May 24
Eldora Speedway,
Rossburg, OH
Sanction: Sunoco American Late Model Series (Johnny Appleseed Classic) - $2,000
Information provided by: Track reports (last updated May 25, 4:46 pm)
Miller cruises to $2,000 Johnny Appleseed win
Johnny Appleseed Classic
- Matt Miller
- Matt Westfall
- Nick Latham
- Josh Rice
- Duane Chamberlain
- James Rice
- John Gill
- Brian Ruhlman
- Rusty Schlenk
- Chad Stapleton
- Doug Drown
- Jerry Bowersock
- Ryan VanderVeen
- Brandon Thirlby
- Casey Noonan
- Herb Reich
- Rich Bell
- Ryan Unzicker
- Scott James
- Andrew Reaume
- Jeremy Hines
- Butch Kruckeberg
Car owner Rick DeLong (right) and his team celebrate Matt Miller's victory.
What won the race: Lapping up to eighth place, former track champion Matt Miller of Whitehouse, Ohio, led all 25 laps for a $2,000 ALMS victory in the Johnny Appleseed Classic. Fast qualifier Matt Westfall of Ludlow Falls, Ohio, ran second the entire distance, finishing 1.264 seconds behind Miller, who has won four of the past five ALMS events at Eldora.
Quotable: “This is awesome,” Miller said. “This is only our third race of the year. It’s nice to rebound. Matt (Westfall) is a heck of a wheelman. I knew he would put the pressure on. We hit some lapped traffic, but we got up on the wheel, too.”
Key notes: Westfall nearly made a slide-job pass for the lead on the eighth lap, but Miller moved back ahead exiting turn two. ... Ryan Unzicker, Scott James, Andrew Reaume and others were involved in a turn-three accident on the 22nd lap. ... The Johnny Appleseed Classic, formerly a fall event, moved to Memorial Day weekend in 2008 and serves as a de facto tuneup for Eldora's $100,000-to-win Dirt Late Model Dream on June 4-6. ... The race, founded by Earl Baltes in 1970 at Mansfield, Ohio, pays tribute to the legend of nurseryman Johnny Appleseed.
On the move: Josh Rice of Verona, Ky., charged from 15th to finish fourth.
Winner's sponsors: Miller drives a Rick DeLong-owned Rocket Chassis with an APD Design Race Engine and sponsorship from Corrigan Oil, Dominator Race Products, Integra Shocks and Sunoco Race Fuels.
Points chase: Rusty Schlenk of Weston, Ohio, leaves Eldora with the ALMS points lead.
Car count: 35
Fast qualifier: Matt Westfall
Time: 16.932 seconds
Heat race winners: Matt Westfall, Ryan Unzicker, Andrew Reaume, Matt Miller
Consolation race winners: Jerry Bowersock
Provisional starters: Ryan VanderVeen, Rich Bell
Next series race: June 20, Oakshade Raceway (Wauseon, OH) $5,100
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.