Aug. 15—GRAND FORKS — Every week in the past, Julie (Osowski) Pederson was inducted into the River Cities Speedway Corridor of Fame.
On Friday evening, her daughter made historical past on the monitor, too.
Kelsi Pederson grew to become the primary feminine driver to ever win a late mannequin function at River Cities Speedway.
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Driving with the identical No. 93 her late mom used within the Nineties, Kelsi beat out a subject of 25 drivers to the checkered flag.
“To be sincere, I do not know if it is fully sunk in but,” Kelsi mentioned. “It is sort of unbelievable, particularly having it’s the week after my mother was inducted into the Corridor of Fame and all of the hype that got here with that, all of the speak about females in racing this week. This was the right approach to cap it off.”
Kelsi’s brother, Tucker, completed second. Shane Edginton completed third, Mike Greseth fourth, Dustin Strand fifth and her father, Joey, sixth.
Every week earlier, Julie’s household and associates celebrated her pioneering racing profession at The Bullring. Julie, one of many few common feminine drivers within the Nineties, handed away at age 49 two years in the past after a battle with most cancers.
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She served as a crew chief for Kelsi and Tucker.
“To me, it feels additional particular after final weekend with my mother getting inducted into the Corridor of Fame,” Tucker mentioned. “I do know she’s smiling down on her. I feel Kelsi is doing actually good by the No. 93 and making mother proud, for positive. She’s doing an awesome job carrying on that legacy.”
Kelsi and Tucker began on the entrance row, however Tucker shortly sped to the lead on the excessive facet of the monitor.
Kelsi handed Tucker in Flip 4 about midway by way of the 20-lap function.
“I used to be operating the excessive facet, pondering all was effectively, then I noticed her poke her nostril beneath me,” Tucker mentioned. “Then, she was by me.”
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Kelsi, who’s from East Grand Forks, navigated lapped site visitors within the green-to-checkered function.
“It is clearly actually cool to make historical past,” Kelsi mentioned. “On the similar time, I am proud simply as a driver to win a late mannequin function right here. Only a few are in a position to try this of their careers. Checking off that field, gaining confidence going ahead, getting a pair extra could be superior.”
Tucker did not thoughts taking second to his sister.
“It is most likely one of many happiest occasions I’ve had at a racetrack,” Tucker mentioned. “Actually, it is so cool. I am simply so pleased with her and proud to be her brother.”
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Kelsi was a profitable lightning dash driver, however switched to a late mannequin final summer season to hitch her brother and father within the division. Her brother made the transfer from a road inventory a 12 months earlier.
Kelsi’s greatest end as a rookie was third. That got here at Devils Lake Speedway in June 2025.
She earned one other third-place end this summer season on Might 15 at River Cities Speedway.
“It was positively a problem at first,” Kelsi mentioned of switching from a lightning dash to a late mannequin. “It nonetheless is. It seems like a studying curve. The vehicles are totally completely different. However so far as studying a monitor and being adaptable as a driver, I feel that ability set carries over from any class to the late fashions. It has been a problem however extraordinarily rewarding.”
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The Pederson household used to have a aim of profitable three options in a single evening — Joey in late fashions, Tucker in streets and Kelsi in lightning sprints.
That is not attainable with all three racing in the identical division.
The dream now could be to complete 1-2-3.
That hasn’t occurred but, however Friday evening is likely to be arduous to prime.
“Tonight is the closest we have gotten,” Kelsi mentioned, “which is extraordinarily thrilling.”
