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Mark Dobmeier (left) and Austin Pierce (right) helped NOSA sweep the IRA with their feature wins last weekend.
Photos by Speedway Shots.
Photos by Speedway Shots.
Last weekend’s three-race King of the Wings challenge will arguably go down as the best weekend in series history, as its regular competitors not only won on neutral ground at the series debut at the three-eighths mile I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN on Thursday night, but went on to successfully defend home turf both nights at River Cities Speedway. Mark Dobmeier won the first two nights, along with the overall Buffalo Wild Wings King of the Wings title, while Austin Pierce became the fourth driver in series history to win 50 career features.
The three-race set started last Thursday night at I-94 emr Speedway with Brenham Crouch and Mark Dobmeier leading the field to green in the first 30 lap feature of the weekend. Dobmeier took the lead into turn one as NOSA regulars Jack Croaker, Brendan Mullen, and Austin Pierce entered into a three-car battle for third.
Crouch kept pace with Dobmeier as the lead pair entered lap traffic seven laps into the race. Crouch pulled to the inside Dobmeier a lap later, but was unable to take the top spot. Crouch took the lead down the back stretch on the ninth lap and opened up a bit of a lead as the pair continued to work lap traffic.
As Crouch led, Croaker was able to catch up to Dobmeier in traffic and battle for the second spot before a caution with 17 laps to go.
Crouch continued to lead on the restart as Croaker, Mullen, and Pierce battled again for the third spot. Shortly thereafter, a new contender for a podium spot, 20th starting Tim Estenson, entered the picture, and made his way past Pierce for the fifth spot.
Another restart with 13 to go saw another land rush for position as the green flag flew again. With every spot from second to sixth on the line between Dobmeier, Croaker, Mullen, Estenson, and Pierce, Dobmeier eventually continued on with the runner-up spot as Estenson and Mullen traded barbs for the final spot on the podium.
With nine laps to go, leader Brennan crouch caught the wall in turn three and blew a right rear tire, haniding the lead to Dobmeier. Estenson capitalized briefly on the restart, sliding Dobmeier for the lead in turn two as the pair went down the backstretch, trading the top spot throughout the lap.
The top three had pulled away from the rest of the pack before the final slowdown of the race, a red flag for Indiana's Caden Engelhart set up a final restart with five to go. Estenson saw his hard charge go away as the cars re-fired for the final restart when his right rear went flat, giving Mullen the runner-up spot.
Mullen took a peek to Dobmeier inside on the restart for the lead, but the leader was too strong and continued on to the victory, despite the lead pair running low on fuel on the last lap. Jack Croaker beat Jake Newman back to the line for third, with Austin Pierce eventually winning a slider war with Jade Hastings for the fifth spot.
Dobmeier and Hastings led night two of the King of the Wings to green Friday night at River Cities Speedway. Brendan Mullen survived a first lap tangle with IRA regular Danny Schlafer, who brought out an early red.
When racing resumed, Dobmeier and Hastings went side-by-side for the lead in the opening lap with the former eventually taking the point. Dobmeier continued to lead as the leaders caught up to the rear of the field just five laps into the race.
Dobmeier had appeared to do better in lap traffic than he had and clean air, as he built a sizable advantage over Hastings and Iowa’s Josh Schneiderman, until Hastings brought out a caution with nine on lap nine.
NOSA regulars Austin Pierce and Brendan Mullen went toe-to-toe for the third spot on the ensuing restart, with Pierce eventually winning the battle. Pierce then went on to pass Schneiderman for the second spot and set his sights on Dobmeier for the lead in lapped traffic near the halfway point.
Pierce stayed within striking distance as the leaders worked lap traffic with ten laps to go. Pierce had one last shot at the win following the final caution with five laps to go, sliding to the lead over Dobmeier briefly in turn four as the pair came to the white flag.
Dobmeier got the better run off the corner, however, and continued on to his second win in as many nights. Crouch was second with Schneiderman and Josh Myers, Jr. rounding out the top five.
Saturday night's finale saw Pierce and Croaker lead the field to green for the final 30 lapper of the weekend. Croaker jumped out to the early lead, as Pierce and Crouch battled for the second spot. Pierce threatened to take the lead as the leaders started working lap traffic just five laps into the race.
But it was Crouch who capitalized, moving into the second spot as Croaker continued to lead. Crouch went on to take the lead in turns one and two on lap ten, and started to build an advantage in lapped traffic until a caution on lap 13.
Pierce eventually took second on the second lap 13 restart attempt, and began chasing down Crouch for the top spot. The top three remained an equal distance apart from each other until another caution with 11 laps to go.
Pierce stalked crouch each of the next two laps following the caution. and that's all it took for the lead pair to get back in the lap traffic. Pierce slid Crouch coming off of turn four as the pair crossed the line with six to go, taking the lead before another caution slowed the pace.
This was a benefit to Pierce as, unlike during NOSA action, under IRA rules, they use a ‘split yellow’ format instead of going back to the last completed lap.
Pierce kept the lead for the ensuing single file restart, and looked to have the race in hand as the field came to the two to go signal before a final caution gave Crouch one last shot at his first IRA victory.
