After rainy weather forced the scheduled season opener at the Princeton Speedway on Friday night May 3 to be cancelled, the 2019 Midwest Power Series presented by GRP Motorsports kicked off their season at the Cedar Lake Speedway the following night May 4 under sunny skies and seasonal temperatures. At the end of the 25 lap feature race, Grand Forks, North Dakota driver Wade Nygaard earned his fourth career 360 winged sprint car feature win at the Cedar Lake Speedway coming from the seventh starting position. Nygaard joined seven other drivers who also have four wins in this division at the popular western Wisconsin dirt track. Nygaard earned $3,000 for his first win of the season at what he calls one of his “favorite tracks.”
It appeared as though Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada racer Thomas Kennedy was going to run away and possibly lap the entire field. Kennedy blasted into the lead at the drop of the green and checked out into a different time zone. While attempting to put John Schulz of West Burlington, Iowa a lap down on the tenth circuit of the race, Kennedy made contact and spun. Kennedy went to the work area to change a flat right rear tire and they also discovered the Jacob’s ladder was bent. Kennedy returned to tag the tail of the lead lap cars, but his speedy 21k sprinter was not the same as it had been prior to the lone caution of the race. Kennedy would eventually finish fourth.
Scoring reverted back to lap nine with young New Richmond, Wisconsin hot shoe Chase Viebrock leading the field back to the green flag. Nygaard restarted third and made an incredible move on the next lap to pass Ryan Bowers and Viebrock for the top spot, gaining the lead exiting turn four to complete lap ten. From there Nygaard held the point for the remaining nonstop run to the checkers. Viebrock finished second ahead of Bowers, Kennedy and Kaleb Johnson. A two-time local champion, Bowers from Ham Lake, Minnesota and young Kaleb Johnson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota were driving team cars for BDS Motorsports of Newton, Iowa. Bowers is slated to be in the BDS ride for the season while Johnson was “subbing” in the other car for Travis Rilat while Johnson waits for the motor to get ready in his own ride.
Heat races were won by Lonsdale, Minnesota driver James Broty and Viebrock. Broty was looking to make it two straight Midwest Power Series feature wins having won the final race of the 2018 season at the Deer Creek Speedway, but misfortune hit and Broty failed to finish the feature. Viebrock, who was looking for his second 360 winged sprint car victory at his home track, also won the Dash which earned him the right to start on the pole for the 25 lap feature. Each heat race winner received $100 from Al Parker Engines of Newton, Iowa while Viebrock also picked up an extra $200 from Al Parker Engines for his dash victory. Nygaard earned the $100 GRP Motorsports/Minnesota Mafia Hard Charger Award in the feature for his run forward from seventh to first. Random draws prior to the start of the feature for the BOXO USA Bonus money saw the 4th and 12th place finishing positions selected. Thomas Kennedy earned an extra $200 for fourth while James Broty earned $100 for 12th from BOXO USA.
The next Midwest Power Series race will be the first of ten events scheduled at the Jackson Motorplex set to kick off on Friday night May 17 at the southern Minnesota facility paying $3,000 to win and $400 to start. As usual at Jackson, the Midwest Power Series is partnered up with the MSTS 360s as part of the program which will also feature the IMCA Racesaver 305 Sprints and the NSL non-winged sprints. The NSL non-wings race will be part of the Mastell Brothers Touring Series scheduled for seven appearances at Jackson in 2019.
Midwest Power Series thanks it 2019 sponsors Midwest Power Equipment, GRP Motorsports, Mastell Brothers Trailer Service, Dekalb Asgrow Seeds, Al Parker Engines, BOXO USA, AO Coolers, Grandview Buildings, LIFAN USA, Eagle and Vortex Racing Products.