JACKSON, Minn. – Thomas Kennedy and Mike Mueller were triumphant on Saturday at Jackson Motorplex, which hosted Big Country 107.7 Night for the DeKalb/Asgrow 360 Nationals.
Kennedy was one of three different leaders during the Midwest Power Series and Midwest Sprint Touring Series 360 sprint cars 25-lap feature, which served as the Paul ‘Too Tall’ Jerousek Memorial. Justin Henderson led the first 10 laps before Kennedy took over the top spot in traffic. A restart on lap 18 allowed Matt Juhl to close to Kennedy’s rear bumper and he took advantage.
A lap later Juhl slid Kennedy for the lead in turns one and two. Kennedy regained the top spot down the backstretch before Juhl drove around Kennedy for the lead through the middle of turns three and four. Both drivers smacked the backstretch wall off turn two on the ensuing lap and Juhl slowed in turns three and four.
Kennedy checked up as Josh Baughman, who won the opening night feature on Friday, dove into the corner and made contact with Juhl. Kennedy was able to avoid contact and he took over the lead as Juhl spun during the incident with six laps remaining.
Kennedy survived the ensuing restart as well as a restart with three laps remaining to win the feature by 1.538 seconds over Baughman.
“I know (Baughman) is really fast,” Kennedy said during a victory lane interview following his first win of the season at Jackson Motorplex. “To get the win on the second night means a lot to us as a team.”
Track points leader Lee Grosz rounded out the podium with Jack Dover advancing to a fourth-place finish and Dusty Zomer ended fifth.
Mueller advanced from fourth to earn his first National Sprint League Mastell Brothers Touring Series non-wing sprint cars presented by HitchDoc victory of the season at the track.
Johnny Parsons III placed second and moved within one point of the lead in the track’s championship standings. Eric Schulz maneuvered from 11th to third with Cam Schafer, who won on Friday, placing fourth. Brad Peterson was fifth.