Nelson Gets 1st Career Win
Stuart, IA (July 27) – Unseasonably cool weather and hot racing marked night ten of the 2018 season at Stuart Speedway. Cody Cleghorn, Garrett Nelson, Dallas & Ben Larson, Matt McAtee, Chris Pruitt and Josh Gilman were the winners on Kinzie Services Night.
Kolby Sabin and Zak Sickles brought the IMCA Sport Compacts out to start the features with Cody Cleghorn taking control early. Sickles and Dean Richards battled hard for second as Curtis Miller worked his way toward the front. Miller passed Sickles for third on lap five and Richards for second on lap eight, but there wouldn’t be a fight for the lead as Cleghorn checked out to take the win. Miller finished second with Richards third, Sabin fourth and Nathan Castellano fifth. Sickles and Cleghorn were the heat race winners.
IMCA Northern SportMods came out next with Hunter Longnecker and Garrett Nelson on the front row. Nelson led Longnecker and Matt Webb until Webb moved to second on lap four. Two laps later Austin Luellen passed Longnecker for third but it was Nelson looking strong out front. Webb and Luellen had a great race for second, but it was all Nelson as he went on to take his first ever SportMod win! Webb finished second with Luellen third, Chase Rudolf fourth and Colton Nelson fifth. Longnecker was the heat race winner.
Chris Mitchell/Shelby West and Jeff Culp/Chad Culp led the Cruiser Cars to the green flag next with Dallas Larson/Ben Larson leading lap one. Culp/Culp went for a spin on lap five and that was the only thing slowing down Larson/Larson as they went on to the feature win. Chad Rigby/Carson Carpenter finished second with Mitchell/West third and Culp/Culp fourth. Larson/Larson swept the night as they won the heat race as well.
IMCA Hobby Stocks were up next with Tommy Killen Jr and Matt McAtee on the front row. McAtee led Killen Jr and Todd Fisher early on with Jeremy Purdy and John Watson making moves through the field. Watson had some contact and went to the infield on lap eleven as McAtee continued to lead. Killen Jr worked high and low but there was no catching McAtee as he went on to take the win. Killen Jr finished second with Purdy third, Fisher fourth and Adam Ayers fifth. McAtee and Killen were the heat race winners.
Brock Badger and Cory Bushnell led the IMCA Stock Cars to the green next, but it didn’t last long as Bryan Snell went for a tumble in turn three before a lap was run. Snell was ok, but would be done for the night. Once the cars fired back up it was Bushnell leading Badger for the first two laps until Chris Pruitt moved into second on lap three. Brandon Pruitt got into third on lap five as Bushnell continued to lead. C. Pruitt pulled alongside Bushnell on lap fifteen just before the caution came out as Robert Stofer put down a bunch of fluid on the track. When the green flew C. Pruitt worked under Bushnell again, and on lap eighteen the two hopped wheels on the backstretch. Bushnell retired with a flat tire and it was C. Pruitt going on to the win. B. Pruitt finished second with Badger third, Ty Hill fourth and James Carroll fifth. Stofer and Marcus Fagan were the heat race winners.
IMCA Modifieds came out for the last race of the night with Cole Ferguson and Tony Hilgenberg on the front row. Ferguson led Matthew Meinecke and Clint Luellen over the first five laps with Luellen and Josh Gilman passing Meinecke on lap six. Luellen made a move for the lead on lap eight as Gilman began to work on Ferguson for second. Gilman and Ferguson banged wheels a few times with Gilman getting the second position on lap fourteen. Three laps later Gilman would track down Luellen and use a lap car as a pick to help take over the lead and go on to the feature win. Luellen finished second with Meinecke third, Ferguson fourth and Jeff James fifth. Ferguson and Gilman were the heat race winners.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our tenth event of the year. Next Friday is Karl Chevrolet Night with the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts in action. Bring the family out as kids 12 & under get in free! See you then!
Story by Josh Reynolds
Category: Iowa
