7/16/2011
Hit The Repeat Button, Parsons Tops Kamrath Again
Reactor Racing Teammates One-Two Again in TSCS Feature at Elko
Elko, MN
By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
For the second race in a row, Reactor Racing nonwinged sprint car teammates Johnny Parsons III from Owatonna and Tommy Kamrath from Maplewood ran first and second during the fifth race of the season for the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series (TSCS). On a hot and humid summer evening at the Elko Speedway, Parsons captured his third win of the season on Saturday July 16. The TSCS nonwinged sprints ran a couple of exhibition races on the Summer Dirt Nationals program along with the UMSS winged sprints and IRA Outlaw sprints. A field of six TSCS nonwinged cars turned out to give the large crowd on hand a look at what this style of racing is about. So far in 2011, nine different cars have participated in the five events held with a few more cars reported to be under construction.
Winning the eight lap exhibition heat race earlier in the evening, Parsons pulled the zero pill for a straight-up feature race start. This put the Reactor Racing team cars on the front row, and with the veteran experience of each driver, the rest of the field was racing for third. Parsons led the entire 10 lap distance in the feature over Kamrath. The next three finishing positions went to rookie sprint car racers. Jeff "Race Doc" Pellersels of Woodbury defeated season opening winner Kevin "The Rocket Man' Bradwell of Luck, WI and Brainerd winner young Jalen Morris. Rob Caho, Jr. was making his first appearance of the season to begin dialing his car in, as the Caho team just barely finished the car in time to make it to Elko. Caho rounded out the field, as all cars finished on the lead lap. There were no cautions to slow the pace in either race during the evening.
Once again, racers and series officials fielded numerous questions from interested on-lookers regarding the surprising affordability of the cars and where they race. If everything goes well, the TSCS should soon have a weekly track on Friday nights near St. Croix Falls, WI along with several remaining travel dates in 2011. Interest remains high, and a few more new cars are expected to be out in the upcoming weeks. Stated UMSS CDO Ron Bernhagen following the Elko race, "this new series has already far-exceeded my initial expectations. This has great potential here in our area, and I think it's going to explode during the next couple of years. I see no reason why we won't have 20 or more cars built in the area by the end of 2012." When the field expands to the point of having enough cars, a structured purse and point standings will be implemented. That likely will come as early as next year.
The next race for the TSCS series will be at the North Central Speedway near Brainerd on July 23 when the series makes its second stop of the season during the running of the 19th Annual Kouba Memorial for their winged counterparts. The nonwinged cars will run an exhibition heat and feature race as part of the program along with a full show for UMSS winged sprints. Jalen Morris took top honors the first time the TSCS sprint cars were on hand, and the young Elk River racer will be looking to stop Parsons winning streak next Saturday. Traditional sprint car fans can follow the growth of the new UMSS TSCS series throughout the course of its inaugural season on the UMSS website at www.umsprints.com by clicking on the blue logo to enter the TSCS home page. TSCS news and results will also be on the UMSS Facebook page and highlighted in the free UMSS Report newsletter available at each event.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Elko Speedway July 16, 2011 (Race #5):
SprintSource.com Ultimate Exhibition Heat Race (8 laps): Johnny Parsons III, Owatonna MN, Tommy Kamrath, Maplewood MN, Kevin Bradwell Luck, WI, Jeff Pellersels, Woodbury MN, Jalen Morris, Elk River MN, Rob Caho Jr, Wyoming MN.
Mora Motorworks Exhibition A Main (10 laps): Parsons #22, Kamrath #32, Pellersels #1, Bradwell #95, Morris #17, Caho #78.
Lap Leader: Parsons 1-10.
No cautions.
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Jacy Norgaard Photography.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director