WILLMAR -- Two second-place finishes in the Governor's Ethanol Challenge weren't good enough for Shane Sabraski.
The Midwest Modified national points leader in Wissota Racing started seventh in the 25-car main, worked his way to the front and stayed there to take the checkered flag on Thursday night at the KRA Speedway.
That gave Sabraski a big lead going into Friday night's finale at Fiesta City in Montevideo.
The Wissota four-night special paid $500 to the winner each night and $550 to the Series champion. The Friday night winner at Fiesta took home an additional $1,000 if he raced all four nights.
Matt Smith of Morris won Tuesday night at Viking Speedway in Alexandria but was 18th at Madison the next night when Brandon Nelson of New London took the checkered flag at the Lac qui Parle Fairground's dirt oval.
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At Willmar, Sabraski held off Jason Hoffman in 07 at the flag. Hoffman had wrecked at Alexandria, but rebounded for third at Madison.
Travis Sauer of Elizabeth was third at Willmar while Nate Barber of New London took fourth just in front of Nelson.
The Midwest Mod special drew 24 to 26 cars at each stop through the first three nights. At Willmar, 102 cars ran overall, just six less than last week's season high.
The KRA track was well-watered and smooth while Madison was dry and especially fast. Nelson, who started from the pole at Madison, had to fend off the charging Sabraski for most of the race.
"I was right on his tail but I couldn't get by him," said Sabraski, who also competes in the Modified division.
Said Nelson the next night at Willmar: "It felt pretty good to stay ahead of a driver of his caliber."
In the first Midwest Modified heat, Tyler Limoges of Redwood Falls in 72 went out quickly and hid from his pursuers. Sabraski and 16-year-old Brian Haben of Holloway dueled for eight of the 10 laps for second place with Sabraski winning the battle.
Haben, who will be a junior at Morris, is in just his second year in stock cars after growing up on the go-kart circuit. He's running with the leaders at Alexandria and Madison, his regular stops.
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In the other shows, Nate Heinrich of Madison won the Modified 10-car feature. It was a nice comeback for the young driver from Madison who had a frustrating night a week earlier in the $1,500 Modified special when he wrecked early in the 25-lap feature.
Curt Myers of Cameron, Wis., swept in Super Stocks which had an 18-car field. Tyler Larson, the young driver from Pennock who is dueling with his father Dean for the Wissota lead, won the 18-car main with Nick Egge of Kandiyohi in second.
Street Stock also had a big 16-car draw. Cory Tammen of Clara City, who doubles up in Supers, swept in Streeters with national points leader Allen Gessell Jr., of Big Lake second.
Hobby stockers chased Brad Fredeen of Spicer to the finish. Shawn Fernkes of Willmar was second and Josh Dragt of Willmar third.
KRA Speedway
MIDWEST MODIFIED GOVERNOR'S ETHANOL CHALLENGE (25 cars)-- Heat winners: Tyler Limoges, Redwood Falls; Travis Sauer, Elizabeth; Brandon Nelson, New London ... Feature: (1) Shane Sabraski (2) Jason Hoffman, Villard (3) Travis Sauer, Elizabeth (4) Nate Barber, New London (5) Brandon Nelson, New London (6) Matt Weisman, South Haven (7) Denis Czech, Sauk Rapids (8) Derek Bluhm, Clara City (9) Kyle Koehntop, Morris (10) Corey Eystad, Waite Park (11) Shawn Reed, Casper Wyo (12) Larry Revier, Olivia (13) Joe Schmidt, Donnelly (14) Ryan Studanski, Sauk Rapids (15) Tyler Limoges (16) Matt Deering, Spicer (17) Zach Schultz, Grove City (18) Denny Kuhnau Litchfield 19) Shawn Olson, Alexandria (20) Brian Haben, Holloway.
HOBBY STOCK -- Heat winners: Dan Lorensen, Wilmar; Josh Dragt, Willmar ... Feature: (1) Brad Fredeen, Spicer (2) Shawn Fernkes, Willmar (3) Josh Dragt (4) Chris Lindquist, New London (5) Tim Kallevig, Pennock (6) Mike Flickinger, Kandiyohi (7) Nick Simar, Willmar (8) Derek Noor, Spicer (9) Melissa Zieske, Renville (10) Josh Juven, Delano
MODIFIED -- Heat winners (1) Nate Heinrich, Madison (2) Jason Thoennes, Garfield ... Feature: : (1) Nate Heinrich, Madison (2) Jason Thoennes, Garfield (3) Danny Bayer, Elrosa (4) Andy Gordon, Murdock (5) Shane Sabraski, Rice (6) Dale Mathison, Clarwater (7) Mike Stearns, Hecla, SD (8) Don Eischens, Richmond (9) Ryan Canon, Clearwater (10) Matt Anderson, Atwater
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MOD-FOURS -- Heat winners: Conrad Schwinn, Little Falls; Andy Deters, Waite Park ... Feature: (1) Tyler Larson, Pennock (2) Nick Egge, Kandiyohi, (3) Conrad Schwinn (4) Dean Larson, Pennock (5) Tim Kanten, Milan (6) Andy Deters, Waite Park (7) Ryan Buer, Willmar (8) Jim Kanten, Milan (9) Steve Johnson, Alexandria (10) Mark Peterson, Atwater
SUPER STOCK -- Heat winners: Curt Meyers, Cameron, Wis; Shawn Nolan, Annandale... Feature: (1) Curt Myers (2) Jeff Flaten, Hancock (3) Erick Thiesse, Brainerd (4) Shawn Nolan (5) Dave Mass, Princeton (6) Brandon Larson, Litchfield (7) Jon Stepan, Brandon (8) Zach Schultz, Grove City (9) Cory Tammen, Clara City (10) Jason Vejtruba, Lake Lillian
STREET STOCK -- Heat winners: Jim Williams, DeGraff; Cory Tammen, Clara City ... Feature: (1) Cory Tammen (2) Allen Gessell, Jr, Big Lake (3) David Goulet, Sauk Rapids (4) Travis Berends, Montevideo (5) Aaron Rauschendorfer, Dassel (6) Henry Peters, Morden, Neb (7) Kris Berg, Sauk Rapids (8) Travis Forcier, Darwin (9) James Wall, Winkler, Manitoba (`10) Justin Vogel, Brooten (11) Josh Fredeen, Spicer (12) Don Barber, New London (13) Ryan Bue3r, Atwater (14) Danica Bleess, Willmar (15) Shaun Feldman, Sunburg (16) Jim Williams.
