National champ Nelson claims USRA main at Eagle River

Defending USRA Late Model national champion Cade Nelson stormed past Jim Falls’ Jason McFadden into the lead on Lap 12 and went on to capture the USRA late model feature at Eagle River Speedway Tuesday, July 8.

The victory was the third of the season at the third-mile, clay oval for the Hermantown, Minnesota racer.

McFadden outraced polesitter Dave Bennett into the lead at the drop of the green of the 20-lap contest. McFadden kept his racer on the high line, while Nelson and Bennett engaged in a spirited battle for the runner-up spot for several circuits.

A lap nine caution tightened the field. Nelson hugged the lower groove, squeezing past McFadden for the lead with eight laps remaining. The second-generation driver cruised to victory. McFadden settled for second place money. Bennett, Lucas Peterson and Travis Friske placed third through fifth, respectively.

Hometown driver Dustin White grabbed the lead on a mid-race restart and cruised to victory in the B-Modified feature.

After an aborted attempt at starting the contest, Dustin Kangas sprinted into the lead at the drop of the green. Kangas received pressure early on from Charlie Hoffman. Hoffman wrestled the lead away from Kangas on the fourth lap. Meanwhile White, who started fifth on the grid, methodically worked his way up to third by lap seven and into the runner-up spot by lap nine.

A yellow tightened the field, and on the restart White made his move, taking the lead. It was an advantage he wouldn’t surrender the balance of the contest. Greenville’s Shane Bahr placed second in his very first visit to Eagle River Speedway. Antigo’s Zack McKinnon, Hoffman and Kangas rounded out the top five finishers.

Pulaski’s Rod Snellenberger earned his 233rd career IMCA Stock Car feature. The veteran racer whisked past hometown driver Jonathan Miller on a mid-race restart for the lead and held on for the win.

The “Mayor of Sugar Camp” Jason Eisel led every lap and dodged several caution periods to win the Street Stock feature.

Hometown driver Cole Bennett ducked underneath Crandon’s Cody Bauknecht for the lead on the final circuit and went on to win the Pure Stock feature.

Stacy, Minnesota’s Tyler Pelofske passed Rhinelander’s Blake Joslin for the lead with three laps remaining to win the caution-free, 600 Micro Sprint feature.

The 300 Micro Sprint feature wins went to Ontonagon, Michigan’s Addison Dishaw (Pro) and Tomahawk’s Blake Wilke (Semi-Pro). Both drivers scored clean sweeps on the night, and both feature events went caution free.

The next race at the third-mile, clay oval will be Tuesday, July 15. The first green flag drops at 7 p.m.