SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jaden Cretacci came home the winner of the $2,500-to-win, 75-lap, outlaw-style late model stock car race at South Bend Motor Speedway Saturday, as the speedway celebrated its 75th anniversary and Illiana Motor Speedway reunion night.
Coming down to the checkered flag, Cretacci got into the back of leader and teammate, Rich Boal, sending Boal spinning just short of the start-finish line with Cretacci, the 18-year-old from Walkerton, Ind., racing through to the checkered flag.
“I know my teammate (Rich Boal) is not happy with me,” said Cretacci after the race. “Man, I didn’t mean to do that. I feel horrible. I tried to talk to him down in the infield where he spun, but he said, ‘Don’t talk to me.’ It’s best we leave it for now and talk in the morning about it.
“With had fast car but it took so long to build a run off the top (groove). In all the years I’ve been racing, I never spun anyone for the win. It’s just not the right way to win it.
The race saw a field of 14 start the 75 lapper at the quarter-mile paved oval with early race leader Brandyn Ross taking second. Kevin Sauer, Mike Williams and Vern Sauer rounded out the top five with Boal being credited with sixth place, a lap down.
Derek Davis was the winner of the 25-lap main event for FWD (Four Wheel Drive) racers. Drew Davis came home second with David Keuhs, Keith Beringer Sr. and Ray Cowgill chasing the winner at the end.
Cody Lollar claimed top honors in the 30-lap main event for the street stock division. In a battle right to the finish, Lollar bested rookie Andrew Coates, Karl Fuchs, Logan Maynard and Nick Emmans. Only six cars started the 30-lap sportsman division feature race with Austin Maynard scoring the victory ahead of Brandon Smith and Keith Wilfong.
Mike Sanders copped the 20-lap headliner for the hornets (four-cylinder) class. Sanders posted the win ahead of R.J. Norris, Jonathan Wood, Brenden Davis and Ryan Scott.