Joel Rust had the greatest seat for the best race in the house for most of the 25 laps Tuesday night (Aug. 9th) at Hamilton County Speedway. Little did he know, a short time later it would lead the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified driver to a victory lane celebration as the winner of the Harris Clash.

Rust, who started inside of row two, chased front row starters Chris Abelson and Kelly Shryock for all but three-quarters of the lap in the 25th annual event. Contact between the front-runners allowed Rust to escape to the first Harris Clash win of his career.

Abelson built an early lead while Shryock pursued multiple car-lengths behind him. Shryock closed to within a car-length by lap 10 and searched high and low to work past the leader.
While the former Clash winners engaged in a battle for the lead, Rust cut a half-straightaway deficit into just a couple of car-lengths in the waning laps. Contact between Abelson and Shryock forced Abelson into a spin in the middle of turns one and two just after the field and taken the white flag.
Shyock slowed after the contact while Rust slipped between them and emerged down the back stretch as the leader. He led the final half lap on his way to victory and a $2,000 payday.
Josh Ruby raced his way to second ahead of sixth row starters Richie Gustin and Ryan Ruter. Tim Ward, who qualified through a B feature and started 14th, completed the top five.
"I kept my patience and it worked out." Joel Rust - Victory Lane
Rust continued by saying, "The track started taking rubber and hooking up in turns one and two. In four I couldn't really gain, so I was just trying to maintain. I was really close to them and kind of stayed back enough in case something happened. Luckily Abelson rolled down the track and I was just able to shoot the gap."
Earlier in the night, Abelson was victorious in the Dash at the Clash, a 10-car event that showcased feature winners at select events leading up to the Harris Clash.
The action continues tonight (Aug. 10th) at Buena Vista Raceway in Alta for the finale of the 2016 Hawkeye Dirt Tour. Tonight's Modified winner at BVR earns $1.000 and national, regional, state and local track points will be given. Pit gates open at 5 PM and the grandstand opens at 5:30 PM. Hot laps are at 6:45 PM with racing to follow.
Admission to the grandstand is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and veterans with I.D. and kids 12 and under ar $2 or free withthe donation of a non-perishable food item for hte local food bank. Pit Passes are $25.
IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SpotMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 Sport Compacts complete the program. More information is available by calling (712) 267-3278 and at www.buenavistaraceway.com
Contributed By: Ryan Clark (IMCA)
Results
Modified feature – 1. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 2. Josh Ruby, Lakota; 3. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 4. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha; 5. Tim Ward, Harcourt; 6. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 7. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 8. Jimmy Gustin, Gilman; 9. Jesse Dennis, Corning; 10. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 11. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 12. Tom Berry Jr., Boone; 13. Jesse Sobbing, Malvern; 14. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.,; 15. Chase Ellingson, Iowa Falls; 16. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.; 17. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif.; 18. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.; 19. Tyler Prochaska, Iowa Falls; 20. Scott Olson, Blairsburg; 21. Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 22. John Logue, Boone; 23. Ricky Thornton Jr., Harcourt; 24. Kelly Shryock, Fertile.
First heat (top two) – 1. Ellingson; 2. Rust; 3. Berry; 4. Stone; 5. J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 6. Steve Reynolds, Springfield, S.D.; 7. Josh Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn.; 8. Billy Vogel, West Fargo, N.D.; 9. Adam Larson, Ankeny; 10. Clint Wendel, Mason City; 11. Shawn Ritter, Keystone.
Second heat – 1. Shryock; 2. Hogan; 3. Sobbing; 4. Clay Money, Penokee, Kan.; 5. Colt Mather, Keswick; 6. Jeremy Mills, Garner; 7. Racer Hulin, Laurel; 8. Chase Conway, Westhope, N.D.; 9. Ashley Schaaf, Lincoln, Neb.; 10. Jardin Fuller, Memphis, Mo.; 11. Ed Thomas, Waterloo. 
