Classic Finishes Highlight MAX/WLBC Friday Night Summer Series Action

By Tom Hammond

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If the rest of the MAX / WLBC Friday Night Summer Series at Anderson Speedway goes like Opening Night on May 6, fans will be treated to some fantastic action all summer long. Two photo finishes and a big collision at the checkered flag in the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Figure 8 feature made for an exciting night of racing.

Pendleton’s Terry Malone Jr. drove the No. 66 machine owned by Herb Rose to the feature win in the Insight Thunder Car Figure 8 feature. Malone scored his first career ThunderCar Figure 8 feature victory with a flag-to-flag victory. He started on the outside of the front row and immediately took the lead with the drop of the green flag. Anderson drivers Mike Peters, Paris Swallows Jr., Robert Brumback and Roy Grissom Sr. completed the top five.

Nick Warner was the beneficiary of some tough luck for Jeffery Reichardt in the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Figure 8 feature, scoring his second consecutive feature checkered flag. Reichardt appeared to have the race in hand after taking the lead on the sixth lap.

However, Reichardt couldn’t avoid Muncie’s Larry Greene Jr. in the crossover as he neared the finish line. Reichardt’s machine made heavy contact with Greene’s car, allowing Warner to take the victory. Travis Burge grabbed runner-up honors with Muncie’s Cale Ramey, Allen Wagner and Mt. Summit’s Keith Morris rounding out the top five.

Albany’s Daniel Russell won his second Legends Feature of the young season in exciting fashion. He started fifth in the 25-lap main event and made his way to the top spot on the 17th circuit. Russell and Tennessee’s Greg Haack then battled tooth-and-nail the final eight laps before Haack made a move coming out of the fourth turn on the final lap. The two were nearly side-by-side as they crossed the finish line with Russell pulling out a bumper-length win.

Paul Holden crossed the line in third position, but failed post-race technical inspection, advancing Scott McGinley to third spot. Chris Wilson finished fourth, but was also disqualified for not going to post-race tech.  T.J. Sneva then moved to fourth with Eric Black in fifth.

Anderson’s William Coffman picked up the win in the Insight ThunderCar Oval Feature. Coffman inherited the lead on the 16th of 20 laps after race leader Brandon Phillips and the second place car of Billy Riddle tangled in the fourth turn. Both cars were relegated to the tail of the lead lap. Lonnie Burton, Alexandria’s Alice Riall, and Anderson drivers Roy Grissom Sr. and David Short completed the top five. Grissom and Anderson’s Jesse King picked up Insight ThunderCar heat victories.

Anderson drivers Brad Stevens and Nick Warner staged a classic battle in the first of two Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Oval feature events. Warner took the lead on the third of 15 laps as Stevens made his way through the field to second spot by lap 7. Stevens went low off turn four on the final lap and picked up enough momentum to beat Warner to the finish line by less than a foot. Kevin Harmon and Anderson drivers Kreigh Leever and Dustin Burge filled out the top five.

Jerry Smith took top honors in the second feature after passing Frankton’s Larry Shrock on the seventh of 15 laps. Shrock was running second at the end but was disqualified, giving Greenfield’s Brandon Tweedy the runner-up position. Anderson drivers Pete Corsaro, Scott Frazier and Tony Crum completed the top five. Heat victories went to Shrock, Morris and Ricky Craig.

Anderson Speedway will return to racing action Saturday Night, May 7, with the return of the Super Late Models. The Terry’s RV Sales & Service Street Socks & Insight ThunderCar Figure 8’s will also be featured on The Star Press Saturday Night Racing Series.

On Saturday Night, the spectator gates open at 5 p.m. with the 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.

For additional information contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.