Schrage delivers second win at Anderson

Aaron Skillman photo

By Ken de la Bastide

ANDERSON, IN – Thomas Schrage drove through the field to win the feature race on a night that saw developments in the point chase.

Schrage captured the K&K Marketing Fast Qualifier award for the first time this season on a night when nine of the drivers turned laps within a half-second.

In the first heat race point leader Jack Macenko and Schrage made contact while batting for the lead on the back straight. The result was Macenko's midget getting airborne and somersaulted several times before coming to a rest in turn three. Macenko was unhurt, but his night was done.

For the feature race Kyle Ford and Ashton Thompson started on the front row with Schrage starting on the tail. Ford took the lead at the start with Dameron Taylor moving into the second spot on lap six with a pass of Thompson.

Taylor took the lead on lap ten with an inside pass with both Clayton Gaines and Schrage passing Thompson for the third and four positions.

Schrage passed Gaines for third on lap 14, moved into second underneath Ford on lap 16 and set his sights on Taylor. For the next seven circuits Schrage looked to make the pass of Taylor on the inside of the corners, but momentum kept Taylor on the point. Schrage made the pass on lap 23 when Taylor drifted up in turn four.

The red-flag slowed the race on lap 24 when Dave Osborn flipped on the front straight.

At the finish it was Schrage, Taylor, Gaines, Ford and John Robbins.

“I love this place,” Schrage said in the Riley & Sons Victory Lane of Anderson Speedway. “Practice one we had a lot of problems, practice two we got the car to run. The pole was great. Getting involved with Jackson (Macenko) on the back straight was the ultimate low,” he said. “I didn't think we would be able to get the car together.”

Schrage said Taylor put up a good fight for the lead, but was sorry that Macenko wasn't there to compete.

Taylor was trailing Macenko by 168 points entering the night and the results tightened up the chase.

Ford entered the night one-point behind Osborn for rookie of the year honors and now leads that battle.

Robbins won the first heat race followed by Ryan Huggler, Thompson, Tanner Teco and Dezi Pedregon.

Clayton Gaines led the entire distance to win the second heat race followed by Taylor and Ford.