Conner claims Community Hospital Anderson Summer Solstice Showdown
ANDERSON – Before an enthusiastic crowd Dalton Conner won the feature event in the return of Outlaw Figure-8 cars to Anderson Speedway.
Conner set fast time during qualifying on Community Hospital’s Summer Solstice Showdown Saturday and led all 50-laps for the victory.
A strong field of 16 competitors marked the return of the Outlaw’s for the first time since 2019.
The top ten qualifiers were separated by less than a second around the high-banked oval with Mason Hadley getting edged out by Conner with Mark, Jesse and Ben Tunny claiming the next three positions in qualifying.
Conner, who has won in several other divisions at the speedway, drove a masterful race weaving his way through the cross-over to maintain the point.
He was chased for much of the race Mason Hadley and Mark Tunny.
The first caution flag waved on lap 15 when Mike Riddle spun off the fourth corner and on the restart Robbie Greenwell made contact with the turn three outside retaining wall.
The final caution flag waved on lap 37 when Doug Riddle spun on the front straight. On the restart Mark Tunny was ale to get inside of Hadley entering turn one and started to close on Conner.
But with less than ten circuits remaining Tunny had to lock up his car in the cross-over to avoid making contact with a lapped car.
Conner went on to win by 2.8-seconds over Mark Tunny with Jesse Tunny claiming the third spot.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here right now,” Conner said in the Hoosier Lottery Victory Lane after the win. “I saw the 3 car (Mark Tunny) on the last restart and I thought I might be in trouble.”
Anderson’s Collin Grissom set fast time and took the lead on lap five to win the Knapp Supply Ford Division Figure-8 event.
Nick Warner and Dalton Owen rounded out the top three.
Alexandria’s Kent Baledge held off a closing Jessie Binkley to win the Baby Grands feature with Gaines coming home in third.
