After qualifying second eventual McGunegill Engine Performance Late Model driver Jeff Marcum had to start from the tail. On the opening lap Saturday at Anderson Speedway, James Kirby III spun on the front straight and Marcum tangled with a car on the back straight. Marcum went to the pit area to repair a tire rub on the right front tire and rejoined the field in ninth. Fast qualifier Charle Keevan, set a new track record and took the lead at the start chased by JP Crabtree and Jaren Crabtree. JP Crabtree took the point on lap three with an inside pass of Keevan entering turn one. By lap eight Marcum was running third. Marcum closed on Crabtree when the yellow flag waved on lap 26 for a spin by Mike Sargeant. On the restart Marcum made slight contact with the front straight outside retaining wall. On lap 30 Marcum was able to get inside of JP Crabtree coming off the fourth corner to claim his first victory of 2023.
Anderson’s Ronnie Rose set fast time during qualifying and led the entire distance to win the Noble Wine & Spirits ThunderCar feature. Rose had to hold off 2022 champion Jimmy Kirby for most of the early stages of the race with the two exchanging paint coming off the fourth corner on lap 21 of the 35 lap feature. That resulted in a flat tire on Kirby’s car which pushed him to the back of the lead lap pack. Rose was able to hold off David McConnell for the victory followed by Ron Phipps.
JD Blankenship Jr. was in the right place when Marcum’s Welding Front Wheel Driver leader Cody Riley tangled with the car of Nick Warner with six laps remaining. Riley dominated much of the race before mixing it up with the fourth place running Warner on the back straight. Blankenship scored the victory chased closely by a recovering Riley and Caleb Southerland.
Noah Allison remained a perfect three for three in Vintage Wrench Ford Division Pro action and Adam Lee won the Amateur Division feature. Doug Dugger recorded the victory in the Thunder Roadster Division.
