GRAND FORKS — Everything looked good for Tucker Pederson on Friday night.
He led the streets feature for more than 10-straight laps and it looked like he was going to cruise into Victory Lane for a second-straight week at River Cities Speedway.
But with seven laps to go, car troubles suddenly forced the East Grand Forks Sacred Heart graduate off the track while he was in the lead.
Those car troubles kept the Pederson family from a shot at an unforgettable night of racing.
Tucker's sister, Kelsi, started the night by chasing down Weston Olson with two laps to go to win the lightning sprints feature.
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Tucker's father, Joey, finished the night with a late charge to win the late model feature.
But a bit of car trouble cost the Pedersons a shot at pulling off the family triple.
Even so, it was good night for the East Grand Forks residents.
In the 15-lap lightning sprint feature, Olson, the pole sitter, led for the first 13 laps, but a caution flag came out with two laps to go. On the restart, Kelsi passed Olson on the first turn and cruised to the checkered flag.
"I thought maybe I could beat him to the first corner," said Pederson, who started fourth. "It worked out perfect."
Olson finished second, followed by Bryce Haugeberg, Dylan Langevin and Jake Haugeberg.
In the late model feature, Joey took the lead with four laps to go, then cruised to the checkered flag. Brody Troftgruben finished second, followed by Brad Seng, Greg Friestad and Lance Schill.
"It was really close racing," Joey said. "That was a hell of a race — a lot of side-by-side for the lead. It seemed like once I cleared him, I could run wherever and I ran a little faster."
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Justin Vogel and Greg Jose had decisions to make Friday night before the street feature.
They drew front-row spots for the Steffes Group Street Stock Ninth-Row Challenge. Their decision: Either keep their starting spot on the front row or move back to the ninth row and attempt to win a $2,600 payout for climbing to the top.
Vogel thought long and hard about it, but decided to keep his spot on the front row. Jose didn't waste much time reaching his decision.
"I can't start behind all these fast guys," he said.
He was right — the others were pretty fast.
Pederson stormed to the lead early in the race and Jamestown's Kyle Anderson stayed on his tail until the car troubles occurred. After that, Anderson cruised to the checkered flag.
"Tucker had a hell of a run going there," Anderson said.
Vogel finished second, followed by Jonny Carter, Ty Agen and Hunter Carter. Jonny Carter started the race last, in 23rd position, and charged all the way to third.
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The 25-lap Midwest modifieds feature was plagued by frequent cautions — a quarter of the field was out of the race by the midway point — and came down to a battle between Lance Schill and Corey Storck.
Schill took the lead on the back straightaway just four laps into the feature and stayed there, despite numerous challenges from Storck.
"He wouldn't get off the bottom," Storck said. "That was the pretty dominant lane. There wasn't a whole lot I could do."
Austin Hunter finished in a distant third, followed by Brandon Bahr and Nate Reinke.
River Cities Speedway
Friday's results
Lightning sprints
First heat — 1. Kelsi Pederson, EGF, 2. Weston Olson, Warren, 3. Parker Monroe, GF
Second heat — 1. Bryce Haugeberg, WF, 2. Dylan Langevin, TRF, 3. Hayden Koehmstedt, WF
Feature — 1. Pederson, 2. Olson, 3. B. Haugeberg, 4. Langevin, 5. Jake Haugeberg, WF
Midwest modifieds
First heat — 1. Nathan Raasakka, GF, 2. Brandon Bahr, Tenstrike, Minn., 3. Laine Schwehr, Sanborn, N.D.
Second heat — 1. Jamie Dietzler, Larimore, 2. Lance Schill, Langdon, 3. Nate Reinke, Lisbon
Third heat — 1. Jason Grimes, Jamestown, 2. Paul Veert, Winnipeg, 3. Chris Kruk, Langdon
Fourth heat — 1. Austin Hunter, Winnipeg, 2. Corey Storck, Morris, Minn., 3. Aaron Blacklance, TRF
B-Main — 1. Jory Berg, GF, 2. Brandon Rehill, St. Andrews, Man., Tanner Theis, New Rockford, 4. Chris Kruk, Langdon
Feature — 1. Schill, 2. Storck, 3. Hunter, 4. Bahr, 5. Reinke
Streets
First heat — 1. Justin Vogel, Brooten, Minn., 2. Hunter Carter, WF, 3. Andy Rossow, Florence, S.D.
Second heat — 1. John Halvorson, Warren, 2. Aaron Blacklance, TRF, 3. Royce Jawaski, Adrian, N.D.
Third heat — 1. Kyle Anderson, Jamestown, 2. Tucker Pederson, EGF, 3. Greg Jose, GF
Feature — 1. Anderson, 2. Vogel, 3. Jonny Carter, Fairmont, N.D., 4. Ty Agen, Chippewa Falls, Wis., 5. H. Carter
Late models
First heat — 1. Brody Troftgruben, GF, 2. Greg Friestad, Valley City, 3. Brandon Fuller, GF
Second heat — 1. Joey Pederson, EGF, 2. Brad Seng, GF, 3. Jason Strandt, Portland, N.D.
Third heat — 1. Ryan Kereluk, St. Andrews, Man., 2. Ryan Corbett, GF, 3. Jeff Hapala, WF
Feature — 1. Pederson, 2. Troftgruben, 3. Seng, 4. Friestad, 5. Schill
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