James McFadden cashed $21,000 for winning the Front Row Challenge in Oskaloosa Monday (Paul Arch Photo) (Video Highlights from FloRacing.com)
Tyler Drueke Wins IMCA Racesaver Feature
by Bill Wright
Oskaloosa, IA, Monday, August 7, 2023 – Australian World Series Champion, James McFadden, added to his resume Monday, when he dominated the $21,000 Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. The Alice Springs, Northern Territory native’s win came aboard the Roth Motorsports #83, and was his first in Osky.
McFadden earned the pole position in a traditional way, by winning the foot race pitting the top eight drivers in a feat of speed. He made good use of it, getting the jump in the 30-lapper on fellow front row starter, Carson Macedo, Brent Marks, Kyle Larson and Austin McCarl. Larson, who had won this event two straight years coming in, and had flown from a top five finish in the NASCAR race in Michigan, stopped on lap two, bringing the caustion.
McFadden took off on the restart, pulling away quickly from the field and entering lapped traffic by lap 11. Fourth running McCarl, lost something on the car on lap 14 and slowed. Fifth running Scott Bogucki could not avoid him and flipped hard in turn two. He was uninjured.
McFadden led Macedo, Marks, Corey Day and Blake Hahn back to green. Marks performed a wheelie when the green fell, allowing Day by into third. The top five hadn’t changed when Parker Price-Miller stopped and exited on lap 16.
The leader was undeterred, though a large lead was surrendered with each caution. McFadden built over a two second lead with ten to go, entered traffic with seven to go, and piled on his margin to the checkers. Macedo held onto second, ahead of Day, Marks and Hahn. Justin Sanders, Anthony Macri, hard-charger Cole Macedo, Brock Zearfoss and Spencer Bayston rounded out the top ten.
A pair of hard crashes destroyed cars, but did not result in injury. Riley Goodno touched a wheel and flipped hard down the frontstretch. That collected both Ryan Timms and Buddy Kofoid. Rusty Hickman crashed hard in the B main as well. Carson Macedo set quick time over the 39-car field for the second year in a row, while Brock Zearfoss, Zeb Wise, Kasey Kahne and McFadden won heats. Sawyer Phillips claimed the B.
Tyler Drueke was dominant in the IMCA Racesavers Support Class earning $1,000 for his win in the 15-lapper. The defending winner of the event, Adam Gullion led the first lap, but it was all Drueke from there, as the Eagle, Nebraska driver paced the last 14 laps.
Gullion was second, ahead of Ryan Kitchen, Kayla Martin and Lee Goos Jr. Mike Houseman Jr., Ryan Navritil, Gage Montgomery, Dusty Ballenger and Mike Moore completed the top ten. Dusty Ballenger and Lee Goos Jr. won the heats.
28th Annual Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge Results and Contingencies
Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge Main Event (started), 30 laps: 1. 83, James McFadden, Alice Springs, NT, Aust. (1) 2. 41, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (2) 3. 14, Corey Day, Clovis, CA (10) 4. 19, Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA (4) 5. 52, Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK (3) 6. 39m, Justin Sanders, Aromas, CA (8) 7. 7BC, Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA (12) 8. 21T, Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA (24) 9. 3z, Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA (14) 10. 5, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (18) 11. 26, Zeb Wise, Angola, IN (11) 12. 9, Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA (9) 13. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (19) 14. 95, Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK (20) 15. 25, Lachlan McHugh, Gold Coast, QLD, Aust. (13) 16. 35, Austin Bishop, Elverson, PA (17) 17. 9P, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (15) 18. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (5) 19. 10, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (7) 20. 27B, Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO (16) 21. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (21) 22. 57, Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA (6) 23. 17, Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (23) 24. 20, Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN (22). Lap Leader: Macedo 1-30. KSE Steering Pump/ $1000 Jack Housby Hard-charger: Cole Macedo. DeBerg Concrete/Snap-On Mechanic of the Race (3/8 Lithium Impact Set): Brent Ventura. $500 Rob-See Co/Jeff Rens BC Bonus: Parker Price-Miller. Knoxville Raceway Hoosier Right Rears: Tasker Phillips, Lachlan McHugh, Austin McCarl. Set of Four Sander Racing Wheels: Matt Covington.
Seafoam Motor Treatment $500 Quick Time: Carson Macedo, 15.339 seconds.
