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Thompson Earns Ivy Tech 200 Victory; Spillers, Williams and Tharp
Collect Wins
(July
16, 2011) – Shirley's Jason Thompson captured his second EDCO
Welding CRA Street Stock win at Anderson Speedway Saturday evening on Ivy
Tech Night at the Races while Ft Wayne's K.C. Spillers inherited the CRA
Compact victory. Chesterfield's Jeff Williams continued his domination of
the Front Wheel Drive Oval division and Noblesville's Josh Tharp captured
his first figure 8 feature of the season.
Josh Myers started on the point of the CRA Street Stock headliner. Josh
Poore brought an early yellow on lap two when he suffered mechanical failure
and hit the homestretch wall, ending his night. Following another brief
yellow on lap 15 for a spin, Jeff Lane grabbed the lead on lap 22. Frankie
Oakes spun on lap 29 bringing out yellow number three. On the double file
re-start, Jeff Lane grabbed the lead from Myers and Jason Thompson moved to
second with Ronnie Rose third. Josh Myers and Rickie Tharp rounded the top
five at lap 50.
Ryan Amonette caused yellow number four on lap 51 with a spin. Jeff Lane led
the field to the pits at the break with 23 of the original starters still
running and 14 still on the lead lap, for an awesome first half of the Ivy
Tech 200.
Jeff Lane, race leader, did not return for the start of the second half
until lap 116 due to brake problems. The second half stared with a slam of
the wall in turn 1 by J.J. Shafer on lap 101. An altercation between Randy
Hoppes and Jimmy Kirby forced a no-go restart.
Jason Thompson inherited the lead at lap 101 with Beau Mitchell chasing him
down with 50 laps to go. Rose exited with a blown transmission to bring yet
another yellow and bunch the field. Brian Hopkins, who won the last outing
for CRA at Anderson, started 16th in this event. He passed Mitchell for
second with 10 to go but could not make a run on Thompson. Jason Thompson
sailed on to victory by 4.482 seconds over Hopkins, Mitchell, Mark Mason and
Rich Segvich, all on the lead lap. Josh Myers was fast qualifier at 13.884
seconds.
Cary Abrell jumped out to the lead in the CRA compact feature and was
looking like a winner until the engine expired on lap 17. K. C. Spillers
inherited the lead. He was able to hold off a hard charging Justin Brown who
ended up second over Jeff Shelmadine, Rick James and Aaron Teagarden to
round out the top five. Shelmadine was fast timer at 15.602 seconds.
Anderson's Front Wheel Drives saw James Frawley the early leader but also
become the first out of the race as he drilled the wall on lap eight hailing the
yellow. Jeff Williams had grabbed the lead on lap three from Ron Phipps and
never looked back for his seventh win of the year. Trailing Williams were
Ron Phipps, Paul Phipps, Andy Jennings and Trevin Henson rounding out the
top five. Prelim heat winners were Williams and Paul Phipps. Williams was
fast qualifier at 15.687 seconds.
The figure 8 was a wild affair. Michael Phipps led lap one with Larry
Swinford taking the lead on lap two followed by Bruce McFall & Phipps.
McFall took the lead on lap six but immediately pulled out giving the lead
back to Swinford. Swinford then developed issues and pulled out giving the
lead to Josh Tharp on lap seven followed by Ranny Hinton and Donnie Ellis,
Jr.
Hinton, in his first night back, looped it in the corner giving Ellis second
and Phipps third. Ellis brought the caution on lap 12 for a loose wheel. At
the same time Danny Stanley, Jr exited and Swinford re-joined the race.
After the dust had settled, Josh Tharp took his first feature win of the
season defeating, Hinton, Curtis Chapman, Phipps and Swinford to round out
the top 5. Phipps was a prelim heat winner. Tharp was fast timer at 20.053
seconds.
Anderson Speedway returns to action on Saturday, July 23 with the 62nd Best
Way Disposal National Crown featuring the Figure 8 division. The Sullivan RV
CRA Late Model Sportsman will be showcased in the McGunegil Engine
Performance 100. The Front Wheel Drive Oval division will also be part of
the racing lineup.
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