HARTFORD, Mich. — Sheldon Haudenschild picked up right where he left off before summer break.
The Wooster, Ohio, native put the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 18 in victory lane at Cedar Lake Speedway before the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series took Fourth of July weekend off.
The tour got back to business on Thursday with the first trip to Michigan in seven years with Hartford Speedway hosting the Pure Michigan Showdown, and Haudenschild ended the night in victory lane.
Haudenschild dominated the 30-lapper. Bill Balog started on the pole, but it was Haudenschild rocketing to the top spot on the outside when the green flag flew. Lapped traffic gave Haudenschild a few frightening moments, but ultimately Haudenschild motored away to the checkered flag.
“I’m just confident from right when we unload,” Haudenschild said. “I know we’re going to be fast and qualify well. (Kyle) Ripper, Adam (Clark), and Dauson (Heitritter) have been putting the work in, and it shows on the track. We don’t give up. If you look back at Lincoln and the two Pevely races were just pretty bad races, or else I think we’d be right there in the (championship) hunt.”
Haudenschild and the KCP crew are now up to three wins in their last five races. They’ve also collected eight top two finishes in the last 11 races. The No. 18 hasn’t finished worse than seventh in 16 consecutive main events, dating back to May 15.
Haudenschild’s 51st career victory with The Greatest Show on Dirt equals him with Jeff Swindell for 18th all-time.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid brought the Roth Motorsports No. 83 home second to notch his third straight runner-up finish. That broke a tie with Carson Macedo and gave Kofoid sole possession of the second spot in points.
David Gravel finished third in the Big Game Motorsports No. 2, a series-leading 17th podium run for the two-time and defending champions.
Garet Williamson and Logan Schuchart completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[2]; 2. 83-Michael Kofoid[4]; 3. 2-David Gravel[3]; 4. 23-Garet Williamson[7]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart[5]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog[1]; 7. 7S-Chris Windom[9]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz[14]; 9. 24D-Danny Sams III[11]; 10. 17-Spencer Bayston[8]; 11. 41-Carson Macedo[6]; 12. 16C-Skylar Gee[12]; 13. 25-Jy Corbet[13]; 14. 98-Ricky Peterson[18]; 15. 51-Ashton Torgerson[22]; 16. 27-Emerson Axsom[20]; 17. AU55-Parker Scott[23]; 18. 77-Geoff Dodge[16]; 19. 85-Dustin Daggett[21]; 20. 28M-Conner Morrell[25]; 21. (DNF) 2C-Cole Macedo[10]; 22. (DNF) 2MD-Darin Naida[17]; 23. (DNF) 6-Kasey Jedrzejek[15]; 24. (DNF) 14-Zane DeVault[19]; 25. (DNF) 71H-Max Stambaugh[24]
