Jordan Pruitt wins Saddison Memorial race

WHITTEMORE - Jordan Pruitt led every lap for the win in the Randy Saddison Memorial 62-lap race for the Wieland Contracting Modified class Saturday at Whittemore Speedway.

With a field 21 cars strong, heat winner Pruitt and Ryan Ostrander showed the way to the green flag, with Todd Matheson and John Belott in row two.
Pruitt took the lead, with Matheson and Ostrander following close behind. An early yellow flag for a Frank Evans III spin brought the single-file field to another green flag. Top qualifier Travis Eddy worked hard on Belott for the fourth spot as the front three drove away. Points leader and winner of the pursuit and the heat, Buck Harsen had to work his way up from deep in the field while the leaders got further away.

Robbie Johnson came up to challenge Eddy and Belott for the number four spot. CJ Harsen cut down a tire on Bill Fortier’s race car and the yellow flag again flew, bunching up the pack.

At the halfway point, Pruitt still had the lead with Matheson all over his back bumper. The race for fourth was heating up with Eddy and Johnson trying to get by Belott. Eddy’s patience ran out and he moved Belott out of the way, bringing out yet another yellow flag with 14 laps to go. Eddy tapped out and Belott got his spot back as the racers went green again.

On the restart, Johnson got by Belott for fourth place. Pruitt led every lap for the win with Matheson finishing second and, with five to go, Johnson got by Ostrander for third place.

The racing began Saturday as Joe Coleman and Chuck Charbeneau brought the 15-car Factory Stock field to the green flag for the first feature of the night. Pursuit winner Jimmy Johnson drove to the front as the pack raced two abreast behind him.

Close racing and minor contact was the name of the game with Johnson, Charbeneau and Scott McClellan at the one, two and three spots respectively, and the rest of the racers two and three wide in hot pursuit. Contact in turn three sent points leader Jim Doorman to the pits with a flat, James Farley to the infield and top qualifier John Zawacki to the top of the hill.

At the restart, it was McClellan, Johnson, Mike Avram, Kyle Tremble and heat winner Rick Spencer as the top five. Avram, Johnson and Spencer raced three wide as McClellan drove off with the lead. Avram went to the outside of McClellan and the battle was on. McClellan held off Avram as Spencer, Tremble and Dorman stretched it out single file.

The front three drove out to a small lead over the rest of the field until a brake fire on Tremble’s machine brought out another yellow. McClellan held off all challenges and lead the last five laps for his first feature win, followed by Avram and Spencer. Kevin Strong picked up a heat win.

A total of 17 Mini-Stocks rolled out to follow the Modified class with Gary Koepke and Vito Reno bringing the field to the green flag. After a couple of restarts, the race was on with newcomer Daniel Crawford on the point.

Within two laps, point leader Chris Trinklein came from deep in the pack and brought Mike Muckenthaler and heat winner Kevin Peak with him. Top qualifier Trinklein pulled out a lead, while Peak looked for a way around Muckenthaler. Halfway, the leaders started to lap traffic when Steve Miller and Ken Whipple got together and caused a yellow flag.

At the restart, it was McClellan, Johnson, Mike Avram, Kyle Tremble and heat winner Rick Spencer as the top five. Avram, Johnson and Spencer raced three wide as McClellan drove off with the lead. Avram went to the outside of McClellan and the battle was on. McClellan held off Avram as Spencer, Tremble and Dorman stretched it out single file.

The front three drove out to a small lead over the rest of the field until a brake fire on Tremble’s machine brought out another yellow. McClellan held off all challenges and lead the last five laps for his first feature win, followed by Avram and Spencer. Kevin Strong picked up a heat win.

A total of 17 Mini-Stocks rolled out to follow the Modified class with Gary Koepke and Vito Reno bringing the field to the green flag. After a couple of restarts, the race was on with newcomer Daniel Crawford on the point.

Within two laps, point leader Chris Trinklein came from deep in the pack and brought Mike Muckenthaler and heat winner Kevin Peak with him. Top qualifier Trinklein pulled out a lead, while Peak looked for a way around Muckenthaler. Halfway, the leaders started to lap traffic when Steve Miller and Ken Whipple got together and caused a yellow flag.

Pursuit winner Trinklein retained the lead with Peak, Muckenthaler and Tom Rivers in tow. With two laps to go, the leaders were lapping cars again. Trinklein then spun out and went to the back, giving the lead to Peak, who held off Muckenthaler for the win with Rivers third. Trinklein raced back to a sixth place finish. Dave Moore picked up a heat win.

The Lead Sleds finished the night and it didn’t take long for cars to get into the wall. Every car restarted and Bob Farley made it three wide early as he raced to the lead, getting around Ryan Haas. Farley, Luke Williams and points leader John King drove to the front. Farley stretched it out, while Williams and King slugged it out.

Farley made it look easy as he swept the night, getting fast time, a heat win, a pursuit win and the feature win. Williams was second and J. King was third. Jason Lugibihl picked up a heat win.