Another exciting night of racing is in the books at 411 Motor Speedway! The first feature of the night was the Thunder & Lightning, where Robbie Comer would spin in 2 on lap 3, but come back to take the win. Next up was the Mini Stock division. King would lead the first half of the race before breaking in turn 4 at the halfway point. Tommy Metler would claim the win, but get protested. He was determined to be .031″ beyond tolerance on angle milling of the head and declared illegal, awarding the win to David Singleton. Next up was the Classic division. Marvin Ray would start on the pole and never look back, claiming the checkers. The next division was the Topless Modified where Keith Gregory would wear out the competition through a series of early cautions, but the real noisemaker was Johnny Ridings, suffering a flat tire on the final lap 15 caution. That would set a green/white/checker finish due to the time limit expiring. Ridings would restart tail end of the lead lap, which was 7th, and in the final 2 laps, would charge all the way up to claim the 3rd spot. Finally, in the Limited Late Models, Pierce McCarter set fast time with a lap of 14.448. He would surrender the lead in turn 1 on lap 1 to Adam Beeler. Beeler would either slam the wall or come real close on lap 13. On lap 16, he would pull off the speedway, while at that very moment, Chase King powered around Pierce McCarter to claim 2nd, which King would then inherit the lead. But the lead was short-lived, as he JUST crossed the line to lead lap 17, would drop a driveshaft and coast around to turn 2, which ultimately handed the lead to McCarter. McCarter would lead the final 12 laps to claim the win. Brad Lowe finished up in 2nd but lodged a complete teardown protest. In the tech area, McCarter was declared legal.
Next up is another regular program on April 21st, with fast-and-furious action in the Limited Late Model, Crate Late Model, Thunder & Lightning, Street Stock, and Mini Stock divisions! See you Saturday night!
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Thunder & Lightning
David Miley and Rocky Ogle your front row, ready to roll, GREEN FLAG! Ogle gets the jump off turn 4, and claims the lead off turn 2. Miley chasing him as he has a mirror full of Robbie Comer. Now Comer powers into the 2nd spot off turn 4, now sails into turn 3 and powers inside for the race lead, and he’ll go around in turn 2, so the caution will fly here on lap 3.
Green flag back in the air, Comer quickly dispatches of Scott Atkins off turn 1, now he’ll set his sights on Miley. 4 laps now in the books, Comer pulls inside Miley off turn 4, claims the 2nd spot off turn 2. Ogle still your leader, Comer in 2nd, Miley 3rd with Atkins rounding out the field. Comer closing in on the race leader, pulls inside off turn 4, but Ogle gets a slight run off turn 4, but into turn 3, Comer will claim the race lead. Not much happening in this one, Comer takes the win, Ogle comes home 2nd, and Atkins takes 3rd.
Cautions: 1
Leaders: 9-Ogle (1-2, 4-7); 42-Comer (3, 8-20)
Mini Stock
Lee Merritt and Dalton King your front row, GREEN FLAG! King off with the lead off turn 4, Brandon Johnson in 2nd, he’ll look inside into 3, but falls slightly off the pace. Now David Singleton has a bumper cover coming loose on his machine, but now Merritt goes around in turn 2 here on lap 3.
Green flag back in the air, King with the jump off 4. D. Singleton now challenging Metler for the 3rd spot. King still in the lead, Johnson in 2nd, Tommy Metler and D. Singleton with Jeff Thatcher rounding out the top 5. Now 7 laps are complete, King feeling the pressure from behind as Johnson is closing in, but he’s bringing Metler and D. Singleton with him. Now D. Singleton on the inside of Metler as Johnson gets loose, but now Johnson loses a tire into turn 3 to bring the caution out here on lap 10.
Green flag back in the air but in turn 4, D. Singleton, Metler, and King all make contact, Metler gets up on 2 wheels and he’ll be scored the race leader. Looked like King broke in turn 4, Singleton got into the back of Metler as Metler ran into King, Metler wound up catching some air as King spun around. Still lap 10.
Green flag back in the air, D. Singleton all over Metler, they’ll run side by side for the next 2 laps, but then Merritt goes around again in turn 2 here on lap 14.
Green flag back in the air one more time, Metler fires off turn 4 with the lead, he’ll sail into turn 1 as D. Singleton looks inside Metler for a moment, but falls back in line. D. Singleton still trying to mount a charge, but caution flies once again here on lap 17 as Merritt again goes around in turn 2. This is caution #3 for Merritt, so his night is done.
Green flag back in the air one more time, Metler still in control of this one, but now D. Singleton pulls inside off turn 2. They’ll run side by side into turn 1. D. Singleton loses a little ground off turn 2, looks to mount a charge, but nothing doing, Metler takes the win, D. Singleton in 2nd, and Thatcher takes 3rd. On the last lap, Gavin Murphy turns Shane Taylor driver-side first into the backstretch wall. After the race was complete, Metler was protested by D. Singleton. Metler’s head was ruled to be .031” beyond tolerance on the angle milling of the head.
Cautions: 5
Leaders: 51-King (1-10); 44-Metler (11-20)
Classic
Green flag in the air, Marvin Ray with a quick jump to the lead. Shannon Reece in the 2nd spot, Cameron Skinner in 3rd, with Bart Baxter rounding out the field. Baxter now applying pressure on Skinner for the 3rd spot, now Skinner gets loose off turn 2. Baxter pulls outside, they’re closing in on Reece, now Reece slows off turn 4, but Ray the leader. Skinner in 2nd now as he’s sideways off 2, Baxter in 3rd. Not much happening here, Ray claims the win, Skinner takes 2nd, 3rd goes to Baxter and rounding out the field in the infield is Reece.
