Summer Sizzler - Memphis, TN
Heat Two
John McCrory, Danny Krol, Matt Welliver, Joe Ramage, Bill Malbrough, Chris Henton, Reggie Banks, Billy Edgington, Timmy Barnes, Bambi Rogers, Tom Gariepy, Jamie Eilers,
With four of the remaining six drivers who have yet to feature in an event final it was surely a safe bet that one of them could make it this time. Right? The first of this exclusive group, Ed Smith who finished last in the opening heat and Tommy Miller the other two, was out in another long start to the race as Billy Edgington was finally put down at the eight minute mark when Bambi Rogers and Tom Gariepy sandwiched him.
This started a chain where twelve became three in the space of just two minutes, and next to go was John McCrory (3rd Spring Fling, 5th Indy) as the four-time finalist took nine hits, five of them coming when he was trapped against the wall.
Joe Ramage's return from injury was short lived when the Valentine's Day Massacre winner and three-time runner-up lost in a long battle with Bill Malbrough, and fellow title contender Tom Gariepy was right behind him when he initiated contact with Timmy Barnes for his ninth delivered hit of the day and the man who finished runner-up behind Ramage at VDM before going on to win the Wisconsin Invitationaldeflected himself straight into the path of Bambi Rogers going full speed for a crunching hit.
Bill Malbrough is the second of the final-less group to be eliminated as he finishes in the unlucky spot of eighth thanks to an ill-timed hit on Danny Krol that took the Canadian out instead, leaving Bambi Rogers to claim seventh place and move on into the consolation heat. After taking two early hits from Ramage, Rogers was able to evade a lot of traffic until Jamie Eilers delivered a fatal blow to her vehicle.
Timmy Barnes also qualified for the second chance after he finished the heat in sixth place, a lengthy stall was re-fired but his joy was short lived as a foursome of drivers all had him lined up for a brutal finish, and Spring Fling Derby champion Chris Henton lives to fight another heat after losing a head-to-head with Matt Welliver. The final consolation heat qualifier is the fourth non-finalist Reggie Banks who managed to free himself from a tough spot in the very early stages before he bounced from Henton to Eilers for his elimination.
That left two-time runner-up Jamie Eilers (Frostbite, Ides of March) battling it out for the heat win with Danny Krol and Matt Welliver who reach their fourth and fifth finals receptively. Eilers makes it to a fifth final by delivering nine hits, three on Banks and a pair on McCrory, while suffering six against; the final blow coming from Matt Welliver who had charged at Eilers earlier in the heat.
With Danny Krol stalled, Matt Welliver turned to face the opponent who had badgered him on and off for the best part of ten minutes and charged. Krol re-fired just in time to engage and the crowd roared when they smashed into each other for the finale. The officials determined that the heat was a draw, giving both men their second heat wins of the season.
Race Result
1. Matt Welliver
1. Danny Krol
3. Jamie Eilers
4. Reggie Banks
5. Chris Henton
6. Timmy Barnes
7. Bambi Rogers
8. Bill Malbrough
9. Tom Gariepy
10. Joe Ramage
11. John McCrory
12. Billy Edgington
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