What won the race: Taking the point from race-long leader Mike Greseth with an inside move out of turn two, sixth-starting A.J. Diemel of Elk Mound, Wis., was given his spot back after contact from Tyler Peterson sent him spinning on lap 11 and paced the final 15 circuits to win Thursday's $1,892 Prelude to the Johnny at River Cities Speedway. Diemel notched his third career Northern LateModel Racing Association victory and his first since topping this event on Sept. 9, 2021, at River Cities.

Quotable: “The car was really good, it was kinda tricky there running that bottom, kinda getting through everybody,” Diemel said. “Once we kinda got to clear track there, I felt like the car was pretty good. That top was really tricky, I know Tyler (Peterson) was up there banging that thing down. I don’t know what really all happened there (on the lap-11 incident), but I just ended up the wrong way. Hats off to everybody who puts this on, the (John) Seitz family.”

Key notes: Fourth-starting Peterson, of Hickson, N.D., challenged for the lead multiple times and appeared to have a run on Diemel just after he gained the lead from Greseth; Diemel appeared to pull up the track in front of Peterson at the entrance of turn three and Peterson opted not to lift, sending Diemel spinning. Peterson was black-flagged for his on-track conduct and chose to call it a night while Diemel was given his spot back as the leader. ... Pole-starting Shane Edginton regained the runner-up spot on lap 15 and trailed Diemel the rest of the way, finishing 2.099 seconds back. ... Sixteenth-starting Scott Ward made a bold sixth-to-fourth move on the lap-12 restart and then grabbed third from Greseth on lap 15 to round-out the podium. ... Second-starting Greseth, of Harwood, N.D., led the first 10 laps before giving way to Diemel and slipping to finish fourth, securing this third straight NLRA championship. ... Cole Searing improved 13 positions and finished eighth. ... Jake Redetzke gained nine spots and finished ninth. ... Thursday's 17-minute feature was slowed by three separate incidents - the last one for Diemel's solo-spin - and saw 18 competitors complete 25 laps, with 24 running at the finish. ... The 17th annual John Seitz Memorial continues with heat races Friday before Saturday's 92-lap, $9,200-to-win finale for WISSOTA Late Models.

On the move: Scott Ward of Watertown, S.D., started 16th and finished third.

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: After River Cities (final 2023): 1. Mike Greseth (4,567); 2. Brad Seng (4,417); 3. Dustin Strand (4,321); 4. Brody Troftgruben (4,239); 5. Tyler Peterson (4,231).

Current weather: Clear, 61°F

Car count: 55

Polesitter: Shane Edginton

Heat race winners: Josh Skorczewski, Tyler Peterson, Shane Edginton, Mitch Johnson, Tom Corcoran, Cole Schill

Consolation race winners: Dustin Strand, Jake Redetzke, Trevor Anderson

Provisional starters: Brad Seng, Brody Troftgruben, John Seng, Jesse Teunis, Don Shaw