Braaksma goes back to back with BVR win on Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour night 2

Feature

Ethan Braaksma raced to a second win in as many Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour outings this season Wednesday night, checking out on the rest of the IMCA Modified field en route to the $1,000 checkers at Buena Vista Raceway. (Photo by Jim Steffens)

ALTA, Iowa (July 22) – After a convincing win on opening night, Ethan Braaksma dominated on night two of the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour for IMCA Modifieds Wednesday at Buena Vista Raceway. 

Braaksma made his charge from seventh starting, taking over the front spot as leader Matt Bon­ine slowed with mechanical issues and checked out on everybody, taking the checkers half a lap ahead of runner-up Cody Laney.

Laney ran second the last nine times around the track but didn’t get the break he needed as the 25-lapper ran caution-free. Chris Abelson, a three-time tour winner at BVR, started 12th and fin­ished third.

“We’ve worked pretty hard for this,” said Braaksma, who put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with his tour feature win Monday at Park Jefferson Speedway and banked $1,000 by taking the BVR checkers. “It was amazing to come out on top and know you beat the best guys in the Midwest twice.”

Kyle Brown and Jesse Rogotzke, who’d started 13th, completed the top five. 

Braaksma had finished 14th in his two previous outings at Alta, in last year’s tour event and during last week’s Kyle Suter Memorial. 

He started and finished fourth in his DKT heat race.

“We didn’t change anything from the heat. I didn’t know what the track was going to be like for the fea­ture but by the end it had slicked off to my liking,” he said. “I could hit my line and get around there pretty good.”

Other Wednesday night winners at Alta were Brian Blessington in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, 12th starting Cody Nielsen in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Doug Smith in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Kaytee DeVries in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts.

Hancock County Speedway at Britt is next on the Dirt Knights schedule, with a $1,000 to win, 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying event on Tuesday, July 28.

The Joel Showalter Memorial for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks that evening also pays $1,000 to win. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts complete the card. 

Pit gates open at 5 p.m. with racing to follow 7 p.m. hot laps. 

All Dirt Knights Tour events are broadcast by Speed Shift TV.

Feature results – 1. Ethan Braaksma, Newton; 2. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.; 3. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 4. Kyle Brown, Madrid; 5. Jesse Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn.; 6. Ricky Stephan, Sioux City; 7. Billy Kendall III, Baxter, Minn.; 8. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 9. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 10. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 11. Al Hejna, Clear Lake; 12. Jim Thies, Mapleton; 13. Bob Moore, Sioux City; 14. Jayden Larson, Mankato, Minn.; 15. Jake Pike, Pahrump, Nev.; 16. Chad Ten Napel, Sioux City; 17. Jason Brees, Meriden; 18. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev.; 19. David Brown, Kel­logg; 20. Matt Bonine, Onawa.

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