Florence Speedway
Back from heel injury, Carrier wins at Florence
By James Essex
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Eddie Carrier Jr. enjoys victory lane at Florence. (Jeff Eissing)
UNION, Ky. (April 7) — After the start of his season was delayed by injury, Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., didn't take long to get rolling.
Competing in his first race of the season, the 41-year-old Kentucky native took the lead after a lap-18 restart Saturday and Florence Speedway, then dominated the remaining laps for a $3,000 victory. | Slideshow
Carrier, who has been sidelined since surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in early February, rallied from his 18th starting spot to his second career victory at the half-mile oval.
The race had four different leaders, but once Carrier took the lead on lap 19, he went unchallenged the rest of the way building nearly a straightaway lead over runner-up Rod Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio.
Defending Florence champion Josh Williams of West Harrison, Ind., led the first four circuits until veteran Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, Ind., took the lead. Jewell’s spot at the top was short-lived as Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., took command on lap seven.
Jameson would hold the point over Conley and Carrier until the only caution of the race came out with 18 laps complete for debris on the racing surface.
On the Delaware double-file restart, Carrier was on the outside of Conley and quickly moved by him, then repeated the move on Jameson a lap later.
Jameson finished third followed by Cody Mahoney of Madison, Ind., getting behind the wheel while taking break from crewing duties with Don O'Neal. Williams rounded out the top five and Jerry Rice of Verona, Ky., came from 22nd to sixth.
Notes: Carrier’s Carl Grover Motorsports-owned Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Engines Inc, VP Racing Fuels, Ohlins, Hess, Stewart and Campbell and Blue Ridge Machinery and Tools. ... Jerry Rice of Verona, Ky., came from 22nd to finish sixth. ... Late Models run a regular show April 14 and a $2,000-to-win event April 21 at Florence.
Florence Speedway: (1) Eddie Carrier Jr., (2) Rod Conley, (3) Jason Jameson, (4) Cody Mahoney, (4) Josh Williams, (5) Jerry Rice, (6) Scott James, (7) Josh McGuire, (8) Robby Hensley, (9) Brandon Green, (10) Mike Jewell, (11) Justin Rattliff, (12) Duane Chamberlain, (13) David Spille, (14) Tim Prince, (15) Jarrod Breeding, (16) Mike Meyers, (17) Rob Starkey, (18) Jesse Lay, (19) Tom Sheets, (20) John Gill, (21) Barry Doss, (22) Jeff Simonton, (23) Greg Johnson.
