Blacklance, Imrie, and Linert get first checkers of the year at Greenbush Race Park

Gray, overcast and cool skies greeted the 73 drivers that signed in at the pit gate, but with these less than ideal conditions, the rain stayed away and racing went on at the Greenbush Race Park.

It was the second running of the "Dugan" Nelson memorial for the Midwest Modifieds and Aaron Blacklance of Thief River Falls, Mn., would lead the 20 car field to the green flag and would take the early lead. The first yellow flew just six laps in as Randy Thompson of Lakota, N.D., spun in corner two. Blacklance would lead following the restart but one lap later a massive seven car pileup on the front stretch would end the night for about a 1/3 of the field. Logan Hamness of Strathcona, Mn., was taken to local hospital complaining of pain in his lower back. On the restart Blacklance and the rest of the field would rattle off 19 laps of greenflag racing, as Blacklance had almost a half lap lead on the rest of the field. The real battle was for the second, third and forth spots between Zach Dockter of Norwich, N.D., Doyle Erickson of Bagley, Mn., and last years winner Gary James Nelson of Blackduck, Mn. But the last caution flew with four to go and would put everyone on the bumper of the leader. Blacklance would hold everyone off and pick up his first win and sweep of the year at the Park along with taking home the $1,000 paycheck. Erickson would finish second and Dockter third. Doug VanMill of Bagley, Mn., Paul Veert of Winnipeg, Mb., and Nelson got the other heat wins.

Jeremy Gust of Strathcona, Mn., wold lead a very strong 13 car Street feature to the green flag, but it would be outside polesitter Art Linert of Badger, Mn., to take the lead. Linert was followed closely by Ryan Johnson of Karlstad, Mn., and first time visitor to the Race Park Justin Vogel of Brooten, Mn. Vogel would pass Johnson for the second spot on lap four, and then be right on the bumper of Linert for the next six laps when the only caution of the race flew for John Halvorson of Warren, Mn., but it would be Johnson that was unable to continue as he pulled off with a bad left front wheel. On the restart Linert was able to hold of Vogel and pick up his first win of the year at the Park. Vogel would finish second and another first time visitor Ryan Satter of Dent, Mn., finished third. Gust and Jesse Teunis of West St. Paul, Mb., would get the heat wins.