Indy Nationals - Speedway, IN
Final
Norm Gibson, Steven Redden, Tom Gariepy, Leo May, Dick Garrett, John McCrory, Darrell Andresen, Andy Bing, Randy Corson, Will Thompson, Darryl Lozier, Scott Hutchins
All of the drivers and their vehicles looked well prepared for this one so it was a shame when Randy Corson was forced up onto a barrier at the start of the final and remained there for a last place finish, the two-time fifth place finisher at both Frostbite and Tampa going pointless in a second of his five finals, and Wisconsin Invitational winner Tom Gariepy lasted a few minutes longer before he too was sent home with just the two points for winning his heat.
Norm Gibson bounced his way through the pack and suffered for it with John McCrory responsible for two of the six hits on the Lobster Nationals champion, and that was followed by a quick exit of four more drivers. It seems a long time since he won the Arizona Derby but Will Thompson manages to finish outside of the top five for the fifth time in the last eight events, failing to qualify for two of the finals, and that was quickly followed up by the elimination of standings leader Darryl Lozier as he went to war with Scott Hutchins and was uncharacteristically blindsided twice for his worst finish in five events (15th Idaho Invitational).
Dick Garrett moves up a few spots in the standings with a seventh place finish, the five-time finalist stalling and was counted out with Leo May and Andy Bing circling for the kill, and Spring Fling winner and runner-up in the Big Apple Smash Up and Lobester Nationals Scott Hutchins takes over second place from the absent Joe Ramage thanks to his fifth straight points haul where he has amassed fifty-seven of his eighty-eight total points.
The last of the consolation heat qualifiers was next to go in fifth place, John McCrory (9th Tampa, 11th Valentine's Day Massacre, 3rd Seattle) taking heavy abuse from Leo May as the pack dwindled, and that started a chain reaction to bring about a quick ending to the eleven minute final.
Darrell Andresen ends his sixth final with a season high fourth place finish as he battles with Andy Bing and Scott Hutchins before getting his revenge on John McCrory for a very early blindside hit to leave three contenders for the big points.
Out of the remaining trio only Andy Bing had won an event before (Idaho Invitational) and this held him in good stead as he just let Steven Redden and Leo May go at it. Both were in their sixth final with the former finishing joint runner-up in the VDM and the latter finishing no higher than fourth before today; those results coming in the two invitationals at Wisconsin and Idaho. Bing stayed patient until Redden was eliminated before finishing off May with a pair of tough hits and claims his second title of the year; only Darryl Lozier has more with three.
Race Result
1. Andy Bing
2. Leo May
3. Steven Redden
4. Darrell Andresen
5. John McCrory
6. Scott Hutchins
7. Dick Garrett
8. Darryl Lozier
9. Will Thompson
10. Norm Gibson
11. Tom Gariepy
12. Randy Corson
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