Tyler County Speedway
Youth denied by Carrier in Tyler County victory
MIDDLEBOURNE, W.Va. (June 20) — Taking the lead from Mike Benedum on the 14th lap, Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., led the rest of the way at Tyler County Speedway for his second O'Reilly All Star Series victory of the season. The 38-year-old Carrier pocketed $5,000 for capturing the Eaton-Childers Memorial King of the Ring 50 at the quarter-mile speedplant.
Coleby Frye of Dover, Pa., finished second with Jared Miley of South Park, Pa., in third. Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., and Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., rounded out the top five while Benedum, of Bristol, W.Va., slipped to ninth at the finish. O'Reilly All Star points leader Boom Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., was seventh.
Local hot-shoes Doug Eaton and Benedum started on the front row of the 24-car field in a race marred by a frightening accident for Mark Banal of St. Clairsville, Ohio, in the early laps. Banal's car barrel-rolled more than four times down the frontstretch before coming to rest at the turn-one entrance in an accident that also involved Greg Baumberger and Butch McGill. The agitated Banal was disqualified for his behavior after the accident and faces an indefinite series suspension.
After the red-flag cleanup, Benedum led the first 13 circuits, but the fourth-starting Carrier snagged the lead while the sixth-starting Miley, 11th-starting Frye and ninth-starting Hawkins charging to the front in a youth brigade.
With Miley and Hawkins dueling for second on lap 28, Benedum began to fade while Carrier faced traffic that allowed his pursuers to close in. Carrier was fighting off challenges from Frye when the second and final caution appeared for Joe Loudin's lap-42 spin.
With clear racetrack, Carrier rolled the rest of the way for the home-state victory.
Notes: Carrier's Rocket Chassis has a Grover Motorsports Engine and sponsorship from Engines Inc. .. Carrier's first series victory came May 23 at K-C Raceway in Alma, Ohio. ... Next up for the series is a $10,000-to-win event at Central Pennsylvania Speedway in Clearfield on July. 3.
Eaton-Childers Memorial King of the Ring 50: (1) Eddie Carrier Jr., (2) Coleby Frye, (3) Jared Miley, (4) Doug Horton, (5) Jared Hawkins, (6) Rob Blair, (7) Boom Briggs, (8) Tim Dohm, (9) Mike Benedum, (10) Paul Wilmoth Jr., (11) Chuck Harper, (12) Joe Loudin, (13) Greg Baumberger, (14) Rod Conley, (15) Brain Eaton, (16) Scott Peltz, (17) Corey Conley, (18) Doug Eaton, (19) Zack Dohm, (20) Dave Hess Jr., (21) Steve Weigle, (22) Rick Williams, (23) Butch McGill. Disqualified: Mark Banal. Fast qualifier (among 33 cars): Peltz, 13.410 seconds. Heat race winners: Blair, Wilmoth, Hess, Carrier.