|
|
|
Blevins Claims ThunderCar Enduro; Robbins, Williams and Edsall Also Get
Wins
(April
29, 2011) –
Benny Blevins passed Herb Rose with 60 laps remaining
to capture the 200-lap Enduro for the WMDH ThunderCars at Anderson Speedway
on Friday, April 29.
Rose took the lead on lap 69 when he got inside of Rob Noel with an inside
pass entering turn one and led a race high 70 laps before Blevins, who
started 15th in the field made the determining pass.
The entire race complexion changed between lap 55 and 60 when leader Johnny
Magee lost an engine and on lap 59 David McConnell hit the outside retaining
wall collecting Pam Neal and leader Allan Williams.
That set up a series of four lead changes over the next ten laps between
Noel and Rose.
Blevins moved into the second spot on lap 81 when he used the high groove to
get around Noel on the front straight.
The driver on the move in the second half of the race was Williams who made
up three laps to the leaders by lap 173. Williams moved inside of Mike
Phipps for third on lap 175 and set his sights on Rose.
Williams, the fast qualifier, moved into second with an outside pass of Rose
entering turn two and set his sights on Blevins. He closed to less than half
a straight away with two laps remaining.
At the checkers it was Blevins holding off Williams by .602-seconds, Rose
came home in third followed by Phipps and Noel, who started 18th.
Early in the race Nick Warner went out with a mechanical problem, but he was
to return later. Rob Allman suffered two flat tires and Ronnie Rose also had
a problem.
Elwood’s John Robbins had to make repairs after making contact with the
retaining wall in practice and then came out to lead the entire distance to
record his first feature win of the year in the Legends Division.
Robbins jumped into the lead at the start and during two double-file
restarts was able to first holding off Tony Holden and then Brian Nuckles.
With Robbins in the lead there was good side by side racing following the
two restarts for the second position. The driver on the move was Nuckles,
who started seventh and was running fourth after four laps.
Nuckles first got inside of Holden on the front straight on the first
restart and seven laps later got underneath Alec Webb entering the third
corner for second. Holden used a similar move a lap later to get around
Webb.
At the finish it was Robbins, Nuckles, Tony Holden, Aaron Holden and Webb.
The complexion of the race changed before the green flag waved when fast
qualifier Taylor Webb went to the pit area with a broken suspension.
Fast qualifier Jeff Williams used the low groove entering turn one on the
ninth circuit to pass Ron Phipps to claim the point and went on to win his
second consecutive Front Wheel Drive oval feature.
Marshall Clark was the early leader, but with the front six cars running in
a tight pack, spun in turn two, which gave the lead to Paul Phipps. On the
fourth lap Ron Phipps, Elliott McKinney and Williams all slipped past Paul
Phipps to claim the top three positions.
On the one restart McKinney dove inside of Ron Phipps to take the second
position, but had nothing for Williams. Ron Phipps finished third followed
by Clark and Andrea Williams.
James Edsall III continued his winning ways in the Last Chance Wrecker
Thunder Roadsters passing Doug Dugger on the second lap coming off the
fourth corner and went on to a dominating win. Dugger finished second with
Darrell Brown, Tony Holden and Chris Weddle rounding out the top five.
Holden got inside of Brown on the front straight on the tenth lap, but the
two made slight contact with the result being Holden moving up the track in
turn one.
Edsall has never been defeated in the “Batmobile” in the Thunder Roadster
division.
Race fans will be entertained on Saturday Night with the exciting U.S. Air
Force Night of Thrills events from the IOFS Outlaw Figure 8’s, School Bus
Figure 8’s, Culver’s Trailer Race, Backwards Race and Cork Screw Race.
On Saturday, April 30, spectator gates open at 4 p.m. with the racing
beginning at 7. Admission is $12 for adults and $4 for kids ages 6-12.
Children five and under get in free.
|
|
