Spring Fling Derby - Buffalo, NY
Heat 1
Ben Hadsell, Ed Smith, John McCrory, Phillip Ruffin, John Ruiz, Norm Gibson, Bill Malbrough, Sam Harbin, Jason Ingle, Bambi Rogers, Ricky Grimes, Randy Corson
Sam Harbin was a touch of bad luck as first Bill Malbrough was eliminated after colliding with the Arizona Derby runner-up, and then John Ruiz stalled out after he too made contact. John McCrory had little chance of progressing in Buffalo with Norm Gibson tormenting him, and only him, for over five minutes; Randy Corson and Bambi Rogers also getting a couple of licks in.
Gibson went down next in ninth, Rogers the finisher, and Ed Smith became the second driver to stall his car and fail to re-fire the engine, leaving both men still searching for their first final. Bambi is another driver yet to break her duck but she will have a second chance in the consolation heat after finishing in seventh place. After taking it to the two drivers already mentioned she then missed her next target leaving her wide open for Phillip Ruffin to take her out.
Ben Hadsell was locked up with Jason Ingle for a couple of minutes before a hard hit from Ricky Grimes separated them before Ruffin blindsided Hadsell, ending his race in sixth. The other two who will compete in the consolation final are Ruffin and Ingle, the former finished by Corson and the latter losing a three-way against Harbin and Grimes.
This means that Sam Harbin makes his way into his third final (2nd Arizona, 11th Ides of March), surviving a late stall only for Ingle to get a blindside hit in before Corson hammered him for good. Runner-up in the first heat at Spring Fling and making his debut in a final is Ricky Grimes. He was a fan of making repeat visits to a few drivers and, like several before him, ultimately losing to Randy Corson. Corson has a pair of fifth place finishes this year at the season opening Frostbite and then Tampa; this is also his second heat win of the year.
Race Result
1. Randy Corson
2. Ricky Grimes
3. Sam Harbin
4. Jason Ingle
5. Phillip Ruffin
6. Ben Hadsell
7. Bambi Rogers
8. Ed Smith
9. Norm Gibson
10. John McCrory
11. John Ruiz
12. Bill Malbrough
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