Pruitt Notches First Career Stock Car Win at Stuart Speedway

Story by Josh Reynolds

Stuart, IA (July 28) – Mother Nature smiled down on Stuart Speedway with the nicest weather of the season, and the only thing better than the weather was the racing! Frank Galusha, Deavon Richards, Luke Wanninger, Nick Roberts, Shannon Anderson, Chris Pruitt and Andy Forcht were the winners on Adair Lumber Company Night at the Races.

Starting off the features for the evening was the return of the Micro Sprints with Ben Woods and Brad Comegys on the front row. Woods took the lead on lap one with Frank Galusha moving past for the top spot on lap two. Galusha held the lead until a lap twelve red flag for Lex Mills and Skylar Hunter rolling their cars brought the field to a stop. Both drivers were ok, but finished for the night. When the cars were lined up, Galusha sped off to his first win of the year followed by Woods, Nathan Mills, Jerad Klabunde and Comegys. Galusha, Klabunde and Comegys were the heat race winners.

IMCA Sport Compacts were up next with Brad Egenberger and Jason Montes on the front row. Deavon Richards took the lead on lap one with Brian Haller close behind. Contact between Haller and Shawn Cooney resulted in Cooney hitting the back stretch wall on lap two, bringing out the yellow and ending his night. When the race resumed, it was all Richards as he went on to his third win of the year. Egenberger finished in second with Montes third, Haller fourth and Cooney fifth. Richards cleaned up as he was also the heat race winner.

Ron Bash and Tony Hilgenberg brought out the IMCA Modifieds next for their twenty lap feature. Josh Most led the first four laps with Luke Wanninger moving out front on lap five. From that point on it was a race for second between Most and Josh Gilman. The two put on quite a show, but it was all Wanninger as he went on to the win in the caution free event. For Wanninger it was win number five on the season. Gilman won the battle for second with Most third, Scott Bash fourth and Rex Parkison fifth. Wanninger and Most were the heat race winners.

IMCA Northern SportMods came out next with Nick Roberts and Matt Webb on the front row. Roberts took the top spot right away with Clinton Luellen and Webb hot on his heels. The three stayed in formation until a lap nine caution for a spin by Matt Hays slowed the field. As the green flag flew, so did Roberts as he went on to take his first win of the year at the Speedway. Luellen, the heat race winner, finished second with Webb third, Cole Ferguson fourth and Hays fifth.

Riley Songer and Gina Greubel brought out the IMCA Hobby Stocks next for their fifteen lap feature. Songer led lap one with Chad LeGere taking the lead on lap two. LeGere held the lead until a spin by Songer brought out the yellow on lap four. Lap five saw a familiar face, Shannon Anderson, take over the top spot with LeGere and Andrew Burg close behind. Kenny Champ moved into third on lap nine with Anderson and LeGere still 1-2. Just after the leaders took the white flag the caution flew for Lee Farmer, bringing the race to an end under the yellow-checkers. Anderson ended as the winner for the seventh time of the season with LeGere second, Champ third, Burg fourth and Jamie Songer fifth. Champ and Jamie Songer were the heat race winners.

IMCA Stock Cars came out next with Michael Walrod and Bryan Snell on the front row. A caution before the first lap was completed made for a heads up restart with third starting Chris Pruitt coming through to lead lap one. Another caution slowed the field before lap two, with Pruitt, Mike Nichols and Jeff Anderson the top three. As the green flag flew Pruitt continued to lead until another caution on lap eight. Nichols would pull off the track, leaving Pruitt, Anderson and Marcus Fagan to battle it out for the win. Pruitt held the lead with Anderson and Fagan fighting side by side for second. As the laps wound down, Anderson and Fagan closed in on Pruitt, making for a great finish as the white flag flew. After being out of racing for the last four years and getting married the night before, the next quarter mile may have seemed more like ten miles but Pruitt would get it done and pick up his first career win in the IMCA Stock Cars! Anderson finished in second with Fagan third, Robert Stofer fourth and Snell fifth. Fagan and Anderson were the heat race winners.

Last up on the track for the night was the 6 Cylinder FWD’s with Justin McKinney and Brian Haller on row number one. McKinney led the first lap with Cory Sauerman moving by on lap two. Lap three brought an end to McKinney’s night as he made contact with Andy Forcht and then slammed into the front stretch wall. After an incredible save by Forcht, he would make the pass on Sauerman on lap six and go on to the win, his fifth win of the year. Sauerman finished second with Deavon Richards third, McKinney fourth and Haller fifth. Sauerman was the heat race winner.

We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track last night. Please join us next Sunday for Luellen Farms/Farm Boy Bodies Night at the Races with the return of the IMCA Late Models. Remember, there are no number fees for the rest of the season at Stuart so tell your friends and bring a car for some great side by side racing! See you then!

 

Category: Iowa, Stuart Speedway