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Hopkins Inherits CRA Win; Swinford, Dane Get Victories
(June
25, 2011) – Just when it looked like Josh Poore was going to record
his ninth consecutive EDCO Welding Street Stock feature, it all went away
with three laps remaining.
Poore and Ricky Tharp got together on a restart on lap 73 while battling for
the lead when the two banged on the front straight and spun into the infield
in turn one. Poore’s night was finished, with Tarp able to continue but out
of contention for the win.
That gave the lead to Brian Hopkins, who survived a green-white-checker
finish to win the Champion Racing Association Anderson 75 on Saturday during
ABATE Night. Hopkins was followed to the checkers by Rich Segvich, who
started 22nd in the field, Randy Hoppes, Jacob McElfresh and Beau Mitchell.
Poore grabbed the top spot on lap 67 after battling side by side with Tharp
for several laps, finally completing the pass entering turn three.
Tharp inherited the lead on lap 30 when leader Rob Allman was forced to the
pit area with an overheating problem. After taking the lead, Tharp withstood
challenges from Ryan Amonett and Josh Tharp through five restarts. There was
tight racing behind Tharp between Amonett, Tharp, Beau Mitchell and Hopkins.
Poore moved into the second spot on lap 48 while battling side by side with
Amonett on the front straight. The two rubbed with the result being Amonett
resting against the turn one wall. Action started early when on lap seven JP
Crabtree spun in turn one, while running in the top ten.
Point leader Jeff Lane made hard contact with the outside turn two wall and
lost several laps while repairs were being made. Poore set fast time during
Herald Bulletin qualifying and started 12th as a result of the inversion and
worked his way to the front before spinning with three laps remaining.
The race was red-flagged on lap 30 when Pam Neal dumped fluid on the track
entering turn one and collected two other cars. It was Hopkins first win at
Anderson Speedway.
“The car got beat up early and wasn’t handling right,” Hopkins said. “They
wanted to give me one, I’ll take it.”
Jeff Swinford captured the Figure 8 feature in a close battle for the top
spot with Josh Tharp, Curtis Chapman and Nick Warner. Tharp and Warner
methodically worked their way to the front of the field.
Tharp went inside of Bruce McFall on the second lap in turn three and two
laps later used inside moved to pass James Peterson on the front straight
and Mike Phipps coming off the fourth corner. Warner followed Tharp into the
top five when the caution flag waved on lap 10 when McFall made contact with
the turn one wall.
On the restart Curtis Chapman, the early leader got forced on the dirt in
the infield while racing with Jeff Swinford. That dropped Chapman to fourth.
Chapman was able to get underneath Warner for third on lap 15 and from there
the four front runners ran in close formation, none giving up their
preferred line.
Behind Swinford it was Tharp, Chapman, Warner and James Peterson. Jeff
Williams win streak in the Front Wheel Drive oval division also came to an
end when he first was sent from the front row to the tail for faulty starts
and then suffered a flat tire on the first lap on the front straight.
Jerry Dane jumped into the lead at the start and then hold off Ron Phipps on
a restart to record his first win of the season. They were followed to the
checkers by Todd Yarberry, John Davis Jr. and Ryan Claborn.
Anderson Speedway will feature two nights of racing during the 4th of July
weekend. On Saturday, July 2, Late Models, WMDH ThunderCars, Legends, Last
Chance Wrecker Thunder Roadsters and Bandoleros. On Monday, July 4th the
Marsh Figure 8 Madness will showcase IOFS Outlaw Figure 8's, School Bus
Figure 8's, Figure
.
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