ANDERSON – Curtis Chapman took advantage of the final restart to claim this third career victory in the National Crown at Anderson Speedway.
Chapman won the 76th running of the Pay Less National Crown to go along with victories in 2001 and 2010.
For the entire race Chapman ran with the lead pack lurking behind the race leaders.
Defending champion Michael Phipps took the lead on a lap 14 restart from Rickie Tharp II, with Tharp retaining the top spot two laps later.
The race was red-flagged on lap 21 when Rickie Tharp, Dalton Phillips and Josh Ebbert Jr. tangled in the cross-over. Ebbert was the only one of the three able to continue.
On lap 25 Tharp II pitted from the lead with a mechanical problem which put Phipps back on the point chased by Chapman and Colin Grissom.
The final caution flag waved on lap 42 which set up a run to the finish.
Chapman was able to get inside of Phipps entering turn one on the restart to take the lead and went on to win with Phipps, Caleb Burge, Ebbert and Grissom rounding out the top five.
“What a night,” Chapman said in the Hoosier Lottery Victory Lane. “I appreciate being included in such an elite group of winner.”
Chapman said in the previous restarts his ride in the Knapp Supply Ford Division didn’t take off.
“On the last restart it was do or die,” he said.
Dalton Connor won for the second time this year in Modified racing action holding off Jake Owens for the entire distance with point leader Josh Poore finishing third after starting 12th in the field.
Max Olmsted II took advantage of lapped traffic on the final lap to win the Beaver Contracting Legends feature race.
John Robbins led from the start, but on the final lap decided to go low and was boxed in by lapped traffic.
Olmsted and Connor were able to drive past on the outside to claim the first two positions with Robbins settling for third.
