By Ken de la Bastide

(August 31, 2013) - Elliott McKinney held off a determined pack of drivers over the final 10 laps to record his third feature win in the Front Wheel Drive Oval Division at Anderson Speedway on Saturday.

The caution flag waved at the halfway point, which wiped out a comfortable lead for McKinney. With point leader Paul Phipps lined up on the outside of the front row, the two drivers battling for the championship raced side by side for five laps.

McKinney and Phipps were joined by Nick Warner, Jerry Dane and Marshall Clark Jr. as the five drivers jostled for the win.

Lapped traffic allowed Clark to pass both Dane and Warner with two laps remaining, but with one lap remaining Clark and Phipps made contact and did partial spins in turn two.

McKinney went on to win followed by Dane, Warner, Phipps and Clark.

With an inversion of the fastest 12 cars for the start it took the fast qualifiers about 10 laps to work their way to the front.

Dylan Hoppes took the early lead from the pole position when he was passed by McKinney on the back straight after four laps.

The Maximum Classic Rock Radio Night of Thrills featured something different with the first ever Hour Glass race for the Front Wheel Drive division. Drivers exited turns two cut through the crossover and re-entered the track in turn three, exiting the track in turn four driving through the crossover and re-entering the oval on turn one.

McKinney, Warner and Jeff Williams staged a three-car battle for the lead for the first seven laps before Warner was able to get around McKinney on the outside of turn three.

The three drivers weaved their way through the modified road course on the Anderson Speedway oval. Williams was able to pass McKinney for the second spot at the finish line by using the low line through the final two corners.

Harry LaShure finished fourth followed by JD Blankenship.

“It was a lot of fun,” Warner said, “particularly through the short chutes. I want to thank Elliott (McKinney) for racing me clean.”

Warner scored his second win of the night in the Cork Screw Race by passing McKinney on the final lap at the corkscrew in the middle of the Figure-8 course.

McKinney took the early lead chased by Warner and Williams as the three ran in a tight pack.

Williams lost contact with McKinney and Warner in slower traffic at the Corkscrew, but still finished third. Dane finished fourth followed by Kevin Henson.

Lawrence Kelly Jones won the trailer race as the only competitor still pulling a trailer at the conclusion of seven laps.

Kevin O’Bryant driving a 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo defeated David Powell in a Honda to win the Spectator Drag Races.

Racing action returns to Anderson Speedway on Saturday, September 7 with Aerco Night at the Races featuring McGunegill Engine Performance Late Models, Front Wheel Drives Oval, Legends and Thunder Roadsters.