VanDoorn Flies At Toledo
TOLEDO, Ohio — Johnny VanDoorn captured the Miller Lite 100 for the ARCA Allegiant Gold Cup/Main Event Series outlaw Late Models Friday night at Toledo Speedway, while Dakota Carlson iced the 2012 Gold Cup title by virtue of his fourth-place run.
This is the first time that the two series have teamed together for an event. Josh Bunting won the companion ARCA R & M Recycling Street Stock feature, while Perry Marlow took top honors in the ARCA 4 Cylinder race. PJ Sullivan of Northwest Ohio Beverage, the Toledo area Miller Lite distributor, presented the Gold Cup to Johnny in the Sun Drop Winner’s Circle.
Carlson, driving for Tony LeClair, was solid throughout the 6 race Allegiant Gold Cup Series as he captured the 2012 title. The top 3 in the final points of the Series-Carlson, Mike Root and Harold Fair Jr., will each receive 2 round trip tickets courtesy of Allegiant Travel. Carlson will get the opportunity to test an ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Stock Car at the annual December ARCA test at Daytona International Speedway.
VanDoorn started the night off by setting the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time at 14:944. The number 14 was drawn for the inversion, but VanDoorn wasted no time getting to the front of the pack. Jimmy Carter battled with Chad Guinn for the lead at the drop of the green flag. VanDoorn zipped to 8th spot by lap 4 and set his sights on the leaders. Third fast qualifier Scott Hantz went out on lap 10 as his car slowed and showed smoke. The first of 4 yellow flags came out when Chad Guinn tagged the turn 1 wall while battling Carter for the lead as the pair went around a lapped car on lap 12. The double file restart bunched the pack and Carter took off, but by lap 21, VanDoorn stormed by to take control of the race. The man on the move was Johnny Belott, making his first appearance of the season. Belott, 2nd quick in time trials, started to pick up away at VanDoorn’s lead as the race wore on. The second yellow was displayed on lap 38 when Dennis Strickland had a puff of smoke come out from under the #86, sending him into a backwards spin into the turn 3 wall. By this time, Belott had moved into 3rd from 13th as he got by Jake Francis for third, setting up a good battle with Carter, and on lap 48, second spot belonged to Johnny B. On lap 61, Carter’s machine pushed up the track and the freight train action was on as Fair, Francis and Dakota Carlson got by on the inside lane.
The third yellow at lap 68 slowed action when Carter and Charlie Schultz tangled on the backstretch. Both cars were able to continue. Belott had steadily picked away at VanDoorn’s advantage, and the double file restart gave Belott his shot at the lead. Johnny V. got a good jump on the restart and built up his lead again, while a great battle shaped up for the 4th through 9th spots in the final 30 laps of the race.
With nine laps to go, Francis and Jack Varney Jr., who had run in the top 10 the entire race, tangled on the backstretch, sending both cars hard into the wall and ending their nights with major damage. It was all VanDoorn on the restart has he pulled away to a 12 car length advantage for the victory over Belott, Fair Jr., Carlson and Barry Hartwell. Sixth was Mike Root, followed by Bud Perry, Justin Schroeder, Schultz and John Flynn to round out the top 10.
Josh Bunting returned to racing for the first time this season and used the outside lane to grab the lead and the win in the 20 lap ARCA R & M Recycling Street Stock feature race. Bunting, who has been busy with his family, was in top form as he sped to the win over Cory McCaughey, Dave Arnold Jr., Matt Bunting, John Rabideau, Rich Abel, Don Cox, Dusty Brunt, Pat Fields and Jeff King. Randy Padgett Jr., Kyle Huston, Eric Huston, Kris King and Rick Cousino were next in line at the finish.
A great 4-car race for the lead saw Perry Marlow hang on to win the 20 lap ARCA 4 Cylinder feature race. Jeff Wells Jr. worked the high lane the entire distance, while Perry hung on the low side. Mike Marlow joined the battle as did David Katafiasz and the four drivers used every inch of asphalt in the battle for the win. Mike Marlow nipped Wells for second at the stripe, with Katafiasz fourth and Megan Osenbaugh fifth.
Posted by NSSN Staff
on Aug 18 2012 Filed under MIDWEST, Racing Nation.
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