CNS Staff
Jun 11, 2017
Updated: Mar 10, 2022
Drivers and teams prepare for the NAPA/Toyota 150 (Starr photo)
(06-10-2017, Dacono CO) There are not too many drivers that know their way around the Colorado National Speedway oval better than Erie Colorado’s Chris Eggleston. He proved it once again by winning his second straight NAPA/Toyota 150 and his 3rd in 4 years. While the race was plagued with caution flags the large CNS crowd were treated to a thrilling win by a local hero on a perfect Colorado evening.
#99 Chris Eggleston leads the field to the green flag in the NAPA/Toyota 150 (Starr photo)
21 cars started the NAPA/Toyota 150 which was one of the largest fields for this annual event, Adding to the excitement 3 local drivers were in the field: #99 Chris Eggleston, #32 Kody Vanderwal, and #34 Rudy Vanderwal. Eggleston coming off his win at Orange Show Speedway also set quick time with a 16.847. Chris has won the NAPA/Toyota 150 two of the last 3 years making him one of the favorites to win and certainly one the fan favorites.
NAPA/Toyota 150 Starting Lineup
Pos No. Name
1. 99 Chris Eggleston
2. 19 Derek Kraus
3. 16 Todd Gilliland
4. 9 Michael Self
5. 40 Ron Norman
6. 6 Julia Landauer
7. 21 Blaine Perkins
8. 33 Nicole Behar
9. 7 Will Rodgers
10. 13 Todd Souza
11. 32 Kody Vanderwal
12. 10 Matt Levin
13. 27 Gracin Raz
14. 11 Takuma Koga
15. 34 Rudy Vanderwal
16. 30 Stafford Smith
17. 14 Dan Phillippi
18. 84 Rich DeLong III
19. 18 Bill Kann
20. 36 Jesse Iwuji
21. 38 John Wood
When the green flag dropped it was Eggleston on the pole with #19 Derek Kraus along side. Eggleston showed his strength early leading the first eleven laps of the race. After a long red flag delay for an oil cleanup #16 Todd Gilliland who is Chris’s teammate powered to the lead and #19 Derek Kraus rode 3rd. While Gilliland had control of the race Kraus pulled up on Eggleston’s bumper and began to pressure him for second place. At the same time Colorado’s own Kody Vanderwal began to pick cars off and move into the top 10.
#32 Kody Vanderwal sliced and diced his way to a 5th place finish (Starr photo)
#34 Rudy Vanderwal battling for position (Starr photo)
After the halfway mark in the race Eggleston began to explore a higher line on the track and it paid off as he tracked down Gilliland and passed him on the outside with 57 laps to go. As you can imagine the CNS crowd went wild cheering on the local hero. Eggleston would give up the lead briefly to Gilliland and also to Derek Kraus for one lap but it did appear that Chris had saved his best for the last third of the race.
For most of the race it was a 3 car battle between BMR Racing Teammates (Starr photo)
Chris has mastered the 3/8ths mile oval at CNS and used the top groove to absolute perfection winning his second straight NAPA/Toyota 150 and his 3rd in 4 years. Kraus settled for 2nd place and Gilliland 3rd. #27 Gracin Raz finished in 4th position and possibly the most impressive run of the night was from Kody Vanderwal from LaSalle Colorado who started in 11th position and patiently worked his way through the field to grab a top 5 finish. Kody’s dad Rudy would take 15th position.
Chris Eggleston on route to his second straight NAPA/Toyota 150 win (Starr photo)
When the smoke cleared Chris Eggleston had won his 3rd NAPA/Toyota 150 in 4 years (Starr photo)
NAPA/Toyota 150 Winner: #99 Chris Eggleston
QUICK TIME: #99 Chris Eggleston 16.847
A jubilant Chris Eggleston celebrates in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
It was a tale of 3 races in the Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks 40 lap feature event during the NAPA/Toyota 150 at CNS. In the first segment of the race #07 Adam Hilton dominated the action. At times Hilton had built a 6 truck length lead on his nearest competitor #36 Matt Burton. Yet Hilton’s setup appeared to go away at the halfway mark as he became seriously loose coming out of the turn 2 and 4.
#07 Adam Hilton, #9 Curtis Heldenbrand and #82 Michael Scott took turns pacing the field for the Snap-On Pro Truck feature (Starr photo)
#9 Curtis Heldenbrand was now the fastest truck on the track and grabbed the lead from Hilton as he began to fade.
However it was only a few laps later when #82 Michael Scott passed Heldenbrand for the lead. Even more impressive was the fact that Scott started all the way back in the 6th row in the 11th starting position. Scott held off Heldebrand in the final few laps and took the checkered flag for the huge win. Heldenbrand was 2nd and #34 Rudy Vanderwal finished with a fury grabbing 3rd position. #36 Matt Burton was 4th and 5w Troy Witthar was 5th.
Michael Scott waves to the fans in winner’s circle at CNS after capturing the Pro Truck feature (Starr photo)
Feature: #82 Michael Scott
Quick Time: #9 Curtis Heldenbrand 17.552
Great Scott’s Eatery Super Stocks
The massive crowd at CNS for the NAPA/Toyota 150 was treated to a great Super Stock main event that included 28 cars. The action was literally all over the track but up front was the lightning fast Ford of #49 Chris Cox who led every single lap and took home the win.
