GRAND FORKS, N.D. (June 19, 2019) – After a slow start to the 2019 season, things are about to pick up for the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprints. The busiest week of the schedule features four races in four nights in three states. The second annual Minn-Dak Summer Swing kicks off Thursday night at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn., followed by a visit to the series’ home track, River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks on Friday.
All four events are a part of the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Tour Tow Bonus. The Blazin’ Tour Tow Bonus is comprised of nine events throughout the NOSA schedule. Teams that compete in all nine events will receive a $1,500 bonus from Buffalo Wild Wings. If a team competes in eight events, they will receive $1,000.
Norman County Raceway:
Thursday will mark the 16th appearance by the Northern Outlaws to Norman County Raceway. The big, paper-clipped three-eighths mile produces exciting finishes each and every year. The NOSA wins list at Norman County Raceway is a who’s who of drivers. All five of NOSA’s top five wins leaders have picked up victories at the speedway including Mark Dobmeier, Wade Nygaard, Lou Kennedy Jr., Casey Mack, and Brad Pake. Ten-time World of Outlaws champion, Donny Schatz, scored the win in 2013 at NCR. 360 Sprint Car standouts, and Harwood, N.D. drivers, Loren Langerud and Lee Grosz both won at NCR in 2001 and 2014, respectively. Two-time series champion, Austin Pierce, registered his lone win at NCR in 2016.
Last year, Wade Nygaard picked up his sixth career win at NCR after a great battle with Mark Dobmeier. Dobmeier has two career wins at the Ada, Minn. speedway, but hasn’t won there since 2004.
There have been eight different winners at NCR in the last eight events, dating back to 2004, with 10 different winners overall.
River Cities Speedway:
Friday’s event at River Cities Speedway will be the fourth NOSA-sanctioned event at the Bullring in 2019. Leading the way in wins is the speedway’s all-time winningest driver, Mark Dobmeier, with two. Jade Hastings picked up the win last Friday night for his first win of the season. Wade Nygaard won the Friday night portion of the Minn-Dak Summer Swing last year. Friday’s event will be broadcast live on cable television on Midco Sports Network.
Brown County Speedway:
Saturday night marks the second visit to Brown County Speedway by the NOSA Sprints in as many years. Mark Dobmeier scored the win in last year’s inaugural event. Dobmeier had to hold off a hard-charging Austin Pierce, who nearly stole the win on the final lap. A solid field of 20 cars made the trip to Aberdeen last season.
Casino Speedway:
Sunday will also be the second-ever visit to Casino Speedway for the NOSA Sprints. With 26 cars checked in last year, it was one of the bigger fields seen all season. The four heat races were split between NOSA regulars with a 410 and South Dakota drivers with a 360 under the hood. In the main event, Dobmeier and Thomas Kennedy put on a show trading the lead lap after lap. Dobmeier went on to score his first-ever win at Casino as Canadian drivers Kennedy and Kelly Miller rounded out the podium.
Broadcast Schedule:
Thursday, June 20: Norman County Raceway - RJBroadcasting.com (Audio)
Friday, June 21: River Cities Speedway - Midco Sports Network (Video)
Sunday, June 23: Casino Speedway - DirtRaceCentral.com (Video)