Warner Wins Twice; Russell, Malone and Dick Also Victorious

By Tom Hammond

Click to View Results - Photo Gallery

On the opening night of the Terry’s RV Sales & Service Summer Fun Weekend, Nick Warner made two feature appearances in the Texas Roadhouse Winner’s Circle during the MAX/WLBC Friday Night Summer Series on August 5, at Anderson Speedway. In other action, Daniel Russell grabbed the win in the Legends division with Terry Malone Jr. earning top honors in the Insight ThunderCar Figure 8 feature and Jeff Dick grabbing his first season victory in the ThunderCar Oval main event.

Warner scored his eighth win of the season in a wild 10-lap Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Figure 8 feature. Anderson’s Travis Burge took the early lead with fellow Anderson drivers Randy Owen and John Burge in hot pursuit. John Burge then took the point on the sixth lap with Warner running in second position.

Owen and the Burge brothers then staged an exciting 1-2-3 finish as they literally ran side-by-side through the crossover and banged their way to the checkered flag. Warner had the slight advantage at the finish line for the win with John Burge second and Travis Burge third. Mt. Summit’s Keith Morris and Anderson’s Shane Cullen rounded out the top five.

Warner completed his big night by winning the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive 15-lap Oval feature. The Anderson racer took the lead on a restart after the first lap and held off Gaston’s Brian Harmon by one car length at the finish. Harmon was able to close the gap thanks to some aggressive driving and lapped traffic that slowed Warner near the end. Fellow Anderson drivers Dustin Burge and Sam Folsom joined Morris to earn top five finishes.

Anderson’s David Baker scored the win in the first Front Wheel Drive Oval heat, while Pete Corsaro was victorious in the second heat. Harmon set a new track record for the Front Wheel Drive cars in qualifying with a time of 15.954 seconds

Albany’s Daniel Russell continued his winning ways in the Legends division, but not without a stiff challenge from Elwood’s John Robbins and Danny Jackson of Loveland, Ohio. Russell started eighth and worked his way up to second spot behind Greenfield’s Paul Holden by the 10th lap.

Russell then passed Holden on the inside in turns one and two to take the lead. Robbins and Jackson also made strong moves in the middle stages of the 25-lap feature to remain in contention.

Russell appeared to have a comfortable lead when a multi-car crash in turn 2 forced a yellow flag on the 19th lap, allowing Robbins and Jackson to close the gap. Russell fended off several strong challenges from Robbins and Jackson to take his ninth feature win of 2005. Plainfield’s Eric Black and Indianapolis’ Rodney Smith rounded out the top five.

Scott McGinley of Camby was victorious in the first Legends heat, while Smith scored his first win in the second heat. Russell led qualifying with a time of 14.002 seconds.

Anderson’s Jeff Dick picked up his first feature win of the season in a dandy Insight ThunderCar Oval feature. Fellow Anderson driver Tim Nickerson jumped out to a huge lead at the start of the 20-lap event, only to see the hood on his car come loose and force him to retire from the race after the third lap.

Dick then inherited the lead and held off several challenges from both Westfield’s Clint Groves and Anderson’s Brandon Phillips. Alexandria’s Alice Riall and Anderson’s Billy Riddle also kept up the pressure as the top five literally crossed the finish line in nose-to-tail fashion.

Roy Grissom Sr. picked up the win in the first ThunderCar Oval heat while Anderson’s Jeff Etchison took top honors in the second heat. Groves paced qualifying with a time of 15.160 seconds.

Pendleton’s Terry Malone Jr. made his fourth trip to the Texas Roadhouse Winner’s Circle in the Insight ThunderCar Figure 8 feature. Malone and Grissom were even at the drop of the green flag with Malone finally taking the advantage near the end of the first lap. Malone then pulled away to a comfortable victory. Last week’s winner Billy Riddle ended up second followed by Grissom and fellow Anderson drivers Paris Swallows Jr. and Darryl Rogers.

The Terry’s RV Sales & Service Summer Fun Weekend concludes on Saturday, August 6. The Star Press Saturday Night Series will showcase the Terry’s RV Sales & Service Street Stocks in the Terry’s RV 150. Plus the Ed Martin Auto Group SuperTrucks and the return of the Boss Hogg Catering & Jerky Figure 8’s.

On Saturday Night, spectator gates open at 5 p.m. with racing beginning at 8. 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.