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VanMeter Sweeps IOFS Action; Myers, Cain Also Score Wins
(May
5, 2012) –
Indianapolis driver Eddie VanMeter made his first visit of 2012 to
Anderson Speedway a memorable one sweeping International Outlaw Figure-8
action on Saturday.
VanMeter broke his own track record during qualifying, won the heat race for
the fastest cars and then dominated the final two-thirds of the feature to
post the win.
Josh Tharp took the early lead as the entire field was inverted with
VanMeter starting on the tail of the field. Following a restart on lap 11,
VanMeter took the top spot from Tharp and pulled away from the rest of the
field.
VanMeter spun on lap six after contact from Gary Bedell, but was given back
his spot as Bedell was set to the rear of the field. By lap 11 Bedell moved
up to the third spot and one lap later got inside of Tharp in turn two.
With VanMeter slowed by lapped traffic, Bedell closed on the leader over the
final ten laps, but was unable to close on the leader when he got caught
behind Jeff Shackleford.
VanMeter won by 2.1-seconds over Bedell followed by Chris Green, Tharp and
Jeff Hizer. It was the first time in two years that VanMeter has competed
with the IOFS.
Josh Myers scored his second consecutive feature win in the EDCO Welding
Street Stocks, taking advantage of a restart on lap 16.
Early leader Jimmy Kirby, Ricky Tharp and Myers were running nose to tail,
when Kirby got loose coming off the fourth corner and spun on the back
straight. Kirby was sent to the tail of the field for bringing out the
caution flag.
On the restart, Tharp and Myers ran side by side for two laps with Myers
gaining the front-running position on the outside. The second caution flag
waved when Billy VanMeter spun on the back straight while running fifth.
Tharp was able to take the lead on lap 23 as he ran next to Myers, but on
the next circuit Myers regained the top spot on the front straight.
Kirby recovered from his spin and passed Frankie Oakes on lap 23 to move
into the fourth spot.
Myers recorded the win followed by Tharp, Tyler Marsh, Kirby and Oakes.
Brad Cain led the entire distance to win his first WMDH ThunderCar feature
of the year, but was chased over the final 19 laps by fast qualifier Hannah
Lundy, veteran Herb Rose and Rob Allman.
Cain battled with Frankie Oakes at the start of the feature event with Rose
running third followed by Robbie Wyman and Allman.
On the seventh circuit Oakes and Wyman got together entering turn three with
Oakes making contact with the outside retaining wall. Wyman was sent to the
rear of the field for being involved in the caution.
Lundy lined up on the outside of Cain on the restart and several times
looked to make an outside move, but Cain wouldn’t give up the low line. Rose
and Allman closed on the two leaders. But the four ran nose to tail waiting
for one of the drivers to make a mistake, a mistake that none of them made.
Travis Burge rounded out the top five.
Nick Warner made it two International Outlaw Figure-8 wins in the Front
Wheel Drive division taking the lead from the start with Mike Alley and
Elliott McKinney staying in close contact through the early stages of the
race.
McKinney lost contact with the front-runners when he had to slow in the
crossover to avoid contact with a slower car.
Following Warner to the finish were Alley, McKinney, Donnie Ellis Jr. and
Kevin Henson.
Chris Weddle took the lead from Tony Holden with an inside pass coming off
the fourth corner on the 11th lap to win the Thunder Roadsters feature.
Weddle had to survive a restart with three laps remaining when Jordan Hiner
spun in turn four. Weddle, who set a new track record during qualifying,
pulled away to record the win.
Following Weddle to the checkers were Doug Dugger, Marty Griffin, Scott
McGinnley and Darrell Brown.
Anderson Speedway returns to racing action on Saturday, May 12 with CRA
Street Stocks, CRA Late Model Sportsman and G.W. Pierce Front Wheel Drive
Figure 8’s.
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