Fast Freddy Astle got really fast on what had been a slippery track for the weekend’s competitors after modified rubber went down on Open Wheel Wednesday and thrill show spills further assaulted the racing surface. But Fred shook it off and went from a tenth place start to the lead in just seven laps, then held onto the lead to the finale. Only Tom Scully, Jr. had an answer for that: the current points leader survived a lap six trip to the rear after a spin with Rick Martin. Tom was back on Astle’s bumper on lap 35, and emptied his bag of tricks to get past.
But Astle was locked on: he couldn’t shake Scully off his bumper, but he held him at bay with a spirited defense that looked like an aerial dogfight from World War II.
Bobby Pelland III recovered from a meeting with the wall in Late Models to bounce back to a third place Pro Stock finish. He spent most of the race in hot pursuit of the leader. Jake Vanada, who has caught fire of late, battled his way to fourth and Radical Rick Martin captured fifth.
At the start, Kyle Casper and Pelland dueled from the front tow until the second circuit when Casper took the lead. Pelland dropped and then looked under Casper only to be denied. He took another shot and went to the lead in turn three of lap four. Kevin Folan followed under Casper while Pelland went to a three-car lead while Folan moved into second. Rey Lovelace then got below Kyle.
There was contact between Lovelace and Casper and they came loose in turn four. Locked in an embrace, they flew uptrack and into the frontstretch wall between the turn and the starter’s stand while the field madly scattered to avoid them. The red flag flew and ambulances rolled. Kyle dropped his window net and stormed up to Lovelace’s driver’s window, then departed after a brief exchange. Lovelace, however, had to be assisted from the car and walked shakily to be examined by EMT’s in a ride back to the pits.
The lap six restart saw Pelland matched up with Folan, and he nosed out and took the lead coming out of turn two. Dick Houlihan became the next car to set under the second place runner. Hr got turned sideways in turn four and this sent Kevin Casper around. Kenny Spencer got turned around as well, but Dave Darling suffered the worst of it, getting backed into the turn four wall. He was unable to continue.
Pelland was away again on the restart and Astle now was under Folan, seeking second place. Scully running with Martin and they made contact in turn three. Both spun into turn four, where Martin made a full 360-degree spin, came out running and powered down the front stretch. Scully started to spin and also recovered, but caution was out.
Now Pelland had Astle to contend with on the lap eight restart. Freddy was hooked up and he exploded out of the box to a two-car lead as Vanada dropped into third behind Pelland with Mike Brightman and Folan on his tail. Houli came loose coming out of turn three, but made a miraculous save to keep the field flowing.
Lap twelve saw Folan and Daryl Stampfl loose and sliding out of the third turn, bringing caution and sending Folan to the pits for adjustment.
Astle exploded out of the box again while Vanada got under Pelland for some wheel-to-wheel and Brightman followed.
By lap fourteen, Astle had four cars on them as Pelland had taken second over Vanada. Brightman followed, with the Auburn Assailant, Angelo Belsito, creeping up on his outside. Martin looked under to make it three-wide but pulled back, then did the same on the following lap.
Vanada pulled ahead and Brightman closed back in on him.
At the midway point, Astle had a five-car lead on Pelland as Belsito pushed up on Vanada’s outside. Brightman and Martin continued to pursue. Belsito couldn’t seem to find his way past Vanada, but caution found Stampfl and Ryan Lineham spinning.
The lap 23 restart saw Freddy popping away from Pelland once more and Belsito gut underneath. Pelland fired up and pulled back into second and Belsito settled to third ahead of Brightman, who suddenly went sideways in turn three and saved it, giving Belsito some breathing room.
The field behind them: Scully, Vanada, Martin, Houlihan and Lineham, were bunched tight in a straight line.
Astle closed in on Alex Mielnicki, about to lap him on lap 33. Pelland was edging up, now and behind him, Brightman got under Belsito. Suddenly, his right front tire went down and it swerved him toward the wall, carrying Belsito along. They backed off and came to a stop just short of the front stretch wall by turn four.
Freddy had the power again, flying out of the box into the lead, but now Scully was back again and he ducked under Pelland into second with five laps remaining. He immediately looked under Astle and was denied, so he settled onto his bumper. It was a brawl to the checkers and neither competitor saved any blood in the white knuckles driving. But Astle on this evening was determined not to yield and after five circuits of gangland-style racing, they emerged with Fred claiming victory.
Sixth on the event went to Lineham, followed by Belsito, Houlihan, Hussey, Brightman and Folan.