Larson Rules Front Row Challenge

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Kyle Larson won his second Front Row Challenge title with a thrilling drive on Monday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway.

The victory, aboard Paul Silva’s No. 57, was worth $21,000 for the Elk Grove, Calif., native.

A win in the Keith Hutton Memorial DeBerg Concrete King of the Hill Match Race set Brian Brown up on the pole of the 30-lap main event. Brown led Daryn Pittman, Kasey Kahne, Larson and Carson Macedo in the early going.

The leaders entered lapped traffic on the seventh circuit and Larson worked his way under Kahne for the second spot on lap 10. Kahne battled back and briefly took the spot back on lap 13, but Larson pulled away and then stayed close as a blanket could be thrown over the lead trio of Brown, Pittman and Larson in traffic.

On lap 15, Larson shot around Pittman in turn two to take second and then rode the cushion around Brown to take the lead. Kahne shot by Pittman on lap 16 for third. A caution flag waved 18 laps in when Cale Thomas came to a stop.

Larson Vl 2 — Kyle Larson (Frank Smith photo)

On the restart, Larson kept his lead while back in the pack, Macedo gained fourth. Anthony Macri joined the top five with eight laps to go, and two circuits later, the final caution flew for a stopped Riley Goodno.

Brown went for broke on the restart and put a slide job on Larson. He gained the lead in turn one, but Larson regained it with his momentum down the backstretch. He pulled away to another popular win (his first FRC title was in 2018).

Brown, Macedo, Macri and Kahne followed.

Gio Scelzi set quick time, while Zearfoss, Tim Kaeding and John Carney II won heat races.
Colin Smith won the 15-lap Badger Steel IMCA Racesaver feature.

The finish:

Feature (30 laps): 1. 57, Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA (4) 2. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (1) 3. 41, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (6) 4. 39M, Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA (8) 5. 83, Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA (2) 6. 39, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (3) 7. 71, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK (7) 8. 18, Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA (5) 9. 3z, Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA (15) 10. 17w, Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA (10) 11. 11TK, Tim Kaeding, Campbell, CA (16) 12. 19, Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA (12) 13. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (14) 14. 7, John Carney II, El Paso, OK (11) 15. N47, Marcus Dumesny, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (19) 16. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (23) 17. 11, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (9) 18. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (22) 19. 70, Sammy Swindell, Lakeland, TN (20) 20. 101, Cale Thomas, Fairland, IN (17) 21. 25, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (13) 22. 07, Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can. (18) 23. 53, Jessie Attard, Landilo, NSW, Aust. (24) 24. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD