WHEATLAND, Mo. — Kaeden Cornell broke a six-year victory lane drought at Lucas Oil Speedway with an exciting victory Friday night over Cole Henson in the Hermitage Lumber Late Model portion of Night 1 of the Rempfer Memorial Pitts Homes & Realty Challenge Cup.
Cornell, of Willard, led all 20 laps, but had to fend off a last-lap charge from Henson. Both were championship contenders in the Late Model class during the 2018-21 seasons.
“It was really good,” Cornell said of car. “I have to thank my dad and my mom and Zach and everybody who comes with me. Dad’s been calling me a Podium Princess lately, because I couldn’t win one.”
The Rempfer Memorial Challenge Cup is named to honor Harold “Rowdy” Rempfer and his wife, Julia, who were killed in an automobile accident in 2018. Rowdy was the mayor of Wheatland and he and Julia both worked at Lucas Oil Speedway.
A total of 114 cars checked into the pits. The inaugural season of the Challenge Cup offers increased payouts and points funds in all five divisions.
Cornell started fifth, but had the lead by turn four of lap one. Henson, the pole starter, bobbled on the opening lap but recovered to catch Henson by lap eight. Getting around him was another matter as the leaders battled in lapped traffic. Using a couple of those lapped cars to his advantage, Cornell was able to increase his lead to 1.2 seconds by lap 16.
But Henson rallied and was applying pressure by lap 18. Caution flew at that point as points leader JC Morton slowed to a stop in turn two. Morton headed to the pits and left Cornell and Henson for a two-lap shootout.
Cornell held on for the win, withstanding Henson’s slider in the final turn, for a win by .836 seconds.
“I knew Cole was gonna slide me, I was just hoping that I could get back under it,” said Cornell, a five-time winner of the fan-voted Most Popular Driver at Lucas Oil Speedway. “I appreciate him running me clean.”
Dayton Pursley was third with defending track champion Robbe Ewing – who inherited the points lead – was fourth and Bryon Allison fifth. Morton was credited with 16th and fell 21 points behind Ewing.
Other feature wins went to Cole Campbell (Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds), Jon Sheets (Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B-Mods), William Garner (O’Reilly’s USRA Stock Cars) and Mike Striegel (Hickamo Super Stocks).