Third heat – 1. Abelson; 2. Olson; 3. Dripps; 4. Jesse Hoeft, Forest City; 5. Mark Elliott, Webster City; 6. Tad Reutzel, Burt; 7. Laney; 8. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 9. Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay, Wis.; 10. Justin Medler, Minot, N.D.; 11. Randy Havlik, Ankeny.
Fourth heat – 1. Ruby; 2. Logue; 3. VanMil; 4. Prochaska; 5. Ron VerBeek, Oskaloosa; 6. Luke Lemmens, Kewaunee, Wis.; 7. Brandon Brinton, Ames; 8. Stacey Mills, Webb; 9. Kelly Buckallew, Memphis, Mo.; 10. Shane DeMey, Denison; 11. Cody Knecht, Whittemore.
Fifth heat – 1. Richie Gustin; 2. Dennis; 3. Ward; 4. Mari; 5. Mike Mashl, De Pere, Wis.; 6. Kyle Brown, State Center; 7. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.; 8. Strickler; 9. Eric Elliott, Boone; 10. Trey Kline, Schleswig; 11. Tristan Vesterby, Webster City;
Sixth heat – 1. Ruter; 2. Jimmy Gustin; 3. Thornton; 4. Dotson; 5. Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.; 6. Jon Snyder, Ames; 7. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 8. Nate Hughes, Humboldt; 9. Brandon Leeman, Roland; 10. Jeff Coon, Elysian, Minn.; 11. Gordon Head, Des Moines.
First B feature (top four) – 1. Berry; 2. VanMil; 3. Stone; 4. Prochaska; 5. Wendel; 6. VerBeek; 7. Larson; 8. DeMey; 9. Stacey Mills; 10. Ritter; 11. Knecht; 12. Vogel; 13. Rogotzke; 14. Brinton; 15. Lemmens; 16. Auringer; 17. Reynolds; 18. Buckallew.
Second B feature – 1. Ward; 2. Strickler; 3. Sobbing; 4. Mari; 5. Brown; 6. Mather; 7. Jeremy Mills; 8. Hulin; 9. Marriott; 10. Mashl; 11. Money; 12. Conway; 13. Kline; 14. Vesterby; 15. Thomas; 16. Schaaf; 17. Eric Elliott; 18. Fuller.
Third B feature – 1. Dripps; 2. Thornton; 3. Laney; 4. Dotson; 5. Lauritzen; 6. Hoeft; 7. Medler; 8. Hansen; 9. Jerovetz; 10. Cordes; 11. Leeman; 12. Hughes; 13. Mark Elliott; 14. Coon; 15. Snyder; 16. Head; 17. Reutzel; 18. Havlik.
Dash – 1. Abelson; 2. Thornton; 3. Shryock; 4. Dotson; 5. Jeremy Mills; 6. VanMil; 7. Hogan; 8. Ruby; 9. Lemmens; DNS Logue.
Northern SportMod feature – 1. Adam Armstrong, Carlisle; 2. Jake Sachau, Denison; 3. Ty Griffith, Webster City; 4. Brett Lowry, Montezuma; 5. Nick Meyer, Whittemore; 6. Doug Smith, Lake City; 7. Jared VanDeest, Holland; 8. Randy Roberts, Boone; 9. Johnathon Logue, Boone; 10. Brayton Carter, Oskaloosa; 11. Robbie Conway, Westhope, N.D.; 12. Jack Housley, Runnells; 13. Jake McBirnie, Boone; 14. Frank Packer, Madrid; 15. Ryan Jenkins, Omaha, Neb.; 16. Erik Laudenschlager, Minot, N.D.; 17. Rocky Caudle, Ellsworth; 18. Cory Rose, Boone; 19. Shane Swanson, Forest City; 20. Josh Appel, Mason City; 21. Josh Sink, Red Oak; 22. Andy Edwards, Parkersburg; 23. Todd Boulware, Jefferson, S.D.; 24. John Peed, Webster City. 
First heat (top two) – 1. Sachau; 2. Griffith; 3. Edwards; 4. Robert Moore, Maxwell; 5. Cory Pestotnik, Boone; 6. Taylor Musselman, Urbandale; 7. Packer; 8. Clint Luellen, Minburn. 
Second heat – 1. Roberts; 2. Peed; 3. Housley; 4. Dan Paplow, Dundee, Minn.; 5. Carter; 6. Dan Drury, Eldora; 7. Christopher Elliott, Webster City; 8. Jeff Deal, Fort Dodge; 9. Mike Lemay, Westhope, N.D. 
Third heat – 1. Armstrong; 2. Caudle; 3. Laudenschlager; 4. Logue; 5. VanDeest; 6. McBirnie; 7.
Sam Wieben, Dysart; 8. Tim Plummer, Norway; 9. Rick Rohr, Beatrice, Neb.
Fourth heat – 1. Swanson; 2. Boulware; 3. Lowry; 4. Appel; 5. Wayne Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.; 6. Colby Fett, Algona; 7. Brett Vanderheiden, Earlham; 8. George Gilliland, Lehigh; 9. Taylor Elliott, Webster City. 
Fifth heat – 1. Smith; 2. Rose; 3. Conway; 4. Trent Roth, Columbus, Neb.; 5. Jenkins; 6. Brad Ratcliff, Webster City; 7. Autumn Anderson, Mason City; 8. Carter VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa.
Sixth heat – 1. Meyer; 2. Sink; 3. Nate Whitehurst, Mason City; 4. Austin Schrage, Cresco; 5. Craig Garner, Clarinda; 6. J.J. Andersen, De Pere, Wis.; 7. Bryan Johnson, Roland; 8. Paul Price, Iowa Falls.
First B feature (top four) – 1. Lowry; 2. Appel; 3. Packer; 4. Edwards; 5. Fett; 6. Moore; 7. Luellen; 8. Taylor Elliott; 9. Gilliland; 10. Pestotnik; 11. Venderheiden; 12. Musselman; 13. Dotson.
Second B feature – 1. Housley; 2. Conway; 3. Carter; 4. Jenkins; 5. VanDenBerg; 6. Paplow; 7. Ratcliff; 8. Roth; 9. Anderson; 10. Christopher Elliott; 11. Deal; 12. Drury; 13. LeMay. 
Third B feature – 1. Laudenschlager; 2. Logue; 3. VanDeest; 4. McBirnie; 5. Plummer; 6. Wieben; 7. Andersen; 8. Schrage; 9. Price; 10. Garner; 11. Johnson; 12. Rohr; 13. Whitehurst.

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