By Ken de la Bastide

(August 24, 2013) - Kevin Donahue made the trip from Missouri worthwhile as he passed John Robbins with 24 laps remaining to win the Grant Fritz/Greg Dietzen Memorial race for the Legends division.

Donahue was the first different winner of the event in six years at Anderson Speedway. The classic first started in 1996 and has become a stable on the speedway’s annual schedule attracting some of the best competitors from around the nation.

Donahue was able to get inside of Robbins on lap 51 following a restart when Robbins car was unable to maintain the preferred low groove.

Robbins was able to keep pressure on Donahue, closing to his rear bumper with 15 laps remaining. At the finish Donahue won by less than a car length.

Ross Rollings finish third followed by Eric Black and Cody Anderson.

Robbins took advantage of a mechanical problem for early leader Aaron Holden on lap 29 to take the lead coming off the fourth corner.

For several laps there were sparks visible under Holden’s car and when his car drifted high in the corner that allowed Robbins and Kevin Donahue to slip pass. Holden spun in turn two when the car lost a muffler and was unable to continue.

With Robbins in the lead Donahue and Ross Rollings swapped the second position several times. Rollings moved into the second spot on lap 43 and closed to the rear bumper of Robbins when the second caution flag waved when Mark Dietzen lost an engine.

Jeff Marcum held off fast qualifier Eddie Van Meter for 23 laps to record his win of the year in the McGunegill Engine Performance Late Model feature.

Marcum started from the pole position as a result of a four-car inversion with Van Meter passing Rob Allman on the second lap with an inside move in turn three.

Van Meter stayed glued to Marcum’s rear bumper, but was battling a loose race car exiting the corners and came up less than a half-second short.

Chris Hacker finished third followed by Allman and Ronnie Rose, who held off Fred Hopkins and Danny Trent at the finish.

Doug Dugger made it a clean sweep of Thunder Roadster action by setting fast time, winning the fast heat and recording his first feature victory of the year.

Dugger took the lead from Chase Lane on the second lap with an inside pass going down the back straight. Dugger opened up a comfortable lead until the caution flag waved on lap 17 when Darrell Brown made contact with the turn three outside retaining wall.

Dugger was able to maintain the lead with John Robbins and Nate Shrout rounding out the top three.

Marshal Clark Jr. recorded his first victory win holding off a rapidly closing Nick Warner at the checkers by a half-second.

Clark opened up a straight away lead over Warner, who moved into the second position halfway through the race. From there Warner started cutting into Clark’s lead, on the final lap slower traffic helped Clark to the win.

Elliott McKinney, Paul Phipps and Dylan Hoppes rounded out the top five.

Racing action returns to Anderson Speedway on Saturday, August 31 with the Night of Thrills Plus EDCO Welding Fireworks. The racing action will include Front Wheel Drives Oval, Spectator Races, Trailer Race, Hour Glass Race, Roll Over Contest and Cork Screw Race