Gus Dean battled all sorts of problems Monday evening in the General Tire Grabber 100, but the Bluffton native somehow managed to race to a third-place finish at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds mile dirt track.
Dean started 16th after needing a new radiator after qualifying, and he didn’t crack the top 10 until the first of two attempts at a green-white-checkered finish, when he avoided a massive wreck and jumped to fourth place.
Dean eased up to third during the second pass at a two-lap shootout finish, giving him his best finish since a runner-up showing at the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 in April.
“Luck was with us tonight,” Dean said on Twitter. “Started on the tail after we had to change radiators. Struggled in the race. We never gave up and ended up third.”
Dean entered the race fourth in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season-long points race and leading the Scott Rookie Challenge standings.
Only four races remain on the season schedule with the next event Saturday at the Eddie Gilstrap Motors Fall Classic 200 at Salem (Ind.) Speedway, where Dean posted that runner-up finish.
