Wulff Outlasts Fast-Closing Fry

Rookie Super Late Model driver Nathan Wulff won the Food 4 Less 75-lap main event Saturday night in front of 5,257 at Irwindale Speedway.

Wulff, of Escondido, took the lead from the start and held off Simi Valley’s Tommy Fry. Fry, the pole qualifier, had been more than three seconds behind Wulff before James Bruncati slid into the wall at turn four on lap 73.

On the restart, Wulff held off a surging Fry for the final two laps and crossed the finish line just 0.033 seconds ahead of Fry. Wulff also tied Fry for the points lead in the Super Late Model class.

The race was stopped on lap 19 when Sun Valley’s Jameel Saied spun out in turn one and the front panels of his car came apart, dropping debris in the turn.

Newport Beach’s Nick DeFazio made history by being the first driver in any class to use the HANS safety device during a race on the Irwindale track. DeFazio, running in the Super Late Model race, lasted 15 laps before engine trouble forced him from the race.

In other action, veteran Legends driver Art Nevill won the accident-plagued King Taco Legends Car 30-lap main event. The race had to be restarted twice after accidents on the opening lap. Will Cottrell earned his first win in the Super Stocks division in the 40-lap main.