ANDERSON – Anderson’s Greg VanAlst led the final 93 laps to capture the Madison 200 for the Sportsman Late Models at Anderson Speedway.
VanAlst started tenth in the 20-car field Saturday for the race sponsored by the Madison County Bicentennial Committee, which paid $5,000 to win.
VanAlst was making a rare start with the Champion Racing Association Late Models after winning the ARCA Menard’s race earlier this year at Daytona and competing in both the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series with NASCAR.
James Kirby III set fast time during qualifying and started sixth as a result of the inversion putting Cassten Everidge and Mason Keller on the front row.
Everidge took the lead at the start and Keller’s day ended on lap five with a broken axle.
Kirby took the lead from Everidge on lap nine and stayed out front until the halfway break.
Following the break, Kirby’s car slowed on lap 108 which put VanAlst onto the point, a position he wouldn’t surrender for the rest of the way.
But it wasn’t a Sunday drive for VanAlst with Billy Hutson and Hunter Jack in close pursuit until the finish.
VanAlst went on to win by .317-seconds over Hutson with Hunter Jack coming home in third with John Heil and Tanner Jack finishing all 200 laps to round out the top five.
The race was slowed by the caution flag nine times only twice after the break and ten cars were running at the finish.
-Photo Credit: Nielson Design & Photography
