DEGRAFF, Ohio – For the second year in a row, Brett Hudson steered his No. 00 Chevrolet to victory in the CRA Street Stock Four Crown 200 Saturday night at Shady Bowl Speedway.
Hudson would chase local shoe Buck Purtee for the first half of the race, staying within striking distance in the top four all evening. Hudson finally struck with less than 20 laps to go when he willed his way to the lead and then fended off the charge of another local, Don Mahaffey Jr., on a late race restart to secure the win.
“When we got into the lapped traffic the last half I was able to close ground and I got a run on him,” noted Hudson. “Trying to pass him clean, me and Buck are buddies. There was a little rubbing, that’s short track racing, there was a little beating and banging. To get this win two years in a row feels good. Track position mint so much tonight, on those restarts you just have to go, you can’t just ride here. So, it worked out tonight.”
Chad Pendleton set fast time and then drew an eight for the starting field inversion, putting Purtee on the front row alongside J.J. Schafer. Hudson would start sixth. By lap three Purtee had scooted away from the field to hold the lead.
The first 100 laps saw five yellow flags as Purtee was on cruise control. Both Hudson and Josh Poore would move into contention and run with the leader, but were unable to mount a charge as the 20 minute break came up.
After the break the last 100 laps turned into a barn burner as Purtee picked up right where he left off by resuming his place at the front of the field. This time, however, Hudson and Poore stayed right in his tracks.
Poore would move by Hudson and into second briefly, but Hudson quickly returned the favor. Hudson then set off in pursuit of Purtee, which was aided by a pair of caution periods.
Hudson used a friendly tap on Purtee’s bumper, which was just enough for him to get to his inside. On the next lap Hudson emerged with the race lead.
A caution with seven laps to go restacked the field with Hudson and Purtee on the front row. Hudson held strong on the restart as Purtee fell victim to his outside starting position, dropping a few positions.
Hudson cruised to the checkered flag, with Mahaffey finishing second. Poore, Purtee and Andre Teepe completed the top-five.
“I felt like I had the best car all race long,” said Hudson. “I just kept having to start on the outside on those restarts. I would lose a spot or two every time. I just knew that was not going to work out, so, I just had to get to the bottom as quick as I could, it is so hard to pass here. At the halfway break we just cleaned up some things fixed some damage and went back out, the car was good.”