Reutzel drove from 12th and avoided all sorts of carnage around to him to add the 2026 Classic title to his 2024 victory, and hand his Western Australian owner Luch Monte a sixth Classic crown.
“It’s no secret this hasn’t been a great trip to Australia with our results, but this thing was on rails and this means a hell of a lot,” Reutzel said.
“After winning this race a couple of years ago I know how big this event is and what it means to so many people, so I’m going to savour every moment of this right now.
“This place is a coliseum, it’s a bad ass race track and the most brilliant event – it’s one of the best sprintcar races on earth so I couldn’t be more pumped.”
In front of a monstrous sold out Sunday crowd of close to 13,000 at Premier Speedway, Reutzel beat home former Classic winners Lockie McHugh and Brock Hallett to complete the podium.
The blockbuster moment of the final proved one of the biggest in the history of the 53-year event.
Lap 9 saw a crash between lapped cars in front of the leading pack which triggered a wild seven-car pile-up including the top four runners in the race.
It immediately eliminated an upside down race leader Cole Macedo, as well as three-time Classic winning veteran Kerry Madsen.
Pole-sitter James McFadden and Jock Goodyer were able to continue but with heavily damaged cars.
Amid the carnage, Ian Madsen and Tim Kaeding came to blows on the infield after triggering the initial wreck.
After impressing on Saturday and starting on the third row of the grid, Super2 racer Brad Vaughan suffered a vicious rollover on lap 15.
World of Outlaws superstar Carson Macedo was another who ended the Classic upside down after a wild wreck on the back straight.
The biggest casualty of the night belonged to reigning Knoxville Nationals champion Ryan Timms.
The Oklahoma teenager crashed out of the B-Main, failing to make the big show at his maiden Classic.
“I’m so sorry to my team – all I’ve done is destroy a bunch of gear since I arrived and it’s been almost all my fault,” Timms, the most exciting young star of Sprintcar racing said.
Earlier in the night the Premier Speedway club announced significant prize money increases across the next two years with an extended deal with the event’s major sponsor, the Flying Horse Bar and Brewery.
The 2027 Classic will pay the winner $75,000, with the 2028 Classic worth $100,000 to the winner, joining Perth’s High Limit International in December with a six figure payday to the victor.
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