The large field of Super Stocks created a highly entertaining feature event (Starr photo)
Chris’s only really competition came from #22 Brian Yackey who did make a late race challenge but eventually had to settle for 2nd place. #3 Michael Cox was 3rd while the #06 station wagon of Jeff Dempewolf was 4th. The final car in the top 5 went to #99 Nic Brinlee.
#49 Chris Cox takes the checkered flag (Starr photo)
Feature: #49 Chris Cox
Quick Time: #49 Chris Cox 20.048
Chick-Fil-A Figure 8s
Jereme Wall continued his dominance in the Chick-Fil-A Figure 8s as he came from the rear of the field and ended up winning the race by almost a half lap.
The Figure 8s take the green flag (Starr photo)
The only real thread to Wall’s win was late in the race as he pitched the car sideways to slip between two cars in the X. The crowd held their breath but somehow Wall came through unscathed and took the checkered. #4 Sean Smith made a late race pass on #52 Jared “Wally” Wall to take 2nd place. #50 Justin Mackeachie finished 4th behind Wally and and #01 Michael Haywood was 5th.
Feature: #15 Jereme Wall
Jereme Wall celebrates in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
Race Rental Modifieds
Feature: #92 Josh Thurman.
NAPA/Toyota 150
Pos No. Name
1. 99 Chris Eggleston
2. 19 Derek Kraus
3. 16 Todd Gilliland
4. 27 Gracin Raz
5. 32 Kody Vanderwal
6. 6 Julia Landauer
7. 40 Ron Norman
8. 9 Michael Self
9. 7 Will Rodgers
10. 13 Todd Souza
11. 10 Matt Levin
12. 14 Dan Phillippi
13. 84 Rich DeLong III
14. 36 Jesse Iwuji
15. 34 Rudy Vanderwal
16. 11 Takuma Koga
17. 33 Nicole Behar
18. 38 John Wood
19. 30 Stafford Smith
20. 21 Blaine Perkins
21. 18 Bill Kann
Pro Trucks
Pos No. Name Hometown
1. 82 Michael Scott Cheyenne
2. 9 Curtis Heldenbrand Arvada
3. 34 Rudy Vanderwal La Salle
4. 36 Matt Burton Englewood
5. 5W Troy Witthar Eastlake
6. 1 Jay Fields Pueblo West
7. 07 Adam Hilton
8. 37 Josh Richard Calhan
9. 8 Jeff Walbaum Brighton
10. 33 Tyler Davis (R) Thornton
11. 7 Adam Deines Longmont
12. 6D Rick Duckworth
13. 04 Bobby Durand Thornton
14. 43 Kody Vanderwal La Salle
15. 05 Duane Lighthill Jr (R) Littleton
DNS 11J Steve Johnson Loveland
Super Stocks
Pos No. Name Hometown
1. 49 Chris Cox Lochbuie
2. 22 Brian Yackey Greeley
3. 3 Michael Cox Englewood
4. 06 Jeffrey Dempewolf Hudson
5. 99 Nicholas Brinlee Broomfield
6. 51 Jax Hughes Lakewood
7. 1 Makayla Grote Greeley
8. 99S Sam Messerli Thornton
9. 43y Brett Yackey Greeley
10. 7 David Robinson Johnstown
11. 3% Will Alvarado (R)* Ft Lupton
12. 82E James Larsen Pueblo
13. 24x Aaron Masters
14. 02 Darrell Smith Littleton
15. 90 Michael Mahan (R) Firestone
16. 19 Shelby Cortese Thornton
17. 32 Cody Milan (R) Ft. Collins
18. 21R Robert Hoard (R) Cheyenne
19. 04 William Simmons II Pueblo
20. 21 Christopher Nelson Arvada
21. 55 Damian Lockhart Arvada
22. 5 Glen Poston Thornton
23. 45 Rebecca Simpson Colo Springs
24. 11t Nicholas Tabor Cheyenne
25. 31 Michael Mathiesen Dacono
26. 96 Mike Steward Thornton
27. 60 Jonathan Lindberg
Figure 8s
Pos No. Name Hometown
1. 15 Jereme Wall Commerce City
2. 4 Sean Smith Greeley
3. 52 Jared Wall Commerce City
4. 50 Justin McKeachie Aurora
5. 01 Michael Haywood Greeley
6. 2 Jeremy Jackson (R) Lakewood
7. 9 Brent Cave
8. 27 Luke Zike Morrison
9. 67 Keith Swenson Byers
10. 12 Harvey Webb Jr Longmont
11. 25 Phil Taylor Henderson
Race Rental Modifieds
Pos No. Name Hometown
1. 92 Josh Thurman
2. 34 Jake Nuttall
3. 1 Austin Hampie
4. 21 Scott Nuttall
5. 88 Gary Fedie
6. 11 Stuart Pattison
7. 12 Matt Mueller
8. 5 Loren Behm
9. 10 Mike Mahan
10. 4 Kurt Hoghes