Firecracker Open - Daytona, FL
Heat Two
Bobby Gallagher, Phillip Ruffin, Darryl Lozier, Ben Hadsell, Jamie Eilers, Ricky Grimes, Chris Henton, Tom Gariepy, Bob Alexander, Reggie Banks, Randy Corson, Leo May
The misery continues for Tom Gariepy (tied-2nd Valentine's Day Massacre, 5th Idaho Invitational, 5th Jersey Derby) as the Wisconsin Invitational champion fails to qualify for the final in a sixth straight event and has just an eleventh place finish to show in the last nine weeks; his exit came off an early blindside hit by Bob Alexander that vaulted him up over the barriers.
After making one final appearance in seven weeks (2nd Indy Nationals) Leo May enjoyed back-to-back finals (5th Louisiana Invitational, 8th SidelineStrategy.com Derby) but his resurgence hits a bump and he will stay outside of the top ten for at least another week. May took seven hits with Hadsell coming back for a second shot.
Five-time finalist Chris Henton has now only made a pair of final appearances in the last ten events (10th Summer Sizzler, 5th Summer National Derby) and the Spring Fling Derby winner left the action through a crippling stall, and right behind him was Randy Corson (5th Frostbite Winter Nationals, 5th Tampa Open, 8th Spring Fling) when he careened into the wall on back-to-back misses before he was finished off by Alexander.
Phillip Ruffin ((9th Ides of March, 8th Big Apple Smash Up) had hit Corson twice but a flurry of hits while he was stuck on a barrier cost him a place in the consolation heat where Ricky Grimes will compete despite taking just four hits he finishes in seventh place.
Reggie Banks went after Lozier twice early on and then, after a brief stall, took full advantage of Ruffin's predicament on the scenery, but he was too eager when he struck Ben Hadsell and the officials deemed it an illegal hit, disqualifying Banks in sixth place. Jamie Eilers and Darryl Lozier also make their way into the second chance battle with the former taking eight hits including two blindsides and four shots from Hadsell alone. Lozier was ultimately responsible for Eilers' elimination as he avoided a blindside hit that catapulted him into the wall, but then the championship leader resumed his assault on Hadsell for a total of four hits, eventually coming out second best himself.
The damage was done though and Ben Hadsell survived just long enough to qualify for his ninth final after missing the last two. Four hits on Eilers and a pair on May went a long way to help whittle down the pack size with only six hits in reply; Alexander's the finishing blow.
Bob Alexander then missed out on the heat victory but will be happy with a fifth final of the year, second in the last even rounds. Starting out rather indiscriminately Alexander returned to his first victim to eliminate Banks before going toe to toe with Bobby Gallagher who ultimately won the war and the heat.
Gallagher suffered with stalls through the heat, the third of which almost saw him counted out in fourth place. When on the move he was able to make strong contact on four drivers, including a return trip to Alexander's personal space, as the alternate driver wins his second heat of the year, qualifying for his first final appearance in eleven rounds.
Race Result
1. Bobby Gallagher
2. Bob Alexander
3. Ben Hadsell
4. Darryl Lozier
5. Jamie Eilers
6. Reggie Banks
7. Ricky Grimes
8. Phillip Ruffin
9. Randy Corson
10. Chris Henton
11. Leo May
12. Tom Gariepy
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