Rick Turner Scores First Career CRA Super Series Victory; Rose, Boyer Also Earn Wins

By Tom Hammond

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A first-time winner in the CRA Super Series and two familiar names graced the Texas Roadhouse Winner’s Circle during The Star Press Saturday Night Series at Anderson Speedway on August 13.

Forgive Yorktown’s Rick Turner if he’s grinning ear-to-ear for the next week. Turner scored his first career victory in the CRA Super Series after winning the Anderson 125 presented by Great Deals.

Turner, who may be better known as “the Y-town Hustler”, took the lead on the 30th lap when Daleville’s Bull Baker, who led from the pole, suffered mechanical problems. Turner, who was running third, passed both Baker and the second place car of Lafayette’s Chris Gabehart after he checked up behind Baker’s slowing car. Turner then held off repeated challenges from Knightstown’s Jeff Lane over the remaining 95 laps for the win.

“We’ve been in this series since day one,” a jubilant Turner said after the race. “We worked so hard to get our first career victory and it feels great for it to take place at Anderson Speedway.” Many told Turner his first victory might come at some obscure place, but it occurred on the track Turner considers home.

For Lane, it was a night that brought him close to a win. However, he could never get around Turner and believed the six caution periods during the race cost him a better shot at victory. “If anybody deserves a win these guys do,” Lane said about Turner and his team.

Shepherdsville, Ky. driver Bobby Parsley finished third, with J.R. Roahrig and Eddie Hoffman of Wheaton, Ill., rounding out the top five. Parsley led qualifying with a time of 12.134 seconds on the world’s fastest quarter-mile oval.

In other racing action, Anderson’s Rich Boyer put on a dominating performance in the Terry’s RV Sales and Service Street Stock feature. Boyer started near the tail of the field but quickly advanced to the top spot with a pass of Markleville’s Randy Hoppes on the fourth lap. Boyer then jumped out to a comfortable lead on two restarts to record his 12th feature win of 2005.

New Castle’s Danny Acrey II and Anderson’s Rod Phipps may have had the best battle of the 30-lap feature as they fought it out for second. Acrey held off repeated challenges from Phipps to secure the runner-up position. Anderson’s Ryan Buckner and Hoppes completed the top five.

Phipps won the first Street Stock heat to record his second heat victory of the season, while Elwood’s Jacob McElfresh recorded his first heat win of 2005 in the second heat. Boyer was once again the top qualifier with a time of 14.090 seconds and drew a full inversion for the start.

A straight-up start in the Boss Hogg Jerky and Catering Figure 8 feature led to a dandy 20-lap race. Anderson’s Josh Tharp started on the pole with a time of 20.375 seconds with fellow Anderson driver Ronnie Rose on the outside of the first row. Rose jumped out to the lead at the drop of the green flag and held off Tharp at the finish.

Rose avoided disaster on three separate occasions in the crossover as he nearly made contact with Middletown’s Elliott McKinney. Rose checked up hard on the third near-miss and somehow avoided hitting McKinney broadside. Tharp also had to slow down, allowing Rose to maintain the lead and pick up his seventh win of the season.

Mike Riddle Jr., Curtis Chapman and Rob Allman rounded out the top five. Chapman scored the win in the first Figure 8 heat event, while Jeff Swinford took top honors in the second heat.

Anderson Speedway returns to racing action with the 3rd Annual J.D. Byrider Weekend of Power. On Friday, August 19, the MAX/WLBC Friday Night Summer Series will showcase Legends, Insight ThunderCars in Oval and Figure 8 racing along with Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drives in Oval and Figure 8 action.

On Saturday, August 20, The Star Press Saturday Night Series features the Ed Martin Auto Group SuperTrucks in the J.D. Byrider 150. The Terry’s RV Sales & Service Street Stocks and Boss Hogg Catering & Jerky Figure 8’s will also be showcased on the world’s fastest quarter-mile oval.

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