By Ken de la Bastide
Gary Eaton battled his way to the feature win in the Vores Compact Touring Series at Anderson Speedway holding off Ron Masters by less than a second.
Eaton started on the outside of the front row and jumped into the lead challenged by Chris Jennings and fast qualifier Larry Hughes Jr.
The caution flag waved twice before three laps could be completed first for a spin by Phil Iliff and then when Jared Keller lost a right front tire and made contact with the turn two wall.
On the restart Jennings used the high groove down the back straight to grab the lead, but a lap later Eaton was back on the point with an inside pass entering turn three.
Masters moved into the second spot on lap seven with an inside pass of Jennings on the front straight. The caution flag waved on lap 11 when Steve Vore and Kevin Harmon tangled on the front straight, ending the night for both drivers.
Eight laps later Jennings lost a tire entering turn two ending the night for the series point leader.
Masters took the lead on the restart with an outside move of Eaton entering turn one and the two drivers raced side by side until lap 16 when Eaton made the final pass of the night on the front straight.
Eaton was followed by Masters, Tommy Bigelow, Hughes and Ron Phipps to the checkers.
Eaton won the first of the two heat races when leaders Mark Jennings and Rodney Sutton tangled in turn four on the sixth lap.
Once on the point Eaton pulled away from Hughes and Jennings for the victory.
Aaron Teagarden won the second heat race when race leader Andy Jennings went to the pits after six laps.
Bigelow finished second after passing JR Vester on the eighth lap. Adam Lee and Iliff rounded out the top five.
