OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Kyle Larson outdueled fellow California hotshoe Corey Day to win his fourth Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge Presented by Your Life Iowa and Country Builders Construction on Monday at Southern Iowa Speedway.
Though the actual front row challenge seeing drivers elect to start at the tail seem to be a thing of the past, Larson had to work hard after starting in row seven and made an exciting charge of his own to earn $21,000.
Day led early in the 30-lapper, ahead of Parker Price-Miller, Brad Sweet, Carson Macedo and James McFadden.
There was plenty of passing throughout and McFadden took fourth from Macedo on lap three. Sweet rode around Price-Miller for third on lap four, and Scott Bogucki entered the top five on lap six.
Day was into lapped traffic on lap eight, but things were halted when the fourth running McFadden tagged the turn-two wall and flipped on the backstretch.
That erased over a two-second lead for Day, who restarted ahead of Sweet, Price-Miller, Bogucki, Macedo and a charging Larson.
Macedo and Larson both used the restart to their advantage, as they each passed two cars to move into third and fourth, respectively. Larson used a slider in turn two to pass Macedo for third on lap 10.
Day was setting a fast pace and began lapping cars at the halfway point. Larson reeled in Sweet and passed him on lap 16 before Danny Sams III went up in smoke and brought caution with 13 to go.
Larson pounced on the chance at a restart and quickly moved in front of Day to the point with a slider in turn one.
Day stayed close to the leader, never getting more than a few car lengths back. With five to go, they were in lapped traffic again.
Danny Dietrich spun in turn two as the leaders were entering turn one. Day had been all over Larson for the lead, and both barely squeaked between Dietrich and the turn-two wall, avoiding disaster.
Larson shot out to the lead again. Day made one bid that fell short and settled for second. Carson Macedo grabbed third from Sweet with three to go, and Price-Miller finished fifth.
“(Day) was really good,” said Larson. “I saw him before that last caution get to our outside in traffic, so I knew he was blasting the top behind me. On the restart, I thought I did a good job on the restart, but I assume he got a good run on the wall out of two. He almost cleared me in four. I changed my entry in one, and didn’t see him again. It feels great to come from 13th and pass a lot of good drivers and cars and get another win. We know we have a good car come feature time.”
In the companion IMCA Racesaver sprint car feature, Adam Gullion won for the second time in his career at the Front Row Challenge and earned $1,000.
The finish:
Feature (30 laps): 1. 57, Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA (13) 2. 14, Corey Day, Clovis, CA (2) 3. 41, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (3) 4. 49, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (4) 5. 9P, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (1) 6. 83JR, Buddy Kofoid, Penngrove, CA (6) 7. Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA (20) 8. 55, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (8) 9. 10, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (11) 10. 25. Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, OK (17) 11. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (7) 12. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (9) 13. 21T, Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA (10) 14. 23, Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO (16) 15. 17GP, Cale Thomas, Fairland, IN (18) 16. 27B, Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO (19) 17. 122, Joe B. Miller, Millersville, MO (22) 18. 48, Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA (15) 19. 36, Jason Martin, Liberal, KS (23) 20. 24D, Danny Sams III, North Port, FL (14) 21. 9, Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA (12) 22. 83SR, James McFadden, Alice Springs, NT, Aust. (5) 23. 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA (21) 24. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Hurton, SD (24).