Williams Holds Off Harmon; Dane Breaks While Leading

(October 25, 2011) – During the second half of the Front Wheel Drive oval season it was a contest between Jeff Williams and Jerry Dane to see who would emerge as the feature winner.

The Front Wheel Drive Challenge 100-lap feature at Anderson Speedway was no different last Saturday with Kevin Harmon, Donnie Ellis Jr., Colt Moore and several other drivers in the mix for the victory.

Williams set fast time during Herald Bulletin qualifying with Dane starting alongside on the front row for the feature.

Dane got the initial jump on the start chased by Williams, Don Klein-Gallaher, Harmon and Brian Slavey. Nick Warner, who posted the seventh quick time, saw his night end on lap four when he made contact with the turn three outside wall.

Williams made an outside pass of Dane on the front straight on the eighth circuit to take the lead, but when the two encountered traffic on lap 20, Dane again went to the front with an inside pass, but that lead lasted one lap when Williams made an outside pass in turn one.

On a restart on lap 24, Dane took advantage of the high groove to take the lead and used lapped traffic to build a sizeable lead over Williams, Harmon, Moore and Ellis.

Justin Brown, who was working his way to the front, had to go to the back of the field when he was required to pit and remove a loose rear bumper. But he was working his way back to the front.

Dane’s lead disappeared on lap 52 when the caution flag waved when Tim Perkins stopped on the track. Dane again pulled away from his competitors, who were locked in a tight five car-battle for the second through sixth positions.

Things made a drastic change on lap 88 when Dane slowed and pulled to the infield with a broken front axle and three laps later the caution flag waved.

Moore was on the point chased by Williams, Harmon, Brown and Klein-Gallaher. On lap 94 Williams got inside of Moore in turn four and Harmon followed with the same move in turn one.

The final caution flag waved on lap 98 for fluids on the track. Williams was able to hold off Harmon at the finish by .319-seconds with Klein-Gallaher, Brown and Moore rounding out the top five.

Harmon was applying the pressure on Williams at the finish.

“I kept telling him to push harder,” Williams said following the win, “I was only running on five cylinders.”


































 
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