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Warner Dominates Enduro; Williams Captures Front Wheel Drive Challenge
(October
22, 2011) –
Anderson veteran Nick Warner took over the lead from Artie Ware on
lap 63 and went on to lead 135 of the final 137 laps to capture the WMDH
ThunderCar Enduro at Anderson Speedway on Saturday.
Warner coasted to the victory by more than a lap when Phil Jenkins spun in
turn four with 47 circuits remaining. Herald Bulletin fast qualifier Allan
Williams Jr. came back from three laps down after suffering a flat tire
early in the event to finish third. Ranny Hinton and Jameson Owens rounded
out the top five.
Attrition took its toll on many of the expected contenders during the first
100 laps when the race was slowed a dozen times for on-track incidents.
There were only four stoppages during the second 100 laps.
Williams took the early lead but was passed by Warner on lap 13 with an
inside pass entering turn one while the lead pack contended with slower
traffic.
Warner led until lap 20 when Ware got the jump on a restart and led until
lap 62, when Ware suffered a flat right front tire.
Jenkins grabbed the lead from Warner on lap 129 following a restart, but
Warmer retook the lead on lap 132 with an inside pass going down the back
straight.
“It was slick,” Warner said after collecting the $3,000 payday. “I thought
the rear-end was going out. I was trying to make it to the end.”
Jenkins said his car faded at the end.
“We were just holding on there,” he said. “We’ll take a second.”
On lap 46 Robbie Wyman lost an engine entering turn three and the slick
track conditions collected Herb Rose, running second at the time and Rob
Allman, running in the top ten, against the turn four wall.
Noblesville driver Jerry Dane appeared headed for the victory in the 100-lap
Front Wheel Drive Oval feature when he slowed dramatically on lap 88 and
pulled out of contention.
Dane had opened a commanding lead over the rest of the field following the
second of three caution flags. With Dane slowing that gave visiting Kentucky
driver Colt Moore the lead over 2011 track champion in the division, Jeff
Williams, Kevin Harmon, Justin Brown and Don Klein-Gallaher.
The caution flag created a 10-lap shootout for the six cars remaining on the
lead serial. Williams used a strong run going down the back straight to get
inside of Moore entering turn three and took the lead on lap 94. Moore
drifted high in turn three and lost three most positions.
Fluids on the racing surface created a final two-lap sprint to the checkers
with Williams on the point followed by Harmon, Brown, Klein-Gallaher and
Moore.
At the finish it was Williams followed by Harmon, Klein-Gallaher, Brown and
Moore. Brown had the best run of the night climbing back through the field
after being sent to the rear of the field following a pit stop on lap 21 to
remove a dragging rear bumper.
Racing action returns to Anderson Speedway on Saturday, October 29th with
State Championship Demolition Derby plus Autocross and Front Wheel Drive
Autocross.
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