Richmond Raceway
Todd's Richmond win first on BoB tour since '04
From series reports
Tyrel Todd earned $3,000. (Thomas Hendrickson www.dt52photos.com)
RICHMOND, Ky. (Sept. 15) — A four-time winner on the O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series in 2004, Tyrel Todd of Eubank, Ky., had been shut out ever since. Scratch that skid, however, as Todd earned $3,000 for a series victory in the inaugural Fall Championships at Richmond Raceway, where Todd's previous tour victory came more than three years ago. | Slideshow
Todd took the lead from Tim Tungate on the 17th lap and led the remainder of the 40-lap feature at the quarter-mile oval. Jason Keltner finished second followed by Tungate, Josh McGuire and David Webb. Series points leader Victor Lee, driving the Tim Logan Racing No. 68, was sixth.
At the start of the 40-lapper, McGuire and Tungate paced the field with Tungate jumping out to the early lead followed by McGuire, Aaron Hatton, Webb and Todd. While McGuire, Tungate and Hatton raced hard for the point, Todd worked his way past Webb into the fourth spot, but not before Webb battled back to the inside one circuit later. The battle for the third spot intensified on lap three as Webb and Todd caught Hatton going door-to-door down the backchute. Webb and Todd moved past Hatton on lap four setting their sight on the lead duo of Tungate and McGuire.
While Todd and Webb battled for third, the battle for fifth quickly intensified as Keltner, Lee and Chris Combs found themselves knocking on the back door of Hatton on lap six. Keltner and Lee slid their mounts to the inside of Hatton on lap seven to begin closing the gap on Todd and Webb. The same lap, Todd got a run on the inside of Webb in turn three to take over the third spot. It was now time for Todd to begin reeling in race leaders as they headed in to lapped traffic. While Todd was chasing down the lead duo, Keltner moved his mount to follow on the rear deck of Webb, making his every move for the fourth spot.
On the 10th lap, Richmond claimed its first victim of the night when Hatton pulled into the pit area. Back up front, Todd caught the leaders and began working on the rear spoiler of McGuire. The battle for the lead was hot as Tungate, McGuire and Todd began to face lapped traffic.
While the leaders sliced and diced through slower cars, Todd gained enough momentum down the backchute to take second from McGuire. As Todd made his move on McGuire, Keltner slid his mount to the inside of Webb making the pass into fourth.
One lap later, Todd took his machine to the outside groove to lead Tungate at the stripe by a mere nose. As Tungate battled back to the inside of Todd, the pair danced into turn one door-to-door with Todd clearing Tungate on the backchute.
As the field reached the halfway point, Keltner began flexing his muscle again when he worked his way past McGuire for third and setting his line of attack on Tungate for the second position. As laps began to dwindle down, the battles were set with Tungate and Keltner battling for second, McGuire and Webb going toe-to-toe for fourth and Lee and Combs going door-to-door for sixth.
As Tungate and Keltner found another pack of lapped traffic on lap 27, they had company creep up as McGuire and Webb caught the lead pack. As Tungate and Keltner cleared the traffic on lap 30, Keltner glued himself to Tungate's rear decklid for the closing circuits.
Coming into the last lap, Keltner once again tried to muscle his way around Tungate in turn one, as he got a run on the high side allowing him to pull alongside down the backchute. The pair danced into turn three door-to-door and as the pair exited turn four, Keltner found just enough bite on the high side to launch himself into the second spot.
Notebook
Todd's MasterSbilt Race Car has a Bullock powerplant and sponsorship from Todd Truss, Todd Metals, Pulaski Steel and Supply and Gerald's Auto Parts. ... Tim Tungate set fast time with a quick lap of 15.620. Heat race wins went to Tungate, Josh McGuire and Aaron Hatton. ... The series final is up next with Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., hosting the $5,000-to-win Bluegrass 50 on Sept. 22.
Richmond Raceway: (1) Tyrel Todd, (2) Jason Keltner, (3) Tim Tungate, (4) Josh McGuire, (5) David Webb, (6) Victor Lee, (7) Chris Combs, (8) Dennis Roberson, (9) Bobby Carrier Jr., (10) Jim Robinson, (11) Mike Jewell, (12) Jeff Alsip, (13) Marty Stepp, (14) Brandon Witt, (15) Dan Deaton, (16) Doug Smith, (17) Danny Barrett, (18) Alan Haycraft, (19) Aaron Hatton, (20) Jason Barrett.
