ANDERSON, Ind. —
Travis Braden made his first appearance at Anderson Speedway memorable by capturing the Legends feature on Saturday in the final tune-up for the 100-lap Grant Fritz/Greg Dietzen Memorial next week.
Doug Dugger grabbed the early lead from the pole position, chased by Aaron Holden and the three fast-qualifiers of Braden, Byran Nuckles and Kevin Donahue. John Robbins moved around Donahue on the second lap.
That set up a spirited battle for the top spot involving the five front runners as they ran side by side for several laps. Braden got inside of Holden on the front straight on Lap 9 and two laps later used a similar move on the back straight to pass Dugger.
Nuckles and Robbins moved inside of Holden on Lap 12 while Dugger drifted back to fifth. A final restart was set up when Gerad Miller got loose and hit the Turn 1 outside retaining wall.
Braden was able to hold onto the lead at the finish, followed by Nuckles and Robbins.
Rod Phipps was the recipient of a spin by the front running cars in the WMDH Thunder Car feature to inherit the lead after 20 laps and went on to record the victory and extend his points lead.
Rob Wyman Sr. and Hannah Lundy battled side-by-side at the start, with Wyman gaining a clear advantage after four laps. One circuit later Phipps, the fast-qualifier, got inside of Ronnie Rose on the front straight to move into the third position.
With the three leaders running nose-to-tail for the next 15 laps, the complexion of the race changed on Lap 20 when Wyman and Lundy both spun in Turn 3.
That put Phipps into the lead, chased by Rose, Rob Allman, Earl Adams II and Pam Neal. On the first attempt at a restart, Wyman and Folsom made contact on the front straight with Folsom spinning. Wyman and Lundy were able to use the high line on a Lap 21 restart to move back into fifth and sixth.
At the finish, it was Phipps recording his second feature win followed by Rose and Allman. Adams came home fourth, followed by Wyman and Lundy.
Andy Keller lead the entire distance to record the Front Wheel Drive feature win on the oval followed by Jeff Willams and Gary Bragg Jr.
Tony Holden scored the feature win for the Last Chance Wrecker Thunder Roadsters pulling away from the field on a restart on Lap 7. Fast-qualifier Al Renner moved from fourth to second in the space of four laps, but was unable to reel in Holden, settling for second place.
Auto Racing
Braden score first Anderson win in Legends race
Phipps, Holden, Keller get victories
- Auto Racing
-
-
Ken de la Bastide: Barrichello might move to IndyCar
Although the IZOD IndyCar Series lost its most identifiable driver with the move of Danica Patrick to NASCAR, possible changes could raise the level of competition to new heights. The IZOD IndyCar season starts on March 25 and there is a chance a veteran Formula One driver could be in the mix.
-
Ken de la Bastide: Stewart could aid Danica
With the Daytona 500 less than a month away, one of the big unknowns is will Danica Patrick have to race her way into the starting field or will car owner Tony Stewart buy her way in?
-
Danica ditches Indy
Danica Patrick became a worldwide sensation as a rookie at the Indianapolis 500, challenging for victory and becoming the first woman to lead laps in the showcase race.
Those Indy days are fading fast.
Patrick’s shift to stock cars is long under way, and her ties to IndyCar were cut even further Monday — she said she won’t run in this year’s Indy 500. -
Ken de la Bastide: Changes looming in July
The race schedule around the Brickyard 400 this coming July will look different than in years past, but there will still be plenty of short track racing action.
-
Ken de la Bastide: IndyCar back to the Mile?
Last week I received several comments regarding the lack of oval races on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar schedule.
One reader noted, correctly, that a factor for scheduling races on oval tracks has been a lack of attendance. Another reader also correctly stated that the oval races need to be promoted better to attract fans, and of course sponsorship dollars are a necessity. -
Kirby opens 2012 with Street Stock win
Tight racing through the first half of the EDCO Welding Street Stock feature gave way to leaders mixing it up in Turn 2, with Jimmy Kirby emerging as the leader.
Above normal temperatures and sunny skies on Saturday brought out more than 80 race teams and a healthy crowd of fans for the Aqua System New Year’s Bash presented by EDCO Welding. -
Ken de la Bastide: Indy 500 is top race of 2011
There should be little doubt that the 100th anniversary race of the Indianapolis 500 was the best event of 2011. One could almost make the case that the race has vaulted the “500” back to the top of all motorsports.
-
‘Limitless’ racing factor in fatal Vegas wreck
Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s “limitless” racing surface was singled out Thursday as a significant factor in a “perfect storm” of conditions that led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.
-
Ken de la Bastide: Schmidt receives well-deserved honor
It was heartening to see last week that IZOD IndyCar team owner Sam Schmidt was presented with the 2011 Achievement Award at the International Motorsports Industry Show.
Schmidt was paralyzed in 2000 during testing at the Walt Disney World Speedway and the next year formed Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
The team has found success in Indy Car racing, having won five Indy Lights championships with 46 race wins, and also has fielded cars in the IZOD IndyCar series for the past nine years. -
Ken de la Bastide: Give fans of racing a nice gift
It’s that time of the year for people to scramble to find that perfect Christmas gift for everyone on their shopping list.
- More Auto Racing Headlines
-
