Jason Strand makes debut with NLRA Late Models!
By Spieker Promotions
PORTLAND, N.D. (May 26, 2021) – After a successful season opener scoring a top 10 in his Late Model debut at River Cities one week prior, Jason Strand had another debut scheduled last week, as he made his Northern Late Model Racing Association series debut at the I-94 Sure Step Speedway on Friday night.
Thirty-one Late Models were checked in for the NLRA’s first visit to the three-eighths mile oval since 2015.
A poor draw when he arrived at the track buried him in the seventh starting spot in his heat race, but he climbed to fifth by the end of the race, just missing stealing the fourth spot at the checkers.
Thirty cars made up the grid for the 25-lap main event and Strand started right in the middle of the pack in the 17th starting spot.
Strand lost a few spots on the initial start, but used a couple cautions in the first half of the race to climb as high as 16th with 10 laps remaining.
Strand came home in the 17th spot in his second Late Model start.
“The track was good and racy,” Strand said about his NLRA debut. “The car was really good, but for many laps, it was two wide in front of me. I felt I had the faster car, but just couldn’t get by. A car got into the [infield] tires in front of me, so I had to check up, and I lost a few spots.”
Strand then headed to the Devils Lake Speedway to make his debut behind the wheel of Jory Berg’s No. E0 Midwest Modified. The pair ran in the same heat race, but motor issues plagued Strand’s efforts all night.
A seventh-place run in the heat race made for a 19th place start in the main event.
Strand charged through the field in the green-to-checkered affair, gaining eight spots on seven cylinders in the five-minute feature.
Strand’s season continues this Friday night at River Cities Speedway aboard his No. E85 Late Model.
Thanks to all of the great sponsors that support E85 Racing!
North Dakota Corn Growers Association
North Dakota Corn Utilization Council
Sower Power Racing Engines
Hatton Co-op
Finley Motors, Inc.-Finley, ND
Precision Electric, Plumbing, and HVAC
Millenium Chassis
2021 Stats:
Late Models:
Races: 2
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 1
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