It was a night for track records and first time winners at Anderson Speedway on Saturday with Jeff Marcum, John Robbins and Matt Tharp all making their first trip to the winner’s circle this season.
Marcum set the tone for the evening by setting a new track record for the McGunegill Engine Performance Late Models turning a lap at 12.811-seconds to eclipse the mark set last June by Jack Dossey III of 12.839-seconds.
Marcum took the lead at the start followed by Scott Tomasik and Wes Russell Jr. for the first 30 laps. Tomasik retired on lap 30 with an apparent mechanical problem.
The first caution flag waved on lap 32 when Russell spun coming off the fourth corner which moved Danny Trent up to second chased by Jay Neal. Before a lap could be completed Russell and Neal tangled in the second corner.
Marcum survived the restart to record his first win of the year, after two runner-up finishes.
Russell slipped inside of Trent for second on the back straight with three laps remaining.
Following Marcum and Russell to the checkered flag was Neal, Joe Woodring and Kent Carson. Trent was disqualified for failing to report to tech after the race.
Kevin Harmon set a new track record in Marcum Welding Pro Compact competition with a time of 14.458-seconds to best the mark set by Adam Lee last May of 14.615-seconds.
Tharp took the lead on lap 17 with an inside pass of early leader Jeff Williams on the back straight.
The caution flag waved when Harmon and Nick Warner tangled on the back straight on lap 18 and collected the car of Williams. Only Harmon was able to continue.
Trent Gossar finished second by passing Ron Phipps on lap 20 with an outside power move on the front straight.
Defending Thunder Roadsters champion John Robbins led all 30 laps to record the win by less than a second over Mike Myer with Rodney Oliver coming home third.
Dave Osborn, who has been the hottest driver in the division, was forced out of competition on lap eight with what appeared to be a broken right front suspension. Doug Dugger spun on lap 19 while running second and didn’t return to competition.
Jeff Swinford scored his second consecutive feature win in Hart’s Auto Figure 8 competition pulling away from the start to beat Ronnie Rose to the checkered flag by more than 4-seconds.
Swinford used an outside move to get around Rose at the start and was never seriously challenged with Shawn Cullen, Bruce McFall and Brian McKinney rounding out the top five.
During qualifications Swinford broke his own track record of 18.606-seconds set on April 23 with a lap of 18.538-seconds.
But that mark only lasted until Rose went out next and turned a lap at 18.523-second for the new track record.
Randy Hoppes made it two consecutive wins in Thunder Car action leading the entire distance over Jerry Swinford Jr. and Bruce McFall.
