JACKSON, Minn. — Lee Grosz and Brandon Bosma hustled to victory lane on Friday evening during a sprint car event presented by Joel Pingeon Trucking at Jackson Motorplex.
Grosz capitalized on a fast car and fortune to score his fifth career Midwest Power Series victory, which ranks second on the all-time list. The 360ci winged sprint car feature was also sanctioned by the Midwest Sprint Touring Series. It marked the 12th career triumph with the series, which also ranks second on the career wins list, for Grosz.
Brooke Tatnell drove to the lead on the opening lap of the 25-lap main event as Grosz was fourth. Grosz advanced to third on lap two and to second place on lap 11. He took the top spot on Lap 15 when Tatnell slid out of the preferred bottom groove in turn four. Grosz led the lap by 0.064 of a second, but Tatnell reclaimed first place in turn two.
A caution came out before the lap was completed, placing Grosz into the lead for the restart with 10 laps remaining. It didn’t take long for traffic to play a factor as Grosz pushed up the track in turn one on Lap 21 while closing in on a car to lap, allowing Tatnell to fire into the top spot. However, one lap later Tatnell got into the back of a car he was attempting to lap in turn four. The contact forced him into the berm and spun his car around, bringing out the final caution of the race.
Grosz inherited the lead and pulled away to win by 1.750 seconds over Jody Rosenboom, who charged from 10th to the runner-up result. Jack Dover rounded out the podium with Tim Estenson finishing fourth and Eric Lutz fifth.
Bosma came out on top of a thrilling Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series 20-lap main event, which featured four official lead changes.
Trevor Serbus charged from fourth into the lead on the opening lap. Dusty Ballenger powered into first place on lap five, but Serbus regained the top spot during a restart on lap six. Ballenger chased Serbus for the ensuing nine laps before capitalizing on Serbus getting into the berm in turns three and four to move back into the lead.
Bosma, who started eighth, also took advantage and advanced into second place. He used the outside lane to his benefit on lap 16 to pull next to Ballenger down the backstretch before taking the lead in turns three and four.
It was far from easy sailing though as Bosma got into the rear of a driver he was attempting to lap on lap 17. He pushed up the track and 11th-starting Rosenboom, who had just passed Ballenger for second, was about to take the lead when the caution came out.
The caution benefitted Bosma, who restarted in the lead and held on during the ensuing restart as well as a green-white-checkered finish for his first win at Jackson Motorplex this season. The margin of victory was 0.816 of a second.
Ballenger placed second with Rosenboom third, Brandon Allen fourth and Javen Ostermann fifth.
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