BRANDON, S.D. – Justin Henderson became the first repeat winner at Huset’s Speedway this season as he captured the Casey’s 410 Sprint Cars presented by Big Frig feature victory on Sunday evening during GROWMARK Lubricants Night.
Additionally, Zach Olivier scored his first Nordstrom’s Automotive Late Model Street Stocks win of the season and Lee Goos Jr. earned his first triumph at Huset’s Speedway in nearly 17 years during the Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series main event.
Henderson duplicated his dominating performance a week ago by quickly powering into the lead to open Sunday’s 25-lap A Main. Henderson, who started third, used the bottom groove in turns one and two to rocket into the lead down the backstretch. He slid up the track in turns three and four and mostly stuck to the outside lane for the remainder of the race.
The only caution occurred on lap 10 when fifth-running Carson McCarl stopped in turn two. That bunched the field together, but Henderson used a strong restart to give himself a comfortable advantage until five laps later when second-place finisher Brooke Tatnell closed within two tenths of a second.
Tatnell found rubber in a lower lane in turns three and four, nearly pulling even with Henderson in turn four. Henderson held onto the top spot and adjusted his line on the ensuing lap. He held on for the victory by .754 of a second.
“Brooke and I have always been really good friends,” Henderson said. “That’s what a buddy does; shows you how to win. “(On the start) I knew if you didn’t hold it real tight off (turn) two it’d be hard to have grip off the backstretch and do anything in (turns) three and four. I’m so glad they put the banking back in this place.”
Chris Martin placed third with Dusty Zomer fourth and Matt Juhl fifth. Henderson set quick time during qualifying to kick off the competition before Riley Goodno and Martin each won a heat race.
Olivier became the third different Nordstrom’s Automotive Late Model Street Stocks winner in as many races this season after starting fourth. Jim Pruett, who finished second, led the first four laps before Olivier hustled from third to the lead on lap five. He built an advantage of more than four seconds before a caution with four laps remaining bunched the field together.
It was to no avail, though, as Olivier pulled away to win by 1.854 seconds.
“This one means a lot,” he said. “We’ve wanted to do this for a long time.”
Colby Klaassen was the third-place finisher with Billy Prouty fourth and Matt Steuerwald fifth.
J.J. Zebell and Olivier were the heat race winners.
Goos put on a show in the Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series A Main after lining up on the inside of the fifth row. Goos hustled the high side throughout the feature and capitalized on a late-race caution to lead the final four laps. It marked his first win at Huset’s Speedway since July 11, 2004.
“It’s been 17 years since I’ve won out here,” he said. “I’m a little older now. I think I just get a little more tired.”
John Lambertz, who led lap 15 and lap 16, was the runner up. Brandon Bosma rounded out the podium. Jacob Hughes, who led lap five through lap 14, ended fourth and Shane Fick placed fifth. Seventh-place finisher Taylor Ryan led the first four laps of the race.
Hughes, Brant O’Banion and Chris Thram each picked up a heat race victory.