Strand Wins Track and Points Titles at River Cities; Takes Three of Four at Greenbush

East Grand Forks, Minn. (Sept. 3, 2024) - Dustin Strand finished the regular season as strong as he had been throughout the summer, winning four of the five features in which he competed last weekend including securing his seventh River Cities Speedway points title. Strand capped off his track championship at the Bullring by taking three of four at Greenbush Race Park including a sweep of the Late Model features and increasing his 2024 win total to 20.

Strand's Labor Day weekend started Friday night at River Cities Speedway on Track Championship night. After winning his heat race Strand started on the pole of the final 20-lap main event of the regular season at the high-banked quarter-mile.

Strand took the lead on the initial start from fellow front row starter Brad Seng and led the opening lap. Just six laps into the race, Strand had to start working lap traffic, but still had a straightaway lead at that point.

Strand split a pair of lapped cars on lap seven to put three slower cars between himself and Seng before at the completion of the seventh lap.

Strand brought the race back to green and was followed by Joey Pederson as the runner-up. At the midway point, Strand was again ahead by a straightaway as he saw the back of the field get closer once again.

Strand had to abandon the top on numerous occasions and was in traffic for the duration of the race, but still went on to victory, his eighth late model win at the speedway and securing the track and points championships.

I tell you, I can't wait to watch my wife's video because about six to go I almost drove it off the end over here,  [turn one,]” Strand said in victory lane post race. “I bet you I'm going to get chewed out for that one but [the car] was pretty awesome.”

Strand won his heat in both the Modified and the Late Model Saturday night at Greenbush Race Park and started seventh in the late model main event. After the initial start was called back, Strand made his way into the top five on the opening lap. He then passed Brody Troftgruben on the next lap and passed Brad Seng before a caution on lap eight.

Strand went three-wide with Shane Edginton and early leader Brandon Corbett with Strand taking the lead on at the end of lap ten. Following another caution with 11 to go, Strand continued to lead over Edginton and Corbett and worked traffic late to win his second feature of the weekend.

Strand started sixth in the Modified feature and started his march through the field after a lap three caution. Strand moved past Shawn Teunis to move into the top five for the first time on lap five then continued to roll the bottom past Tim Thomas before he spun on lap six.

When the race resumed, Strand then passed Aaron Holtan and Ward Imrie on consecutive laps to become the runner-up on lap nine. A side-by-side battle at the midway point culminated in Strand taking the lead on lap 14. 

Strand held the lead through the final pair of cautions on laps 14 and 18 and held off Ward Imrie in the closing laps to win his third modified feature of the year, sweeping his night at Greenbush.

Strand started on the pole in Sunday’s main event at Greenbush and led the opening lap over Tucker Pederson and led through a lap four caution. Strand led by a straightaway as he worked lapped traffic before a lap nine caution cleared the way.

Strand again started to walk away from the field and was lapping through traffic again until the final caution with four to go. Strand pulled away one final time in the final mile to sweep the weekend of Late Model features at Greenbush.

Strand started fourth and lost a couple spots early in the Modified main event Sunday at Greenbush but only spent one of the 25 laps outside the top five. Strand was back up to fourth after battling with Dustin Wahl for the majority of the race and finished fifth.

Up next is the 18th Annual John Seitz Memorial which kicks off with the Howie Schill Memorial Thursday night at River Cities. “That’s the one that has kind of always eluded me,” Strand said about the Seitz in victory lane last Friday night. “We’ve led that race a lot of laps and ran good in the qualifying nights and just seems like something always fails me. That race is my kryptonite, so we're gonna try like heck to get her done.”

Thanks to all of our great sponsors who help get us here!
Walhalla Building Center Inc. 
Keewatin Truck Service  
Q&Z Plumbing and Heating 
Kick'n Up Kountry Music Festival
Mattracks
Freije Farms
Bemidji Welders Supply, Inc  
Bun Lounge  
Shocker Hitch  
Shocks by Hammer-Brian Diede  
Sturdy Engines 
Naastad Acres 
Highside Truck accessories and sales. 
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products 
Generations Salon 
Flagstaff Nissan Subaru  
Carr's Grain Service
Double Deuce Bar and Grill
Performance Bodies  
Jason Strand Farms
Nathan Davis 
Matt Lunski

2024 Stats (Late Model):
Races: 35
Wins: 17
Top 5’s: 27
Top 10’s: 29

2023 Stats (Modified):
Races: 8
Wins: 3
Top 5’s: 7
Top 10’s: 7