Warner, Boyer, Phipps, Whitson, Baker and Sherley Score New Year's Day Feature Wins

By Tom Hammond

New Year’s Day is fill with a lot of traditions…football games, parades, and racing at Anderson Speedway. The 9th Annual New Year’s Day Bash presented by Yellow Book featured racing in six divisions. A hearty band of several hundred fans braved temperatures in the upper 30’s and a persistent mist that fell most of the afternoon.

The Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Figure 8 feature went to a driver familiar with finishing on top. Anderson’s Nick Warner, the 2006 points champion, cruised to a commanding lead from the start and never looked back. Johnathon Pitts finished second followed by Noblesville’s Josh Tharp, Donnie Ellis Jr. and Bryce Hall.

Anderson drivers Rich Boyer and Rob Allman staged a dandy battle in the Lampco Federal Credit Union Street Stock feature. Boyer, the street stock division champion from 2003 to 2005, held off Allman at the finish. Third was Abe Puckett with Sheldon Lindley with Ronnie Phipps in fifth.

Boyer also won the first Street Stock heat race, with Anderson’s Ronnie Phipps finishing on top in the second heat.

Ronnie Phipps came back to win the ThunderCar oval feature. Ronnie Phipps and Michael Phipps were battling at the half-way mark of the 25 lap event when Ronnie made the pass heading through turn two. Michael then lost control and turned head-on into the wall, ending his day. Chris Jennings ended up second with Jeff Marcum third. Anderson’s Rod Phipps took the first ThunderCar heat, while Joe Walters captured the checkered flag in the second heat.

Lafayette’s Gary Whitson captured the Mini Cup feature over Michigan’s Tim Phillips. Whitson, a Purdue University student, built a commanding early lead in the 20-lap race before Phillips mounted a late charge. However, Phillips attempt to steal the victory was too late.

Anderson’s David Baker built an insurmountable lead in winning the Chappy’s Rent to Own Front Wheel Drive Oval feature. Baker took the lead on the sixth lap and built nearly a half-lap lead. That cushion proved beneficial as Baker got tangled with lapped traffic on the 20th and final lap. He slowed but still had a large enough lead to hold off the field. Robert Kehm and Jack Leisure chased the winner across the finish line.

Donnie Ellis Jr. and Devin Mitchell won their respective FWD oval heats.

Sheridan’s Andy Shirley jumped out to the lead and cruised to the win in the Figure 8 feature. Noblesville’s Jeff Swinford ended up second as he held off fellow Noblesville driver Josh Tharp. Anderson’s Rod Phipps won the oval heat for the figure 8 cars.

For additional information contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.