6/6/2014
Tatnell Doubles Up With Billy Anderson Memorial Win At Princeton
Princeton, MN
Australian ace Brooke Tatnell, who resides in Forest Lake during the American racing season, added a second victory during the running of the 13th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial at the Princeton Speedway on Friday night June 6. Tatnell's brother-in-law Jerry Richert, Jr. had been the only two-time winner of this event, but now the famous racing family from Forest Lake will have two members with two Billy Anderson Memorial wins. Tatnell led all but the first lap in the 25 lap UMSS feature event which ran nonstop to the finish.
Tatnell was a master in lapped traffic, as the leaders began lapping cars on the sixth lap of the feature. Working in and out of lapped cars during the final 19 laps, Tatnell won by over a half lap on the 1/4 mile high-banked dirt bullring. Only four cars were on the lead lap at the finish with all seventeen starters still running at the checkers. The win paid Tatnell and the Nelson Motorsports team $1,300 thanks to some sponsorship help from GRP Motorsports and RPM Graphics. It was his 25th career UMSS victory. Tatnell celebrated with his own family and the Jenny Anderson family in the Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup/Rock Auto Victory Lane. Billy Anderson, Jr. once again presented the trophy at this event which honors the memory of his dad.
Commenting in the pits afterwards, Tatnell talked about the lapped traffic. "When you get long green flags runs on these small tracks, lapped cars are going to be all over the place. Getting through the traffic is critical. It was a very good night for us. Thanks to GRP and RPM for the added money." Prior to heading to the Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup/Rock Auto Victory Lane celebration, Tatnell did a little celebrating of his own in the infield near turns 3-4. Tatnell spun several donuts, kicking up a huge cloud of dirt and dust before emerging from the cloud to continue his celebration.
During the popular driver autograph session at intermission, the high-point driver after the usual double round of qualifying races was 2013 UMSS Champion Chris Graf of Glencoe. Graf pulled the zero pill which meant a straight-up start in the feature based on points after the heats and challenge races. Graf would be flanked by Harwood, North Dakota driver Lee Grosz on the front row. Grosz was looking for his third UMSS win of the 2014 season while Graf was looking to break into the win column in 2014. The second row was a powerhouse with Tatnell inside and Davey Heskin outside. Ultimate Sprint Heats were won by Graf, Grosz and Rick Kobs. Winning his first Challenge Race was Gunner Cummings while Brooke Tatnell took the win in the second Challenge Race. Two-time UMSS Champion Richert had a slight mishap in the first Challenge Race, as his car tipped on its side after jumping the cushion in turn 3. Richert was able to continue after being up-righted.
At the drop of the green, Graf bolted into the lead from the pole with Grosz and Tatnell battling for second. Tatnell quickly moved to the runner-up spot and put the pressure on Graf on lap two. Tatnell had the lead at the line and never looked back after that. The battle for second was a good one and got "heated" near the end of the race, as Graf and Grosz swapped the spot on a few occasions with Heskin close behind. Grosz took second on lap 11, but Graf stayed close in traffic and eventually retook the spot on lap 21. Contact in turn two between Grosz and Graf late in the race saw Graf get knocked over the berm a bit. Heskin got by with a lap to go, but Graf regained third off the fourth corner coming to the checkers. Young Gunner Cummings of Menomonie, WI in just his second season and 12th race ever in a winged sprint turned in an impressive fifth place finish. Completing the top ten was the winner of the inaugural Billy Anderson Memorial, Tony Norem followed by Richert, Kobs, Jason Tostenson and Neal Matuska.
The UMSS wants to thank the Princeton Speedway, the Anderson family and RPM Graphics, all the drivers, crews, fans and sponsors for an entertaining night at the 13th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial. Sprint car fans can follow the UMSS on their website at www.umsprints.com or become a friend of the UMSS on their Facebook page. Following the Princeton show, the UMSS was heading a short distance to the northeast to race at the "Big O Sprint Showdown" at the Ogilvie Raceway on the fast 3/8 mile oval but that event fell victim to rainy weather.
UMSS Race Results - Princeton Speedway June 6, 2014 (Race #5)
13th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial:
Alpha Apparel & Promotions Ultimate Sprint Race #1 (6 laps): 20G Chris Graf, 19 Jason Tostenson, 03 Jamey Ogston, 5 Anna Kouba, 15 Chad Patterson, 10x Jennfier Eriksen DNS.
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Race #2 (6 laps): 4J Lee Grosz, 63 Jerry Richert Jr, 14 Brooke Tatnell, 48 Neal Matuska, 78 Rob Caho Jr, 7 Dave Becker.
Driverwebsites.com Ultimate Sprint Race #3 (6 laps): 34 Rick Kobs, 91 Davey Heskin, 34TW Gunner Cummings, 199 Ryan Bowers, B1st Tony Norem, 91A Reed Allex.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race #1 (9 laps): Cummings, Graf, Matuska, Norem, Kobs, Ogston, Richert, Patterson, Allex.
Hoosier Racing Tire Challenge Race #2 (8 laps): Tatnell, Heskin, Grosz, Kouba, Becker, Tostenson, Caho, Bowers DNF, Eriksen DNS.
GRP Motorsports & RPM Graphics 13th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial Feature (25 laps): Tatnell, Grosz, Graf, Heskin, Cummings, Norem, Richert, Kobs, Tostenson, Matuska, Becker, Kouba, Bowers, Patterson, Ogston, Caho, Allex, Eriksen DNS.
Lap Leaders: Graf 1, Tatnell 2-25.
No Cautions!
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
