ANDERSON, IN – In his first career win with the CRA Sportsman Late Models, Nash Engdahl captured the biggest race of the year.
Engdahl driving for the Billy Hutson team continues to lead both the rookie and championship points battle with is victory Saturday in the Ascension St. Vincent Madison 200.
The teams had to wait out a rain delay but qualifying was close among the top ten teams.
Starting eighth in the field it took Engdahl the first third of the race to crack the top five, but once that was accomplished he never dropped back in the running order.
The early lead was taken by Ryder VanAlst, leading his first laps with the series and at Anderson Speedway helped by an inversion of the top six qualifiers.
VanAlst was chased early by Nathan Greene and Casten Everidge.
The first caution flag waved on lap five when fast qualifier Josh Poore’s mount lost an engine on the back straight.
Everidge took the lead on the restart, but gave way just two laps later to JP Crabtree.
Crabtree remained on the point until lap 27 when he was passed by VanAlst and Everidge. Engdahl cracked the top five for the first time with a pass of multi-time Anderson track champion Jeff Marcum on lap 33.
VanAlst remained on the point until lap 89 when Crabtree went back to the front. At the halfway point it was Crabtree, VanAlst, Engdahle, Marcum and Everidge.
Everidge recovered from a flat tire on lap 77 to make his way back among the leaders.
On the restart Crabtree continue to lead chased by Marcum and Engdahl as VanAlst lost several positions.
Engdahl passed Marcum for second on lap 127 and rapidly closed on Crabtree.
He finally claimed the top spot on lap 151 and started to pull away from the pack with a dominant car.
The seventh and final caution flag waved on lap 176 when Jason Wray spun on the back straight.
Engdahl again pulled away from the field on the final restart winning by 4.5-seconds over Crabtree with VanAlst scoring a career best third followed by Everidge and Marcum.
“I struggled in qualifying,” Engdahl said in the Hoosier Lottery Victory Lane. “The crew gave me a great car and it was the same at the finish as it was right after the break.”
He said all the front runners raced each other clean and commented on the battle for positions.
Crabtree said the team missed the set-up on the car for the long runs.
“We lost some drive off the corners,” he said. “I’m here because of my crew.”
VanAlst, who’s father Greg, won the inaugural Madison County 200, said it was the most fun he’s had racing.
“With 200 laps I didn’t think I would be on the front stretch finishing P3,” he said.
