Curt Myers won the USRA Modified main event on Friday, April 27, at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis.

Seventy-two Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series racers, 13 checkered flags and a grandstand full of bundled race fans helped Mississippi Thunder Speedway kick off their 10th Anniversary Season with a perfect opening night of racing action.

Despite a stiff wind blowing in from the Northwest, racers and fans alike were ready to brush away the wintry off-season with a hot night of excitement that lasted from the opening ceremonies to the night's final checkered flag.

By the time that final checkered flag had waived, four drivers visited victory lane to celebrate feature wins that they hope will propel them into a successful 2018 season.

Curt Myers put both his brakes and the left rear quarter-panel of his No. 1M to the test on Friday night as the Cameron speedster worked the track like a high-line master from start to finish.

With the rear of his USRA Modified scrapping the outside wall in turns three and four through the entire 25-lap feature, and his brake rotors glowing red through the second half of the event, Myers kept the fans and his competition cheering and guessing all the way to the finish.

"I knew I was pushing the car right up to the limit," commented Myers. "I could feel the brakes going away, but I wasn't about to let up."

Polesitter Keith Foss raced to a second-place finish just ahead of Dustin Sorensen while Cory Crapser held off defending track champion Josh Angst after they battled the majority of the feature.

At the end of the 2017 season, Cochrane's Lance Hofer wrapped up his second USRA Late Model track championship in three years.

Friday night he put his competition on notice that he'd love nothing more than to collect a third in 2018.

Hofer started the year off with a clean-sweep, winning both the first heat race as well as the evening's 20-lap feature.

As he continued his hot streak, 2016 track champion Justin Sass circled the lightning-fast high-banked speedway to a second place finish just ahead of second heat race winner Barry Johnson, Derek Nelson and Troy Langowski.

Lance Hofer won the USRA Late Model main event on Friday, April 27, at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis.

After a fourth-place finish in the third Out-Pace USRA B-Mod heat race, Parker Hale had to make things happen if he was going to turn the night around.

That's exactly what the Grand Meadow, Minn., racer did, stepping out front of the 27-car field and maneuvering his way to the feature win.

"This new Dirt Dueller drives like a dream," said Hale. "The work that all of us—family, friends, LDR, everyone—has done made this thing almost perfect for the feature."

Iowa's Dan Hovden followed Hale across the line in second, just ahead of second heat race winner J.T. Wasmund, Casey Knutson and Andrew Bleess.

Parker Hale won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod main event on Friday, April 27, at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis.

Brady Link has a habit of sneaking in from Waukon, Iowa, when he can and stealing feature wins from Mississippi Thunder Speedway's USRA Hobby Stock regulars.

He did it again Friday night, completing a clean sweep in the division by winning the first heat race and then backing that up with the feature win.

"This new car was absolutely perfect," Link explained. "You know, I appreciate the fans chearing for me and this win, but every single driver out here deserves a round of applause. Every person who works in the pits, or back in the shops... every sponsor, and especially all the family members who put up with our long hours in the garage or at the track or on the way to the track. I hope you'll all chear just as loud for them also."

Jay Mensink, who followed Link beneath the waving checkered flag in the heat race, mirrored that finish by racing to second in the feature just ahead of second heat race winner Travis Krause, defending track champion Steve Holthaus and Paul Seabrooke.

Brady Link won the USRA Hobby Stock main event on Friday, April 27, at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis.

Mississippi Thunder Speedway will once again roar to life next Friday, May 4, with Leighton Broadcasting/Budwweiser Night. Green flag competition begins at 6 p.m. with the 2018 season debut of the Sunshine Refuse Slingshots on the Lightning Speedway. Action on the big 1/3-mile resumes immediately following the 7 p.m. opening ceremonies with green flag laps provided by the Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modifieds, Centerville Welding & Repair USRA Late Models presented by Big Toy Storage, Out-Pace USRA B-Mods and Jailhouse Saloon USRA Hobby Stocks, plus REDBOX+ 600 Mods and Harmston Trucking MTS Hornets.

