WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Defending Wall Stadium Speedway Modified driving champion Andrew Krause fought off many challengers before taking the scheduled opening night 40-lap feature race win. It was his 13th modified victory.
Wall racer Jack Ely jumped to the lead on the initial restart before the first of many cautions slowed the test. Krause was the winner of the front stretch drag race on the restart and then fought off Ely’s advances through the first ten circuits. When Ely dropped from the race with mechanical failure, Eddie McCarthy took up the chase and slipped into the lead just past the halfway point.
When McCarthy’s mount failed to launch on a lap 23 restart Krause rocketed back into the top spot as a front stretch jam up slowed the action. Krause was then forced to hold off Tommy Martino Jr. before Steven Reed advanced to second on lap 27. Reed then shadowed Krause until lap 35 when a rain shower hit the area forcing officials to call the event official. Reed, McCarthy, Chris Andretta and Marc Rogers on wrapped up the top five.
“That was a tough race,” Krause said in the wet winner’s circle. “Although I got out front early, all of those cautions kept me busy from start to finish. There are a lot of fast cars here.”
Like Krause, Jake Nelke was forced to fight off several restart challenges to win the Sportsman stock car opening night 25-lapper. After Carsten DiGiantomasso was Nelke’s early rival, three-time division champ Kevin Davison provided the pressure the rest of the way. DiGiantomasso, Neil Rutt III and Rob Anderton were third through fifth. This race featured a major frontstretch crash but, fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Bryan O’Shea jumped to the lead early and raced on to the Factory Stock 25-lap feature win. Two-time and defending champ Elliot Wohl took advantage of a long green flag period to chip his way to the front and finish second. Early challenger Nick Catone was third, while Joe Mongeau and Brian DeSarno were fourth and fifth.
Luke LeBrun made his first ever Wall Stadium Speedway appearance memorable by winning the 25-lapper for the Legend Cars. Mason Magee chased LeBrun to the finish, with Mike Alcaro, Rob Silver and Joe McGrath wrapping up the top five.
The 25-lapper for the Fast 4 division was postponed by the rain shower.