AUTO RACING: In full swing at the Bullring

Wade Nygaard couldn’t ask for a better way to start his 25th season of racing.

The hard-charging Nygaard captured the first sprint feature of the season at River Cities Speedway on Friday night, passing Mark Dobmeier for the lead late in the race before an estimated crowd of more than 3,000 fans.

Dobmeier, the dominant driver at RCS for years, led much of the race but Nygaard grabbed the lead on Lap 20, taking advantage of a Dobmeier bobble in Turn 2. Two corners later, Nygaard passed Dobmeier for the lead.

Nygaard held on the rest of the way.

“This is our anniversary season and what a way to kick it off,” said Nygaard. “But a win is great any time of the year.”

Dobmeier grabbed the lead from Lou Kennedy Jr. on Lap 2. The Grand Forks driver held on to the top spot for the next 18 laps, holding off Kennedy and Nygaard in lapped traffic.

Dobmeier’s bobble in Turn 2, however, wasn’t the difference in the race.

“I was going to catch him anyway, but I’m glad he did bobble,” said Nygaard.

Nygaard said he did see something earlier in the race that eventually worked in his favor.

“Before Chris (Shirek) spun out, Mark and I were racing back and forth,” said Nygaard. “Mark actually showed me where the (best) line was. It was starting to get a little more rubber up there as the race went on. I was hoping Mark wouldn’t go up there and he didn’t.”

The quarter-mile Bullring was a little tricky as dry conditions made it difficult for the 29 drivers who raced.

“It was a hard track to race because we were looking for traction the whole race,” said Nygaard. “You’re just trying to find any advantage you can and we found it about halfway through the race. For the track conditions, we were happy with the way the car worked.”

Nygaard’s fastest lap time of 13.650 seconds came on his final circuit.

Dobmeier finished second, followed by Austin Pierce, Kennedy and Greg Nikitenko.

“It was a good race,” said Dobmeier. “Wade beat me fair and square.”

Last season’s late model champion, Brad Seng, picked up where he left off, capturing the 20-lap feature.

Seng grabbed the lead on Lap 7 from Steve Anderson, then had to hold off hard-charging Dustin Strand.

“Pretty good for a season opener,” said Seng of the win.

Strand finished second, followed by Joey Pederson, Zach Naastad and Anderson.

Pederson was on the move throughout the race as he started from the back of the 16-car field.

Rick Schulz won the streets feature while Rick Hamel captured the 18-lap Midwest modified feature.

1/2: Mitch Mack comes out of turn two during a sprint car race on Friday, May 01, 2015, in Grand Forks, N.D. (Logan Werlinger/Grand Forks Herald)

2/2: Wade Nygaard and Mark Dobmeier race out of turn two during a sprint car heat on Friday, May 01, 2015, in Grand Forks, N.D. (Logan Werlinger/Grand Forks Herald)