ANDERSON — Carthage’s Johnny Magee captured his third WMDH Thunder Car Enduro of the year in dominating fashion leading the final 164 laps on the way to victory at Anderson Speedway on Saturday.
Magee took over the lead on lap 36 when early race leader Ronnie Rose tangled with a lapped car in Turn 2.
From there Magee dominated the event nearly lapping the entire field. Shawn Cullen finished second followed by Rod Phipps, a lap down, Nick Warner and Herb Rose.
The only thing that could have kept Magee from the win was several incidents among lapped cars that took place in front of him, that he was able to avoid. The last one was on the final lap exiting Turn 4 when the car of Ronnie Basham III spun as Magee was headed to the checkered flag.
Magee started the year by capturing the first two 200-lap Enduro’s of the year and his streak was broken by Nick Warner in August.
“We had a pretty good car all night,” Magee said. “I was just trying to keep it in one piece. The second half went pretty quick.”
The second half of the Enduro was only stopped for a red flag with eight laps remaining when Artie Ware spun in Turn 2 losing a left rear tire.
Ronnie Phipps night ended on lap 172 while he was running fifth and by lap 181 the fourth place car of Amonett slowed and went to the pits. That put Nick Warner and Herb Rose into the top five, both multiple laps behind the leader.
Early race leader Ronnie Rose was chased at the drop of the green flag by Magee, Kentucky driver Raymond Johnson, Ryan Amonett and Ronnie Phipps, through the first 25 laps.
The complexion of the race changed on lap 36 when Rose made contact with the lapped car of Justin Dibbern in Turn 2. Rose spun losing a tire and ending his night of competition.
From there Magee inherited the lead and pulled away from the remainder of the field.
At the halfway break only Shawn Cullen and Rod Phipps remained on the lead lap and 24 of the 48 cars were still running.
Early contender Artie Ware from Kentucky pulled to the infield on lap 26, Rob Allman’s night ended on lap 34 while running fourth and Johnson along with Randy Hoppes ducked into the pits on lap 55.
The first half of the race was red-flagged a total of 12 times.
The biggest incident took place on lap 14 when the car of Brad Cain failed to start on the front straight and collected the cars of Josh Poore and Hannah Lundy.
Ricky Tharp, subbing for Jack Leisure, led all 100 laps to capture the second annual Ed Maynard Memorial for the Front Wheel Drive division.
Tharp was chased for most of the lap by defending race winner Nick Warner, but was only seriously challenged when the leaders encountered lapped traffic.
Gary Bragg Jr. moved into the second spot with 15 laps remaining but was unable to close on Tharp.
On the restart Gary Bragg Sr. spun in Turn 2 which knocked him out of a top-five finish. Warner suffered a flat right rear tire and was forced to the tail of the lead lap cars with two laps remaining.
At the finish it was Tharp, Chris Teeple, Elliott McKinney, Peter Carsoro and Josh Tharp, who started 22nd in the 40-car field.
Leisure was taken to Saint John’s Medical Center before the racing program when he started suffering from pneumonia, with Tharp filling in for the victory.
Fast qualifier Kevin Harmon pulled into the infield while running second on lap 49.
Local Sports
Magee dominates Enduro, as Tharp claims Maynard victory
- Local Sports
-
-
Arabians still on rise
The Pendleton Heights boys basketball team is riding an 11-game winning streak and rose to No. 4 in the Class 4A state rankings Monday.
But, with the sectional set to begin exactly two weeks from today, coach Brian Hahn isn’t about to let the Arabians (18-2) get too comfortable. -
Wiles’ heart leads her to Hoosiers
Meghan Wiles took some time to explore her options, but she always kind of knew where she would end up.
She’s an IU girl.
Wiles, a Pendleton Heights senior, signed to play soccer at Indiana University on Feb. 1, the NCAA’s National Signing Day. Her parents, Tom and Mandy, both attended IU. -
Quintin Harlan: Wrestlers prep for state finals
Taking part in the Parade of Champions during the opening ceremonies of the IHSAA State Wrestling Finals is a thrill that stays with competitors and coaches for as long as they’ll remember.
For some, taking part in the ceremonial start for the state finals is the best memory. -
Anderson tankers ready for sectional
It has been a long time since the Anderson High School boys’ swim team last dipped its toes into competitive waters. Nearly a month, in fact. That will change when the team travels to Hamilton Southeastern for sectional preliminaries this Thursday.
-
George Bremer: Dunham tied to Arabians
Pendleton Heights senior Kellen Dunham is one of three players widely considered to be the front-runners for this season’s Indiana Mr. Basketball award. The other two — Hamilton Southeastern’s Gary Harris and Park Tudor’s Yogi Ferrell — were named last week as participants in this spring’s McDonald’s All-American Game. Dunham was left out. That doesn’t kill his chances to win the state’s most coveted individual honor, but it does inextricably tie those hopes to the Arabians’ postseason fortunes.
-
Two individuals, one team to bowling state finals
The high school bowling semistate held Saturday at Cooper’s Sport Bowl narrowed down the field of local bowlers, advancing only two individuals and one team to the state finals next weekend.
-
Rick Teverbaugh: Anderson's Carter small but her speed is deadly
There are sometimes very big reasons for a team to win a basketball game.
Sometimes, the reason is very small.
In the case of the Anderson Lady Tribe, they won the Greenfield Sectional championship Saturday night for a very small reason — a 5-foot-4 reason, to be exact. -
Arabians' Todd fulfills promise on mat
Pendleton Heights' Mason Todd improved his season record to 37-0 en route to winning the 120-pound title at the New Castle Fieldhouse. He will be one of four local wrestlers to participate in the Parade of Champions to kick off the 74th IHSAA Individual State Tournament on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
-
Ravens soar past Grizzlies
The Anderson University men’s basketball team has been in tournament mode for the past three weeks.
But the Ravens took a big step toward the actual postseason Saturday afternoon with a 79-65 victory against Franklin in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play. -
AU women fall to HCAC leaders
The Anderson University women’s basketball team lost to Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference leader Franklin College 68-43 on Saturday at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium on Senior Day.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
