JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Picking up where he left off one night earlier, Rico Abreu found himself in victory lane with the Built Ford Tough MOWA Sprint Cars Delivered by Morrow Brothers Ford on Saturday night at Jacksonville Speedway.
But it wasn’t without a battle with Buddy Kofoid, who started from the pole in the 25-lap feature.
Kofoid quickly found the top side to his liking and blasted around the quarter-mile bullring in commanding fashion. Jacob Patton, Mason Campbell and Rico Abreu were quickly in pursuit of the race leader.
A red flag for Mason Campbell slowed the field, after a flip in turn four. Campbell was uninjured in the incident. A second red flag on lap six, for a track lighting issue once again brought the field to a stop while track officials worked to repair the lighting.
As the field returned to green, Kofoid continued his hunt towards his first MOWA Feature win, but as he entered lapped traffic, Rico Abreu was able to work past Jacob Patton for second and set his sights on Kofoid. The two drivers, both utilizing the high lane of the track, battled each other throughout the late stages of the race.
Abreu was able to pull alongside Kofoid exiting turn four and executed a slide job for the lead in turn two. Once obtaining the lead, Abreu set sail and never looked back as he would head for victory for the 11th time in his career with the MOWA sprints.
Kofoid secured a second-place finish for the second straight night aboard the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 67. 2018
Series champion Jacob Patton rounded out the podium in third. Joe B. Miller, who started 10th in the field, charged forward to finish fourth, with Zeb Wise, a name familiar with USAC and POWRi Midget action, finished fifth, driving for Sam McGhee Motorsports.
The finish:
Rico Abreu, Buddy Kofoid, Jacob Patton, Joe B. Miller, Zeb Wise, Joey Moughan, Jake Blackhurst, Morgan Turpen, Hunter Schuerenberg, Paul Nienhiser, Jason Keith, Robbie Standridge, Korey Weyant, Terry Babb, Kyle Schuett, Jordan Goldesberry, Justin Standridge, Logan Faucon, Jeremy Standridge, Ayrton Gennetten, Mason Campbell.