Rose Picks Up Two Feature Wins; Riall and Boyer Also Score Victories
By Tom Hammond
Anderson’s Ronnie Rose got the Star Press
Saturday Night Series off to a great start at Anderson Speedway by picking up
feature wins in the Ed Martin Auto Group SuperTruck and Boss Hogg Catering and
Jerky Figure 8 divisions. Fans braved chilly temperatures and blustery winds to
get their first taste of racing in the 2005 season.
Rose started his big night by taking the checkered flag in the 40-lap SuperTruck
main event. He took the lead on the third lap and never looked back. The 2004
DT'S R Bar Rookie of the Year built
a sizeable lead on two occasions, only to see the field bunched back up twice by
caution periods.
Tom Miller held off Tony Broyles for second, followed by Robert
Lemen and Derek Price to round out the top five. Broyles paced qualifying with a
time of 13.656 seconds and drew a half-inversion for the start. Defending points champion
Josh Burton took top honors in the first heat, while Jeff Ellis captured the
checkered flag in the second heat.
 Rose also led from the get-go in the Boss Hogg Catering & Jerky Figure 8 feature
and was challenged by Rod
Phipps the entire way. Rose held on for the three-car length victory with last
year's champion Jeff
Swinford grabbing third-place honors. Legend Herb Rose and John Goforth rounded out the top five.
Rose had the fast
speed of the night in qualifying at 20.444 seconds and started from the pole after
drawing a straight-up inversion. Jeff Swinford won the first figure 8 heat race,
while Jason Pitts captured the second heat.
 2004 Terry’s RV Sales and Service points champion Rich Boyer picked up where he
left off last fall as he scored his first feature win of the year. However, it
wasn’t without drama. Boyer, of Anderson, seemingly had the race in hand as he
rounded the fourth turn on the final lap. He lost control of the car as it entered
the front stretch, and skidded sideways across the finish line just ahead of Rod
Phipps.
Curtis Chapman, Danny Acrey II and Bruce McFall completed the top five.
Boyer had the quick lap in qualifying at 14.224 seconds and drew a half-inversion at
the start. Street stock heat victories went to veteran New Castle driver Darwin
Blankenship and Anderson’s Jason Puckett.
 Alexandria’s Alice Riall was the beneficiary of some tough luck for Anderson’s
Billy Riddle in the Insight Thunder Car oval feature. Riddle built a quarter-lap
lead by the 19th lap, but mechanical failure sent him to the infield.
Riall took
advantage for her first feature win of the season. William Coffman finished second,
followed by A.J. Jones, Robert Brumback and Tom Tackett. Billy Riddle joined
Brumback in the Texas Roadhouse Winner’s Circle with wins in the Thunder Car
heats. Brandon Phillips paced qualifying with a speed of 15.742 seconds.
A doubleheader weekend is on tap April 9-10 at Anderson Speedway. The
Star Press Saturday Night Series features Ed Martin SuperTrucks, Terry’s
RV Sales and Service Street Stocks, Boss Hogg Catering & Jerky Figure 8
cars along with the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drives on the Oval and
Figure 8.
The spectator gates open at 5 p.m. with racing beginning at 8 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults and $4 for kids ages 6-12. Children five and under
get in free.
On Sunday, the 6th Annual Glen Niebel Classic brings the USAC National Sprints
to the World’s Fastest Quarter-Mile Oval. They’ll be joined by the Insight
Thunder Cars in Figure 8 action and the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive
car in oval action. Admission is $15 for adults, $4 for kids ages 6-12 and free
for kids five and under.
For additional information contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.
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