LANSING — It took three decades, but that made things all the better for Darwyn Karau on Friday night.
The veteran USRA Modified driver from Kasson — in his 30th season of racing — had come so close on more than one occasion in recent years to earning his first-ever feature victory.
Friday at Chateau Speedway, Karau didn’t have to worry about coming close. He was the first driver to take the checkered flag at the re-born track near Austin, earning his first feature victory.
Karau earned the win in style, too, leading the 15-car field from start to finish.
It wasn’t without at least one scary moment, though. Hayfield’s Brandon Davis got past Karau with six laps to go, but a caution came out at almost the same time and put Davis back to second place on the restart. Prior to the green flag dropping again, Davis’ car slowed on the front stretch and he slowly steered it into the pits, ending his night and chance at a win.
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Karau held the lead on the restart, and over the remaining six laps.
Blake Arndt from Brownsdale finished second, followed by Greg Pfeifer Jr. of Austin.
• USRA B-MODIFIEDS: The top five was not the place to be for most of Friday’s feature race. Three of the top five drivers were knocked out of top spots late in the race, which opened the door for Osage, Iowa, driver Nick Wagner to become the third different USRA B-Modifieds feature winner in three nights of racing at Chateau this summer.
Kadden Kath led the race from the start until just more than three laps remained, when a flat tire ended his chances of a victory. That came just shortly after Greg Pfeifer Jr. and Derek Clement both dropped out of the race while running in the top five.
A.J. Zvorak of Blooming Prairie finished second to Wagner, with A.J. Hoff in third, Hunter Kennedy fourth and Dustin Steinbrink fifth.
• WISSOTA STREET STOCKS: Kory Adams, from Stacyville, Iowa, led a caution-free feature from start to finish to get his first victory of the season at Chateau. Austin’s Jason Newkirk was the runner-up, with Bernie Adams in third.
• FRIDAY’S WINNERS: Other feature winners on Friday included Jason VandeKamp of Scandia (Wissota Midwest Modifieds), Jesse Stahl from Austin (Pure Stocks), and Brian Adams of Shakopee (Hornets).
• UP NEXT: Points racing resumes at Chateau on Friday at 7:15 p.m., with all six regular classes, as well as Mini Mods.
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USRA MODIFIEDS
Feature — 1. Darwyn Karau, 2. Blake Arndt, 3. Greg Pfeifer Jr., 4. Jacob Dahle, 5. Doug Hillson, 6. Joel Alberts, 7. Dwaine Hanson, 8. Billy Steinberg, 9. Alan Wagner, 10. Charlie Steinberg.
Heat winners — Pfeifer Jr., Brandon Davis, Jacob Stark.
USRA B-MODIFIEDS
Feature — 1. Nick Wagner, 2. AJ Zvorak, 3. A.J. Hoff, 4. Hunter Kennedy, 5. Dustin Steinbrink, 6. Matthew Brooks, 7. Brody Shaw, 8. Kadden Kath, 9. Jayden Larson, 10. Noah Grinstead.
Heat winners — Greg Pfeifer Jr., Kath, Hoff.
WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS
Feature — 1. Jason VandeKamp, 2. Ryan Goergen, 3. Ryan Wetzstein, 4. Jesse Hernandez, 5. Mitch Weiss, 6. Casey Trom, 7. Brayten Cisneros, 8. Michael Wytaske, 9. Spencer Stock, 10. Cole Anderson.
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Heat winners — Wetzstein, Wytaske.
HORNETS
Feature — 1. Brian Adams, 2. Ashley Bell, 3. Shawn Grabinger, 4. Aaron Reimers, 5. Andy Knutson, 6. Bob Knutson, 7. Taylor Pearson, 8. Nick Sillman, 9. Cody Hyatt, 10. Blake Jacobson.
PURE STOCKS
Feature — 1. Jesse Stahl, 2. Troy Maas, 3. Brady Krohnberg, 4. Nick Carvelli, 5. Zack Ehmke, 6. Beau Stevens, 7. Michael Gift, 8. Michael Wick, 9. Chris Hotovec, 10. Josh Sousa.
Heat winners — Hotovec, Stahl.
WISSOTA STREET STOCKS
Feature — 1. Kory Adams, 2. Jason Newkirk, 3. Bernie Adams, 4. Zach Elward, 5. Greg Lammers, 6. Brent Holland, 7. Cody Hyatt, 8. Jacob Bennett.
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Heat winner — Elward.
