Back to basics, Barrow is best in RaceSaver Nationals qualifier

Feature, News

Ethan Barrow wheeled his way to the qualifying feature checkers during the Saturday IMCA RaceSaver Nationals show at Eagle Raceway. (Photo by Joe Orth)
Ethan Barrow wheeled his way to the qualifying feature checkers during the Saturday IMCA RaceSaver Nationals show at Eagle Raceway. (Photo by Joe Orth)

By Greg Soukup

EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 31, 2023) – A typical late summer day greeted the fans that streamed through the front gates of Eagle Raceway Saturday for the Saturday portion of the 2024 IMCA Racesaver Nationals.

All but the nine teams who qualified for Sunday’s Big Dance the night before strapped back in to compete for the coveted first nine spots in the outside row for the “A” Main on Sunday. With 97 racers battling you can bet that the action was hot and heavy.

Ethan Barrow used his pole position spot to grab the lead on lap one with Cole Vanderheiden, John Carney II and Jake Bubak rounding out the top four. Dan Nekolite spun coming out of turn four on lap two and collected Tyler Drueke, who made the long walk back to his pit as his car was towed back to his trailer. Nekolite’s racer was likewise hooked up and taken to his pit.

Clint Benson passed Bubak on lap four to put the no. 100 into the fourth spot. Benson passed Carney with eight to go to move up to second as Vanderheiden fell back to fifth when Carney and Bubak both passed him.

Carney got back around Benson with just five to go for second. Three to go saw Bubak also pass Benson to snag second.

Barrow had led every single circuit of the 25-lap race to take the top spot with Carney, Bubak and Benson rounding out the top four. The rest of the top nine making Sunday’s main event were Vanderheiden, Mike Boston, Claud Estes, Chad Koch and Dusty Ballenger.

“It was a really good run for us. We struggled a little bit last night but we just went back to work today and got back to the basic setup that we ran here the last several years,” Barrow said. “The top was more typical Eagle tonight compared to what we’re used to.”

“The race car was really good tonight,” he added. “Top, bottom, it really didn’t matter where I went. I hit lapped traffic and I could go wherever I wanted to. We just took off and never looked back.”

Jake Bubak then used the high line to pass Drueke with just three circuits remaining to take over the lead and the $1,000 win in the BlueMax Pay Race of Champions.

“That was tough, trying to run down Drueke. We battled pretty hard there for a few laps towards the end, but it was a fun race,” Bubak said. “I really don’t know how good we were. They scrambled to get a car back together and who knows how bent up it really was. They were really fast for what they did! They did a great job of getting back out there.”

Matt Andrews was the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod winner.

RaceSaver Nationals is broadcast by IMCA.TV.

RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Car feature results – 1. Ethan Barrow, Bloomington, Ind.; 2. John Carney, Amarillo, Texas; 3. Jake Bubak, Lincoln; 4. Clint Benson, Papillion; 5. Cole Vanderheiden, Papillion; 6. Mike Boston, Lincoln; 7. Claud Estes, Godley, Texas; 8. Chad Koch, Murdock; 9. Dusty Ballenger Harrisburg, Sd. 10. Carson Bolden Quinlan, Tx. 11. Kevin Rutherford Flowermound, Tx. 12. Joey Danley, Martell; 13. Michalob Voeltz, Madison, S.D.; 14. Jack Thomas, Bates City, Mo.; 15. Maverick Elkins, Bryan, Texas; 16. Jeremy Huish, Ness City, Kan.; 17. Conner Thomas, Post, Texas; 18. Koby Werkmeister, Armour, S.D.; 19. Chase Weiler, Lincoln; 20. Mike Moore, Des Moines, Iowa; 21. Brandon Horton, Waterloo; 22. Daniel Nekolite, Oneill; 23. Tyler Drueke, Eagle; 24. Brandon Bosma, Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Jake Bubak raced his way to the front with just three laps left and stayed there to the finish in the $1,000 to win BlueMax Pay Race of Champions. (Photo by Joe Orth)

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