Pruitt Goes Back To Back
Stuart, IA (August 3) – Another hot night and even hotter racing highlighted night eleven of the 2018 season at Stuart Speedway. Austin Luellen, Zak Sickles, Adam Ayers, Chris Pruitt and Jeff James were the winners on Karl Chevrolet Night.
IMCA Northern SportMods were first up with Mitchell Morris and Hunter Longnecker on the front row. Austin Luellen snuck through the top three cars on the backstretch to lead lap one over Morris and Longnecker. Colton Nelson made it to second on lap three as Luellen began to stretch out his lead. While the top two checked out, Longnecker and last week’s winner Garrett Nelson had quite the race for third with Nelson coming out on top on lap ten. Luellen would go on to a dominating win with Colton Nelson second, Garrett Nelson third, Longnecker fourth and Matt Webb fifth. Longnecker was the heat race winner.
Dean Richards and Hunter Patrick led the IMCA Sport Compacts to the green flag next with Patrick leading lap one. Zak Sickles took over the top spot a lap later with Patrick and Richards not far behind. Richards kept it close, but it was Sickles who stayed out front to pick up his first career Sport Compact win! Richards finished second with Joe Mastin third, Patrick fourth and John Gill fifth. Mitchell Bunch and Patrick were the heat race winners.
IMCA Hobby Stocks were next up with Jack Phillips and Adam Ayers setting the pace. Ayers shot out to an early lead over Tommy Killen Jr and Phillips. Matt McAtee and Korbin Nourse took turns in the third spot on laps two and three with John Watson grabbing it on lap four. Watson passed Killen for second on lap six as Ayers continued to lead. Brandon Cox worked his way to third from his eleventh starting spot on lap ten, but that was the last change in the top three as Ayers went on to the feature win. Watson finished second with Cox third, Killen Jr fourth and Todd Fisher fifth. Ayers and Phillips were the heat race winners.
James Carroll and Brock Badger brought the IMCA Stock cars out next with Josh Daniels leading lap one over Carroll and Jesse Lund. Last week’s winner, Chris Pruitt, charged into second on lap two and began to close on Daniels. Lap five saw a change for the lead with Pruitt leading Daniels and Brandon Pruitt. C. Pruitt inched away from the pack and looked to head back to victory lane for a second week in a row, but a spin by Lund on lap eighteen erased the lead and brought everyone back together for a two lap shootout. Daniels made a run at the top spot, but it was C. Pruitt powering to the win. Daniels finished second with Travis Barker third, Carroll fourth and Badger fifth. C. Pruitt and Badger were the heat race winners.
Last up for the night was the IMCA Modifieds with Scott Bash and Tony Hilgenberg on the front row. Bash led lap one with Jeff James taking over on lap two. Clint Luellen passed Bash for second on lap four and within a couple more laps was right on James’ bumper. Josh Gilman got to third on lap seven, but the top two were checking out and would settle the race on their own. Luellen would diamond the corners, work the tires and even the high side, but there was no stopping James on this night as he went on to the feature win. Luellen settled for second with Gilman third, Chad Andersen fourth and Matt Meinecke fifth. James cleaned up as he also took the heat race win.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our eleventh event of the year. Next Friday is Wyfeels Hybrids Seeds Night with the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts in action. See you then!
Story by Josh Reynolds
Category: Iowa
