SLAYTON, Minn. (Aug. 3, 2001) – The Murray County Speedway was "bad fast" Friday night as the National Kidney Foundation Heartland Tour for a Cure made its first visit to the southwest Minnesota facility. Chris Prussman was able to flat-foot his Modified during the final laps of his feature win while David Ross made a late pass of Ryan Brinks to earn the Hobby Stock victory.

Current track point leader E.J. Bassett drew the pole position for the Modified main event and the local fans knew that it would be tough to beat the South Dakota driver from there. Prussman started directly behind him though and took up the chase at the drop of the green. With a tacky race track the two drivers raced inches apart at high speeds until the mid-race point when Bassett’s car pushed up the track slightly in turn two. That was all that Prussman needed as he flew by and ran away to the checkers. Bassett’s race ended shortly after he lost the lead when mechanical problems forced him to the infield leaving Ron Luitjens in the runner-up spot after he had started eighth. Josh Reisch, Chad Muecke and Jay Ireton completed the top five.

Ryan Brinks had a mirror full of David Ross from the outset of the Hobby Stock main event as the two drivers seperated themselves from the field. Ross made the winning move on lap nine leaving Brinks to take the runner-up spot. Rick Soules nipped Mark Steinle by inches for third place with Eric Gillette taking fifth. The finish was good enough for Soules to earn the $200 NKF Tour Northwest Bonus for the Hobby Stocks.

RESULTS

Heartland Tour Modifieds

1st Heat – 1. Josh Reisch, Luverne 2. Jay Ireton, Slayton 3. Randy Hook, Russell 4. Dan DeMey, Denison IA

2nd Heat – 1. Chris Prussman, Brookings SD 2. Andy Kotek, Wood Lake 3. Troy Klasse, Westbrook 4. Chris Palsrok, Sibley IA

3rd Heat – 1. E.J. Bassett, Volga SD 2. Chad Muecke, Slayton 3. Ron Luitjens, Brewster 4. Jay Triplett, Brookings SD

Scott’s Quality Seeds B-Main – 1. Kevin Pospisil, Worthington 2. Darren Blair, Westbrook 3. Aaron Betz, Avoca 4. Dave Owens, Brookings SD 5. Terry Bertamus, Minneota 6. Chris Thompson, Tea SD

A-Main – 1. Prussman 2. Luitjens 3. Reisch 4. Muecke 5. Ireton 6. Palsrok 7. DeMey 8. Klasse 9. Hook 10. Kotek 11. Bassett 12. Blair 13. Pospisil 14. Triplett

Heartland Tour Hobby Stocks

1st Heat – 1. Rick Soules, Worthington 2. David Ross, Reading 3. Ryan Brinks, Slayton 4. Dan Hanselman, Algona IA

2nd Heat – 1. Darren Prins, Leota 2. Jerry Gronewald, Worthington 3. Marshall Isder, Fulda 4. Byron Carlson, Garvin

3rd Heat – 1. Eric Gillette, Slayton 2. Mark Steinle, Worthington 3. Brian Rogers, Reading 4. Mike Fogelman, Okabena

Scott’s Quality Seeds B-Main – 1. Greg Klein, Pipestone 2. Mike Grantham, Clarksville IA 3. Scott Jorgenson, Westbrook 4. Cliff Lynn, Adrian

A-Main – 1. Ross 2. Brinks 3. Soules 4. Steinle 5. Gillette 6. Fogelman 7. Grantham 8. Prins 9. Hanselman 10. Gronewald 11. Klein 12. Rogers 13. Carlson 14. Isder