By Ken de la Bastide
Markleville driver Randy Hoppes was able to hold off a charge from Adam Lee midway through Marcum Welding Pro Compact racing action to record his first win of the season.
Lee, who swept the opening night action and two weeks ago won the Vore’s Compact Touring Series at Anderson Speedway, appeared headed for another big night.
Lee set a new track record during qualifications and won the fast heat race, but a mechanical problem ended his streak.
Kevin Harmon jumped into the lead at the start chased by Hoppes, Lee, Brandon Cook and Matt Tharp.
Following a restart on lap nine Hoppes and Lee went outside of Harmon, who withdrew a lap later after his car slowed dramatically while running third.
Lee closed on the rear bumper of Hoppes near the midpoint of the race and while attempting to get inside there was contact made coming off the second corner. Lee slowed and was finished for the night.
From there Hoppes went on to score the victory followed by Tharp, Billy Hooten, Ron Phipps and Marshal Clark.The fast heat win went to Lee who grabbed the lead from the start and was only slowed on the way to the checkered flag was a caution.
That caution flag waved on lap seven when Terry Neal, who qualified second fastest, lost the right front tire and made contact with the turn two wall.
Brandon Cook was running third on the restart when he missed a shift and dropped back to fifth.
Lee was followed at the finish by Harmon, Hoppes, Jared Keller and Cook.
Matt Tharp slipped around Marshal Clark on the fifth lap of the second heat race coming off the fourth corner to get his first win of the year.
Hooten passed Clark with an inside move on the back straight to finish second with Clark, Phipps and Bill Overshiner rounding out the top five.
During qualifications Lee established a new track record with a lap of 14.615-seconds which broke the mark set by Ryan Claborn of 14.740-seconds.