Grandstands open at 5 p.m. Family-friendly general admission prices continue with all kids ages 12 and under admitted absolutely free. Adult grandstand admission is just $15, seniors age 65 and older are only $13.

The Mississippi Thunder Speedway is located 3.0 miles north of Fountain City on Wisconsin Highway 35. For more information, call (608) 687-3282 or visit www.mississippithunder.com on the World Wide Web.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.
Friday, April 27, 2018

USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat Race #1:
1. (4) 29 Brady Link, Waukon, Iowa
2. (5) 19M Jay Mensink, Harmony, Minn.
3. (6) 19 Paul Seabrooke, Elgin, Iowa
4. (2) 86 Phil Wernert, Galesville, Wis.
5. (1) 94 Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.
6. (3) 93 Brian Scholl, West Salem, Wis.
7. (7) 60 Carl Gerke
8. (9) 32 Caylee Kjos, Winona, Minn.
9. (8) 9 Cody Torkelson

Heat Race #2:
1. (1) X01 Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis.
2. (3) 34 Triton Krause, Fountain City, Wis.
3. (6) 11 Levi Sand, Caledonia, Minn.
4. (2) 70 Steven Holthaus, Cresco, Iowa
5. (4) 18S Scott Spilde, Cresco, Iowa
6. (5) 18 Cody Rollinger, Minnesota City, Minn.
7. (8) 16 Jake James, Winona, Minn.
8. (7) 76 Quinn Arnoldy, Winona, Minn.
9. (9) 54 Jeremy Oakes, Spring Grove, Minn.

Feature:
1. (2) 29 Brady Link, Waukon, Iowa
2. (6) 19M Jay Mensink, Harmony, Minn.
3. (7) X01 Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis.
4. (3) 70 Steven Holthaus, Cresco, Iowa
5. (8) 19 Paul Seabrooke, Elgin, Iowa
6. (5) 34 Triton Krause, Fountain City, Wis.
7. (9) 94 Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.
8. (4) 86 Phil Wernert, Galesville, Wis.
9. (18) 54 Jeremy Oakes, Spring Grove, Minn.
10. (12) 18 Cody Rollinger, Minnesota City, Minn.
11. (1) 11 Levi Sand, Caledonia, Minn.
12. (11) 93 Brian Scholl, West Salem, Wis.
13. (14) 16 Jake James, Winona, Minn.
14. (13) 60 Carl Gerke
15. (15) 32 Caylee Kjos, Winona, Minn.
16. (10) 18S Scott Spilde, Cresco, Iowa
17. (16) 76 Quinn Arnoldy, Winona, Minn.
18. (17) 9 Cody Torkelson

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Heat Race #1:
1. (4) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
2. (6) 95X Shaun Walski, Rollingstone, Minn.
3. (1) 28J Jackson Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
4. (9) 6 Dustin Kruse, Brandon, S.D.
5. (8) 878z Josh Roney, Postville, Iowa
6. (2) 48K Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.
7. (3) 2 Nathan Butterfield, Galesville, Wis.
8. (7) 43 Zach Brom, Winona, Minn.
9. (5) 18 Tyler Werner, Menomonie, Wis.

Heat Race #2:
1. (2) 51W Jt Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
2. (3) 3A Taylor Ausrud, Hayfield, Minn.
3. (7) 2B Andrew Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (6) 60 Colby Mann, Caledonia, Minn.
5. (9) 02 Cole Denner, New Hampton, Iowa
6. (8) 77 Bill Edler, Glenbeulah, Wis.
7. (4) 20K Kyle Brown, Minnesota City, Minn.
8. (1) 476x Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
9. (5) 39 Ben Anderson, Winona, Minn.

Heat Race #3:
1. (2) 21 Ryan Olson, Strum, Wis.
2. (5) 16D Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa
3. (1) 12k Casey Knutson, Spring Grove, Minn.
4. (7) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
5. (9) 83X Kadden Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
6. (6) 32 Taylor Skauge, Caledonia, Minn.
7. (8) 19 Nick Wagner, Winona, Minn.
8. (4) 35X Phillip Dunbar, Rushford, Minn.
9. (3) 85 Ben Moudry, Hastings, Minn.

