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Burton, Lundy Get Wins; Williams Sweeps Front Wheel Drive Features
By KEN de la BASTIDE
(May
27, 2011) – Lonny Burton led the entire distance to capture the
WMDH ThunderCar feature, but he was pressed most of the way by Ronnie Rose
on Families Forever Night at Anderson Speedway on Friday.
Burton took the lead at the start and survived a restart but veteran Rose
stayed glued to his rear bumper. As the two were making their way through
lapped traffic Rod Phipps closed on the duo and pressed Rose to the
checkers.
The front six cars raced side by side during the early portion of the race
with the low groove holding a slight advantage.
Rob Allman finished fourth followed by fast qualifier Hannah Lundy and
Jameson Owens.
Burton said he concentrated on running his line and had Rose and Phipps
started tapping on his rear bumper would have given them room.
“I’m still learning a little bit,” Burton said. “I’ve been out for two years
and the cars are different and everyone got better. I’m back in the groove a
little bit.”
Alexandria’s Hannah Lundy recovered from a first lap spin on the back
straight and then got the jump on the restart over veteran Rod Phipps to
record the win in the rained out feature event from the Spring Championship
last Wednesday.
Behind Lundy, Phipps and Ronnie Rose battled for the second spot. Rob Allman
climbed through using the outside line on lap six going down the back
straight to grab the sixth spot from Frankie Oakes and two laps later using
a similar move to grab fifth from Travis Burge.
“I was a little nervous at the start,” Lundy said after celebrating her
first win in typical style by climbing on the roof of her car. “I thought I
wrecked before running the first lap.
“I was able to pull it off,” she said of the win.
Ron Phipps finished second followed by Rose, Lonny Burton and Allman.
Jeff Williams and Ron Phipps waged a good battle in the rained out feature
from May 14 for the Front Wheel Drive on the oval with the two drivers using
different lines.
Phipps took the lead at the start using a drifting technique through the
corners, was able to hold Williams at bay, who was running the traditional
low line.
On the fifth circuit Phipps came down from the high side of the traffic,
briefly allowing Sean Bragg to grab the second spot on the front straight.
Williams got inside of Bragg on the front straight and two laps later used
an identical move to grab the point from Phipps and led to the finish.
Following Williams was Phipps, Bragg, Paul Phipps and Kevin Henson.
“I want to thank Ron Phipps, he races me clean every week,” he said.
“Sometimes things happen,” he said of the tangle in turn four.
Williams made it a clean sweep by taking the lead from Bragg on lap four
with an inside pass coming off the second corner. For the rest of the
distance Bragg was able to stay within striking distance, but Williams never
faltered.
Finishing third was Ron Phipps, with Ryan Claborn using the outside groove
after starting from the back of the pack to finish fourth with Aaron Jones
coming home in fifth.
Front Wheel Drive Figure-8 action was red-flagged on lap three with leader
Harry LaShure getting passed by Kevin Henson and Donnie Ellis Jr. in turn
three.
With Ellis and Henson battling for the lead, Ellis spun entering turn three
and Henson made contact with the outside retaining wall. As a safety
precaution the top of Henson’s car was cut off to prevent any possible
injuries to the driver.
After the restart Elliott McKinney took the lead with fast qualifier Chris
Teepe closing through the middle stages of the race. Teepe several times
pulled even and on lap 13 he grabbed the lead entering turn one.
On the next lap the two bumped with McKinney getting loose, which gave Teepe
an easy win. Blake Zirkle came home third followed by Mike Alley and Zachary
Kendall.
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