DUBUQUE, Iowa – Though he tried high and low, the latter worked in the end for Jeremiah Hurst Sunday evening at Dubuque Speedway.
The Dubuque ace slid by early leader Terry Neal after a caution and ultimately won the 25-lap Eichman’s Bar and Grill IMCA Late Model season opener.
“They (his crew) were down at the turn waving me to stay low and it worked,” Hurst said in Hoker Trucking Victory Lane. “The car was great. The track was great. It was a special night.”
The track, under new promoter Trackside Promotions, finally got the opener on the fifth try due to bad weather through April and first weekend of May.
Andy Nezworski also got by Neal for the runner up spot in the end, while Matt Ryan and Jeff Tharp rounded out the top five.
Jeff Larson weave his way through two and three wide groups to take the 20-lap Merfeld Brothers Automotive IMCA Modified feature. Early leader Jaden Fryer, a charging Tyler Madigan, Jed Freiburger and Austin Moyer came next.
Tyler Soppe launched from his P3 start and held off Gage Neal in a very competitive Peosta Warehousing Logistics IMCA SportMod finale. Wes Digman, Jason Roth and Jacob Ellithorpe completed the top five.
Dakota Simonsen went to the front early and capped the Kinsella Concrete IMCA Hobby Stock 12-lap feature, ahead of Daniel Wauters, Quinton Miller, Brandon White and Roger Winkers.
Wauters took the Trackside Back Row Challenge, hoping to win a bonus for coming from the back to the win, but fell one position short.
Cole Mather beat Kyle Merkes and Reece Norton in the IMCA Stock Car 12-lap feature, while Joe Zrostlik won the 4 Cylinder main over John Campbell, Robbie Harding, Jacob Welter and Rick Hempstead.
A total of 67 race teams hit the track on a chilly Mother’s Day evening to start the season.