Strand doubles up at River Cities; Earns 100th and 101st River Cities wins

EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. (June 20, 2023) - Dustin Strand reached a milestone last Friday night at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks as he won his 100th career feature at the quarter-mile oval in his No. 71 The Bun Lounge / RHRSwag.com Millenium by Mullens Modified, and his 101st win in the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing and Heating / Walhalla Building Center Millenium SRT.

Dustin started his second night of double duty at the 'Bullring' with a pair of second place heat race finishes, including a charge from sixth in his Late Model.

Dustin started third in the 20 lap Modified feature, and immediately went three wide with front row starters Shawn Teunis and Ryan Schroeder for the lead. Strand grabbed the lead off turn four at the completion of the opening lap.

Two cautions in the first three laps slowed the pace of the race, but as the race went green for a stretch, Strand was able to remain a few car lengths in front of second running Tyler Peterson.
With six laps remaining, Peterson was able to pull even with Strand, but held on to the top spot in the final laps to win his 100th career feature at the speedway.

"I tell ya the track was really good on the bottom," Strand said in victory lane. "I never got to try top cause we started towards the front, and we got up there into lapped cars, and things got pretty tight when I did move up and kinda went through the middle. I saw Tyler underneath me and I thought, 'I gotta go,' and I knew he was right on me, and I just decided to put it on the cushion and go."

Strand went on to start eighth in the 20 lap Late Model feature, splitting Brandon Corbett and Greg Moore at the end of the second lap to move into second.

On a lap six restart, Strand used the cushion again, this time passing Tom Corcoran to take the lead. Strand kept the lead through a lap ten restart, but another caution with six circuits remaining gave Tyler Peterson another shot at the lead.

The pair traded the lead and some sliders a few times in the next three laps, but contact between the two entering turn one with two to go saw Strand go for a spin, and Peterson charged with the caution.

Strand was able to hold the lead on the restart, winning his second feature of the night, and his first Late Model win of the 2023 campaign.

Strand and crew then brought the Late Model out to Devils Lake for one final shakedown ahead of this weekend's Walhalla Builders Golden Hammer Classic. Strand won his heat from fourth, and moved up from fourth to second in the feature, which was shortened due to a rollover by Blake Anderson on lap 14. All of us at Strand Racing continue to wish Blake the best and hope for a speedy recovery. 

This weekend, Strand has a big four-race swing with the NLRA Late Models on tap. It'll kick off Thursday night at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minnesota for the track's special during the Norman County Fair. On Friday, the series heads to I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota before returning to Devils Lake Speedway on Saturday. The weekend will come to a close Sunday evening at River Cities Speedway during the Greater Grand Forks Fair. Strand is currently tied for third in NLRA points. 

Thanks to all of our great sponsors who help get us here!
Bun Lounge
Walhalla Building Center Inc.
Keewatin Truck Service
Q&Z Plumbing and Heating 
Bemidji Welders Supply, Inc
Bemidji Marine
Novacek Honey Farms
Shocks by Hammer-Brian Diede
Shocker Hitch
Miller Motivations, LLC.
Naastad Acres
Sturdy Racing Engines 
Carrs Grain Service
Double Deuce Sports Bar and Grill
Generations Salon 
RHRSwag.com 
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products
Highside Truck Accessories & Sales

2023 Stats (Late Model):
Races: 10
Wins: 1
Top 5’s: 6
Top 10’s: 10

2023 Stats (Modified):
Races: 14
Wins: 2
Top 5’s: 4
Top 10’s: 5