BRANDON, S.D. – The winningest driver at Huset’s Speedway this season returned to Victory Lane and was joined by a pair of first-time winners on Sunday during Nordstrom’s Automotive Night.
Austin McCarl capitalized on a late-race slide job to score his fifth Casey’s 410 Sprint Cars presented by Big Frig win of the season after Shaun Taylor garnered the Nordstrom’s Automotive Late Model Street Stocks victory and Dusty Ballenger captured the Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series feature.
The Casey’s 410 Sprint Cars presented by Big Frig main event featured three different leaders during the 25-lap race. Tyler Drueke led the first 10 laps before McCarl took the top spot with a slide job in turn four.
McCarl led the ensuing seven laps before Mark Dobmeier used a slide job in turns three and four to power into the top spot. Dobmeier navigated traffic with McCarl in tow until Lap 24 when McCarl slid Dobmeier entering turn one. Dobmeier’s momentum was halted and McCarl built a 0.989 second advantage as the checkered flag was waved.
“Honestly, I got a little too complacent there in traffic,” McCarl said. “I didn’t want to pull the trigger too soon. I feel I lost something last week overdriving and cost myself a win. We started to get into some heavy traffic and I seen four (laps) to go. I waited for him to get into some traffic and got him the same way he got me. Patience paid off.”
Dobmeier posted a season-best outing at Huset’s Speedway with a second-place result.
“We made a few changes and we definitely got things rocking and rolling,” he said. “I think I got too complacent with the lapped cars. I should have been up on the wheel a little bit harder. He did a great slide job and I had to check up pretty hard.”
Carson McCarl advanced two positions for a third-place showing.
“That traffic was nuts,” he said. “I saw Mark pass Austin for the lead and I was gaining on him. There were about three or four lapped cars and I couldn’t get around them. I kept telling myself if I can’t get by then nobody else can behind me. I’m glad it was a great race and a McCarl came out on top.”
Drueke finished fourth with points leader Justin Henderson ending fifth.
Carson McCarl set quick time during qualifying before Jody Rosenboom, Henderson and Drueke won the heat races.
Taylor’s first win of the season at Huset’s Speedway came at the right time as his Nordstrom’s Automotive Late Model Street Stocks triumph came with a $500 bonus courtesy of Nordstrom’s Automotive.
“I love Huset’s Speedway,” he said. “I’m glad to be back in Victory Lane.”
Ron Howe paced the field for the first four laps before Taylor passed him for the lead. While Taylor led the final 16 laps, Matt Steuerwald stayed within striking distance for the second half of the race after moving into second place on Lap 8. Taylor hit his marks lap after lap to win by 0.278 seconds.
Zach Olivier finished third with Brandon Ferguson advancing from 14 th to fourth and Brylee Gough from 15thto fifth.
Craig Hanisch and Billy Prouty each won a heat race.
Ballenger became the ninth different Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series feature winner in 10 races this season to add to his lead in the championship standings.
Following a red flag on the opening lap for a multiple-car crash in turn two, Tim Rustad led the first 15 laps of the 20-lap feature before Ballenger used the bottom in turns one and two to power into the top spot. He then pulled away to win by 2.339 seconds.
“It’s just great to finally get a win,” he said. “It was a really good race track tonight.”
Rustad held on for a career-best runner-up result with Shane Fick rounding out the podium. Aaron Werner placed fourth and Lee Goos Jr. was the fifth-place finisher.
Werner, Micah Slendy and Goos Jr. were the heat race winners.