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Schill storms to $9200 Seitz Memorial victory at the Grand Forks bullring known as River Cities Speedway

By Meghan Diemel, ATD Editor

GRAND FORKS, ND (September 6) - In a storybook ending that highlighted hard work and perseverance in dirt track racing, Cole Schill turned back all challengers and overcame contact and a spin in the final three laps Saturday night to garner his first-ever John Seitz Memorial title.

Other WISSOTA Dirt Track Series winners at River Cities Speedway on Saturday included Jake Smith, Parker Anderson and Tyler Peterson.

Mike Greseth and Chad Becker led the field of WISSOTA Late Models to the green flag for their 92-lap feature. Becker was the early leader, with Schill close behind in a back-and-forth battle for the top spot, trading the position, as the field quickly caught slower traffic by lap seven. Greseth was third, AJ Diemel was fourth and Joey Pederson was fifth.

Becker regained the lead, as Schill came under pressure from Diemel as they navigated traffic. Greseth was also there, driving by Diemel into third a handful of laps or so later. A caution fell with about 18 laps in the books for Scott Ward. Another caution on the restart for a Shane Edginton-Brody Troftgruben dust-up kept the field at a standstill.

With the field back under green, Becker continued with the lead ahead of Schill, Tyler Peterson - who used the restart to blast into third - Greseth and Diemel in the top five.

Becker had just over a 1-second lead ahead of Schill, who was under heavy pressure from Peterson for second. Greseth and Diemel were in the top five when the caution fell for a car off turn three.

With the green back out over the field, Becker continued to lead Schill in second, with Diemel splitting Greseth and Peterson for third. With 60 laps still on the board, the caution fell for the fuel break.

Following the fuel stop, Diemel continued forward; he grabbed second around lap 34, and then passed Becker for the lead on the following lap. Greseth moved into second, with Schill in third, Becker in fourth and Zach Johnson in fifth.

Diemel began to move away from the field, building a 2-second cushion over the next several laps, but Schill was on the charge; he worked his way past Greseth into second and began to catch Diemel for the top spot, as Diemel struggled with a tire going down. Schill soon drove past him to take over the lead, and Diemel pulled into the infield, done for the night.

Schill continued to hold command out front, with Peterson moving past Greseth into second. The yellow flew with 67 laps complete for Jeff Provinzino, who hit an infield tire and suffered damage.

With 25 laps to go, Schill held the lead with Peterson pressuring him from the high side. Peterson and Schill exchanged sliders, with Schill regaining the lead four laps later. Jake Redetzke slowed then with 71 laps completed.

Following the restart, Schill held the top spot ahead of Peterson, with Dustin Strand moving to third, Becker fourth and Johnson fifth. Lap after lap Peterson tried to find a way past Schill, but Schill continued to hold the lead until there were 16 laps to go and Peterson used a slider to drive by the No. 44. Strand continued in third, Johnson had moved into fourth and Travis Robertson was fifth before a caution for Jason Strand regrouped the field.

Peterson led the field back to green with just 15 to go. Schill worked to his inside, with Strand and Johnson close behind. Becker was fifth. A slowing Trevor Anderson brought out the yellow once more with just six laps left.

One lap after the ensuing restart, Schill drove back under Peterson to regain the lead. Peterson remained right on his bumper, looking for a way by as they raced down the frontstretch, when Peterson hooked Schill and spun him down into turn one with just three laps to go. Peterson was tagged for the yellow.

In the three-lap dash to the finish, Schill turned back challenges from Strand and hung on for his first-ever victory in the race. Jesse Glenz, who was lapped earlier in the race, got under Johnson for the second during the final lap, with Johnson third. Shane Edginton was fourth, and Travis Robertson rounded out the top five.

In the WISSOTA Street Stocks, Cole Greseth was the early leader ahead of Hunter Carter, Trey Hess, Anderson and AJ Kellar in the top five. With two laps scored Carter bobbled, allowing Hess and Anderson to scoot by into second and third.

Anderson and Hess made it two wide for second, while behind them Keller was fourth and Andrew Piilo gained fifth as Carter fell out of the top five and left the track. Hess and Anderson continued their side-by-side battle before a caution fell for a spin.

With five laps scored the field was back under green. Greseth felt heavy pressure from Hess and Anderson, who reignited their fight for second with contact. Justin Vogel had built a head of steam just behind those two, before the caution fell once again for debris.

Following the restart the action was furious out front among the leaders, with Anderson moving into the lead, Hess close behind in second, and Vogel, Greg Jose and Greseth nearly three wide for third with 15 laps to go. Vogel drove into third one lap later, with Greseth fourth and Jose in fifth before the yellow fell again.

Back underway Anderson had heavy pressure from Hess and Vogel for the lead. Vogel used a slide job to split Anderson and Hess and briefly take the lead with 11 laps to go; they were three wide into turns three and four with Vogel sneaking past with the advantage. Vogel and Anderson continued to fight tooth and nail for the lead, with sliders exchanged in nearly each corner. Lapped traffic was just ahead of the duo, with Anderson grabbing a hold of the lead.

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