TRIPP TOPS TRUCKS AGAIN, CAPTURES TRIPLE CROWN
Bobby Tripp was last heard from after his Pro Stock championship in the mid-1990’s. He went off and got a life and family. Bob Gonneville, who had been on the team with Bobby recently became team manager for Everett’s Auto Parts and when they elevated Chase Belcher to late models, they needed to fill a seat in his Sport Truck. Gonneville placed a call and ruined Tripp’s peace and quiet. The mild-mannered Tripp just won his third feature of the 2018 season (better than two decades after the Pro Stock crown), leads the points chase for the Sport Trucks and just collected the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown for his recent efforts.
Just under 20 other drivers oppose his efforts, and did their best to deny him the victories. Most notably Josh Hedges and Barry Shaw. Tripp grabbed the lead Shaw had held for ten laps, which he began coming out of the starter’s box. Hedges chased Shaw from lap three, was shouldered aside by Tripp, pried Shaw out of second and then leveled withering fire at Tripp’s bumper for the final ten laps.
Bobby kept circling the oval, all the way to the checkered flag; Hedges roared into second on his tail, and Shaw rocketed through in third. Also among the opposition came former Trucks champ Mike Cavallaro in fourth and current champion Mike Duarte to round out the top five.
Tripp had started tenth on the evening, while Shaw jumped off the pole on Darryl Church. Dave Simpson came from low in row two to give chase behind Church with Hedges in hot pursuit. Lenny Guy ran fifth.
Simpson fell back and when Guy spun was confronted by the spin and ended up in the infield with Guy. On the restart, Shaw had Church on his shoulder with Hedges and Simpson behind him. As Shaw retook the lead, Hedges dived under Church and had second coming out of turn two. Tripp ran up behind Simpson into fifth. They both got by Church just before Rob Murphy got tapped from behind and spun in turn four.
Shaw and Hedges lined again, now with Duarte and Simpson behind. Tripp was low in row three, under Church, backed up by Andrew Kun and Cavallaro. Barry took a half-car lead across the stripe and had a full length in turn two. Duarte went to Hedges’ bumper in third with Tripp in tow, setting Simpson back to fifth. Kun and Darryl Dutch then spun to the infield.
Shaw and Hedges were wheel-to-wheel all the way to turn four before Shaw commanded the lead. Tripp stuck his nose in under Hedges after getting away from Duarte as first timer Nick Testone III made his first loop in turn three. One more lap complete.
The same lineup came out of the box again and again Shaw grabbed the front. But Murphy got into another spin, high in turn three and trying to avoid, Randy Burr took a tour of the infield grass.
Another try and the same cast of characters. As Shaw took the front once more, Tripp ran under Hedges again and this time took over second. Duarte and Simpson pursued. But Cavallaro was under Simpson. Tripp was now on Shaw’s bumper with Hedges on his. Duarte and Cavallaro were closing in while Church was debating side-by-side with Simpson.
Tripp ducked under Shaw and went into the lead while Hedges took a look under Barry but backed out. The field was now running single-file with Tripp leading Shaw, then Hedges, Duarte, Cavallaro, Church, Simpson and Dutch. The parade continued into lap fifteen when Guy spun out of turn one, spoiling a five-car lead for Tripp.
Shaw was on Tripp’s high side for the restart with Hedges and Duarte looking for any opportunity while Cavallaro and Church held down row three with the same thoughts in mind. Shaw pushed a nose ahead but Tripp heated up and won the front down the backstretch. Hedges dived underneath int second and Duarte went to Hedges’ outside looking for third. Not making progress, he dropped back in behind.
By lap 18, Tripp had an eight car lead and the rest of the field was again single-file. Hedges ran second, ahead of Shaw, Cavallaro, Simpson and Duarte. With four laps remaining, Duarte was able to work his way under Simpson into fifth and the field then ran a trio of parade laps to the checkers. With the win, Tripp closed in on the division championship and earned the coveted Triple Crown.
Sixth went to Simpson, followed by Kun, Burr, Church, Murphy, Dutch and Guy.