The Ohio Derby - Cincinnati, OH
Heat Two
John Ruiz, Leo May, Andy Bing, Bill Malbrough, Sam Harbin, Tommy Miller, John McCrory, Timmy Barnes, Dick Garrett, Will Thompson, Phillip Ruffin, Ben Hadsell
A rough and ready heat started with Phillip Ruffin (9th Ides of March, 8th Big Apple Smash Up) immediately being escorted away when his car caught on fire, and the last remaining competitor without a final appearance Bill Malbrough was next out, but not until the five minute mark, when he missed his first target and was unable to free himself from the barriers.
Timmy Barnes (12th Spring Fling Derby, 4th Smash Up) stalled out in tenth place after he was blindsided by Dick Garrett, and Will Thompson (1st Arizana Derby, 2nd Summer Sizzler, 2nd Bryan Family Open) misses out on a big chance to take advantage of Darryl Lozier's failure to get out of the first heat as his poor choiceon hitting Tommy Miller in a vulnerable spot resulted in the first of seven disqualifications in Cincinnati.
Tommy Miller (13th Bryan) then did exactly what was done to him less than a minute beforehand, John McCrory suffering the shot to his driver's side door, and this allows John Ruiz to move on into the consolation heat. Despite attacking Leo May three times, Ruiz was evicted in seventh place by a combination of May and Andy Bing who had also suffered a shot from Ruiz.
Ben Hadsell had set up Ruiz for his eventual downfall by hitting him twice, but his main focus was on temporary partner against Ruiz, Dick Garrett, hitting him three times as the pair of them went back and forth with Garrett coming out of it in motion.
Leo May and Dick Garrett, however, both miss out on a top three finish. May, leading the field with eight hits, going through Harbin twice before turning on Bing in an overly eager fashion that resulted in a DQ, and Garrett slowing to an eventual halt after his war with Hadsell.
Andy Bing, entering his thirteenth final, was another creature of habit as he attacked Bill Malbrough and John Ruiz twice each, and striking Sam Harbin three times as they dueled in the closing stages.
Even with just six hits to his credit John McCrory had his head on a swivel on his way to a runner-up spot and ninth final this year with five of them coming in the past six weeks, avoiding two attacks in quick succession as Tommy Miller was all over him like a rash, but suffered from the same rush of blood to the head as several before him as, with one hit on Harbin a success McCrory turned to go at him again only to catch him awkwardly and earn a disqualification.
Sam Harbin, winning his first ever heat on his way to a seventh final and just his second appearance in twelve events, was also very alert in avoiding two attempts to hit him from Miller. He struck five cars, Andy Bing's three times, and, if not for McCrory's rash challenge, might well have finished in second place as he was stalled at the time.
Race Result
1. Sam Harbin
2. John McCrory
3. Andy Bing
4. Dick Garrett
5. Leo May
6. Ben Hadsell
7. John Ruiz
8. Tommy Miller
9. Will Thompson
10. Timmy Barnes
11. Bill Malbrough
12. Phillip Ruffin
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