Corneliusen denies Robertson of sixth feature win

Wells Concrete WISSOTA Street Stock recap, presented by RydellCars.com

Heath Corneliusen celebrates in RydellCars.com Victory Lane. Photo by Mike Spieker.

By Mike Spieker

GRAND FORKS, ND (August 7) - Heath Corneliusen and James Meagher led the field of Wells Concrete WISSOTA Street Stocks to the green flag for their 15 lap feature event. 

Corneliusen grabbed the point at the get go as Meagher and Jim Geringer battled for the second position. By lap two, eighth place starter Travis Robertson had moved up to third and had his sights set on Geringer for second.  Meanwhile, Corneliusen had amassed a 10 car length lead over the second and third place runners, but it was rapidly shrinking. Robertson reeled in Geringer on lap five and the two went side by side down the backstretch. The battle lasted for two circuits around the high-banked 3/10th mile oval before Robertson prevailed. 

Robertson had a clean race track ahead of him and eight laps to track down Corneliusen. Both Corneliusen and Robertson ran in the low groove, but with each passing lap Corneliusen's lead was visibly decreasing. With three laps to go Robertson had pulled to within two car lengths of the #923 and switched his lane to the high side. It look Robertson a couple laps to get his momentum wound up but once he did, he made a strong challenge for the lead. 

The white flag was displayed and Robertson was on Corneliusen's right rear quarter panel. The two drivers drove their distinctive lines in turns one and two and by the time they approached the back straightaway, they were door to door. As they exited turn four for the final time, they drag raced to the North Dakota Eye Clinic Finish Line where Corneliusen narrowly edged out Robertson by 0.039 seconds, or about a foot and a half. 

Corneliusen's win was his first-ever at River Cities Speedway. 

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