Doug Heveron Captures 60th Pay Less Little 500

BY KEN de la BASTIDE
NHI Indiana

Veteran driver Doug Heveron will start from the pole position for the third time in his Pay Less Little 500 career after setting the fast time on Thursday, May 22 at Anderson Speedway.

Heveron, the 1989 and 1993 pole sitter, went out during the first round of qualifying and posted the fast time of 45.184 seconds for the four-lap run. He also turned in the best single lap of the day at 11.290 seconds.

The fastest 15 drivers locked into the 60th Pay Less Little 500 on Saturday with the remainder of the field to be set Friday at Anderson Speedway starting at 1:30 p.m.

Canadian Ryan Litt turned in the second fastest time of the day at 45.479 seconds, but was disqualified for not going directly to the technical inspection line after his qualifying run.

Litt’s misfortune placed Jimmy McCune in the middle of the front row and Tony Elliott moved up to the outside of row one.

Jacob Wilson was also disqualified for not going to the tech line and lost his assured spot in the starting field. Wilson had posted the 15th quickest time of the day. That gave California driver Johnny Rodriquez an assured starting position in the Little 500.

Tyler Underwood, who posted the 27th quick time was also disqualified. Litt, Wilson and Underwood all had their times disallowed and will have to attempt to make the starting field in second round qualifying.

Heveron said the Florida based team built a special car just to run in the Little 500, one that is constructed a little more rugged to withstand 500 laps around Anderson Speedway.

“Our strategy was to go out and take whatever we got,” he said. “We put good tires on the car and ran the four laps. We’re fortunate to sit on the pole. This is a special moment.”

Heveron said his goal is to complete all 500 laps, a chore he has been unable to complete in the past.

“Everyone knows this is a tough race to win,” he said. “To win here would be a story book ending to my career.”

McCune, driving for Ohio car owner Dave Durnwald, said the inside front row starting position is the best of his Little 500 career.

“It will be nice to be starting on the front row,” McCune said. “All I have to see is the pace car instead of a bunch of other race cars.

“We’re real happy with the times,” he continued. “We put some scrubbed tires on and wanted to go out early in qualifying. The key now is to stay out of trouble the first couple of laps and then start racing.”


Elliott described his sprint car as a good handling car and fun to drive.

“The track was good,” he said. “I thought when it cooled off later in the day the times might get faster, but it didn’t.”

Elliott admitted starting on the outside of the front row will be a little tougher than starting on the inside of the second row.

“It’s still the front row,” he said.

Eight-time Little 500 champion Eric Gordon will start fifth, three-time champion Jeff Bloom will start seventh and former champions Brian Tyler and David Steele will start 12th and fourth.

On Friday afternoon, May 23, the 33-car field will be set with the second round of qualifications from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 24, the 60th Pay Less Little 500 green flag waves at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available for the legendary 60th Pay Less Little 500 at $27 for reserved seating. For more information, contact the Anderson Speedway Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For additional information on Anderson Speedway, visit www.andersonspeedway.com or contact Anderson Speedway at
(765) 642-0206.