BRANDON, S.D. — Kaleb Johnson, John Lambertz and Matt Steuerwald were victorious on a warm Sunday evening at Huset’s Speedway, which kicked off its season with the Mother’s Day Opener presented by Northland Buildings, Inc.
Johnson, who started ninth, found a favorable groove on the lower part of the track to pass Austin McCarl for the lead on Lap 21 en route to his first Cressman Sanitation 410 Outlaw Sprint Cars triumph.
“It lit a spark under my butt to get the job done in the feature,” he said. “It was a great birthday present. I couldn’t be more thankful to be put in a position like this where I get to race for a living. It’s a great group of people I’m surrounded by and hopefully this is the start of more to come.”
McCarl held the top spot for the first 20 laps of the 25-lap main event, which showcased five cautions during the first half of the race. The second half was non-stop with traffic playing a role in the waning laps. Johnson, who climbed into the top five on Lap 3 and into the runner-up position on Lap 11, pulled next to McCarl down the backstretch on Lap 21. While both drivers were mired in traffic, Johnson’s lane was preferred as he drove into the lead. It was the race-winning move as Johnson stuck to the low lane for the final five laps.
Ryan Timms, who started 16th, followed Johnson and stayed a close second. He nearly pulled next to the leader multiple times in the final laps before settling for second place by 0.386 seconds.
“It was a little tricky and technical,” he said. “If you missed the bottom you were losing three or four car lengths. I’m just super happy with the speed we have in this car right now.”
Scott Winters charged from 12th to third place.
“I found the rubber there in the middle,” he said. “The car was fast from when we unloaded. It felt good to be extra fast. Man, this is fun.”
McCarl salvaged a fourth-place finish with Jack Dover placing fifth.
Lambertz paced the field for the distance of the 20-lap Heser Auto & Detailing RaceSaver Sprint Car Series feature to garner his eighth career victory at the high-banked oval.
“I’ve been doing it for 31 years now,” he said. “It was rubber from top to bottom. You just had to pace yourself. To win the third night out, that’s pretty awesome. When you get to be my age you don’t know if you’re going to get another one. Every one after 50, it’s pretty special.”
Lambertz reached traffic near the midpoint of the race and Brandon Halverson closed within a couple of car lengths before a red flag on Lap 17 gave Lambertz an open track for the final four circuits. He took advantage to win by 0.438 seconds.
Halverson finished second with Jesse Lindberg ending third, Dusty Ballenger fourth and Trefer Waller fifth.
Steuerwald led the final two laps to capture the Nordstrom’s Automotive Late Model Street Stocks main event. It was his 21st career triumph at the track.
Tim Dann was out front for the first three laps before Cory Yeigh hustled from third into the lead on Lap 4. A pair of mid-race cautions bunched the field together with Yeigh holding off sixth-starting Steuerwald throughout the second half of the race until smoke began billowing from the rear of his car on Lap 16. Steuerwald closed to Yeigh’s rear bumper. In turn two on the ensuing lap, Yeigh went to the outside to put a competitor down a lap. Steuerwald dove low and won the three-wide drag race down the backstretch to power into the lead. He pulled away in the final lap and a half to win by 1.101 seconds.
“It’s always fun to race Cory,” he said. “To get one like this, it’s always great to remind yourself you can do it.”
Yeigh was the runner up with Chris Ellingson placing third. Dann garnered a fourth-place result and Aaron Foote rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 6K-Kaleb Johnson (9); 2. 10-Ryan Timms (16); 3. 23W-Scott Winters (12); 4. 88-Austin McCarl (1); 5. 53-Jack Dover (2); 6. 55-Kerry Madsen (6); 7. 24T-Christopher Thram (5); 8. 64-Andy Pake (10); 9. 13-Mark Dobmeier (24); 10. 11M-Brendan Mullen (7); 11. 09-Matt Juhl (11); 12. 83JR-Sam Henderson (13); 13. 16-Riley Goodno (21); 14. 31-Koby Werkmeister (8); 15. 10J-Justin Jacobsma (19); 16. 44-Chris Martin (20); 17. 27-Weston Olson (23); 18. 2-Alex Pettas (17); 19. 4-Cruz Dickerson (14); 20. 95-Tyler Drueke (15); 21. 81-Brant O’Banion (22); 22. (DNF) 96-Blaine Stegenga (4); 23. (DNF) G5-Gage Pulkrabek (3); 24. (DNF) 74N-Luke Nellis (18).
