Sixth Annual Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge set for Sept. 11 at River Cities Speedway

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (September 10, 2020) – The sixth annual Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge is set for Friday, September 11th at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks during the John Seitz Memorial. Drivers will be racing for the richest purse the NOSA Sprints have seen all year, which boasts a potential $2,900-to-win from the back row.

Entering the night, 11 drivers have the opportunity for the $2,900 payday as they competed in all four Buffalo Wild Wings supported NOSA events in 2020. Those four events were held at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. on July 18th, Dacotah Speedway in Mandan, N.D. July 31st and August 1st and Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn. on August 6th. 

Those 11 drivers include (listed in order of Blazin’ Challenge points): 

1. Nick Omdahl - 0
2. Jade Hastings - 8H
3. Shane Roemeling - 31

   T4. Tim Estenson - 14T
   T4. Jordan Adams - 20A
     6. Wade Nygaard - 9N
     7. Zach Omdahl - 17
     8. Jack Croaker - 8BALL
     9. Blake Egeland - 26
     10. Josh Swangler - 10S
     11. Tom Egeland - 14

Those 11 qualified drivers will also receive $300 each in tow money from Buffalo Wild Wings, totaling $3,300. 

Friday’s Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA feature will pay $1,900 if one of the six drivers accepting the Blazin’ Challenge can win. An extra $1,000 bonus will be added if one of the qualified drivers can win from the back row. 

All 11 qualified drivers will race in the same heat race with the top four inverted in the starting lineup. That will put Tim Estenson and Shane Roemeling on the front row. For the tie between Tim Estenson and Jordan Adams, the first tiebreaker was the highest total feature points from the four qualifying races, which they were still tied. The second tiebreaker was the highest finisher in the last qualifier at Norman County Raceway. Estenson finished third and Adams finished fourth. 

The heat race finish order is EXACTLY the order the back row Blazin’ Challenge will be offered to the drivers. The first two drivers to accept will start in the back and will be eligible for the $1,000 bonus. 

In total, $2,500 in bonus money will be up for grabs for drivers going to the rear of the field. The first six drivers to accept the challenge are eligible for that bonus money. 

The first driver to decline the Blazin’ Challenge will start on the pole for the feature. 

Assuming six drivers take the Blazin’ Challenge and go to the tail of the field, the other five drivers that compete in the qualifier’s heat race will receive a $100 bonus ($500 total) and will start in positions 1-5 for the feature. 

In a 24-car field, positions 6-17 will be comprised of all of the other drivers not in the qualifying heat race. They will be lined up straight up by heat race passing points. Positions 18-24 will be made up of the Blazin’ Challenge participants. 

The six drivers taking the Blazin’ Challenge will also be racing amongst themselves for $2,500 in bonus money (in addition to regular River Cities Speedway purse money). The purse breaks down as follows in order of finish:

1. $700
2. $500
3. $400
4. $350
5. $300
6. $250

If less than six accept the purse will change. 

The NOSA Sprints would like to sincerely thank Todd and Susan LaHaise for their continued and generous support of our series. 

NOSA Notebook:
2020 Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge Qualifying Event Winners:
July 18: Red River Valley Speedway - Jade Hastings
July 31: Dacotah Speedway - Brendan Mullen
August 1: Dacotah Speedway - Bob Martin
August 6: Norman County Raceway - Nick Omdahl

Previous BWW Blazin’ Challenge Champions:
2019: Austin Pierce
2018: Mark Dobmeier
2017: Mark Dobmeier
2016: Nick Omdahl
2015: Dusty Zomer