What won the race: Muscling past race-long leader Dallon Murty on the 19th lap, second-starting Blair Nothdurft of Renner, S.D., led the rest of Saturday's 30-lap Malvern Bank East Series season opener at Maquoketa Speedway. Nothdurft beat eighth-starting Jesse Glenz by 2.907 seconds for the $3,000 payday, his first feature win of the season and second on the circuit.

Quotable: “I thought I about lost it on that last restart there. I felt somebody on the outside of me in them closing laps, so I kinda moved up just to block them, I guess — I think I felt somebody, anyway,” Nothdurft said. “But yeah, it was a good race. I thought I was gonna lose it there for a second on the opening laps and, yeah, we just muscled our way back to the front.”

Key notes: Nothdurft slipped as low as fifth in the opening laps before marching to second by lap 15 then muscled his way by Dallon Murty on the 19th lap. … Nothdurft got his nose inside Murty entering turn three then leaned on him exiting turn four, taking control just before the race's second caution slowed the action. ... Nothdurft led the final 12 laps unchallenged, stretching his advantage by as much as 3.413 seconds before Jesse Glenz cut a half-second off in the late going. ... Nothdurft notched his first win since last Aug. 30's Malvern East stop at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. ... Wisconsin’s Glenz slid by Tim Ward for second on lap 24, relegating Ward to third. ... Murty, who started third and led the opening 18 laps, was fourth. ... Polesitter Jake Neal was a non-factor in fading to sixth. ... Tad Pospisil, winner of the night's consolation, climbed nine spots to place eighth. ... Sixth-starting Derrick Stewart jumped the turn-two cushion on the opening lap and never recovered. ... The 30-lapper was slowed by three cautions, the first for a Darrel DeFrance solo spin on the ninth lap. ... Dave Eckrich shredded a left-rear tire on lap 21. ... DeFrance continued and was caught up in the final stoppage in a lap-21 restart pileup after sixth-running Nick Marolf failed to launch. Marolf, who trailed Murty for much of the opening 10 laps, slipped to sixth before the restart mishap that collected DeFrance, Jesse Sobbing, Dylan Sillman and Fred Remley, among others. ... The race lasted 15 minutes with the tour continuing its holiday tripleheader in Sunday's $3,000-to-win middle stop at nearby Dubuque Speedway.

On the move: Provisional starter Jeff Tharp of Sherrill, Iowa, started 23rd and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Nothdurft’s Bargain Barn Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Pro Power Racing Engine and sponsored by Bargain Barn Tire Center, Western Provisions Inc., Asphalt Pros, Glanzer Trucking LLC, Howe Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Katie Day of Maloney Real Estate, Grandpa Ben’s Ranch, Ohlins by Longhorn Dynamics and Slicker Graphics.

Points chase: After Maquoketa: 1. Blair Nothdurft (200); 2. Jesse Glenz (196); 3. Tim Ward (194); 4. Dallon Murty (192); 5. Jason Hahne (190).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 70°F

Car count: 27

Fast qualifier: Derrick Stewart

Time: 13.802 seconds

Polesitter: Jake Neal

Heat race winners: Tim Ward, Jake Neal, Jesse Glenz

Consolation race winners: Tad Pospisil

Provisional starters: Fred Remley, Darrel DeFrance, Jeff Tharp

Next series race: May 24, Dubuque Speedway (Dubuque, IA) $3,000