Heat Race Winners: Smith Titanium Rotor, $250 Certificate to HRP, Armor Seat Belt from Ultra Shield, Front Wing from Elite Wings, Hydration IV from Skin Fusion FX During Knoxville Nationals, $100 from Dingus
Oskaloosa True Value Heat one (started), 8 laps: 1. Brock Zearfoss (1) 2. Anthony Macri (2) 3. Carson Macedo (6) 4. Justin Sanders (4) 5. 71, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK (8) 6. Cole Macedo (7) 7. 16A, Colby Copeland, Roseville, CA (9) 8. 2KS, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (10) 9. Lachlan McHugh (5) 10. Sawyer Phillips (3)
Smith Titanium Heat two (started), 8 laps: 1. Zeb Wise (2) 2. Blake Hahn (4) 3. Matt Covington (1) 4. Parker Price-Miller (3) 5. Sheldon Haudenschild (7) 6. Austin McCarl (6) 7. Corey Day (5) 8. 12x, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (9) 9. 50YR, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA (8) 10. Frank Rodgers III, Lucas, IA (10)
Taso’s Steak House Heat three (started), 8 laps: 1. Kasey Kahne (3) 2. Spencer Bayston (1) 3. Kyle Larson (6) 4. Tasker Phillips (2) 5. Brent Marks (5) 6. Austin Bishop (4) 7. 17AU, Jamie Veal, Warrnambool, VIC, Aust. (7) 8. 101, Cody Maroske, Gold Coast, QLD, Aust. (8) 9. G5, Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, MN (9) DNS – 6R, Ryan Bunton, Lincoln, IL
Sander Wheels Heat four (started), 8 laps: 1. James McFadden (5) 2. Jake Bubak (2) 3. Scott Bogucki (6) 4. Justin Peck (7) 5. 45AU, Rusty Hickman, Bendigo, VIC, Aust. (8) 6. 22w, Aaron Werner, Colman, SD (9) 7. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (1) 8. 83JR, Buddy Kofoid, Penngrove, CA (3) 9. 5T, Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK (4)
Priority Aviation Foot Race ($1500 to Win, $100 to Start): Prelim One: 1. Carson Macedo 2. Brent Marks / 3. Austin McCarl 4. Scott Bogucki Prelim two: 1. Blake Hahn 2. James McFadden / 3. Kyle Larson 4. Justin Sanders Finals: 1. James McFadden 2. Carson Macedo 3. Blake Hahn 4. Brent Marks
B main (started), 12 laps: 1. Sawyer Phillips (2) 2. Justin Peck (3) 3. Sheldon Haudenschild (4) 4. Cole Macedo (5) / 5. Jamie Veal (8) 6. Colby Copeland (9) 7. JJ Hickle (12) 8. Ayrton Gennetten (13) 9. Riley Goodno (15) 10. Shane Stewart (6) 11. Ryan Timms (1) 12. Cody Maroske (11) 13. Gage Pulkrabek (13) 14. Aaron Werner (10) 15. Rusty Hickman (7) DNS – Buddy Kofoid, Chase Randall, Frank Rodgers III, Ryan Bunton
$1000 Hoseheads Hard Luck Award:
$200 for Highest Finishing Ultra Shiled Customer
Complete Brake System from Wilwood Brakes
Two Sets of Schoenfeld Headers
Four Pro Shocks
Seafoam Motor Treatment IMCA Racesavers
A main (started), 15 laps: 1. 12, Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE (4) 2. 91, Adam Gullion, Lincoln, NE (2) 3. 21, Ryan Kitchen, Lincoln, NE (6) 4. 11m, Kayla Martin, Brownsburg, IN (1) 5. 17, Lee Goos Jr., Hartford, SD (9) 6. 4L, Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA (8) 7. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (5) 8. 79, Gage Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO (12) 9. 2D, Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, SD (7) 10. 69, Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA (13) 11. 19, Nate Eakin, Okoboji, IA (3) 12. 80P, Jacob Peterson, Hartford, SD (15) 13. 15, Jack Potter, Lee’s Summit, MO (10) 14. 6B, Bayley Ballenger, Harrisburg, SD (14) 15. 11F, Austin Fox, Spencer, IA (11) 16. 122, Lane Warner, Bloomfield, MO (20) 17. 81, Jared Jansen, Parker, SD (18) 18. 9, Abigayle Lett, Odessa, MO (19) 19. 30, Matt Johnson, St. Peter, MN (18) 20. 28, Madison Miller, Vail, IA (17) DNS – 14J, Josh Riggins, Lincoln, NE. Lap Leaders: Gullion 1, Drueke 2-15. Armor Seat Belts from Ultra Shield Hard-charger: Goos Jr.
True Value of Oskaloosa Heat one (started), 6 laps: 1. Dusty Ballenger (1) 2. Tyler Drueke (6) 3. Jack Potter (3) 4. Nate Eakin (8) 5. Ryan Navratil (4) 6. Austin Fox (2) 7. Mike Moore (9) 8. Jacob Peterson (5) 9. Madison Miller (7) 10. Abigayle Lett (11) 11. Lane Warner (10)
Taso’s of Oskaloosa Heat two (started), 6 laps: 1. Lee Goos Jr. (2) 2. Kayla Martin (1) 3. Mike Houseman Jr. (3) 4. Adam Gullion (4) 5. Ryan Kitchen (5) 6. Gage Montgomery (7) 7. Bayley Ballenger (8) 8. Josh Riggins (10) 9. Matt Johnson (9) 10. Jared Jansen (6)
Photo: James McFadden cashed $21,000 for winning the Front Row Challenge in Oskaloosa Monday (Paul Arch Photo)