Daniels takes IMCA Stock Car thriller at Stuart

Josh Daniels was the winner of an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car thriller Wednesday at Stuart Speedway. (Photo by Jim Zimmerline)

By Josh Reynolds

STUART, Iowa (June 19) – Josh Daniels was the winner of an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car thriller Wednes­day at Stuart Speedway.

Jeremy Gettler led lap one with Chris Pruitt swinging past to take the top spot on lap two, just before the caution came out. When the cars roared back to life it was Pruitt leading Gettler and Todd VanEaton through lap five. 

VanEaton moved to second on lap six, but at the halfway point Daniels snuck into the runner-up position. Lap 16 saw another yellow and this made for an exciting finish.

Pruitt led lap 17 but as he pushed up a bit coming out of turn four, Daniels pounced and moved to the in­side. After some contact in turn one, Daniels got position out front with the top four under a blanket as they came down the backstretch on the last lap.

Daniels took the hard-fought win with Pruitt second, Gettler by a bumper in third, Brandon Pruitt fourth and VanEaton fifth in an absolute barn burner.

Josh Gilman dominated in taking another IMCA Modified victory. Brandon Cox paced the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Brayton Carter collected the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod checkers. Mitchell Bunch was best in the Mach-1 Sport Compact main.

Ramsey Meyer won the make-up event for Sport Compacts.