New Castle’s Jason Atkinson inherited the lead with three laps remaining when leader Jeff Marcum spun to capture the CRA/McGunegill Engine Performance Late Model feature at Anderson Speedway.
The place not to be in the final 20 laps was battling for the lead when first Jack Dossey III and Danny Trent were involved in an incident while fighting for the top spot.
Marcum took the lead from Atkinson on the restart on lap 54 and was heading to the win when the caution flag waved on lap 72 for a spin by Quinnten Bear.
On the restart Marcum spun in turn two while trading paint with Atkinson, sending Marcum to the tail of the field.
Atkinson was able to survive the final restart to record his first win of the year in the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman race.
Finishing second was Billy VanMeter, Greg VanAlst, Trent and Kent Baledge.VanAlst and Baledge ran in or near the top five during the entire distance but the driver to watch was Trent, who was looking for his fourth win of the year at Anderson Speedway.
Trent who started last in the field had one of the fastest cars on the track moving into the second spot on lap 38 with an inside move on Jason Atkinson on the back straight and started closing on leader Dossey.
Misfortune struck on lap 53 when Trent attempted an inside pass of Dossey entering turn three, contact was made with both cars spinning. Trent suffered a flat tire and along with Dossey was relegated to the rear of the field.
Before the 20-car field made it through the first corner, pole sitter J.P. Crabtree got loose which triggered an eight-car incident bringing out the red flag. Of the eight cars involved there were only the cars of Chris Hacker and Fred Hopkins were unable to return to action.
The problems for the front runner continued in the NASH-FM Thunder Car feature with first Randy Hoppes and then Robbie Wyman involved in incidents while battling for the point.
Wyman recovered to take the lead from Lonnie Burton with an outside pass on lap 17 to record his fourth consecutive win in the division. Curtis Chapman and Burton rounded out the top three.
Dylan Hoppes used an inside move to pass Jared Keller with eight laps remaining to record his third victory of the year in the Front Wheel Drive Oval Division.
Keller led the first 12 laps, but once Hoppes got around Billy Hooten for second he started closing the gap on Keller. Hooten finished second followed by Keller, Jerry Dane and Randy Hoppes.
Dustin Kares set a new track record during qualifications and the used a draft to pass Angie Goodin with six laps remaining to win the Indy Fast Karts feature.
On Saturday, July 12, racing action returns with CRA Street Stocks, NASH FM ThunderCars, Front Wheel Drives Figure 8 and Thunder Roadsters.