Cautions: 0
Leaders: 98-Ray (1-20)
Topless Modified
Mike Lewis and Keith Gregory the front, row, ready to roll, GREEN FLAG! Gregory with the jump off turn 2, Paul Johnson and Lewis battling hard for the 2nd spot now. Off turn 4, Johnson claims the 2nd spot, Lewis in 3rd with a mirror full of Jerry Hux, but now caution flies in turn 2 as Marvin Romines punts J. Hux, Johnny Ridings and Patrick Evans get a piece of it as well. 2 laps on the board.
Green flag in the air one more time, Gregory leads the field into turn 1. Johnson in 2nd, Lewis in 3rd, Jerry in 4th but here comes Ridings. Ridings on his inside, can’t make it stick so he falls in line off 2. Gregory still in command, Johnson looking for a way around as they’re both pulling away from Lewis. Lewis was a hard man to beat last year, so far tonight he’s got his hands full. Johnson beginning to reel in the race leader now as 7 laps are complete. Now off turn 4, J. Hux loses a motor off turn 4. Caution here on lap 8.
Green flag back in the air one more time. Gregory again leads the field into turn 1, Ridings almost gets into Lewis, now he’ll give up the spot to Romines. Romines working his way up through the field, now he closes in on Lewis. Johnson putting the pressure on Gregory, but caution flies as Evans goes around in 3 here on lap 10.
Green flag back in the air one more time, Romines pulls inside Lewis as they sail into turn 3. Now Romines loses touch, as Johnson closes in on Gregory with 12 laps on the board. Johnson gets a run down the backstretch but can’t figure a way around Gregory in 3 and 4. Now caution flies once again as Romines around in 2 with 15 laps on the board. Ridings will change a tire on this caution, after suffering a flat left-rear tire. He’ll start last of the lead-lap cars.
Green flag back in the air, time has expired so it‘ll be a green, white, checker finish! Gregory fires off 4, leads the field into 1. Checkers in the air, Gregory takes the 2nd win of the season, 2nd goes to Lewis, with Ridings coming home in the 3rd spot after changing his tire, restarting in the 7th position, and powering to 3rd on the final 2 laps, what a charge folks!
Cautions: 4
Leaders: 44-Gregory (1-20)
Limited Late Model
Pierce McCarter and Adam Beeler your front row, Brad Lowe and Chase King 2nd row, ready to roll, GREEN FLAG IN THE AIR!! Beeler QUICKLY with the jump off turn 2, McCarter in 2nd, King in 3rd, B. Lowe in 4th, but now Jason Cardwell gets loose in 2, kicks up the dust, he’ll motor on and we’ll stay green. A. Beeler on a blistering pace, McCarter a half straightaway behind in the 2nd spot, 3rd is King. Last weeks feature winner on the outside looking in tonight, as lapped traffic isn’t far ahead. 4 laps on the board, A. Beeler your leader, McCarter in 2nd, King in 3rd. B. Lowe 4th with Scott Gardner in 5th. A. Beeler already around a couple slow cars, but now caution flies as Matt Henderson goes around in turn 3 here on lap 6.
Green flag back in the air, A. Beeler powers away with the lead once again, but behind him, McCarter holds 2nd but King is closing in. B. Lowe in 4th, 5th is still Gardner, but Josh Collins is reeling him in. Just behind him is Cardwell, and behind him is Rusty Ballenger, but Justin Beeler goes around in turn 4 here with 10 laps complete.
Green flag back in the air one more time, A. Beeler again with the jump down into turn 1, powers away off 2. McCarter in 2nd, King in 3rd, but back toward the back, Ballenger pulls inside Cardwell to challenge for the spot, as Layne Clifton is just behind him. Henderson now pulls inside Butch Bayless and challenges, falls in line off 4. A. Beeler still your leader, but now he drills the wall in the middle of turn 1 and 2, have to see if that machine is ok, it must be because he continues on! If he didn’t get the wall, it was pretty dang close! A. Beeler now slows up a little bit, as King now powers inside McCarter, now he’ll tag the wall, A. Beeler now pulls in off turn 2. King now drifts up the track, McCarter now powers around as King breaks on the frontstretch on the very next lap. What a turn of events!
Green flag back in the air, McCarter now has a mirror full of B. Lowe, but now Gardner tries to challenge him but now Collins pulls inside Gardner as they sail into turn 1 the next lap. Henderson finally gets around Bayless, but it’s all McCarter. B. Lowe in 2nd, Gardner in 3rd, 4th is Collins as Ballenger is trying to close in on him. Ballenger running the low line, Collins running the patented high line that he’s known for around this track. Now Collins pulls inside Gardner one more time, falls back in line off 4. Now Henderson slow off turn 2, he’ll slide to a stop on the backstretch here with 24 laps complete.
Green flag back in the air one more time, 6 laps are remaining! McCarter again with the power off turn 2, but B. Lowe isn’t falling very far behind. Ballenger trying to run the low line in, now Clifton pulls inside for a moment in 3, falls back in line. McCarter starts to pull away now as Brad is in 2nd, Gardner 3rd, 4th is Collins, and Ballenger in 5th. White flag in the air, one more time around the 411 Motor Speedway for McCarter. Collins looks inside Gardner one final time, can’t make it happen, McCarter with the win, B. Lowe in 2nd, 3rd goes to Gardner, 4th goes to Collins, and Ballenger in 5th. After the race, B. Lowe would protest McCarter, where McCarter was declared legal and awarded the victory.
Cautions: 4
Leaders: 66-Beeler (1-16); 44-King (17); 71-McCarter (18-30)
Fast Time Qualifier: 71-Pierce McCarter (14.448)