Championship nights bring out the best of competition. At the Minneapolis Raceway on Saturday night, this was indeed true as some of the best racing of the season seemed to be saved for this last night of the regular season.

Six class champions were crowned and five of those won their Feature race to commemorate their season championships.

In the Terry Smith Plumbing Mod-Lite series, Dustin Forsberg came to the Feature race trailing Brandon Gray by one point. Forsberg took the checkered flag in the Feature and Gray came in 3rd, giving Forsberg the championship by one point.

In the Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Cars and T&R Dirt Construction IMCA Sportsman Modifieds, two different drivers won their first feature races of the season over the leaders of their divisions by exciting narrow margins.

But as the saying goes, "So close but yet so far away". In the mandatory tech inspections following the races, both drivers were found to be in violation of IMCA rules and forfeited their wins to those division leaders whom they had narrowly beaten. It was a beautiful night for racing with cool temperatures as another large crowd witnessed another full slate cars in six classes, 119 total. The track was heavy after the recent rains and unfortunately got rough causing the drivers to have to sharpen their skills. However, caution flags were at a minimum for the evening. The Gottschalk brothers from Wichita were also there to hot lap their Late Model cars to remind the crowed of the excitement that awaits everyone on the special night of racing scheduled for September 19 at the MRW.

The Lott Implement IMCA Sportsman Compacts ran the first Feature race of the evening. Coming into the evening, Alan Rice was the points leader by a good size margin and started on the outside of the fifth row. Rice was relegated to the back of the pack because of a caution but ended up working his way back up to the front half before the race was over. Last weeks Feature winner, Donnie Cleveland started on the inside position of the 3rd row and within a few laps took the lead, a position he held to the end despite some rough traffic at times. Rice ended up as the division champion by 22 points, his first in racing. The heat races were won by Cleveland and Dayton Wollenberg.

The Bank of Tescott IMCA Stock Car Feature was exciting from the start.

Tony Millholland took an early lead from his 3rd row position and was followed closely by points leader Corey Struckhoff. With nine laps to go Struckhoff got real close and the two had a breathtaking duel for the last

9 laps. In the end it appeared that Tony Millholland got his first feature win, but was disqualified in the following technical inspection. As a result, Cory Struckhoff was awarded his 10th Feature win of the season in

13 starts along with the division championship, also his first.

Millholland and scott Cossel won the Heat races.

In the Mod-Lites Feature race, Forsberg and Gray started out side by side on row five. They soon got close to Brian Ward who had captured an early lead. Forsberg passed Ward on the next to last lap and held on for an exciting win and narrowest of leads for the points championship, also his first at the MRW. In the Heat races, Ward and Bud Lee were the victors.

In the Grandma Max's Restaurant IMCA Modifieds, Danny Morrison, Jr. entered the Feature as the points leader and didn't have to win to retain the championship. However that wasn't in the cards. Starting on the outside of row six, Morrison Jr. slowly made this way to forefront utilizing the bottom of the track on the corners. Terry Malm had taken an early lead from his outside front row starting position but gave it up to Morrison, Jr., with two laps to go. Morrison Jr. then won his 3rd Feature win of the season and first Modifieds championship. The Heat races were won by Malm, Dustin Huehl, and Warren Huffman.

Tyler Frye has practically owned the T&R Dirt Construction Sportsman Modifieds the entire season having won 9 of 14 starts and holding a commanding points lead. With that points lead he again was relegated to a an outside 6th row starting position. As usual he quickly made his way towards the front of the pack. With 4 laps to go he took the lead from Don Morris but had to give it back due to a caution restart. Those last four laps were something to behold as Morris skillfully held off Frye and nosed him at the finish line by .01 seconds for what appeared to be his first Feature win. However, by the conclusion of the last Feature race the announcement was made that Morris also had failed to pass the mandatory technical inspection. Thus Fry ended up with his 10th win along with his second points championship in a row in the division. Brian Fink, Josh Rice, and Morris won the Heat races.

Last but not least, the two-time defending champion and current points leader, BJ Dauer and the rest of the Coors Lite IMCA Hobby Stocks took to the track. Halfway through the race, the front runner, Dennis Berry gave up the lead to the persistent Dauer who again started on the 6th row.

After taking the lead, Dauer built up a comfortable lead to win his 8th Feature of the season and 33rd career at the MRW. This also came along with a first in any division in the history of MRW, a 3rd consecutive division championship. Duane McAnarney won the "B" Feature, while Dauer, Mark Normandin, and Ron Rous won the Heat races.

Next Saturday, September 12th, the track is closed in honor of the Boone Nationals. Racing action resumes again for the last time of this season on Sept. 19 for the much anticipated first ever appearance of Late Models at the MRW. Also participating will be most of the IMCA classes who can add to their IMCA point totals in the State and National title chases. The action will begin at 7pm.