Kyle Larson sailed around early leader Cory Eliason on lap thirteen and then pulled away for his sixth straight victory with the Ollie's Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions on Friday night at 34 Raceway west of Burlington. With the win Larson not only collected the $5,000 prize from the night's purse, but he also earned another $1,000 from Kevin Rudeen, the car owner of the runner-up who offered the extra money as a "bounty" for any driver who could beat Larson.
And, since nobody did, that extra cash would go to "Yung Money".
Eliason and Austin McCarl would bring the field to green for the thirty-lap headliner with Eliason snagging the point while the fourth starting Larson settled in behind McCarl. The race was red flagged on lap three when Trey Starks got upside down after smacking the concrete in turn three and once back to green three more laps were clicked off before the caution waved for an ABS incident involving Zeb Wise.
Wise had slowed at the back of the field and, as All Stars announcer Blake Anderson described it, had "all but stopped" on the high side of turn three before getting back on the throttle. The caution had been called though and on this restart Larson would drive around the outside of McCarl in turn two to take over second. Lrason would then reel in Eliason and when he tried that same high line on lap eleven, Eliason drifted up the track in turn two causing Larson to stab the brakes in order to prevent contact.
Once he had his momentum built back up Larson again went to the cushion in turn two and this time he would clear Eliason to take the lead much to the delight of the good sized crowd on hand. Eliason came back at the leader on the following lap, pulling even with Larson in turn one only to have Kyle shrug it off and then drive away for the convincing win. Eliason was a straightaway back at the checkers in second, Tucker Klaasmeyer had one of his best nights yet with a wing on top passing McCarl in the final ten laps to finish third and Gio Scelzi would complete the top five. Just behind him, hometown favorite Josh Schneiderman closed out an impressive run finishing in sixth.
The weekly 305 division would close out the night for twenty laps with Dave Getchell taking the point after a slow paced, ragged start. Following an early caution it would be the Haulin' Hemp Farmer Andy Huston taking the lead on lap three while the driver on the move was Cody Wehrle who had come from ninth up to second on lap five. The caution waved two laps later when Damian Getchell spun in turn four and on the restart you had an interesting scenario where Wehrle, who drives the Grant Motorsports #27 in the 305 class, was now restarting right behind Huston who is his championship winning car owner (2018 Sprint Invaders) in the 360 division.
Wehrle showed no mercy though as he drove around Huston for the lead on lap twelve and, following one more caution when Daniel Bergquist got into the wall on lap fifteen, Wehrle would drive away for his fourth win of the season at 34 Raceway. Huston was a strong second followed Dan Keltner who charged from eleventh to third. Early contender Jeff Wilke finished fourth and Nathan Murders was fifth.
Next up at 34 Raceway will be the annual High Five for Kids night on Saturday August 8th while the All Stars go to the Knoxville Raceway on Saturday night, then on to Brandon, South Dakota, for the grand reopening of the Husets Speedway this Sunday.
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