Nygaard consistent over four-race stretch
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (July 14, 2021) – Wade Nygaard followed up his first win of the season at Red River Valley Speedway one week prior with four more top 10s in four consecutive nights with the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprints in his Auto Finance Super Center No. 9N.
Nygaard started his week with a pair of races at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks. The event was named the Wayne Anderson Cup in honor of Nygaard’s former car owner. The pair won 32 NOSA features and Nygaard’s first 2 series titles, as Nygaard was Anderson’s final driver of the famous Budweiser No. 9 from 1996-98.
Nygaard started Thursday night’s program with the fifth fastest qualifying lap and a heat win, sending him to the redraw.
Starting third in the first 30-lap main event of the week, Nygaard spent the first 10 laps fending off his teammate Brendan Mullen and Nick Omdahl, using the top of the quarter-mile Bullring.
Midway through the race, it was Jack Croaker and Austin Pierce that Nygaard battled for the third through fifth spots. In the final 10 laps it was Pierce that Nygaard swapped fourth and fifth with nearly every lap. Nygaard never fell out of the top five, and finished fourth.
Night two of the Anderson Cup started with the third fastest lap and fourth place run in his heat, making his second redraw of the week.
Starting fifth in the final 30 lapper of the week, Nygaard fell back to as low as ninth near the midway point of the race, but rebounded in the second half.
With 13 to go, Nygaard used the outside on a restart to pass Croaker, then a slider on Lee Grosz put Nygaard up to fourth, where he finished the race.
On Saturday, the 9N team headed west to the Devils Lake Speedway near Doyon, ND again with the NOSA Sprints.
Eighth quick in time trials, and second in his heat put Nygaard in front of the grandstand for the third night in a row, where he redrew the third starting spot for the 25 lap main event.
Nygaard, looking for his 17th Devils Lake win, ran fourth early, then third through a pair of cautions and a red with seven laps completed.
Nygaard and his teammate spent the middle portion of the race moving into the final spots on the podium, while a late restart saw Mullen take the win and Nygaard finish fourth of the third night in a row.
Nygaard returned to Huset’s for the final race of the weekend. The eighth fastest lap and a runner-up in the heat race saw Nygaard go four-for-four on the weekend making the redraw.
Starting third in the final feature of the week, Nygaard spent most of the race in and around the top five, but ended the night with his fourth top 10 of the week, ending the week in ninth.
It was also a good points week for Nygaard. He will continue his quest for an 11th NOSA title on Friday night at River Cities with a 14 point lead.
Thanks to our great sponsors for their continued support!
Ground Round Grill & Bar-Grand Forks, ND
Forks Finest Auto Body
Northland Custom Woodworking
Valvoline Tire One Auto Center
GRP Motorsports
Tammy Howard, Greenberg Realty
Bosh Enterprises
2021 Stats:
Races: 25
Wins: 1
Top Fives: 13
Top Tens: 18
Photo by Speedway Shots
