By Ken de la Bastide

(March 31, 2014) - Noblesville teenager Chris Hacker turned in a dominating performance in capturing the season opening Vores Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman feature at Anderson Speedway.

Hacker started on the outside of the front row taking the lead from Eric McGlothen and maintained the point on three restarts before pulling away to a commanding lead.

The fourth caution flag waved on lap 70 when Jon Watson spun in turn two after a green-flag run of 51 laps.

On the final restart Hacker selected the inside groove with Billy VanMeter starting on the outside of the front row followed by McGlothen, K.C. Spillers and Jack Dossey III.

Hacker was able to maintain the lead on the restart with VanMeter spinning on the back straight and coming to a stop in the infield. That allowed fast qualifier Jason Atkinson to move from the sixth spot to second with a nifty move to the inside through traffic.

For Hacker it was his second series win, both coming at Anderson. He was followed by Atkinson, McGlothlen, Spillers and Dossey.

It marked the first time Hacker led laps in CRA Late Model Sportsman competition. His 2013 win came after the apparent winner was disqualified after failing the tech inspection.

Atkinson’s second place finish was even more impressive after the crew made repairs to the rear-end with six laps remaining.

“We made some adjustments before the race,” Hacker said. “We freed it up through the corners. We had a really good car today.”

Atkinson said at the start the throttle was sticking and then had the rear end leaking problem.

“A second place with fast time, it was a pretty good day,” he said.

McGlothen was making his first appearance at Anderson Speedway.

“It’s a fun quarter-mile,” he said. “I had some brake issues, so the red-flag helped a little bit.”

The first caution flag waved on lap nine when Jeff Marcum and Robert Amos Jr. tangled in turn two. On the restart Kent Baledge got into the back of Greg Van Alst entering turn three which also collected Amos for a second time.

The third caution flag waved on lap 18 for debris.

Some of the best racing of the day took place between JP Crabtree and Atkinson for the fifth spot through the middle stages of the event.