Jones, Baker, Harrison, Grissom and Sneva Score Victories at MAX/WLBC Summer Series

In a night of continuous rain showers on Anderson Speedway, persistent drying efforts by track officials and competitors allowed for an action-packed program of MAX / WLBC Summer Series racing at the world’s fastest quarter-mile track.

The ThunderCars kicked off the schedule of events with A.J. Jones earning the victory in a photo finish, edging out Tim Dick in the oval events. In the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drives, Jerry Baker earned the win, holding off his teammate David Baker. 2002 track champion Mark Harrison took the checkered flag in Modifieds with Roy Grissom Sr. winning in Thunder Car Figure 8’s and T.J. Sneva returning to his winning ways in Legends.

Earning his initial victory of his Thunder Car oval career, Jones in the No. 93 A.J.’s Automotive Oldsmobile, initially grabbed the top spot on lap 10, when leader Brandon Leisure dropped out of competition with mechanical problems. Jones got the better of a furious battle from Dick, who challenged for the top spot the final 11 circuits. Coming to the checkered flag, Jones’ mount slipped wide nearly scraping the fourth turn retaining wall as Dick charged on the inside groove. At the line, Jones finished first followed by Dick, Jack Taylor of Chesterfield, Rick Trueblood and first-timer John Goforth.

Taking the first position on lap five, Jerry Baker controlled the remainder of the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive 12-lap event. The No. 19 machine of Jerry Baker sailed into leadership honors with a bottom groove move in Turn 4, completing the race-winning pass down the front straightaway on Jessica Jennings. The following lap, David Baker darted into second position, pushing Jessica Jennings back to third.

The second portion of the event showcased a hard-charging Chris Jennings joining the two front-runners. After the lone caution period occurred when Elliott McKinney looped his No. 7 purple colored car on the backstretch, David Baker and Chris Jennings battled for runner-up honors. The two competitors raced side-by-side, with David Baker able to fend off the challenge. Patrick Spillis placed fourth with Scott Roberts filling out the top-five finishers.

In Ed Martin Auto Group Modified competition, a quick move in Turn 1 on lap five, propelled Harrison to the inside of the top two competitors of Jamie Hadley and Don Skaggs, who were hooked together. This allowed Harrison to advance from third position to the top of the leader board. On the restart after the two machines came apart, Randy Anderson of Knightstown and Tom McKinney of Clayton followed him. Harrison stretched a healthy cushion on Anderson after the restart as the battle for third position developed between McKinney, Joe Jennings and Florida’s Jeff Weston.

A fierce battled ensued between the trio of competitors, with McKinney experiencing mechanical problems that dropped him out of the event. Jennings also suffered a setback, as he was pinned by McKinney’s slow moving car. At the finish, Harrison’s No. 26 Ed Martin Auto Group car finished first chased by Anderson with Weston in third spot. Skaggs finished fourth with Jennings filling out the top five.

Making a last-lap pass, Grissom powered around the No. 99 machine of Josh Tharp to capture the Figure 8 car victory. Tharp took the lead position on the sixth circuit passing the No. 03 of early leader James Peterson. Tharp then began to edge away from the field, but in the closing stages, Grissom narrowed the margin considerably. Grissom completed the pass in Turn 1, finishing ahead of Tharp. Third-place honors were awarded to Peterson with Mike Peters and Jim Brown rounding out the top-five performers.

Winning his fifth Legends event of the season, Sneva completed the move on Greg Dietzen for the lead spot on the 23rd circuit. After five laps of consecutive side-by-side racing, Sneva took the first position. Coming towards the final lap, second running Dietzen made contact with Maryland’s Marc Davis, which forced him to loop his car. James Robertson placed second with points leader Al Renner in third. Scott McGinley recorded fourth-place honors with Dr. Bill Cribbs rounding out the top five.

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