By Ken de la Bastide
CNHI News Service
WINCHESTER, Ind. —
It turned out to be an interesting first visit to Winchester Speedway for Ross Kenseth as he came away with a victory at the historic track Sunday in the Manning Service 100.
Kenseth led only one lap in the Champion Racing Association Super Late Model feature, but it was the money lap.
It didn’t look like a win was in the cards for the son of NASCAR star Matt Kenseth halfway through the event.
Kenseth was the fast qualifier and started the 100-lap feature fourth following the inversion of the fastest four qualifiers.
At the start, Indianapolis driver Tommy St. John jumped into the lead chased by defending CRA champion John VanDoorn, Scott Hantz, Kenseth and Jason Shively.
Kenseth passed Hantz on the sixth lap, got inside of VanDoorn after 22 laps and set his sights on St. John.
For the next 28 laps, Kenseth ran in St. John’s tire tracks and several times looked to get underneath to make the pass.
The complexion of the race changed on Lap 51 when Kenseth came off Turn 4 and clipped the left rear of St. John’s car. The result was St. John making hard contact with the inside front straight wall and Kenseth being sent to the tail of the field.
That gave the lead to Hantz, who was being chased by VanDoorn and Jeff Lane. Kenseth started climbing through the field and, with 21 laps remaining, was running in the third position when the sixth caution flag flew.
On the restart, Jeff Lane, losing pressure in a rear tire, pulled to the inside and let Kenseth move into the second position. The seventh and final caution flag waved when Lane’s tire let go and he made contact with the Turn 1 wall.
The question was would Kenseth be able to pass Hantz, a two-time CRA champion, with 18 laps remaining? Several times Kenseth attempted to get a run on Hantz coming off the fourth corner but would back out and fall into line, obviously not wanting a repeat of the incident with St. John.
Just when it appeared Hantz was going to hold on for the victory, Kenseth made an inside move coming off the fourth corner on Lap 99. There was slight contact, but both drivers continued in the throttle.
Entering Turn 1, Hantz didn’t protect the high line, which allowed Kenseth to use the preferred groove to get the advantage on the back straight.
At the checkers, Kenseth won by .3 seconds over Hantz with JR Roahrig, who started 17th in the 29-car field, claiming third, followed by Rick Turner and Eddie Van Meter.
“First I want to apologize to the 14 (St. John),” Kenseth said following the win. “It was all my fault. I got a little free in the corner, and the car pushed up.”
Kenseth said Winchester is a really fast place to run, and it took some adjusting to the unusual line used at the track. He said most tracks you try to run the low groove, and Winchester is just the opposite.
Hantz said there was one lap too many in seeking his fourth career win at the track.
“The fastest car doesn’t always win, but today it did,” he said. “Kenseth did a good job.”
Ohio driver Jack Smith, who had mechanical problems prior to qualifications, started last in the field and drove to a seventh-place finish.
