Kyle Steckly Joins List of Redbud 400 Winners With First ASA STARS National Tour Victory

For the second year in a row, the Redbud 400 trophy is headed north of the border.

Kyle Steckly scored his first career ASA STARS National Tour victory on Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, winning the 58th Annual Redbud 400. It marks the second time in as many years a Canadian driver has won the event, as Cole Butcher took the win one year ago.

Steckly took the lead from Austin Nason with 64 laps remaining in the long-distance event, and led the rest of the way under the green flag for the win.

"Just a great team, great car," said Steckly in victory lane. "I've got to thank all these guys. We struggled yesterday and went to work. This thing was a rocketship all day. I'm just so blessed to be here."

A six-time race winner and the defending champion of Canada's APC United Late Model Series, Steckly had already established himself as one of top drivers north of the border. Now, he's added his name to the list of winners in one of Late Model racing's most historic events.

"I don't think people realize how big these events are and how special this is," said Steckly. "I've been watching these races since I was a little kid. I just wanted to win something like this, a crown jewel event."

A turning point in the race came on lap 215, when the caution flag flew for an incident on the frontstretch involving Cody Coughlin and Billy Van Meter, started by contact between Coughlin and Gio Ruggiero as they battled for position. This yellow flag brought some teams to pit road for fresh tires, while others opted to wait until the final stage break at lap 280.

For Steckly, the decision to wait for those tires proved to be a winning one.

"I trusted Mark [Rette]," said Steckly. "We saved the tires, saved them the first 280 and made the most of it. I screwed up a couple of times on the choose there but we made it work and had a great car with those fresh tires the final 120."

Meanwhile, Nason was one of the drivers who did pit at lap 215, leaving him to wonder if fresher tires at the end of the race would have left him in first place instead of second.

"We pitted a little early there and changed our strategy up," said Nason. "I don't know if it was the tires or me driving it hard. I can't thank the guys enough, they gave me a good piece all day. It was us two at the top of the board every session. We'll try to come back and do it again."

Gio Ruggiero rounded out the podium, with Derek Kraus finishing fourth and Van Meter completing the top five. ASA STARS National Tour championship contenders Casey Roderick and Cole Butcher finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Dakoda Armstrong, Stephen Nasse and Albert Francis rounded out the top 10.

The ASA STARS National Tour returns to action at Owosso Speedway on August 17 for the Michigan 200. Owosso will be a new stop for the ASA STARS National Tour.

-Photo credit: Reid Scott

58th Annual Redbud 400 Unofficial Results