The rain
out three weeks before was actually a blessing for Dusty Cornelius
as he destroyed his car in a practice crash just before Mother
Nature washed everything out. Cornelius was back with a new
mount but he was having severe handling issues and he spun
on lap 14 for caution number two.
A few laps after the green
reappeared, Doug Elliot slapped the wall just under the flag
stand then spun to a halt in turn one. Elloitt was unable
to restart. Russell continued to set a blistering pace but
was slowed again on lap 36 as Cornelius lost the handle again
and spun in turn two.
The next 30 laps would
be run under green as Russell continued to have his way with
the field. At half-way, Russell held the point over Rogers,
Conrad, Finney, Bowers, Jeremy Colangelo, Kurt Jett, Daniel
Webster, Justin Larson and Corey Freed.
Caution was displayed
again for a slowing car on lap 71 and on the following restart
Rogers appeared now to be able to stay at least within striking
distance of Russell. Lap 80 would prove disastrous for car
#80 as Finney looped out of fourth spot in turn four to bring
out the yellow flag once again.
Russell and Rogers continued
to set the pace but were slowed again on lap 109 for Keeler's
spin in turn two and a final time on lap 115 when Finney backed
into the turn four wall damaging his car enough to send him
pit side.
The race went back to
green with just eleven laps remaining and Rogers now finally
seemed to have something for Russell. Last lap heroics would
not be in the offing for anybody though. With three laps to
go, a light rain shower suddenly began to fall sending the
field scrambling to hold onto their machines. Russell nearly
wrecked coming off turn two but managed to get his Rannai
Tankless Water Heaters Chevrolet back under him as the field
slowed under caution.
With a light coat of water
now on the track, the checkered flag was thrown and the finishing
order set after the completion of 122 laps.
Russell enjoyed the spoils
of victory lane as the rain had already stopped by the time
he could exit his car. The defending Sunbelt champion looks
to already be in the driver's seat for a possible run at back
to back titles.
Rogers had a great run
in his TM Ranch Dodge as he finished a strong second in front
of Conrad. Bowers had a fast car all night but could never
find much passing room as the youngster settled for a nice
fourth place finish while Colangelo took fifth in the Mark
Martin Performance/RE-MAX Special giving former OSW Legend
Car graduates three of the top five spots.
Daniel Webster did the
passing job of the night coming from 11th on the grid to sixth
with Corey Freed, Justin Larson, Kurt Jett and Travis Towell
rounding out the top ten. Completing the finishers were Fain
Skinner, Dustin Henderson, Keeler, Finney, Brad Bischoff,
Cornelius, Elliott and Ronnie Roach.
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