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Missouri Driver Chris Koch Takes UMSS-Miniakota Micro Sprint Win at Elko Dirt Nationals

Elko, MN
By: Greg Parent

A sunny and warm summer afternoon greeted drivers and fans for the third weekend of racing action at the AMSOIL Elko Dirt Nationals on Friday evening July 23. The inaugural appearance by the UMSS Micro Sprint League in conjunction with the Miniakota Micro Sprints saw a surprisingly strong turnout of 23 micro sprints. The UMSS Micro Sprint League is just in its very first year, and the support received exceeded initial expectations. Micro sprints came from eight states including Missouri, Indiana, Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. When the checkered flag had fallen, it was Sweet Springs, Missouri driver Chris Koch with a thrilling last lap pass for the win in the 15 lap feature race that ran nonstop to the finish.

Young Robby Resch from Antigo, WI led the first 14 laps, but Chris Koch in a Concept Chassis micro snuck underneath Resch on the final lap in turn one to record a thrilling victory. Resch grabbed the early lead from his outside front row starting spot with Koch tucking into second. Olathe, KS driver Jamie Wilson got around Koch for second on the second lap, but Koch regained the runner-up spot in traffic on lap seven. Wilson once again was able to move under Koch two laps later only to see Koch take second back on lap 13. With Resch working lapped traffic, Koch and Wilson closed right in on the leader with Avilla, IN driver Tyler Stump joining the battle. Racing off turn four to the white flag, Koch pulled alongside Resch and the battle for the top spot was on. Koch slipped underneath Resch entering turn one and emerged with the lead exiting turn two. Koch went on to record a narrow and thrilling victory over Resch. Stump edged past Wilson for third on the final lap in the last corner. The top four cars finished just several car-lengths apart at the checkers. Lakefield, MN driver Skylar Prochaska rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten finishers saw Hospers, IA driver Wade Huisman, Andover, MN driver Mark Chevalier in Jalen Morris' micro, Rapid City, SD driver Eric Darrow, Newcastle, WY driver Anthony "Home Skillet" Farnsworth, and Hospers, IA driver Tim Ottenbacher. Lakeville, MN late model and modified driver Alan Mondus rented a micro sprint for the evening and finished 13th in car #13. No superstition there, right?

Commenting on his victory after the races, Chris Koch indicated the 3/8 mile Elko Speedway oval was the largest track he had raced micro sprints on. "This is about as fast as I've gone in a micro sprint," stated Koch. "Back home in Missouri our regular track is a 1/6 mile oval with three and four wide racing the norm, and lot's of traffic. This was a blast running a bigger track tonight." The micro sprints put on a very entertaining show for the fans, and many fans cruised their pit area asking questions about this exciting class of cars which look like a miniature (micro) version of a sprint car and house 600cc motorcycle engines as their power plant. The micro sprints were turning lap times about three seconds slower than the big 410 IRA Outlaw sprint cars.

Racing action continues in the UMSS Micro Sprint League and Miniakota Micro Sprint event on Saturday night July 24 during the final night of the Elko AMSOIL Dirt Nationals while the micros bigger brother/sister class of cars, the UMSS 360 winged sprints, will be in action at the North Central Speedway near Brainerd, Minnesota for the continuation of the rain-interrupted Kouba Memorial followed by a complete UMSS program which means twin sprint car features for race fans! Catch all the exciting UMSS racing action at a track near you!

UMSS-Miniakota Micro Sprint Feature (15 laps): Chris Koch, Robby Resch, Tyler Stump, Jamie Wilson, Skylar Prochaska, Wade Huisman, Mark Chevalier, Eric Darrow, Anthony Farnsworth, Tim Ottenbacher, Jeff Mount, Mike Dolezal, Alan Mondus, Adam Hibbard, Jarod Cech, Ed Wagoner, Rodney Stealy, George Knudsen, Nicole Wrazidlo, Dan Henning.

Lap Leaders: Resch 1-14, Koch 15.

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