Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (September 20, 2008) – Travis Senter, Jr., captured a second 600 Nationals crown by working his way to victory lane in Saturday night's 40-lap championship event at I-30 Speedway.
Senter battled past Friday night winner Ben Murphy at the midway point and led the rest of the way to capture the $8,500 winner's share to conclude the Third Annual 600 Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
While Senter took the lion's share of the purse, Trent Taylor and Tim Crawley both earned victories as well. Taylor completed a sweep of both nights of the Second Annual Horizon Mini Sprints Restricted "A" Class main event, while Crawley led all the way in the Sprint Car feature event.
Senter, who topped I-30 Speedway's inaugural 600 Nationals in 2006, started Saturday's main event from the third row outside after locking himself into the finale by finishing among the top six in Friday's feature.
Ben Murphy, who won Friday's feature and then topped the Sawyer Dash for Cash on Saturday to earn the pole position, outgunned fellow front row starter Eric Edwards at the drop of the green flag and paced the opening four circuits before Edwards battled into the top position. Edwards maintained the lead for a handful of laps before Murphy recaptured the lead on the tenth circuit.
Meanwhile, Senter was methodically picking off car after car. Senter disposed of Donnie Ray Crawford for fourth on the fourth lap and then was up to third behind Edwards and Murphy on the seventh round.
By the twelfth circuit, Senter made his way past Edwards for second and began pressuring Murphy for the point. While Murphy successfully fought off a pair of challenges, Senter finally dove to the low side entering turn three on the 20th lap for what proved to be the race-winning pass.
Senter held strong over the final half of the race to collect the hefty winner's share, which included $1,000 contributed by Senter Farms to the winner's share earlier in the week.
While Senter set the pace, Murphy held second until a lap 23 restart when the No. 23 cars of Kevin Bayer and Jason Lair both battled past. Murphy developed problems and pulled pitside soon after.
Bayer and Lair raced for second in the Osceola, Arkansas driver's wake, with Oklahoma City's Lair taking command of the runner-up position just five laps from the end. Bayer held on for the show position, with defending race winner Jerrod Wilson and Evans rounding out the top five.
Andrew Felker crossed the stripe sixth, with Aaron Reutzel, Justin Jackson, Earl McDoulett, Jr., and Nick Ivy completing the top ten.
New Jersey's Jimmy Glenn picked up a $500 bonus in the form of the Stallard Hard Charger Award by racing from 22nd to twelfth.
The feature event was interrupted by just a pair of cautions. The first occurred after 17 laps when Justin Webb slid off the backstretch and came to a stop. Under the caution, Steven Shebester was forced pitside with mechanical woes.
The final caution flew five rounds later with 22 laps in the book when Riley Adair climbed the right rear of a slowing Donnie Ray Crawford on the frontstretch and nearly flipped, with Michael Dicely caught up in the scramble as well.
Missouri's Jason Dent picked up a $200 bonus courtesy of MSMS as the first Non-Qualifier. |
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 Ben Murphy Best in 600 Nationals Prelim!
Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (September 19, 2008) – Pennsylvania native Ben Murphy bested a stellar field of 107 entries by topping Friday night's 25-lap preliminary feature at I-30 Speedway's Third Annual 600 Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
Now calling Charlotte, NC, home, Murphy outdueled inaugural 600 Nationals champion Travis Senter, Jr., for the point on the opening round and led the rest of the way to secure a starting position in Saturday night's $8,500-to-win 600 Nationals championship feature event.
Locked into Saturday's finale along with Murphy are the balance of Friday's top six feature finishers, including Arkansas shoe Senter, Illini rep Eric Edwards and the Sooner State trio of Jerrod Wilson, Kevin Bayer and Donnie Ray Crawford.
While Senter earned the pole position for Friday night's feature by virtue of accumulating the most passing points through heat race and qualifying race action, Murphy took advantage of the front row outside position to nip Senter at the line for the lead upon the completion of lap one.
As the field roared into turn one the next time around, Scott Sawyer and Roger Rose got together. Rose toppled over, while Sam Miller flipped in the ensuing scramble as the red flag flew.
The balance of the feature ran off in non-stop fashion, with Senter and Crawford battling in side-by-side fashion behind the pacesetting Murphy. Crawford eventually took command of the runner-up slot as lapped traffic came into play, only to clip an infield tire with his left front 17 laps into the affair.
While Murphy survived some dicey moments in lapped traffic over the final circuits to preserve the win over Senter, Crawford slipped back in the final rounds as he wrestled his damaged mount.
Edwards staked his claim on the show position, while defending 600 Nationals champion Wilson rallied from Last Chance race competition to snare fourth. Bayer rounded out the top five, as Crawford salvaged sixth.
Pennsylvania's Michael Dicely missed a lock-in position by one spot as he flashed underneath the checkered flag in seventh, with New Jersey's Jimmy Glenn, Arkansas' Karlas Stephens and Oklahoma's Frank Flud completing the top ten.
In the companion Horizon Mini Sprint Restricted "A" Class feature event, Trent Taylor took advantage of Blake Hahn's misfortune to collect the win.
Hahn gunned into the lead from the pole position and cruised out front until collected by a lapped car after checking up for a turn four spin with 13 laps in the books.
Taylor assumed the point and led the remaining seven rounds, with Andy Hogan holding off 11th-starter Brandon Hahn for runner-up honors. Darien Roberts was fourth, while Karley Kay Dobson climbed from the rear of the field to round out the top five. Blake Hahn recovered for eighth.
I-30 Speedway's Third Annual 600 Nationals conclude on Saturday night, with racing action set to get under way at 7:30 p.m. The 600cc Multis and Restricted "A" Class will be joined by the full-size Sprint Cars on Saturday night. |
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Point Totals