Pierce held off Crouch on the final green, white, checkered restart to pick up his 50th, NOSA feature victory. Brendan Mullen was third, with Mark Dobmeier fourth, and Jack Croaker fifth.
NOSA action continues this weekend with another three-race stretch which begins Friday night at River Cities Speedway, and continues into South Dakota with visits to I-90 Speedway in Hartford on Saturday and Casino Speedway on Sunday.
Crouch kept pace with Dobmeier as the lead pair entered lap traffic seven laps into the race. Crouch pulled to the inside Dobmeier a lap later, but was unable to take the top spot. Crouch took the lead down the back stretch on the ninth lap and opened up a bit of a lead as the pair continued to work lap traffic.
As Crouch led, Croaker was able to catch up to Dobmeier in traffic and battle for the second spot before a caution with 17 laps to go.
Crouch continued to lead on the restart as Croaker, Mullen, and Pierce battled again for the third spot. Shortly thereafter, a new contender for a podium spot, 20th starting Tim Estenson, entered the picture, and made his way past Pierce for the fifth spot.
Another restart with 13 to go saw another land rush for position as the green flag flew again. With every spot from second to sixth on the line between Dobmeier, Croaker, Mullen, Estenson, and Pierce, Dobmeier eventually continued on with the runner-up spot as Estenson and Mullen traded barbs for the final spot on the podium.
With nine laps to go, leader Brennan crouch caught the wall in turn three and blew a right rear tire, haniding the lead to Dobmeier. Estenson capitalized briefly on the restart, sliding Dobmeier for the lead in turn two as the pair went down the backstretch, trading the top spot throughout the lap.
The top three had pulled away from the rest of the pack before the final slowdown of the race, a red flag for Indiana's Caden Engelhart set up a final restart with five to go. Estenson saw his hard charge go away as the cars re-fired for the final restart when his right rear went flat, giving Mullen the runner-up spot.
Mullen took a peek to Dobmeier inside on the restart for the lead, but the leader was too strong and continued on to the victory, despite the lead pair running low on fuel on the last lap. Jack Croaker beat Jake Newman back to the line for third, with Austin Pierce eventually winning a slider war with Jade Hastings for the fifth spot.
Dobmeier and Hastings led night two of the King of the Wings to green Friday night at River Cities Speedway. Brendan Mullen survived a first lap tangle with IRA regular Danny Schlafer, who brought out an early red.
When racing resumed, Dobmeier and Hastings went side-by-side for the lead in the opening lap with the former eventually taking the point. Dobmeier continued to lead as the leaders caught up to the rear of the field just five laps into the race.
Dobmeier had appeared to do better in lap traffic than he had and clean air, as he built a sizable advantage over Hastings and Iowa’s Josh Schneiderman, until Hastings brought out a caution with nine on lap nine.
NOSA regulars Austin Pierce and Brendan Mullen went toe-to-toe for the third spot on the ensuing restart, with Pierce eventually winning the battle. Pierce then went on to pass Schneiderman for the second spot and set his sights on Dobmeier for the lead in lapped traffic near the halfway point.
Pierce stayed within striking distance as the leaders worked lap traffic with ten laps to go. Pierce had one last shot at the win following the final caution with five laps to go, sliding to the lead over Dobmeier briefly in turn four as the pair came to the white flag.
Dobmeier got the better run off the corner, however, and continued on to his second win in as many nights. Crouch was second with Schneiderman and Josh Myers, Jr. rounding out the top five.
Saturday night's finale saw Pierce and Croaker lead the field to green for the final 30 lapper of the weekend. Croaker jumped out to the early lead, as Pierce and Crouch battled for the second spot. Pierce threatened to take the lead as the leaders started working lap traffic just five laps into the race.
But it was Crouch who capitalized, moving into the second spot as Croaker continued to lead. Crouch went on to take the lead in turns one and two on lap ten, and started to build an advantage in lapped traffic until a caution on lap 13.
Pierce eventually took second on the second lap 13 restart attempt, and began chasing down Crouch for the top spot. The top three remained an equal distance apart from each other until another caution with 11 laps to go.
Pierce stalked crouch each of the next two laps following the caution. and that's all it took for the lead pair to get back in the lap traffic. Pierce slid Crouch coming off of turn four as the pair crossed the line with six to go, taking the lead before another caution slowed the pace.
This was a benefit to Pierce as, unlike during NOSA action, under IRA rules, they use a ‘split yellow’ format instead of going back to the last completed lap.
Pierce kept the lead for the ensuing single file restart, and looked to have the race in hand as the field came to the two to go signal before a final caution gave Crouch one last shot at his first IRA victory.
Pierce held off Crouch on the final green, white, checkered restart to pick up his 50th, NOSA feature victory. Brendan Mullen was third, with Mark Dobmeier fourth, and Jack Croaker fifth.
NOSA action continues this weekend with another three-race stretch which begins Friday night at River Cities Speedway, and continues into South Dakota with visits to I-90 Speedway in Hartford on Saturday and Casino Speedway on Sunday.
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