Mitch Nearly Scores First Win of 2016 at River Cities!
GRAND FORKS, ND (August 23) – Last Friday night the Joe Black’s/Jeff’s Repair #92 Sprint Car was locked and loaded and ready to take on River Cities Speedway. After a few weeks of bad luck, Mitch and the crew were looking for a solid run to build some momentum as the 2016 enters the homestretch.
Mitch was fast right out of the gate. He took the lead in heat race number two with a pass on Blake Egeland on lap four and led the final six laps to pick up the win by 1.5 seconds over Wade Nygaard.
Mitch’s speed carried over to the feature as he immediately began passing cars at the drop of the green flag. By the completion of lap one, Mitch was in third from his fourth starting position and one lap later he passed Jack Croaker and Trent Stengl to assume the lead. Once out front, Mack had to fend off Croaker before having eight-time Northern Outlaw Sprint Association (NOSA) champion, Wade Nygaard behind him.
Timely cautions kept Mitch out of lapped traffic and in clear track, which allowed him to run his own line and put some distance between himself and the rest of the pack.
With five to go, Mitch had a lead of nearly two seconds over Nygaard but as he enter lapped traffic, his advantaged began to diminish. With three to go, Mitch’s lead was cut in half and with two to go, the split was down to a half second.
On the final lap Mitch drove low into turn three to get by another lapped car, but that consequently left the door open for Nygaard up on the cushion. Mitch got off the corner and on to the straightaway as quick as he could, but Nygaard’s momentum carried him around Mitch and into the lead coming to the checkers.
Mitch crossed the line with a heart-breaking runner-up finish. Given the rough luck from the past month, however, the team can’t hang their head about leading 23 laps and finishing second!
Saturday night at Devils Lake Speedway, Mitch finished third in his heat which slotted him 13th on the starting lineup for the feature. Unfortunately Mitch ended the night with a DNF and was credited with 22nd.
The EGF Dental Care/GF1 machine will be back in action Friday night at River Cities Speedway against the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series!
