JACKSON, Minn. — Jared Siefert and Doug Wickman emerged victorious on Tuesday evening during the Jackson Motorplex season opener.
Siefert topped the $5,000-to-win IMCA Stock Car Challenge, which featured a wild start and finish to the 25-lap showdown.
Siefert originally powered into the lead on the start of the main event, but a caution before the opening lap was completed created a restart. Dallon Murty capitalized by taking the lead, but Siefert used the bottom lane exiting turn two to take over the top spot on lap three.
A handful of cautions during the first third of the feature gave way to a long green-flag run. Derek Green maneuvered into first place with a slide job in turn two on lap nine and pulled away to lead by more than five seconds when he entered traffic with two laps remaining. However, a caution was called for a driver who stopped on the track setting up a green-white-checkered finish.
The front of the field stacked up with multiple drivers colliding on the restart. Green was contacted from the left rear and suffered a flat left rear tire, which forced him into the work area. He returned to the track and showed his displeasure toward a competitor, turning into him and driving up the track on the backstretch. Green was disqualified while Siefert inherited the lead for the final two-lap shootout.
Siefert maintained the top spot and held off a charging Jeffrey Larson, who won the B Main and started the main event 21st. Larson made the bottom work to drive into second place coming to the white flag and he closed on Siefert during the last lap, but came up a couple of car lengths short of the victory.
Trevor Holm finished third with Elijah Zevenbergen hustling from 16th to fourth. Justin Luinenburg was fifth.
Wickman led the distance of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stocks feature to score the special $750 top prize.
Seventh-starting Malik Sampson advanced into the runner-up position on the opening lap and hounded Wickman throughout the race. Sampson stayed within striking distance and used multiple runs off turn two and down the backstretch to pull to the inside of Wickman on the bottom entering turn three. However, the higher lane prevailed each time and Wickman hit his marks lap after lap to pick up the win.
Chad Volk placed third with Cory Probst ending fourth. Parker Larson rounded out the top five.