5/29/2023
Stuart Speedway
Whole Hog Hat Trick for Dallon Murty
The finale of the 3rd annual Whole Hog 50 sponsored by VanEaton Pork ran Monday at Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway. Winners for the night were Kolby Sabin, Dallon Murty, Ben Kraus, Calvin Dhondt and Mitchell Morris.
IMCA Sport Compacts kicked off the features and it was Anthony Clark leading through lap 5. Kolby Sabin found a quicker line to take over the next time around and he would cruise to the win. Clark finished second with Elijah Hoyt third, Terry Bickford fourth and Zander Steiner fifth.
The next race would be the IMCA Stock Cars and the 3rd running of the Whole Hog 50. A 3-wide start and 32 hungry racers set the stage for an exciting 50 lap race, and as they took the green flag everyone in attendance was on their toes! Michael Jaennette took charge early on with Austin Bouzek and Chanse Hollatz in close formation behind. Jaennette kept the lead until a yellow flew on lap 7, bringing Nick Roberts up to row 2 for the double file restart. Roberts stayed patient in 2nd until lap 12 and was able to pounce on Jaennette to grab the lead. The next few laps saw 3, 4, and even 5 wide racing behind the leader, and the beneficiary of it all was 9th starting Dallon Murty as he worked his way to 2nd place on lap 20. 4 laps later Murty muscled his way into the lead and it was Roberts and Hollatz trying to stay in touch with the Game Changer.
Lap 30 saw the 2nd caution of the race, giving the field a chance to catch their breath. Murty would stay strong out front with Hollatz, Roberts and Jaennette giving chase. Damon Murty entered the top 4 on lap 33, but it was Dallon still out front and starting to put some distance on the field. That distance closed to a bumper with the last yellow flag of the race coming out on lap 43. Once the green flag flew it would be Dallon Murty with a clean track in front of him as he was able to close the deal on his 3rd consecutive Whole Hog 50 win and the $5000 payday that came along with it! Elijah Zevenbergen nipped Roberts at the line by .005 seconds as they finished 2-3 with Damon Murty and Hollatz rounding out the top 5. On top of the prize money and the amazing trophy that came with it, the win guarantees Murty a starting spot in the All-Star event at the IMCA Supernationals this September. Congratulations Dallon!
Next up it was Bobby Ruehlow leading the first 6 circuits for the Outlaw Mini Mods until a caution came out. Ruehlow and Kaden Rice traded the lead over the next 4 laps when a 2nd yellow flew. This was exactly what 15th starting Ben Kraus needed as he rocketed into the lead on the restart and drove away to the win. Rice finished second with Ruehlow third, Chase Daniels fourth and Jordan Williamson fifth.
IMCA Hobby Stocks were up next with Andrew Burg leading Skylar Pruitt and Tristan Grape in the early running. Calvin Dhondt went from 4th to 1st on lap 6 and held the lead until a yellow on lap 9. Once the green flew Dhondt stayed out front but the winner from Sunday night, Grape, was lurking in the shadows. Grape would nose ahead on lap 13 and looked to go on to his 2nd win in as many nights, but one last caution on lap 16 gave the field a chance. Grape led lap 17, but Dhondt powered by on the bottom to reclaim the lead and go on to the win. Grape finished second with Adam Hensel third, Riley Christensen fourth and Solomon Bennett fifth.
Last up was the IMCA Northern SportMods with Cam Reimers and Mitchell Morris on the front row. Reimers led early and often through a couple of cautions over Morris and 12th starting Brayton Carter. As the race wound down it looked like Reimers had it in hand on the top side of the track, but Morris quickly made up ground on the bottom and took the lead on lap 16. Reimers and Carter duked it out for 2nd but it was Morris right around the tires driving off to the win, his first at the track. Carter got by Reimers at the line for second with Chris Burke and Carter Vandenberg rounding out the top 5.
We would like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our fourth event of the year. Our next race will be on June 4, and this should be one for the ages. For the first time in anyone’s memory we will see the Malvern Bank 360 Sprint Cars fly around the bullring! They’ll be joined by IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks. See you then!
Photo Credit: Motorsports Photography
Article Credit: Josh Reynolds
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