Racing: Hot Viehauser wins again

By Brainerd Dispatch

July 18, 2017 at 9:30 AM

Patient drivers are sometimes the most successful and AJ Viehauser has practiced that in his first two months of his Modified racing career.

The concept paid off Saturday as he drove to his second victory of the season at North Central Speedway.

Starting on the third row, Viehauser, who is part of the Shawn Fletcher Racing Team, worked his way through traffic and gained the top spot halfway through the 20-lap feature. He stayed there to finish in front of Billy Kendall and Erick Thiesse.

Viehauser entered the race in fourth place in the points standings, 43 points behind Fletcher who is leading the class.

"I am pretty lucky that I have a nice ride from Shawn." Viehauser said. "Without him I wouldn't be racing at all. I have to thank him and all of the sponsors.

"I know two weeks ago when I won, I took my time and I think it was about 12 laps in when I took the lead. Tonight it was kind of the same deal."

Viehauser has been racing for the Fletcher team in the Northern Sport Modified class the last few years and made the jump to the Modified car this year. There have been a few adjustments with change.

"Mostly with the Modified car if you don't come into the corners just right it will push you right up into the wall," he said. "You have to use the gas and the break at the same time and time them just right."

For the first part of the season Viehauser stayed out of trouble and gained the experience by staying in the races. It all came together July 1 with his first career win. In his last six races, Viehauser has two wins, two second-place finishes and has finished in the top 10 in all six races.

In other racing, Brendon Yamry took the Sport Compact and finished in front of points leader Derek Stanoch. Robert Young Jr. built on his lead over David Dosh with a win in the Hobby Stock feature race.

Gerry Nohner won the Mod 4 feature and Jason Vejtruba recorded his first NCS win of the season in the Northern Sport Modified class. Jake Goetze also made it to the winner's podium in the Super Stock class.

Next week's racing will be highlighted in the Mod 4 class with the first running of the Dean Funt memorial race. It will be a celebration for Funt, who was a veteran of the track and the father of current driver Chad Funt.

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This article has been corrected to show the NCS Mod 4 class memorial race event is for Dean Funt.

It was incorrectly reported that next week's North Central Speedway event will be a memorial race for Dean Blanchard.

Mr. Blanchard is alive. The memorial is for Dean Funt, father of current driver Chad Funt.

The Dispatch regrets the error.

http://www.brainerddispatch.com/sports/4299186-correction

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IMCA Sport Compacts:

Feature: 1-Brendon Yamry, 2-Derek Stanoch, 3-PeeWee Kuhnau

Heat 1:1-Brendon Yamry, 2-Derek Stanoch, 3-PeeWee Kuhnau

IMCA Hobby Stocks:

Feature: 1-Robert Young Jr., 2-Timothy Gonska, 3-Trista Pankratz