Cold Weather, Hot On-Track Action

Cold weather continued to plague the early part of the 2003 racing season at the Anderson Speedway, but the action was hot. Indy's Brian Lemmer captured his first Phillippe Eco Water Systems Super Truck Feature while Anderson drivers Curtis Chapman and Joe Hart Jr. took the Terry's RV Street Stock Main and the Fabulous Figure 8 Headliner.

Lemmer started a clean sweep evening by leading flag to flag in the First Super Truck heat over Bret Miles and Josh Burton. Young Mark Jennings was victorious in the second heat defeating Derrick Layne and Mike Mendenhall.

Robert Lemen led the opening two laps of the of the 40-lap main before being by-passed by Mendenhall. Lemmer and Miles also scooted around Lemen at the same time and the fight was on.

Lemmer pressed and pressed Mendenhall and the two gently bumped when Mendenhall became loose. Lemmer was able to get around for the lead on lap 27. Mendenhall made a valiant effort to come back but ended up tangling with Miles and spun out. On lap 31 Rob Hazelbaker had his engine explode and ignite into flames. Rob was ok in this scary incident. Upon the restart, Miles and Tony Broyles put the heat on for the distance but could not stop Lemmer from taking the win. Following were Miles, Broyles, Josh Burton and Jack Dossey, Jr. Defending champion Brent Busby was fast qualifier at 13.692.

Josh Key led the first half of the first Street Stock heat before his mount broke vaulting Jake Owens into the lead. Owens went on to the win taking the victory by a length over Terry Malone, Jr and Darwin Blankenship. Chris Miller took over from David Woesner on lap three of the second heat and waltzed on to the win over Woesner and Jeff Powers.

The feature was awesome as it began with Donnie Butler led the initial four circuits  before looping it in turn two, sending Miller to the point. Curtis Chapman, who started eighth, worked his way to the front by the half way point and snagged the lead away from Miller on lap 15. Malone tried Chapman high and low but couldn't get the job done. Trailing Chapman and Malone were Blankenship, Rich Boyer and Danny Acrey, II. Boyer was fast qualifier with a new track record of 14.488 seconds.

The criss-crossing Figure 8's were next with Mike Perry copping the coins in heat No. 1, leading the entire distance over Johnny Magee and Ronnie Rose. Heat No. 2 was a slamfest. Andy Sherley looked like a sure winner, leading from the get-go. Joe Hart Jr. was a little bit too aggressive on an attempted pass for the lead and both cars went sailing. Billy Palmer went on to the victory over Rod & Michael Phipps.

Hart passed Michael Phipps on lap two of the feature and never looked back. Although he was pressured the distance by Magee and Bobby Long. Hart challenged all comers at the crossover and all heeded his challenge.

Trailers were Magee, Long, Rod Phipps and Perry. Long was fast qualifier with a new track record of 20.551 seconds.

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