Short-Track Roundup: Brennen Poole wins first race of season in ARCA's Minnesota debut

ARCA Racing Series - Brennan Poole drove a Venturini Motorsports entry to the ARCA win in Minnesota on Saturday.

A full house greeted the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as it made its debut at Minnesota's Elko Speedway, just south of Minneapolis, on Saturday.

Legends Car graduate Brennan Poole drove a Venturini Motorsports entry to victory on the three-eighths-mile oval, which is the shortest track that ARCA will visit this season. It was Poole's second career ARCA victory and his first of the season.

Matt Lofton finished second, ahead of Chris Buescher, Frank Kimmel and Tom Hessert.

"The car was really good," Poole said. "I can't thank Venturini Motorsports enough. It's pretty awesome to win the inaugural race at Elko. I had a lot of fun here tonight. The track's a blast. Of course, it's always fun when you've got such a good race car. I was slipping and sliding and trying to get everything out of it coming into the corner, dodging traffic. It was crazy.

"We've never been to a place like this. I'm proud of my guys and all the work they did."

ARCA's top division had never before appeared in Minnesota.

Bacon sizzles at Hut Hundred

Brady Bacon was in the right place at the right time to win the 60th Lucas Oil Center Hut Hundred on Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind.

The prestigious midget race was cosanctioned by the Mopar USAC National Midget Series and the Lucas Oil POWRi National Midget Series.

Jerry Coons Jr. dominated the race but had a part in the left rear of his car's suspension break on lap 99 of the 100-lap race on the quarter-mile dirt track. 

Bacon sailed into the lead and beat Chris Windom to the checkered flag.

“It's unfortunate for Jerry,” the 23-year-old Bacon said. “I'd like to beat him heads up, but I'll take it.

It feels good. It's probably the biggest midget race to win as far as prestige. I felt we were getting faster and faster and I think we were going to get by him anyway. We were all over him.”

Coons held on to finish sixth.

Sprint Car Hall of Fame inducts new class

Drivers Johnny Anderson, Thad Dosher, Chuck Hulse and Bobby Ward and engine builder Ron Shaver were on hand to accept their induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Saturday at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway.

The families of deceased inductees Gary Sokola (daughter Laurie Sokola), Harry Hosterman (grandsons Richard and William Hosterman), A. Earl Padgett (son George Padgett), C. Henry Meyer (daughter Jane Gerhard) and W.H. “Bill” Vandewater (nephew Gordon DeBlaey) were on hand for the three-hour ceremony. Bob Mays accepted the honor on behalf of the Sam Hoffman family, and Ronnie Schwarze accepted on behalf of the Colby Scroggin family.

Crowded house greets NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

A near-capacity crowd was on hand at the legendary Bowman-Gray Stadium on Saturday night to see the debut of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at the quarter-mile asphalt bullring.

Third-generation hot shoe Corey LaJoie took top honors in the grinding 150-lap event, which saw 10 yellow flags and one red-flag period. 

The 20-year-old winner took the lead on lap 37 and held on through eight restarts, including a green-white-checkered finish.

Lanigan cruising in World of Outlaws<.strong>

Darrell Lanigan continued his recent hot streak in World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition, winning the May 31 event at Delaware International Speedway.

It was the points leader's third victory in the last four races for the series and his fifth triumph of the season.

Eight not enough for O'Neal

Don O'Neal cruised to his eighth Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series victory of the season Saturday night, winning the Ralph Latham Memorial at Kentucky's Florence Speedway.

O'Neal led the race flag to flag and earned $10,000 for the victory, but he still trails points leader Jimmy Owens, who finished second, by 305 markers.

Victory lane

Craig Dollansky won Saturday night's World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series race at Michigan's I-96 Speedway. The series was rained out Friday at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park. . . . Greg Pursley topped hometown boy Dylan Kwasniewski to win the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. . . . Brian Campbell raced from 16th on the grid to win the ASA Midwest Tour Late Model race at Michigan's Berlin Raceway. . . . Danny Lasoski won for the 98th time at Iowa's Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. . . . Jon Stanbrough wrapped up the King of Indiana Sprint Series championship with a victory in the series finale at Paragon (Ind.) Speedway. . . . Brody Roa scored an upset victory in the USAC-CRA sprint-car race at Arizona's Cocopah Speedway.