Peters, Pitts, Baker, Atkinson and Sneva Score Opening Night Victories

The 2003 WLBC Friday Night Summer Series sailed into action Friday evening at Anderson Speedway with a large field of cars on hand to thrill the "Eskimos" who braved the cold weather! It was quite a night for Anderson drivers as Mike Peters captured the closely contested Thunder 8 while Jonathon Pitts continued his winning ways in the Thunder Oval, David Baker took the hard fought Chappy's Rent to Own FWD victory and Jason Atkinson copped the Limited Late Model checker. Indy's T.J. Sneva scored the Legend feature win.

Mike Peters and Roy Grissom Sr. started on the front in the ThunderCar Figure 8 and the race quickly became a dogfight between the duo. The race was slowed early for a crossover tangle that eliminated James Peterson and Jonathon Pitts.

Grissom led the first four laps of the 15-lap event before getting tangled with a slower car, letting Peters take over. Peters and Grissom raced through some hair-raising traffic at the intersection! Josh Tharp who started sixth steadily moved up to make it a threesome with two laps to go. At the checker it was Grissom trying to pass Peters on one side while Tharp was doing the same on the other. Tim Brown and Ranny Hinton completed the top-five finishers.

The ThunderCar Oval saw heavy-duty traffic with some 28 cars taking the green flag. Tim Brown led early before Jonathon Pitts took over. Pitts had to do some exciting in and out of traffic driving to survive. On lap 18, Tim Adams slammed the third turn rubber safety barrels vaulting his car high into the air and coming down on top of Mike Peters. Both cars were severely damaged but the drivers were ok.  Pitts went on to take his third win of the young season over Brandon Leisure, Tim Brown, Joe Walters and Jim Brown.

In the Chappy's Rent To Own Front Wheel Drives  it was all out war and the paint exchange was incredible. Four drivers battled for the win with it turning out to be a battle of the Bakers. At the finish,  it was David Baker capturing the win over Jerry Baker, Larry Thomas, George Baker Jr. and Patrick Spillis. 

Legend action got off to a rocky start. In the first heat,  Jay McFall was trying to pass leader Homer Adams Jr. on the inside of turn 3 and there was little racing room available. The end result was a nine-car pileup, with several eliminated for the night.

Bryan Phifer went on to the win over T.J. Sneva and Greg Dietzen. Heat  No. 2 did not escape a crash either as three legends tangled on the last lap. Surviving for the win was Eric Black trailed by Mark Dietzen and Kyle Pollock.

Twenty-five cars took the green in the feature and it was Sneva going coast to coast for the win. Following were Al Renner, Phifer, Mark Sullivan and James Robertson. Fast Qualifier was Sneva at 14.209 seconds.

Limited late Model racing saw Mike Riddle Jr. lead flag to flag in the heat over Gerald Hinshaw and Jason Fullen.  Jason Atkinson made it look easy in the feature leading the distance. Trailers were Fullen with Scott Neal making a last lap pass for 3rd, Riddle and Hinshaw. Fullen was fast qualifier at 12.983 seconds.

For additional information contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.