ANDERSON — Eddie VanMeter used patience and experience to his advantage to claim the International Outlaw Figure 8 Series event at Anderson Speedway on Friday night.
It was VanMeter’s first career IOFS victory, and he becomes the third winner in as many events thus far in 2009.
Twenty-three cars were on hand as the series made its first visit of the year to the unofficial home of the IOFS, Anderson Speedway. Current series point leader Gary Bedell was the Edco Welding fast qualifier with a lap of 16.957 seconds. Heat races went to: Johnny Magee, Eddie VanMeter and RJ Norton III.
A 15 pill was drawn just prior to the feature insuring that fans were in for a treat. Fast qualifier Gary Bedell would have to start no less than 15th in the 50-lap IOFS main event.
The front row would find Johnny Magee and Jeff Hizer taking the green flag from starter Ron Sheedy. Jeff Hizer got the jump and led the opening laps. Within seconds, the “X” began to get crowded. The leaders began encountering close calls as they wove through the slower cars. Rick Fenwick was beginning to work his way to the front with VanMeter trailing closely. The two would put on a driving exhibition as they worked around slower cars that were virtually all over the speedway. Fenwick took the lead near the lap 10 mark. Vanmeter began to challenge Fenwick who seemed to be getting around the lapped cars with ease.
Just after the halfway point, Fenwick was forced to the pits with a flat right rear tire. VanMeter now had to contend with Jeff Shackleford, who had started last in a backup car. VanMeter was able to get around lapped cars quickly the final 20 laps, holding on to claim his first-ever IOFS main event.
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Nominate an athlete for Madison County Area's 100 Greatest Athletes book
Nominate an athlete to be included in The Herald Bulletin's coffee table book, "The Madison County Area's 100 Greatest Athletes."
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