By Ken de la Bastide
CNHI News Service
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.
