Brooke Tatnell and the DeWall Racing team captured the Huset’s Speedway Casey’s 410 Sprint Cars track championship in a close three-way race.
Tatnell, from San Souci, NSW, Australia, finished third in Sunday’s feature in final event of the season, The Bull Haulers Brawl, to give him the track championship.
Tatnell finished one point ahead of Justin Henderson (Tea, S.D.) and 12 better than Austin McCarl (Altoona, Iowa).
Heading into the final night, Tatnell and McCarl were tied for the top spot, with Henderson only five points off the pace.
McCarl led for the first 23 laps of the 30-lap feature through moments of thick traffic and close calls on the cushion.
As McCarl was in traffic on Lap 24, runner-up Aaron Reutzel (Clute, Tex.) made a slide job attempt in turns three and four. Heading into turn three while running three wide, Reutzel slid in front of a lapped car before his right rear tire made contact with McCarl’s left rear tire in turn four. The impact spun McCarl around to bring out the caution and it flattened Reutzel’s left rear tire, forcing him to the pit area for a new tire.
Mark Dobmeier (Grand Forks), who started the feature 10th and had climbed to third, inherited the lead and pulled away to win by 1.568 seconds as Justin Henderson and Tatnell duked it out for not only the runner-up position, but the track championship.
While Henderson outlasted Tatnell for second place, Tatnell became the first Australian born champion in Huset’s Speedway history.
“I made Doug DeWall a promise at the start of this year that I was going to get him his first track championship at Huset’s since 1994 with (Doug’s brother) Gary. I honestly thought in the back of my mind if I didn’t get it this year I was about ready to say it’s not worth racing, I’ve had enough. But this guy gives me everything he’s got. He puts his heart, passion and soul into it.
“Track championships don’t mean a lot to me anymore. I just wanted this for the DeWall team.
“When I didn’t clear Justin over there I thought that was the end of the championship. I thought we both still had a chance when (Aaron) Reutzel did a Reutzel on me. I don’t know what happened down here, but pretty good chance Reutzel did a Reutzel and that’s what put Justin and I back in it.”
Tatnell is the fifth driver for DeWall Racing in its 71 years:
DeWall Racing drivers
Marv DeWall: 1952-1985
Gary DeWall: 1986-2008
Jake Peters: 2009-2010
Travis Whitney: 2010-2019
Brooke Tatnell: 2020-Present
Tatnell has had a decorated career:
9 Time World Series Champion in Australia
5 Australian Titles
3 time Grand Annual Classic Winner in Australia
13 World of Outlaws Wins
67 Career Wins in USA (410 Class)
Justin Henderson won the 360 title at Huset’s. Brandon Halverson (Jackson) was 10th.
Huset’s Speedway final point standings
Top 10
410 Sprint Cars
1. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW 668
2. Justin Henderson, Tea, S.D. 665
3. Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa 656
4. Matt Juhl, Tea, S.D. 648
5. Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls 637
6. Jack Dover, Springfield, Neb. 631
7. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks 622
8. Brenda Mullen, Grand Forks 567
9. Riley Goodno, Kenoxville 555
10. Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City 480
360 Sprint Cars
1. Justin Henderson, Tea, S.D. 695
2. Matt Juhl, Tea, S.D. 676
3. Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls 664
4. Christopher Thram, Sanborn 658
5. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW 653
6. Riley Goodno, Knoxville 652
7. Jack Dover, Springfield, Neb. 633
8. James Broty, Lonsdale 625
9. Nathan Mills, Bondurant, Iowa 622
10. Brandon Halverson, Jackson 602