What won the race: Polesitter A.J. Diemel of Elk Mound, Wis., held off a late-race charge from Chad Mahder of Bloomer, Wis., to score a $3,007 payday at Red Cedar Speedway in Friday's Wabam Dirt Kings Tour-sanctioned Tom Steuding Memorial.

Quotable: “I saw Chad down there with a few to go and I couldn’t quite get to where I needed to get to,” Diemel said. “That bottom was really good off and we were kind of hanging there off the top. I could run it hard in two and I knew I was pretty good.”

Key notes: Diemel, who thanked his MB Customs boss and fellow racer Jimmy Mars for lending him a trailer to use on Friday, led flag-to-flag for his second career Dirt Kings victory. ... The fourth-starting Mahder challenged for the lead in the closing laps but faded to finish 1.929 seconds behind Diemel. ... Multitiime series champ Nick Anvelink of Navarino, Wis., rounded out the podium finishing third after starting in fifth. ... The race honored late standout racer Tom Steuding, the Altoona, Wis., driver who competed from 1966-2000 in the Late Model and modified divisions. He died in 2014.

On the move: James Giossi of Hudson, Wis., started 19th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Diemel’s MB Customs Race Car is sponsored by Beltline Body Shop, Badger Excavating, T.L. Sinz Plumbing, OCF, White City Glass, Speedwerx, Heinzerling Concrete and CMD Race Shocks.

Points chase: Before Red Cedar: 1. Troy Springborn (50); 2. Nick Anvelink (48); 3. Brad Mueller (46); 4. Brett Swedberg (44); 5. Justin Ritchie (42).

Car count: 24

Polesitter: A.J. Diemel

Heat race winners: Lukas Postl, Nick Panitzke, A.J. Diemel

Next series race: May 27, Outagamie Speedway (Seymour, WI) $1,250