Hickory Nationals - Hickory, NC
Final
Joe Ramage, Danny Krol, Lynne Higgins, Will Thompson, John McCrory, Chris Henton, Charlie Clayton, Darryl Lozier, Phillip Ruffin, Scott Hutchins, Darrell Andresen, Ed Smith
Four-time runner-up Joe Ramage (1st Valentine's Day Massacre, 1st Bryan Family Open) continues to fade as the season wears on by failing to register a point in a third of of the five finals he has qualified for in the past nineteen weeks. Going hard after Danny Krol he was under pressure from McCrory, Henton and Hutchins, taking just three shots before he was eliminated.
After that third minute exit there would be an eleven car battle for several more minutes when Charlie Clayton (5th Texas Nationals, 6th Ohio Derby, 6th Bluegrass Derby) took his fifth hit while taking on anyone in range, striking four different opponents, and in his first final for five weeks Darrell Andresen (4th Indy Nationals, 5th Firecracker Open, 5th Arkansas Derby) started out with a huge miss that crippled his vehicle but not enough to prevent him laying two hits on Smith, the second of which laid the attacker out.
Ninth place goes to heat three winner Lynne Higgins (4th Arkansas, 3rd Bluegrass) as the six-time top five finisher was crunched by Krol after re-firing from a lengthy stall that started on contact initiated by Andresen and Smith, and then Will Thompson (1st Arizona Derby, 2nd Summer Sizzler, 2nd Bryan) was out after hitting Higgins, Ruffin, and Clayton twice, then taking hits from Hutchins and Smith (2) to finish him off.
Ed Smith (11th Texas, 7th Ohio, 4th Mile High Open) ends his third final in five weeks with four hits in a couple of minutes after spending the early stages dishing out all the contact. McCrory, Lozier, Ruffin, and two each from Hutchins and Andresen providing the hits, and John McCrory (3rd Seattle Derby, Tied-4th Summer National Derby, 2nd Ohio) ends his dry spell of three final-less weeks with multiple contact on Lozier and Henton; his hit on Hutchins the final act his vehicle could take.
Phillip Ruffin (9th Ides of March, 8th Big Apple Smash Up, 8th Mile High) takes his best result of the season in his fourth final appearance but he started out on the wrong foot when Krol caught him off guard, smashing into his rear. After that it was Chris Henton who brought the noise with three consecutive hits before returning later and finishing the job. During the lull in attacks Ruffin struck Andresen and Smith before laying three hits on Hutchins
Championship leader Darryl Lozier (1st Tampa Open, 1st Jersey Derby, 1st Big Apple, 1st Alamo) takes his best result for five weeks after missing three of the last seven finals and failing to score in one he did qualify for. It was his second stall that ultimately did for him as Chris Henton showed no quarter for the stranded driver with two hits, and Scott Hutchins (1st Seattle, 2nd Big Apple, 2nd Lobster Nationals, 1st Bluegrass Derby) gains a point on his title rival by claiming a third straight top five finish and his eighth podium in his fourteenth final. The two hits to Smith late on were his only repeat visits as he was otherwise engaged with all-comers, ending his run in third place thanks to heavy hitting from Ruffin and Lozier.
Chris Henton's (1st Spring Fling, 2nd Arkansas, 2nd Bluegrass) impressive eight straight finals earns him a third runner-up spot in that time and a sixth top-five finish. Starting with a hit on Ramage he then moved all of his efforts into tackling Phillip Ruffin before a shot on Andresen started a fire that had to be contained before he was cleared to continue. The damage from the flames caused a brief stall but he re-fired and first dispatched Ruffin then Lozier, with that final hit slowing him right down until he was counted out.
That means Danny Krol (4th Jersey, 3rd Sizzler, 4th Bluegrass) takes his first event win, despite only delivering four hits to Clayton, McCrory, Higgins, and Lozier. A double-tap from Ramage at the very start caused his first stall, his own initiated contact with Lozier created the second, and the nine-time finalist barely re-fired from both to take a fortunate win.
Race Result
1. Danny Krol
2. Chris Henton
3. Scott Hutchins
4. Darryl Lozier
5. Phillip Ruffin
6. John McCrory
7. Ed Smith
8. Will Thompson
9. Lynne Higgins
10. Darrell Andresen
11. Charlie Clayton
12. Joe Ramage
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