CHAMPAIGN, IL (July 20, 2018) – After outlasting some opening lap madness at the Champaign County Fairgrounds, Colten Cottle started from the outside pole of tonight’s main event and throttled the cushion for 20 laps en route to his first-career victory with the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Wildcard Sprint League. Residing only one hour away in Kansas, Illinois, the triumph proved that much sweeter as he stole WAR win #1 on his home soil.
Attracting 19 entries for the Friday night showdown at the fairgrounds, the WAR Wildcard bunch divided into three, eight-lap heat races to get the ball rolling. Defending their ground and holding off all challengers, the trio of heat winners all came from the pole position, as Colten Cottle won Hinchman Racewear heat one, Justin Standridge took Bell Racing USA heat two, and Terry Babb triumphed in Schure Built Suspension heat three. The LRB, Inc. #HighPointMan, however, turned out to be Mario Clouser, who rocketed from fifth-to-second and earned 108 passing points.
Drawing the daunting six-invert for the main event, Clouser’s redrew placed Korey Weyant and Terry Babb on the front row of the 25-lapper with Justin Standridge and Colten Cottle in the second row and Zach Daum and Clouser holding down row three.
A handful of cautions and one stoppage ensued as issues continually plagued the beginning of the feature. Several notable incidents included Zach Daum coming to a stop, Landon Simon going for a tumble in turn four, and Korey Weyant spinning in the lead and collecting second-place Terry Babb.
When the first lap was officially completed, it was Colten Cottle who stormed around the outside and charged into the early lead. While Cottle drove away and entered lap traffic with a healthy advantage, all eyes turned to Daum and Simon, who were screaming through the field and hauling to the front after lap one trouble.
Bringing out the caution with five laps remaining, Korey Weyant relinquished his fifth-place position as the left rear shredded off his No. 99 entry. More drama followed on the restart as fourth-place running, Mitch Wissmiller, was unable to fire the No. 1 with no fuel remaining.
Coming to the final restart with five to go, Cottle immediately went back to the cushion and extended his lead as Clouser, Daum, and Simon waged a late-race war for the runner-up spot. Cottle would run unchallenged in the closing laps and take the checkered flag at the Champaign County Fairgrounds to score his first career victory with the WAR Wildcard Sprint League. A thrilled and enthused Cottle crew gave fans a great victory lane showing, as the Kansas, Illinois native took the $2,000 triumph just one hour away from home.
Mario Clouser of Auburn, Illinois held on in the closing laps to maintain his second-place position and parked the Yokohama Tires No. 6 on the front stretch with runner-up honors. Coming home in third, Zach Daum provided a masterful charge from the tail as he came roaring back from lap one issues and scorched his way through the field to claim a third-place finish aboard the Daum Motorsports No. 5D. Another incredible charge followed Daum in the fourth-spot, as Landon Simon rallied from a lap one incident that flipped him upside down and he came running back to a fourth-place result in the Mount Baker Vapor No. 24. Rounding out the top five was Steve Thomas in the fifth spot, who advanced from ninth. Closing out the top ten was Mitch Wissmiller in sixth, Logan Faucon in seventh, Wade Seiler in eighth, Brandon Spencer in ninth, and Parker Fredrickson in tenth.
Up next for the WAR Wildcard Sprint League is a historic doubleheader as the league ventures to Wisconsin for the first time. Racing at Wilmot Raceway on Saturday, August 4th, a trip to the iconic Angell Park Speedway follows on Sunday, August 5th. Both races will be recorded and aired at a later date on MAVTV.
Hinchman Racewear Heat One (8 Laps):
- 5C-Colten Cottle, Kansas, IL (1); 99-Korey Weyant, Springfield, IL (3); 24-Landon Simon, Brownsburg, IN (4); 20-Steve Thomas, Rantoul, IL (6); 73-Willie Tackitt, Tuscola, IL (7); 11-Mark Brucker, Elliott, IL (2); 31-Austin Sears, Macomb, IL (5).
Bell Racing USA Heat Two (8 Laps):
- 8D-Justin Standridge, Springfield, IL (1); 6-Mario Clouser, Auburn, IL (5); 7S-Wade Seiler, Alton, IL (2); N2-Nic Harris, Atlanta, IL (4); 52F-Logan Faucon, Elkhart, IL (3); 34-Parker Fredrickson, Kokomo, IN (6).
Schure Built Suspension Heat Three (8 Laps):
- 88-Terry Babb, Decatur, IL (1); 5D-Zach Daum, Pocahontas, IL (5); 1-Mitch Wissmiller, Saybrook, IL (4); 22-Brandon Spencer, Nashville, IN (3); 1X-Jake Scott, Morgantown, IN (6); 7-Bobby Logan, Rantoul, IL (2).
POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint Car League Main Event (25 Laps):
- 5C-Colten Cottle (4); 2. 6-Mario Clouser (6); 3. 5D-Zach Daum (5); 4. 24-Landon Simon (7); 5. 20-Steve Thomas (9); 6. 1-Mitch Wissmiller (8); 7. 52-Logan Faucon (15); 8. 7S-Wade Seiler (10); 9. 22-Brandon Spencer (13); 10. 34-Parker Fredrickson (16); 11. 99-Korey Weyant (1); 12. 7-Bobby Logan (18); 13. 1X-Jake Scott (14); 14. 8D-Justin Standridge (3); 15. 11-Mark Brucker (17); 16. 2T-Willie Tackitt (11); 17. 31-Austin Sears (19); 18. 88-Terry Babb (2); 19. N2-Nic Harris (12).
Lap Leader(s): Cottle 1-20.
Hard Charger(s): Faucon +8 (15th-to-8th)