Banyas Leads Second Day of Pay Less Little 500 Qualifying

Four Drivers Earn Spot in Historic Little 500

Ohio rookie Jeff Banyas posted the fastest time of the day in second round qualifying for the 61st running of the Pay Less Little 500 on Friday.

Six former Little 500 winners and seven rookies will be in the starting field of 11 rows of three to take the green flag today at Anderson Speedway starting at 8 p.m.

Former winners in the field are Eric Gordon, Jeff Bloom, Dave Steele, Chet Fillip, Brian Tyler and defending champion Shane Cottle.

Warsaw’s Tony Elliott will lead the field to the start with Steele in the middle and rookie Shane Hollingsworh on the outside of the front row.

Banyas turned four-laps at 46.934 seconds to make the starting field for the first time at Anderson Speedway. He ran a consistent four laps with his times ranging from 11.708 to 11.774 seconds.

Vincennes Jonathan Vennard making his second appearance at Anderson Speedway this week was the first car to make a qualifying run and posted a four-lap time of 47.145 seconds and turned the fastest lap of the day at 11.666 seconds.

Joining Banyas and Vennard bumping their way into the starting field was Florida veteran Stan Butler and Michigan veteran Bill Tyler.

Banyas will start 20th, Vennard, 23rd, Tyler, 24th and Butler, 29th.

Swain bumped Tyler with a time of 47.945 to put himself on the bubble on his second qualifying attempt of the day. Tyler returned the favor with 20 minutes remaining in qualifying by knocking Swain from the field with a time of 47.190 seconds.

That put Sondi Eden on the bubble with a time of 47.805 seconds.

Fortville’s Mark Hall made the last qualifying attempt of the day and his first lap was quick enough to bump Eden. On Hall’s second lap he bobbled in turn two and could not recover in time to make the field.

Yorktown’s Adam Schuyler day ended when he made contact with the turn three wall on his first qualifying attempt.

Two Indiana drivers saw their efforts to make the 33-car starting field come to an end on their second qualifying attempt of the day. Ron Koehler, South Bend, spun in turn three on his first lap and Argos driver Tom Paterson spun entering turn one on his first lap.

On Saturday, the gates open at Anderson Speedway at 4 p.m. There is a driver’s autograph session at 6 p.m. with the Pay Less Little 500 scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

For additional information on Anderson Speedway call (765) 642-0206.