Mikkelson wins NLRA return; VanMil, Truscinski, Peterson, and Current also winners

By Spieker Promotions

GLYNDON, Minn. (June 6, 2021) - On Sunday night the NLRA Late Model series returned to the Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon, MN for the first time in five years, and it was Alexandria's Ryan Mikkelson who picked up the win.

Cole ​Babcock and Joey Pederson made up the front row at the start, as the pair battled for the top spot in the first five laps. Babcock led the two laps around the quarter-mile oval, but Pederson took the lead on the top at the end of the third lap.

Donny Schatz moved up to fourth, as Pederson caught up to the rear of the field at the halfway point. Pederson made it past the first lapper, as Mikkelson improved to second, and Schatz followed into third. Pederson slipped up the track while trying to put the next car in traffic a lap down, and Mikkelson capitalized, taking the point at the end of lap sixteen.

The lone caution of the race for a pileup in turn four set up a green-white-checkered finish. Mikkelson continued on to victory over Pederson, Schatz, Shane Edginton, and Seng.

"I'm always excited to run with the NLRA," Mikkelson said post race. "I absolutely love the guys. Got a boat load of thumbs up in victory lane. For the race, we caught lapped traffic, and I was able to get past Cole Babcock. He was going wide because of the lapped traffic, and I could get a good launch off of [turn] four. Same story with Joey [Pederson.] He left me room on the bottom of [turn] one, cause I got to his door, and he left me room, and that's just good racing."

Matt Talley and Brandon Ferris shared the front row in the 20 lap IMCA Northern SportMod main event, but it was third running Chris VanMil that used a lap four restart to take the lead.

VanMil pulled away from Scott Jacobson late in the race to pick up the win. Paul Colvin, Justin Jones, and Doug Garnder rounded out the top five.

Alan Truscinski of Greenbush, MN started on the pole, led all 15 laps, and won the Lucas Oil Minn-Kota Lightning Sprint main event that went green-to-checkered. Bryce Haugeberg was second with Kelsi Pederson in third. Dexter Dvergsten and Travis Surerus rounded out the top five.

Chase Peterson of Milica, MN charged from 12th in the 15 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, taking the lead from Caleb Gardner with eight laps left for the win. Scott Herron was second with Garnder third. Brad Orvedal and Todd Gettel completed the top five.

John Current of Bemidji, MN charged from ninth in the 15 lap Short Tracker main event, winning over David Wahl, Chase Golliet, Levi Lease, and Lee Williams.