Sapulpa, Oklahoma – Heading into the Sixth Annual Turnpike Challenge featuring POWRi Lucas Oil National and West Midget League competition, Christopher Bell would have been a safe bet for the victor heading into tonight’s race at Creek County Speedway. And that safe money bet would have paid off; Christopher Bell is now nine for nine in Turnpike Competition.
While the opening night of four straight nights of racing presented a challenge, as this was the inaugural visit of the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League to Creek County Speedway, Bell proved he is always up for a challenge as he took a dominating heat race win. Ever determined, Bell set his sights on the ultimate prize, another Turnpike Challenge victory.
Starting inside row two, Bell immediately jumped to second and set his sights on race leader and pole sitter, Tanner Carrick. As the duo approached traffic, Bell showed his hand and tossed a slider at Carrick, but Carrick returned. Another circuit later and heading into turn one, both Carrick and Bell went for the same real estate on the bottom and their Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports entries collided, sending Carrick to an abrupt stop.
With Bell inheriting the lead, the race was his to lose. Enduring several yellows and one red flag, Bell held off a determined Zeb Wise and later fended off a late race charge by Logan Seavey. As the laps wound down, Seavey’s determination to get past Bell got the best of him, allowing Wise to regain control of the second position. Seavey took third with Tyler Thomas in fourth. Defending POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League champion Tucker Klaasmeyer rounded out the top five after charging to the front from deep in the field starting in the 23rd position.
“That was a lot of fun,” said Christopher Bell. “I felt really bad about me and Carrick getting together getting into turn one. I had no idea he was to the inside of me there, just racing with lap traffic. This track was tough. The ledge got built up really tall so it was very difficult to go up there and run consistent laps. I’ve just got to say thanks to Keith, Pete, Big Al, Chuckie, and everyone that works on these things. They do a really great job. Obviously, we have really fast racecars to drive, so that makes my job easier.”
“I knew Chris was going to be the star of the show and that’s who we have to beat,” Zeb Wise commented. “Near mid race we were kind of hanging with him and then Seavey got by me. We were able to get Seavey picked back off there at the end but just not enough laps. These Clauson Marshall guys had the Drive2Save Lives Sun Dollar 39BC hooked up tonight. They worked their butt off for me and to stand up here on the podium is pretty special.”
“I’m just disappointed,” stated Logan Seavey. “I had such a good racecar. I drove up to second and then I just didn’t run very good laps. I had a good run on him one time and should have thrown a slider, but didn’t. I just kept missing the bottom in one and two and then that was about it for me. These guys brought me such a good racecar and it fires me up since it seems like I’m always racing Christopher for the win in these and we have three more nights to give it a go.”
Midgets
Racing Electronics Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: 71K – TANNER CARRICK, Heat 2: 21 – CHRISTOPHER BELL, Heat 3: 67 – LOGAN SEAVEY, Heat 4: 8J – JONATHAN BEASON, Heat 5: 21KS – KARTER SARFF, Heat 6: 8 – ALEX SEWELL, Heat 7: 47BC – ANDREW LAYSER
Speed Sport C-Main Winner: 17Z – ZAC MOODY
Bell Qualifier Winners: 32 – TREY MARCHAM, 71K – TANNER CARRICK, 08 – CANNON MCINTOSH, 28 – ACE MCCARTHY
Toyota Semi Feature Winners: 67K – HOLLEY HOLLAN, 21KS – KARTER SARFF
Mesilla Valley Transportation Feature Winner: 21 – CHRISTOPHER BELL
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League Feature Results (30 laps): 1. 21 – CHRISTOPHER BELL 2. 39BC – ZEB WISE 3. 67 – LOGAN SEAVEY 4. 91T – TYLER THOMAS 5. 27 – TUCKER KLAASMEYER 6. 3N – JAKE NEUMAN 7. 18 – TONY BRUCE JR 8. 25 – JERRY COONS JR 9. 21KS – KARTER SARFF 10. 47BC – ANDREW LAYSER 11. 71K – TANNER CARRICK 12. 21H – BRADY BACON 13. 5D – ZACH DAUM 14. 52 – BLAKE HAHN 15. 08 – CANNON MCINTOSH 16. 44S – ANDREW FELKER 17. 67K – HOLLEY HOLLAN 18. 8J – JONATHAN BEASON 19. 28 – ACE MCCARTHY 20. 15 – COLE BODINE 21. 42 – HANK DAVIS 22. 32 – TREY MARCHAM 23. 91 – KEVIN BAYER 24. 44 – WESLEY SMITH
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