(May 21, 2011) – Kevin Claborn was declared the winner of the Anderson Late Model event after 21 of the 30 laps were completed Saturday at Anderson Speedway.

Anderson Speedway officials and the drivers decided not to finish the feature event following an accident involving Knightstown driver William Mefford.

The race was red-flagged on lap 22 when Mefford appeared to have a mechanical problem while running down the back straight and made hard contact with the outside retaining wall in turn three.

At the time of the accident Mefford had just passed his son, Brandon, going down the back straight while they were battling for the third position.

Prior to the accident Claborn, the fast qualifier, took the early lead holding off David Fox at the start and on a lap six restart after Terry Cater spun in turn three.

Brett Robinson got past Fox on the 10th circuit. With Claborn pulling away there was tight racing for position between Robinson, William and Brandon Mefford and Fox.

Anderson Speedway officials and the drivers in the EDCO Welding Street Stock, Figure-8 and Front Wheel Drive Oval and Figure-8 divisions elected not to complete the racing program on Saturday.

Brandon Mefford and Terry Cater recorded heat wins for the first time in 2011 in heat races for the Late Models.

Brandon Mefford passed his father, William, on the second lap of the first heat race with an inside pass entering turn three. From there the father-son duo ran in the top two positions with David Fox coming home in third.

In the second heat race, Cater, who won the first feature event for the Late Models, led the entire distance to record the victory. Trey Craig passed Randy Hoppes for the second spot on the third lap with an outside move in turn three. Craig was later disqualified for failing to report for technical inspection. That moved Hoppes into the second spot.

There were two first time heat winners in the EDCO Welding Street Stocks with Josh Myers and Jacob McElfresh accomplishing the feat.

Tyler Marsh took a brief ead on the first lap of the opening heat race before he drifted high in turn one which allowed Ronnie Rose and Myers to slip past. Josh Poore joined the front-running pair with a pass of Marsh on the same circuit entering turn three.

From there Rose, Myers and Poore ran nose to tail until the tenth lap. Myers got inside of Rose coming off the second corner and Poore made contact with Rose, sending him spinning.

Myers took over the lead with Rose heading toward the pits and Poore sent to the tail of the field. At the finish Myers was followed by J.P. Crabtree, who used the outside line to gain two positions during the mid-point of the race, and Poore recovering to come home in third.

In the second heat race McElfresh led from start to finish with Rob Allman and Steve Raper Jr. rounding out the top three.

Raper made a nifty move on the third lap by getting inside of both Frankie Oakes and Jason Williams entering turn three. Allman duplicated the move entering turn one on the next circuit and on lap six, Allman got inside of Raper coming off the fourth corner.

Two drivers recorded their first wins of the year in Front Wheel Drive Figure-8 action with Mike Alley and Donnie Ellis Jr. recording the victories.

Alley took advantage of a flat right front tire on the leading car of Kevin Henson on the third lap to record the win with fast qualifier Chris Teepe and Elliott McKinney rounding out the top three.
In the second heat race, Ellis led wire to wire for the victory followed by Cody Rinehart and Trevin Henson.

Ron Phipps recorded his first heat win of 2011 in the first Front Wheel Drive Oval division action.

Phipps was running fourth on the fourth lap when the lead pack tangled coming off corner four. Because of the caution Andrea Williams restarted on the point, but Phipps charged into the lead on the double-file restart. Phipps was followed to the checkers by Paul Phipps and Jeff Williams.

In the second heat race Trevin Henson got underneath Cody Rinehart on the front straight to assume the point. With Henson pulling away from the field John Davis Jr. and John Davis Sr. swapped the second position twice on the eighth and ninth laps with son holding off father.
It was Henson’s second heat win of the season.

Curtis Chapman won a heat race for the second time in 2011 in Figure-8 division action when leader Ronnie Phipps slowed suddenly on the fifth circuit.

Josh Tharp was the driver on the move passing James Peterson on the fourth lap and then getting inside of Danny Stanley Jr. on the front straightaway to claim the runner-up position with Stanley coming home in third.

Pay Less Little 500 Week kicks off Wednesday, May 25 with the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series featured in the Must See Racing 60 presented by Sam Pierce Chevrolet. On Thursday, May 26, Pay Less Little 500 Round 1 qualifications will take place with the 33-car field set on Friday during Bump Day. Later that night Families Forever Night will showcase a huge fireworks show with the racing action featuring WMDH ThunderCars along with Front Wheel Drives in Oval and Figure 8 action. On Saturday Night, the 63rd Pay Less Little 500 will be featured.