BARROWS — In 10 of the 14 Sport Compact races at North Central Speedway this season it has been either Greg (Junior) Kohl or Nathan Kohl waving the checkered flag. In just their second season of racing you would expect to see a fierce competition between the two, but that really isn't the case other than Junior explaining why he got into racing in the first place.
"I just got into it to rub on Nathan's doors," Junior said. "That is all I got into it for."
A lot of times a father or mother has a history of dirt-track racing and is a driving influence in getting their children into the sport.
"It was our dad," Nathan said when asked who his influence was. "But he didn't race out here. He did some ice-racing and motocross but that was about it."
It may have been their cousin Jenna Hagemann who was the biggest influence as she had found success in her rookie season in 2018.
ADVERTISEMENT
Watching her race, Nathan decided he wanted to get into a car. Junior joined him on the track along with another cousin, Josh Maleski and 2020 was an amazing rookie season as Junior Kohl claimed the points championship by just three points over Jenna, with Nathan finishing in the top 10 in sixth place.
This season the three drivers are at the top of the Sports Compact class with Junior enjoying a 15 point lead over Jenna and 25 points over Nathan. It was Nathan tightening the points race on Saturday, Aug. 14, as he claimed his sixth feature win of the season. Greg grabbed the second spot and Hagemann finished fifth with just two weeks left in the points race.
"I don't count my chickens before the eggs are hatched," Junior said. "That gives me bad luck so I don't worry about the points. I just try to finish and if you can finish in the top five that's a good night."
Nathan also played down a focus on the goal of a points championship.
"My hope is to finish and make the top five," he said.
With a number of veteran drivers competing in the Sports Compact class the quality of racing improves, as was the case Saturday with only one caution flag coming out in the 15-lap feature.
While he jokes that he got into racing to rub doors with his younger brother, Junior knows that they will hear it from their dad if they trade too much paint with each other.
"Dad gets mad when the older brother rubs on the little brother and when he has to work on the car, but it happens," he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jake Hagemann won for the second time in 2021 in his Sport Mod car with Justin Jones taking the second spot and Martini capturing third. Shawn Fletcher notched his second win in the Modified feature and it was Dylan Nelson taking first for the Super Stock Class. Mod Four driver Keith Rosh won for the first time in four years and Tim Johnson came away with the top spot in his first appearance of the year at NCS in a Stock Car. Hobby Stock driver Brandon Bomardo continued his dominant season with his seventh win.
NCS Results - August 14, 2021
IMCA MODIFIEDS
Feature: 1-Shawn Fletcher, 2-Aaron Johnson, 3-Zack Fletcher
Heat 1: 1-Shawn Fletcher, 2-Aaron Johnson, 3-Adam Johnson
Heat 2: 1-Ryan Putnam, 2-AJ Viehauser, 3-Jordan Sours
WISSOTA Super Stock
Feature: 1-Dylan Nelson, 2-Jordan Henkemeyer, 3-Dustin Nelson
Heat 1: 1-Dylan Nelson, 2-Austin Niemeyer, 3-Dustin Nelson
IMCA SPORT MODS
Feature: 1-Jake Hagemann, 2-Justin Jones, 3-Mark Martini
Heat 1: 1-Troy Jordan, 2-Justin Jones, 3-Mark Martini
Heat 2: 1-Chris Siercks, 2-Adam Hansen, 3-Jeff Innes
Heat 3: 1-Jacob Jordan, 2-David Siercks, 3-Tom Anderson
