Gustin wins, Hibdon impresses in Britt Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights feature

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BRITT, Iowa (July 23) – Richie Gustin equaled an Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour record with his third straight victory Tuesday at Hancock County Speedway.

Kollin Hibdon, meanwhile, turned heads with his runner-up finish in the IMCA Modified headliner at Britt.

Gustin passed travel partner and race-long leader Hibdon on the 26th circuit, then led the last five laps to take the $1,500 checkers ahead of the youngster from Nevada, Jeremy Mills, Kyle Brown and Travis Hatcher. 

Hibdon had started from the pole, Gustin from inside row two.

The front pair were five seconds ahead of their nearest pursuit by lap 10. Gustin used the middle line to take the lead in traffic and pulled away for his tour career-leading 11th win. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, he matched the record of three consecutive victories set last year by Ricky Thornton Jr. 

Hibdon, who turns 16 late next month and got his driver’s permit shortly before coming to Iowa this summer, had mid-pack finishes to show for the first two Dirt Knights events of the season.

“I look at the race results and the guys I raced with, and to be able to finish ahead of them was awesome,” said Hibdon, in his first full season in the division. “It’s been pretty fun. I’ve been able to learn a lot from these guys and get a lot of laps in. It was good experience running in lapped traffic and having to make quick decisions.” 

Hancock County is the only track of the four on the tour schedule this week that he’d raced at previously. 

Hibdon turned the fastest lap of the night the first time around the oval. He was one of four Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region drivers to start the main event. 

Brown was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature winner and Cody Nielsen paced the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Ninth starting Colby Fett was first to the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod checkers. 

The Dirt Knights Tour is at Buena Vista Raceway for the $2,000 to win Al Ritts Memorial race, another Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier, on Wednesday, July 24. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 5 p.m. at Alta with 6:45 p.m. hot laps preceding racing. 

The fourth and final tour event of the week is the $1,500 to win show Thursday, July 25 at Kossuth County Speedway in Algona. 

Both events will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. 

Feature results – 1. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 2. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev.; 3. Jeremy Mills, Garner; 4. Kyle Brown, Madrid; 5. Travis Hatcher, Honey Creek; 6. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 7. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.; 8. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha; 9. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 10. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.; 11. Austin Wolf, Algona; 12. Derrick Stewart, Ainsworth; 13. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz.; 14. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 15. Cody Knecht, Whittemore; 16. J.J. Wise, Garner; 17. Aaron Benson, Clear Lake; 18. D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.; 19. Al Hejna, Clear Lake; 20. Ethan Braaksma, Newton; 21. Alan Bohlman, Cambridge, Minn.; 22. Jesse Sobbing, Malvern; 23. Nick Meyer, Whittemore; 24. Brock Bauman, Eureka, Ill.

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