8/2/2015
Tony Norem Nabs $2,300 Midwest Power Series Payday At Granite City
The second race of the four race Midwest Power Outlaw Sprint Car Series was held at the Granite City Speedway on Sunday August 2. Tony Norem passed Brooke Tatnell on lap 18 of the 25 lap UMSS winged sprint car feature and went on to record a $2,300 payday for his efforts. Norem and the Seidenkranz brothers team were all smiles in Rock Auto Victory Lane following his first win of the season and sixth career UMSS victory. Commenting after the races, a smiling Tony Norem asked again what first place paid, and when UMSS Media Director Greg Parent informed him, Tony said "Well, that should help us get to several more races this season." When told that the next UMSS race is also the third race in the Midwest Power Series at KRA Speedway in Willmar on August 20 and pays $2,300 to win, Norem said "We'll be there!"
Running the usual double round of qualifying races, Ultimate Sprint Heat wins went to Norem and current UMSS point leader Ryan Bowers. Tatnell and Thomas Kennedy topped the Challenge Races. The top four in passing and finishing points redrew for the first four starting spots. Tatnell was fourth in points, and the pole starting spot was the only pill left much to his delight. Bowers would start to his outside with Norem and Lou Kennedy, Jr. in row two. Norem's last outing at Brainerd did not go well, as the B1st team fought engine problems all night long. That would not be the case at Granite City, as Norem's car had a strong running Ron Olson engine under the hood.
Tatnell got a good start at the drop of the green and shot up to the cushion in turn one ahead of Bowers with Norem and Kennedy close behind. Nine laps into the feature race, the lone caution waved when Jared Goerges spun in turn 4. The top four had not changed from the onset, but the running order was about to change following the yellow. Norem moved by Bowers a few laps after the restart and began to close in on Tatnell. Slowly the B1st sprinter closed the gap. As the leaders approached lapped traffic, Norem was poised to make his move. On lap 18, Tony dove down low entering turn one and executed a clean pass for the lead coming off turn two. Tatnell was not able to mount a serious challenge to regain the top spot, as Norem began to put some distance between himself and Tatnell. Trailing Norem and Tatnell at the finish was Bowers and a pair of Kennedys, Lou and Thomas. Rounding out the top ten finishers was Chris Graf, Jerry Richert Jr, Jamey Ogston, Goerges and Anna Hippe.
With two races now complete in the Midwest Power Outlaw Sprint Car Series, Bowers leads Richert by two points and Chris Graf by twenty points. Richert won the opening Midwest Power race at the Deer Creek Speedway on June 27. The remaining two races in this mini-series are at KRA Speedway on August 20 and at the St. Croix Valley Raceway on September 4. The KRA race pays $2,300 to win and also kicks off the three race Minnesota Summer Heat Outlaw Sprint Car Tour. The SCVR race is the Earl Kouba Memorial which pays $5,500 to win. The Midwest Power Series champion will earn $1,000 from Midwest Power Equipment.
UMSS Race Results - Granite City Speedway August 2, 2015 (Race #14)
Midwest Power Equip & GRP Motorsports A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. B1ST-Tony Norem[3]; 2. 14-Brooke Tatnell[1]; 3. 199-Ryan Bowers[2]; 4. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[4]; 5. 20K-Thomas Kennedy[6]; 6. 20G-Chris Graf[5]; 7. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[7]; 8. 03-Jamey Ogston[8]; 9. 9-Jared Goerges[10]; 10. 5-Anna Kouba[9]; 11. 95-Kevin Bradwell[12]; 12. 1-Jeff Pellersels[11]; 13. (DNF) 91A-Reed Allex[13]
Lap Leaders: Tatnell 1-17, Norem 18-25. Cautions: (1) yellow for 9 spin turn 4 with 9 laps scored.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race 1 (8 Laps): 1. 14-Brooke Tatnell[2]; 2. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[4]; 3. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[3]; 4. 199-Ryan Bowers[5]; 5. 95-Kevin Bradwell[7]; 6. 9-Jared Goerges[1]; 7. 91A-Reed Allex[6]
Lap Leader: Tatnell 1-8. Cautions: (1)
Hoosier Racing Tire Challenge Race 2 (8 Laps): 1. 20K-Thomas Kennedy[1]; 2. 20G-Chris Graf[3]; 3. B1ST-Tony Norem[5]; 4. 03-Jamey Ogston[4]; 5. 5-Anna Kouba[2]; 6. 1-Jeff Pellersels[6]
Lap Leader: Kennedy 1-8. No cautions.
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Heat 1 (7 Laps): 1. B1ST-Tony Norem[2]; 2. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[3]; 3. 20G-Chris Graf[1]; 4. 5-Anna Kouba[4]; 5. 9-Jared Goerges[6]; 6. 91A-Reed Allex[5]; DNS 95-Kevin Bradwell
Lap Leader: Norem 1-7. No cautions.
Driverwebsites.com Ultimate Sprint Heat 2 (7 Laps): 1. 199-Ryan Bowers[4]; 2. 03-Jamey Ogston[1]; 3. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[2]; 4. 14-Brooke Tatnell[6]; 5. 20K-Thomas Kennedy[5]; 6. 1-Jeff Pellersels[3]
Lap Leaders: Ogston 1-5, Bowers 6-7. No cautions.
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
