Pruitt and Britton Go Back to Back to Open Season

            Stuart, IA (April 24) – On a brisk Easter Sunday the cars roared to life as week two of the 2011 season at Stuart Speedway got underway. Brandon Pruitt and Jim Britton picked up their second wins while Kenny Hansen, Jerry Hinton, Josh Gilman and Jordan Peters got win number one for the young season.

            IMCA Stock Cars were first up with Dave Gettler and Jeff Anderson leading 17 cars to the green flag. Anderson took immediate control of the race, leading the first six laps until 14th starting Kenny Hansen snuck by to take the lead. After a lap 16 caution bunched the field up Hansen jumped out to a decent lead and never looked back, picking up the win ahead of Anderson, Marcus Fagan, 15th starting Brian Blessington, and Bryan Snell. Mike Nichols, Anderson and Jeremy Gettler snagged the heat race wins.

            Jerry Hinton and Jared Hansen led 18 IMCA Northern Sportmods to green with Hinton getting the jump to the lead. Through three cautions the duo would stay 1-2 with Hinton pulling away for a lap or two and Hansen reeling him back in. That all changed on lap 12 when Nick Roberts and Mike Pruitt passed Hansen and set their sights on Hinton. As the leaders took the white flag, Pruitt spun out and collected Hansen while Roberts snaked through. Meanwhile Hinton was hammer down to the checkered flag to pick up his first ever win in the Sportmod class.  Roberts, Josh Modde, Kody Havens and Jeff TenGyck rounded out the top five. Hinton, Hansen and Steve Reetz were the heat race winners and Reetz also picked up the trophy dash win.

            Next up would be 11 IMCA Modifieds being led to the green flag by Scott Bash and Tony Hilgenberg. Neither, however, would lead lap 1 as that was taken over by Josh Most. Most looked to check out quick, but a cut tire on lap 3 brought Most to a halt in turn 1. Stopping to bring out a yellow for a flat tire cost Most the rest of his night as he was sent to the pits. Inheriting the lead was Josh Gilman and he would not look back, leading the last 17 laps en route to picking up the feature win. Gilman was followed by Randy Havlik, Alison Quick, Kent Croskey and Bash. Rex Parkison and Most were the heat winners.

            Changing up the order a bit 6 IMCA Sport Compacts were next with the Peters brothers, Jacob and Jordan, bringing the field to green. Jordan led the first two laps when Caine Mahlberg drove by to take over the top spot. Mahlberg led Peters until they came out of turn 2 on the last lap. At that point, contact between the two gave the lead and the win to Peters. Mahlberg, David Archibald, Blake Barrett and Jacob Peters filled out the top five and Mahlberg was the heat race winner.

            17 hungry IMCA Hobby Stocks rolled out with Shannon Anderson and Nyle Godwin on the front row. Anderson looked to check out, leading the first eight laps with Rob Allison in tow. Allison steadily gained ground and snuck by to take the lead on lap 9. As the leaders came out of turn 2, Godwin ran under Allison and Anderson to make a 3-wide fight for the lead. All three tried to squeeze under the lap car of Gina Gruebel and there just wasn’t enough room. Gruebel was turned sideways and all three leaders were slowed in the process. This allowed 4th running Brandon Pruitt to cruise by on the top side and take the lead. Pruitt never looked back in picking up the win over Cory Adams, Curt Ganoe, Austin Luellen and Eric Stanton. Anderson and Godwin were the heat race winners.

            6 Cylinder FWD’s were last up with Jim Britton and Terry Ramick Jr. bringing the field to life. Britton would go on to lead all 8 laps to get the win ahead of Ramick Jr., Joshua Chaney, Christina Powell and David Sciranko. Britton made it a perfect night with a heat race win as well.

We’d like to thank all who came out to support the track and enjoy some dirt-slinging action. Please join us next week for Town & Country Insurance/First State Bank Night at the Races! 

Story by Josh Reynolds

Hobby Stocks - Feature