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Third Time the Charm for Indiana's Nester in Super Stocks Snowball Derby Title Run

Chuck Corder

Brian Nester is a quick study.

In two previous appearances at the Snowball Derby in his Modified ride, the Indiana driver didn’t qualify well. It cost him both times and he ended with a pair of thirds.

Not this year. Nester qualified second in the 32-car field, took the lead on the first of 50 laps and never gave it up to win this edition of the Modifieds Derby.

“I’ve won a lotta races, but it doesn’t get better than this,� said Nester, who boasts two other prestigious Modifieds races on his resume.

Nester was never challenged despite several restarts throughout the evening. Two-time winner Mark Chrudimsky, who was looking to defend his championship, couldn’t even put a sweat into Nester and finished second.

Late model star Augie Grill made a surprise appearance and took home third.

“We qualified bad, and that’s on me,� said Chrudimsky, who started 16th. “I had to pass a lotta cars to get to him. I just needed a little bit more.�

Perhaps, a lot more. As cars spun, collided, beat and banged, Nester watched the asphalt in front of him.

It wasn’t always pretty throughout the 50 lapper, but the best racing all night happened in laps 30 to 35.

Grill, Chrudimsky and Donald Crocker put on a brilliant show for third place between laps 30 and 32 until a caution came out. On the restart, Grill slipped by Korey Ruble for second.

It was short-lived, however. Chrudimsky made a courageous move, passing Grill moments later on the back stretch. Grill was caught off guard and had to fall in line before yielding any more positions on the track.

As the hard racing played out to chase him down, Nester flexed his muscles out front.

“The big thing here is qualifying well,� he said. “You don’t wear your tires out and it keeps you outta the fireworks.�

Lesson learned.

Modifieds Snowball Derby 50 Lapper—1. Brian Nester, 2. Mark Chrudimsky, 3. Augie Grill, 4. John Sarppraicone, 5. Bradley Riethmeye, 6. Donald Crocker, 7. Korey Ruble, 8. Brandon Howell, 9. Nathan Davis, 10. Todd Jones, 11. Jake Moore, 12. Scooter Grice, 13. Shawn Balluzo, 14. Maverick MacDonald, 15. Mike Maddox, 16. Nathan Ingersoll, 17. Brandon Curren, 18. Robret Deal, 19. Nick Martin, 20. Billy Melvin, 21. Trevor Edwards, 22. Ian Webster, 23. Kevin Peel, 24. Jason Morman, 25. Chris Cotto, 26. Eldon Zacek Jr., 27., Jeff Letson, 28. Josh Goodwin, 29. Scott Gay, 30. Chris Brown, 31. Tim Martin, 32. David Brown

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