ANDERSON, Ind. – Canadian driver Nicholas Naugle made the long trip to Anderson Speedway a worthwhile one.
Naugle took the lead of the Fudge Packer 100 for the CR JEGS All-Stars Tour feature Saturday with a pass of leader Brett Robinson on lap 58 and led the remainder of the way.
As a result of the inversion following qualifying, Robinson started on the front row with Ethan Stadniczuk along side. Robinson took the lead and was followed by Stadniczuk for the first eight circuits.
Stadniczuk took the point on lap nine, getting inside of Robinson on the back straight. Naugle started sixth and was still running in that position when the race was red-flagged on lap 20 because of lightning in the area.
On the restart Robinson reclaimed the lead from Stadniczuk with an outside pass entering turn three. Fast qualifier Dakota Stroup and Naugle both moved up two positions to second and third by lap 30.
The running order remained unchanged until the caution flag waved on lap 56 for an incident involving Jimmy Tucker and Nick Egan in turn two.
On the restart Stroup’s car failed to come up to speed with an electrical problem which resulted in the cars of James Krueger, Hunter Wright and Kevin Cremonesi crashing on the front straight bringing out the red flag.
The caution flag waved again on lap 56 when Egan and Zach Johnson got together in turn three.
Following the restart, Naugle took the lead on lap 58 with Robinson retaining the second spot and Brandon Varney running third. Varney’s strong run ended on lap 64 with a mechanical problem.
Naugle won by 1.9 seconds over Robinson, with Dylan Bates coming home third after passing Stadniczuk on lap 93 with Tucker recovering to finish fifth.
“It was a long way to travel for me and the team,” Naugle said in the Riley & Sons Victory Lane. “I messed up in qualifying which put us back in the field.
“I’m so happy I could get the win for my crew,” he said. “I knew we had a great car. I love this place, will definitely come back.”
Robinson said his car was tight at the finish of the race and Naugle was turning in the corners a little better.
“I pushed it as hard as I could,” he said. “With 20 laps to go the right front was gone and just nursed it home.”
Bates said this was his third time at Anderson Speedway and the first time he finished a race.
“We had a good car all day in practice and today we missed the set-up in qualifying and started deep in the field,” Bates said. “Missed some wrecks and finished third.”
The Finish: 1) Nicholas Naugle; 2) Brett Robinson; 3) Dylan Bates; 4) Ethan Stadniczuk; 5) Jimmy Tucker; 6) Nick Egan; 7) Joey Strode; 8) JP Crabtree; 9) Brandon Varney; 10) Dakota Stroup; 11) Hunter Wright; 12) James Krueger; 13) Zach Johnson; 14) Kevin Cremonesi; 15) Mike Sargent