Northern Plains Brainerd results 2008-07-05

Grosz Wins ASCS Northern Plains Kouba Memorial at NCS

BRAINERD, Minn. (July 5, 2008) -- Defending American Sprint Car Series Northern Plains Region champion Lee Grosz made a big step toward defending his championship with a triumph in Saturday night's 16th Annual Kouba Memorial at North Central Speedway.

The 20-year-old Harwood, ND, hotshoe became the race's third different leader on the 18th of 25 rounds en route to capturing his second career ASCS Northern Plains triumph atop Brainerd soil in Doug Howells' Wesmar-powered Bergstrom Electric/Hi-10 Sports Center No. 4J J&J.

While Grosz worked his way forward from the seventh starting position, John Nelson paced the opening 13 circuits before Jerry Richert, Jr., motored by on the low side of turn two for the lead.

Grosz reeled in Richert, stuck his nose underneath in turn two on the 18th lap and took command a half lap later on his way to victory lane.JRichert settled for second, with Eric Lutz taking the show position.JCurt Lund raced from 14th to fourth, with Brad Barickman rounding out the top five.

Grosz pocketed $2,000 for the Kouba Memorial triumph. An extra $3,000 was doled out over the course of the evening to the ASCS Northern Plains Region competitors in the Kouba Memorial courtesy of the Jerry Richert, Jr., family, Ron and Marie Olson, Frank and Mindy Larson, the Kouba family, Greg Parent, DMI, Shell Oil and Joseph and Jill Kouba.

ASCS Northern Plains Region Kouba Memorial Results from North Central Speedway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 62-Jerry Richert, Jr., 2. 9k-Brent Kronfuss, 3. 20g-Chris Graf, 4. 37-Sye Anderson, 5. 5T-Mark Toews, 6. k9-Tim Sernett, 7. 34tw-Blake Anderson.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 5-Eric Lutz, 2. 4J-Lee Grosz, 3. 55-Joseph Kouba, 4. 14-John Nelson, 5. 34-Brad Barickman, 6. 29-Leigh Thomas, 7. 87-Curt Lund.

Kouba Memorial Dash: 1. 5-Eric Lutz, 2. 9k-Brent Kronfuss, 3. 4J-Lee Grosz, 4. 62-Jerry Richert, Jr., 5. 20g-Chris Graf, 6. 55-Joseph Kouba.

"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 4J-Lee Grosz, 2. 62-Jerry Richert, Jr., 3. 5-Eric Lutz, 4. 87-Curt Lund, 5. 34-Brad Barickman, 6. 20g-Chris Graf, 7. 9k-Brent Kronfuss, 8. 5T-Mark Toews, 9. 14-John Nelson, 10. k9-Tim Sernett, 11. 55-Joseph Kouba, 12. 37-Sye Anderson, 13. 34tw-Blake Anderson, 14. 29-Leigh Thomas.

ASCS Northern Plains Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Lee Grosz 546, 2. Eric Lutz 552, 3. Wade Nygaard 292, 4. Chad Meyer 284, 5. (tie) Curt Lund and Jody Rosenboom 280, 7. Gordy Vogelaar 276, 8. Chuck Swenson 270, 9. Natalie Sather 260, 10. Jason Tostenson 258.

-credit: ascs