm going because there was so much going on in front of me,” said Kennedy in RydellCars.com Victory Lane. “I just tried to be patient because you can’t win the race on the first lap. Once I got into cleaner air, I was able to pick them off one by one and take the lead.”
Kennedy took the lead on lap 13 and opened up a sizeable lead while Omdahl and Pierce fought for second. With five to go, Kennedy had nearly a half lap lead over the rest of the field, but the caution flew with four laps remaining. Omdahl, Pierce, and Mark Dobmeier, who started 19th after having to transfer to the B-main because a wreck in his heat, all lined up right on Kennedy’s rear bumper for the restart.
Two laps were completed before another yellow waved. Pierce and Dobmeier were both able to move by Omdahl before the caution was displayed.
“On the restart with four to go, I don’t think I got a very good start because I got tight,” continued Kennedy. “But on the last restart I picked a different time to take off and it seemed to work a lot better for me.”
Pierce and Dobmeier engaged in a heated battle for second as the race went back to green, which allowed Kennedy to open up a 10 car length lead and take the win; his seventh of the season overall. Dobmeier stole second from Pierce at the line as Jade Hastings snuck into the fourth and final transfer spot for Saturday’s $8,200-to-win Blazin’ Challenge.
“The car was great. It took me about five laps to get my rhythm going because there was so much going on in front of me,” said Kennedy in RydellCars.com Victory Lane. “I just tried to be patient because you can’t win the race on the first lap. Once I got into cleaner air, I was able to pick them off one by one and take the lead.”
Kennedy took the lead on lap 13 and opened up a sizeable lead while Omdahl and Pierce fought for second. With five to go, Kennedy had nearly a half lap lead over the rest of the field, but the caution flew with four laps remaining. Omdahl, Pierce, and Mark Dobmeier, who started 19th after having to transfer to the B-main because a wreck in his heat, all lined up right on Kennedy’s rear bumper for the restart.
Two laps were completed before another yellow waved. Pierce and Dobmeier were both able to move by Omdahl before the caution was displayed.
“On the restart with four to go, I don’t think I got a very good start because I got tight,” continued Kennedy. “But on the last restart I picked a different time to take off and it seemed to work a lot better for me.”
Pierce and Dobmeier engaged in a heated battle for second as the race went back to green, which allowed Kennedy to open up a 10 car length lead and take the win; his seventh of the season overall. Dobmeier stole second from Pierce at the line as Jade Hastings snuck into the fourth and final transfer spot for Saturday’s $8,200-to-win Blazin’ Challenge.
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