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Gustin has winning perspective at Harris Clash

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 8) – The way Mark Elliott saw it, Thursday’s Harris Clash special was about a lap and a half too long.

From Richie Gustin Jr.’s perspective, the IMCA Modified main event at Knoxville Raceway was just the right distance.

Gustin raced all the way from 21^st starting for the win, taking the front spot after race-long leader Elliott slowed with mechanical problems on the 23^rd of 25 laps and then outrunning Jordan Grabouski for the $2,000 checkers.

Jeremy Mills moved up 15 positions for third and Josh Foster advanced nine spots for fourth. Johnny Saathoff, like Gustin a “B” feature winner, passed 16 cars to complete the top five.

After an early caution, Elliott took charge and clearly had the fastest car on the track as he put half a straightaway on Grabouski and Jeff Jones.

Grabouski managed to distance himself from Jones, who soon had his hands full in the tussle for third with Foster, Mills and David Murray Jr. Gustin made steady progress through the field and was up to fourth when Murray cut a tire, caught the wall and brought out the second and final caution with two laps to go.

Elliott faltered following the restart and saw a host of cars drive by. Gustin took the extreme high line and beat Grabouski to the finish line by three car lengths. The victory puts him on the ballot for the 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Michael Long was sixth and defending race winner Jay Noteboom was seventh. Twenty-four of the 30 cars that started the feature were still on the track when the checkers came out.

Moved from Tuesday night because of rain and wet conditions, the 19^th annual Clash nonetheless drew 69 entries from seven states.

The Clash program featuring the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods was also rescheduled, from July 7 to Wednesday, July 28 at Knoxville.

Feature results – 1. Richie Gustin Jr., Gilman; 2. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.; 3. Jeremy Mills, Garner; 4. Josh Foster, Montrose; 5. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 6. Michael Long, Quincy, Ill.; 7. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; 8. Todd Shute, Des Moines; 9. Eric Dailey, Armstrong; 10. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 11. J.J. Wise, Manly; 12. Todd Inman, Des Moines; 13. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 14. Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station, Wis.; 15. Mark Elliott, Webster City; 16. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 17. Cory Wray, Jamesport, Mo.; 18. Randy Havlik, Madrid; 19. Bill Davis Jr., Des Moines; 20. Robert Tippery, Council Bluffs; 21. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 22 Jay Schmidt, Tama; 23. Mike O’Lear, Marshalltown; 24. David Brown Kellogg; 25. David Murray Jr., Oberlin, Kan.; 26. Jeff Jones, Council Bluffs; 27. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 28. Nate Caruth, Ames; 29. Jake Durbin, Perry; 30. Levi Nielsen, Mason City.

1^st heat (top three) – Schmidt; 2. Tippery; 3. Foster. 2^nd heat – 1. Strickler; 2. Jackson; 3. Dailey. 3^rd heat – 1. Noteboom; 2. Havlik; 3. Nielsen. 4^th heat – 1. Elliott; 2. Grabouski; 3. Murray. 5^th heat – 1. Abelson; 2. Inman; 3. Mills. 6^th heat – 1. Davis; 2. Jones; 3. Long.

1^st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Caruth; 2. Shute; 3. Schulte; 4. O’Lear. 2^nd “B” feature – 1. Gustin; 2. Brown; 3. Ratajczak; 4. Durbin. 3^rd “B” feature – 1. Saathoff; 2. Wray; 3. Wise; 4. Auringer.