[STARS Racing]

ANDERSON TAKES FREEDOM 50 THRILLER
By: Michael J Guglielmucci

Morris, IL—The two-time defending D’Arcy GMC Short Track Auto Racing Series was in unfamiliar territory to start the 50-lap Freedom 50, but in familiar territory at the end of the 50 laps. Joliet’s Jimmy Anderson put fans on the edge of their seats Saturday night at the Grundy County Speedway by starting from the tail of the field and driving to the front to lead the final two laps to pick up his first win of the 2013 season. After a sub-par qualifying attempt, Anderson started at the rear of the field and picked his way through one by one and caught the lead pack by lap 13. Pole sitter, Patrick Wilda, Jr. led the first 27 laps after eventual runner-up, Billy Hulbert took over the spot for the next 20 laps. The race would be plagued by cautions and two red flags. One for a flip that involved Ryan Probst and Bryan Nuckles, and the other for a late race oil down that set up the final two laps. Probst and Nuckles were able to get out under their own power. On the final restart, Anderson went to the top side of Hulbert, forcing Hulbert to stay low and spin the tires in the oil dry. That allowed Anderson to drive by around the top and lead the final two laps en route to his first victory of the season. Anderson would state, “I knew it would be hard to get by Billy on the bottom because he is really good down there, so I went high to get around him and was able to make it stick”. Hulbert, Tyler Trainor, Terry Ahern, and Wilda would round out the top five. Hulbert would be the night’s fast qualifier with Anderson and Ryan Probst taking home the heat race wins.

Tom Schnabel picked up his second win of the season in the Town and Country Lanes Classic Modified’s 25 lap feature. It was a night of red flags at the Grundy County Speedway as the classic modified feature had one red flag after the car of Clyde Vant hit the wall hard in the middle of turns one and two. Vant, too, would walk out under his own power. Schnabel would take over the top spot from Greg Wills with three laps to go and would go on to win over Wills by a second. Early race leader, Erica Ensor, dropped out due to a mechanical failure. Wills, Jeff Slayton, Craig Stark, and Logan Weigle completed the top five. Schnabel would take the heat race, with John McGeorge taking the top spot in qualifying.

The INEX Legends series also had a repeat winner. Brian Tedeschi edged Matt O’Leary by a tenth of a second to pick up his 2nd win of the season. Tedeschi would go on to lead the final 21 laps of the 25 lap feature. Tedeschi and O’Leary would be followed by Cullen Camasta, Johnny Kringas, and Austin Kunert at the line. Camasta was the fast qualifier on the night and O’Leary took home the heat race.

Brody Hayes took over the lead on lap 14 of the 25 lap CSR MiniCup feature and never looked back, checking out to win by over a second over Jason Cave. Jaime Domski, Mike Harrold, and Jaden Fryer completed the top five. Fryer was the evening’s fast qualifier and heat race winner.

The cars and stars of the D’Arcy GMC Short Track Auto Racing Series will be back in action next week for a weekend of racing. A Saturday-Sunday double header at the Grundy County Speedway will make for a full weekend of fun. Following Saturday’s event, everyone will be invited down to the pits for a post race pit party. There will be camping available outside the gates of the Grundy County Speedway for those that want to be at the track early on Sunday. Gates for the Saturday event will open at 5:00pm with the first race at 6:30. For the Sunday matinee show, gates open at 1:30pm and the first race will take place at 3:00pm.

For more information on the D’Arcy GMC Short Track Auto Racing Series, log on to www.stars-racing.com, “Like” them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/shorttrackauto, or follow them on twitter, @shorttrackauto.