Rosebrugh Makes Night 1 Feature, Others Struggle
Baker, FL (Tuesday, February 28, 2023) - This week a number of IMCA Modified regulars from Michigan are in action at Northwest Florida Speedway during the Clash at the Coast. AJ Ward, Colin Thirlby, Chase Rosebrugh, and Dale Kaake are all in action in the IMCA Modified division. Rob Brillhart is also racing in the Crate Racing USA (CRUSA) Street Stocks. Night number one on Monday proved that the boys from the Mitten State have some work to do for the rest of the week.
The first Michigan driver represented was Ionia’s AJ Ward in Heat Race 3. The LiveWire Racing no. 20W gained three spots going from 9th to 6th, but couldn’t crack into the top three transfer spots before the end of the 8-lap race. Traverse City’s Colin Thirlby also lined up 9th in Heat Race 4, and like Ward, made his way to 6th before the race ended - short of a transfer spot. West Branch, Michigan’s Chase Rosebrugh started on the pole of Heat Race 5 and slid back to the final transfer spot in third, punching his ticket into the dance on Monday night. Cass City’s Dale Kaake III was also in Heat Race 5, and finished 9th. Thirlby was represented again when Jesse Enterkin wheeled his backup car, marked as E47, into the show going from 7th to 2nd.
In B-Main action, the first of three B-Mains featured Thirlby and Kaake hoping to race their way into the show. Thirlby managed to move up two spots, going from 6th to 4th, short of the top-two transfer spots. As for Kaake, he looked sporty going from 12th to 7th. In the third B-Main, AJ Ward came up one spot short of making the big dance, coming from 5th to finish 3rd. Also in this B-Main was North Muskegon, Michigan’s Ryan Heskett. After missing his Heat Race, Heskett started trunk in the B-Main and finished 9th.
In the 25-lap feature, both Rosebrugh and Enterkin struggled to hold their positions. Enterkin, the Florida driver behind the wheel of Thirlby’s backup car, slid from 11th to 13th. As for Rosebrugh, he fell five spots going from 13th to 18th. As for Brillhart in the CRUSA Street Stock, he started 6th and finished 8th in their A-Main.
The Clash on the Coast continues Tuesday night with another $1,000 to win main event ahead of a two-day break. Fans can watch the action live at IMCA.TV or via Hunt the Front.
Story - Zach Hiser