Edsall Gets Thunder Roadster Win; Armstrong, McGhee Score Midget Wins
James Edsall III came from the tail of the field
to take the lead with 28 laps remaining en route to the United States Speed
Association Thunder Roadster victory at Anderson Speedway.
Edsall’s “Batmobile” developed a fluid leak during the heat race and after
making repairs started at the back of the pack. Jeff Woods took the early lead
chased by Chris Weddle, Derrick Williams, Darrell Brown and Tony Brickert.
Edsall and fast qualifier Al Renner were the drivers on the move.
By lap four Edsall and Renner were running fifth and sixth. Weddle took the
point on lap five with an inside move on Woods on the front straight.
Edsall climbed to fourth on lap 13, passed Brickert on lap 15 to move into
second and made the pass on Weddle entering turn three with an inside move.
From there Edsall pulled away from the field with Weddle and Renner battling
nose to tail for the second position. Renner finally got inside of Weddle
entering turn three to grab the second spot.
At the checkers it was Edsall winning by 3.3 seconds over Renner followed by
Weddle, Brickert and Tony Holden.
New Castle’s Dalton Armstrong got the hole shot at the start of the USSA midget
feature leading wire to wire to record the victory.
Fast qualifier Mario Marietta, who made contact with the turn four outside
retaining wall in the heat race, borrowed the car of Travis Young and was able
to climb from the rear of the field to third. He passed Jim Anderson with a
nifty inside move entering turn one to claim the position.
At the finish it was Armstrong, David Bryne, Marietta, Anderson and Travis Ninea.
Max McGhee was in the right place at the right time to inherit the lead in the
Kenyon Midget feature and then held off fast qualifier Justin Peck for the final
12 laps to record the win.
Cordy Horn led the first 38 laps when he spun coming off the second corner. That
put Peck into the lead but USSA officials put Peck behind McGhee because he
jumped the restart on lap 34 to gain a position.
Over the final ten laps McGhee, Peck and Nick Hamilton battled for the top
position with Peck attempting to gain the advantage both high and low coming off
the corners to no avail. Hamilton was looking for racing room, but neither
McGhee or Peck made a mistake to forfeit a position.
McGhee won by .318 seconds followed by Peck, Hamilton, James Edsall III and
Issac Chapple.