Chapman, Phipps stage Figure 8 battle
Drivers dominate racing action
Veteran drivers Curtis Chapman and Rod Phipps staged a classic short track battle in the feature event for the Figure-8 Division at Anderson Speedway with Chapman taking a narrow victory.

The two drivers were the fastest during qualifications and ran
one-two in the heat race with the main event of the evening in the feature.

Tim Nickerson took the early lead in the 25-lap feature chased by Danny Stanley Jr. with James Peterson, Chapman and Randy Hoppes in hot pursuit.

On the second lap Nickerson and Stanley got together going through the crossover and both drivers spun toward the outside retaining wall on the front straight.

That put Peterson in the lead but that that advantage lasted just one circuit as first Chapman slipped past on the back straight and then Phipps moved into second with an inside pass entering turn one.

For the next 21 laps Chapman and Phipps battled for the top spot. Phipps with the faster car looked inside and out for a way around Chapman but to no avail. Chapman maintained the same line to the finish with Phipps giving him a tap from time to time to just let Chapman know he was right there.

Chapman made no mistakes and won by .217 seconds over Phipps with Peterson, Bruce McFall and Hoppes rounding out the top five.

It was Chapman's second consecutive win for car owner Terry Malone Jr., having won the Best Way Disposal National Crown the last time the division was in competition.

During the heat race Peterson took the early lead with Phipps running fifth and Chapman holding down the sixth position at the start.

Phipps passed Nickerson on lap two and both Phipps and
Chapman used the outside line to get around Stanley.

Phipps then went outside of McFall and took the lead on lap four with an outside pass of Nickerson.

Chapman passed Nickerson on the sixth circuit to move into
second, but came up more than two seconds shy of catching
Phipps. Peterson, McFall and Stanley rounded out the top five.

During qualifying Phipps turned the quickest lap with a time of 19.985 seconds with Chapman posting a lap at 20 seconds flat.