Feature:
1. (2) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
2. (3) 16D Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa
3. (6) 51W Jt Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
4. (4) 12k Casey Knutson, Spring Grove, Minn.
5. (1) 2B Andrew Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
6. (12) 95X Shaun Walski, Rollingstone, Minn.
7. (5) 3A Taylor Ausrud, Hayfield, Minn.
8. (11) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
9. (13) 878z Josh Roney, Postville, Iowa
10. (9) 6 Dustin Kruse, Brandon, S.D.
11. (15) 83X Kadden Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
12. (7) 60 Colby Mann, Caledonia, Minn.
13. (20) 19 Nick Wagner, Winona, Minn.
14. (17) 77 Bill Edler, Glenbeulah, Wis.
15. (18) 32 Taylor Skauge, Caledonia, Minn.
16. (23) 35X Phillip Dunbar, Rushford, Minn.
17. (10) 28J Jackson Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
18. (25) 85 Ben Moudry, Hastings, Minn.
19. (21) 43 Zach Brom, Winona, Minn.
20. (14) 02 Cole Denner, New Hampton, Iowa
21. (19) 2 Nathan Butterfield, Galesville, Wis.
22. (16) 48K Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.
23. (24) 18 Tyler Werner, Menomonie, Wis.
24. (8) 21 Ryan Olson, Strum, Wis.
25. (22) 476x Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
DNS – 20K Kyle Brown, Minnesota City, Minn.
DNS – 39 Ben Anderson, Winona, Minn.

USRA LATE MODELS

Heat Race #1:
1. (6) 11 Lance Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
2. (2) 47 Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (3) 13 Ryan Konkel, Winona, Minn.
4. (5) 17 Matt Laduke, Cochrane, Wis.
5. (4) 0 Kyle Johnson, Hixton, Wis.
6. (1) 20 Denny Cutsforth, Rice Lake, Wis.
7. (7) 98 Matt McEathron, Wausau, Wis.

Heat Race #2:
1. (1) 71B Barry Johnson, Nelson, Wis.
2. (4) 11X Derek Nelson, Cochrane, Wis.
3. (2) 88 Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.
4. (3) 24 Justin Sass, Alma, Wis.
5. (5) 65 Lucas Peterson, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (6) 33 Derek Sutton, Fountain City, Wis.
7. (7) 01 Shaun Mann, Buffalo City. (Wi.

Feature:
1. (1) 11 Lance Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
2. (2) 24 Justin Sass, Alma, Wis.
3. (4) 71B Barry Johnson, Nelson, Wis.
4. (5) 11X Derek Nelson, Cochrane, Wis.
5. (8) 88 Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.
6. (7) 47 Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
7. (3) 17 Matt Laduke, Cochrane, Wis.
8. (6) 13 Ryan Konkel, Winona, Minn.
9. (14) 01 Shaun Mann, Buffalo City, Wis.
10. (10) 65 Lucas Peterson, Grand Meadow, Minn.
11. (11) 20 Denny Cutsforth, Rice Lake, Wis.
12. (13) 98 Matt McEathron, Wausau, Wis.
13. (9) 0 Kyle Johnson, Hixton, Wis.
14. (12) 33 Derek Sutton, Fountain City, Wis.

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat Race #1:
1. (3) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
2. (2) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
3. (1) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
4. (5) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
5. (6) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
6. (4) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
7. (7) 53 Jake Hessler, Eau Claire, Wis.

Heat Race #2:
1. (1) 8S Tony Schill, Oakdale, Minn.
2. (2) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
3. (5) 35 Grant Southworth, Bloomer, Wis.
4. (3) 4 Cory Bruggeman, Stillwater, Minn.
5. (6) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
6. (4) 23K Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.

Feature:
1. (2) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
2. (1) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
3. (6) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (4) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (8) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
6. (7) 35 Grant Southworth, Bloomer, Wis.
7. (3) 8S Tony Schill, Oakdale, Minn.
8. (11) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
9. (5) 4 Cory Bruggeman, Stillwater, Minn.
10. (9) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
11. (12) 23K Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.
12. (10) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
DNS – 53 Jake Hessler, Eau Claire, Wis.