Riddle Scores IOFS Win; Hargraves, Vanderhoof Crowned Champions

By Ken de la Bastide

(October 16, 2012) – Mike Riddle Jr. recovered from an early spin and then inherited the lead and the win in the IOFS Figure-8 feature at Anderson Speedway on Saturday.

With six laps remaining leader Johnny Hargraves and Ben Tunney, who battled the entire distance for the point, crashed entering turn one with both cars exiting the track.

Tunney got a run on Hargraves going down the back straight when the two cars made heavy contact, bounced off the outside retaining wall and stopped in the turn four exit.

Hargraves lost his transmission at the start/finish line and was attempting to exit the track and didn’t realize that Tunney was alongside at the time.

For the first 43 laps the two drivers battled nose to tail for the lead, with both narrowly missing contact in the crossover.

That gave the lead to Riddle, who spun on lap three, and worked his way back to the third spot when the two front runners crashed with six laps remaining.

Before Riddle could secure the victory he had to overcome a final challenge from Jeremy Vanderhoof when the caution flag waved on the restart when five cars tangled in turn three.

Following Riddle to the finish was Vanderhoof with Tunney recovering from the crash to pass Shawn Cullen on the final lap to take third with Artie Ware coming home in fifth.

With his crash, Johnny Hargraves lost a chance at winning both the IOFS Regional and National championships.

Johnny Hargraves won the Regional championship when his brother Charlie crashed on lap 44 and finished sixth. Vanderhoof won the National title.

Riddle changed the number of his race car to “9” and painted it orange to honor former Anderson Speedway Figure-8 champion and six-time winner of the Best Way Disposal National Crown, Gene Huston.

It was a tough night for drivers running in the top five with Robbie Loving spun in the crossover while running fourth and on lap 37 Charlie Hargraves spun coming off the fourth corner after making contact with another car while running third.

There were 19 cars that took place in the final IOFS event of the year on the MAX Night of Thrills.

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























































 
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