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Phil Gressman Wins The Run For The Rabbit
(Lima, OH) The EFI-NRA Sprint Invaders began their 2007 championship season in grand fashion at Limaland Motorsports Park. Twenty-nine of the best 360 sprint car teams lined up to chase one of the most coveted annual events at the famed quarter-mile bullring. The 8th Annual Run for the Rabbit featured side-by-side racing and a dominating performance by veteran sprint car driver, Phil Gressman.
Travis "The Rabbit" Miller logged a lot of laps around Limaland Motorsports Park and endeared himself to thousands of race fans and peers. His memory is honored each year by the Lima Auto Mall and Limaland; a testament to the respect that Travis earned.
The heat race action was frenetic as usual and Jeff Williams, Tim Allison, and Phil Gressman found themselves on the point as the checkered flag waved in their respective heat races. Gary Richard, Todd Sherman, and Casey Luedeke took top honors in the Professional Computer Company Modified heats while Tim Rostorfer, Tony Siferd, and Barney Craig took care of business in the Bud Thunderstock heats.
When the green flag waved to start the 25-lap, $2000.00 to win, Run for the Rabbit feature, Mike Dussel and Dennis Yoakam saw a blue and white bullet, with the number 83 on it, scream by them and take the lead. A lap-four red flag for Mark Hery's flip exiting turn four bunched the cars back up but the dominance of Gressman was already obvious. Dussel, Yoakam, and Tim Allison began a spirited battle with Dussel and Allison taking turns mounting assaults on the tail tank of Gressman. Three yellow flag periods allowed the challengers to regroup to try and rattle the cagey veteran. But, in the end, Gressman showed why he will be a serious contender for the EFI-NRA Sprint Invaders season championship as he placed his name in hallowed company as the winner of the 8th Annual Run for the Rabbit.
Two weeks ago, Terry Hull thought he finished second to Darryl Banks. Banks was elated with his first win at Ohio's Quarter-Mile of Thunder which he accomplished in dominating style. Unfortunately, Banks did not make weight and surrendered the win. Terry Hull was quick to point out that Banks could have had 200 more pounds and he still would have won. But, rules are rules. Hull found himself on the outside of pole sitter, Zach Schroeder, for the 20-lap Professional Computer Company Modified feature and set his sights on the trophy.
The first ten laps featured a duel for the low groove between Hull and Tony Anderson. Anderson was able to gain the inside on several occasions but was never able to complete the pass. While the two front-runners battled, Darryl Banks was a man on a mission as he picked off car after car using the high line. Banks completed his sprint to the point with a high side pass of Hull on lap fourteen. Once Banks was in front, the race was for second and Banks erased the bittersweet success of opening night by taking his second victory of 2007. Jokingly, Banks said," I know we're going to make weight tonight". Like Gressman, Bank's win served notice to the usual championship contenders that he will be a force to be reckoned with each week.
Tim Bowen and Jason Jimerson had preferred seating for the Bud Thunderstock feature race. They occupied the front row, but that meant there were 18 other hungry drivers just waiting to pounce on the front row drivers. The first driver to make a move was Tony Anderson. Anderson, amped up on adrenaline from his solid third place performance in the Modified feature, Held the lead after the first lap. Jimerson was not going to go away easily and spent the next several laps glued to the rear deck lid of Anderson's car. On the fifth lap, coming out of turn four, Jimerson got loose and spun in front of Earnie Woodard and Barney Craig. Craig stopped on the track and went to the tail with Jimerson after track officials straightened out some sheet metal and assessed the race-worthiness of Craig's car.
A lap six caution slowed the pace with Anderson still in the lead and Tim Rostorfer in second. This season, Tim Rostorfer is looking to capitalize on the momentum he built by finishing 3rd in the 2006 Bud Thunderstock Championship. Rostorfer sustained heavy damage in a last lap wreck on opening night while running third and spent the last two weeks repairing his bent-up car. Obviously the repairs worked. Rostorfer surged to the lead on lap eight and never looked back. Well, at least not until the last lap. He suffered a flat right rear going into turn two and Tony "The Tiger" pounced on the opportunity, snatching the win away from Rostorfer who limped home in second. Anderson told Rostorfer, "that one was yours. I just got lucky".
Your next chance to be part of the celebration of 72 years of racing action is next week when Limaland Motorsports Park presents Late Model Mania featuring the ALMS Late Models. The Professional Computer Company Modifieds and Bud Thunderstocks will also be on hand as the drivers look to establish who the early season frontrunners will be. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and racing on America's premier quarter-mile begins at 7:30 p.m.
Elwer Fence Sprints B-Main
1) Rick Boughan
2) Kent Wolters
3) Ryan Grubaugh
4) John Hawk
5) Mark Hery
6) Andrew Bowsher
7) Brent Gehr
8) Bob Gehr
9) Dallas Hewitt
10) Ron Hammons
11) Kyle Conaway
12) Randy Fusi
Professional Computer Company Modified B-main #1:
1) Mike Roediger
2) Clint Reagle
3) Lenny Guyton
4) Nick Rosselit
5) Kelly Bowlby
6) Richard Lucky
7) Stan Smith
8) Kevin Free
9) Brian Post
10) Jake Conley
11) Brandon Vaughan
12) Josh Stewart
Bud Thunderstockade Feature:
1) Tony Anderson
2) Tim Rostorfer
3) Mark Hiatt
4) Billy Siferd
5) Tim Bowen
6) Barney Craig
7) Earnie Woodard
8) Jason Jimerson
9) Todd Wright
10) Scott Shackleford
11) Kyle Brandewie
12) David Bowen
13) R.K. Smith
14) Mike Kruger Jr.
15) Tony Siferd
16) Sam Bodine
17) Jim Post
18) Jeff Babcock
19) Nick Rosselit
20) Justin Long
Professional Computer Company Modifieds Feature:
1) Darryl Banks
2) Terry hull
3) Tony Anderson
4) Shane O'Connor
5) Todd Sherman
6) Zach Schroeder
7) Andy Bibler
8) Jon Henry
9) Gary Richard
10) Mike Roediger
11) Andy Holderman
12) Casey Luedeke
13) Ryan Ordway
14) Lenny Guyton
15) Frankie Luchini
16) Nick Rosselit
17) Clint Reagle
18) Stan Smith
19) Kelly Bowlby
20) Brent Hole
Elwer Fence Sprints Feature:
1. Phil Gressman
2. Mike Dussel
3. Tim Allison
4. Mike Brecht
5. Dennis Yoakam
6. Jeff Williams
7. JR Stewart
8. Dain Naida
9. Rick Boughan
10. Mike Miller
11. Jared Horstman
12. Ron Blair
13. Luke Hall
14. Mike Dunlap
15. Scott Carter
16. Kent Wolters
17. Ryan Grubaugh
18. Darren Long
19. John Hawk
20. Mark Hery
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