July 17, 2010  by Dale Leech

LATEST PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT DIRT TRACK DEVILS!

Hot, Muggy, Bright and Sunny are perfect ingredients for a setup of great dirt track racing.  Such was the case at the Minneapolis Raceway last Saturday night as drivers from 3 classes put on a superb night of racing for the fans to enjoy on a dry slick track.

In the Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Car King of the Hill Competition, 8 drivers chose to take part in the tournament.  In the quarter-final round Wylie Pumarlo beat Marion Woody, Tony Milholland beat Scott Condray, Scot Granzella beat Tony Steenson, and Dustin Newlin beat Scott Cossel.  In the semi-final round Tony Millholland dispatched Wylie Pumarlo and Scot Granzella polished off Dustin Newlin.  This set up the two lap championship round of Milholland and Granzella, with Milholland gaining the lead out of turn two in the first lap.  Milholland then held off Granzella for the remainder of the race to take the checkered flag and the large King of the Hill trophy, his first.

Tony MilHolland takes the 2010 Bank of Tescott Stock Car King of the Hill Competition!

In the Terry Smith Plumbing Mod-Lite Series Dustin Forsberg won his 3rd straight Feature and 4th in the 2010 season.  However, a Forsberg victory didn't look at all possible until the final lap.  The feature started with Bud Lee sitting on the outside position of the 2nd row.  After two caution restarts, Lee took the lead position of the race.  Forsberg started on the 4th row inside and soon provided a challenge to Lee.  Lap after lap, the format for the race was Lee on the low inside groove with Forsberg challenging from behind on the high outside groove.  Lee looked up to the task but encountered lap traffic on the inside lane of the front stretch at the end of the next to last lap.  This encounter slowed him up just enough for Forsberg to gain ground on the outside,enabling him to gain the lead coming out of turn two of the last lap. Forsberg won by a car length as they passed the checkered flag. With the win, Forsberg tied Lee for the most Feature wins (4) in the Mod-Lite division in a season. Brandon Gray and Forsberg won the Heat races.

The 21 and 3G go head to head for the 2nd week in a row!

Dustin Forsberg and crew celebrate in O'Reilly Victory lane!

Back in the IMCA Stock Car Feature, the newly crowned King of the Hill, Tony Millholland  started on the 4th row inside position.  Jason Caldwell started on the outside pole position and looked to be an early favorite to capture the race.  But Caldwell got tied up in some bumping on the home stretch after one lap and ended up hitting the wall causing enough damage to put him out of the race.  Out of the caution restart, Bob Arnold gained a lead that he held for a short ime.  After the conclusion of two laps Millholland gained the lead.  Millholland held the lead for six laps before surrendering it to Wylie Pumarlo.  Pumarlo then held off all challengers to take his 2nd Feature win, both in 2010.  The Heat races were won by Scott Cossel and Millholland.

43 had some traffic to get through to win the A Feature!

Wylie Pumarlo celebrating on the front stretch!

Last but not least, was the $1000 to win Feature race for the Casey's General Store IMCA Modifieds, sponsored by REV Honey.  In the only race of the night without a yellow caution, Corey Burch started on the inside pole position.  Burch held the lead until lap 11 before surrendering it to Joe Cleveland who battled his way up from a 5th row starting position.  Burch didn't surrender the position easily, holding off Cleveland for several laps.  Once Cleveland gained the upper hand however, it was lights out.  Cleveland built and held a huge lead for the remainder of the race before capturing his 2nd Feature win of the season, and his 5th overall.  Cleveland has also now won both $1000 purses that have been put up in the 5 season history of the Minneapolis Raceway.  Burch, Rodger Peck, and Jarrod Johnston were the Heat race winners.

Once the 719 took the lead he didn't look back

Joe Cleveland, family, and crew celebrating in O'Reilly Victory Lane!

Next Saturday all 5 IMCA classes of Sport Compacts, Hobby Stocks, Sportsman Modifieds, Stock Cars Modifieds return to action at the Minneapolis Raceway.  The rescheduled Barry Brittendall Memorial Feature race for the Sport Compacts is on tap, with extra prizes and awards.  The Pit Gates open at 4pm, and Grandstands open at 5pm.  Hot Laps begin at 6pm followed by Green Flag racing at 7pm!