By Ken de la Bastide

(March 31, 2014) - After finishing last in the Vore’s Welding Late Model Sportsman race on Sunday at Anderson Speedway, Jeff Marcum led all but one lap to win the NASH-FM Thunder Car feature.

But for the entire distance Marcum was pressured by Trent Gossar and Curtis Chapman.

The only caution flag waved on lap seven when fast qualifier Robbie Wyman lost a tire entering turn four while he was contending for the third spot with Gossar.

On the restart Eric Evans edged Marcum for the lead on the front straight, but Marcum was back out in front on lap eight. Evans day ended when he made some contact with Gossar on the back straight and suffered a flat right front tire.

For the next 65 laps Marcum, Gossar and Chapman raced nose to tail with each driver waiting for the other to make a mistake, a mistake that never took place.

Gossar several times got close enough to give Marcum a nudge entering the corners, but was unable to bump the leader from the inside groove.

While Gossar was fighting with Marcum, Chapman attempted to make the pass on the outside several times but was unable to claim the position.

Jessey Bilbrey finished fourth followed by Brian Lewis.

“I knew they would race me pretty clean,” Marcum said in the Thompson Nationwide Insurance Winner’s Circle. “The car was fast today.”