Hickory Nationals - Hickory, NC
Heat Three
Phillip Ruffin, Leo May, Reggie Banks, Jason Ingle, Bob Alexander, Timmy Barnes, Lynne Higgins, Will Murphy, Charlie Clayton, Steven Redden, Matt Welliver, Randy Corson
After Steven Redden (Tied-2nd Valentine's Day Massacre, 3rd Indy Nationals) stalled at the start he was rushed by four opponents, crippling any chance he had of re-firing the engine, and Timmy Barnes (12th Spring Fling Derby, 4th Big Apple Smash Up, 8th Bluegrass Derby) was hammered seven times - twice each from Ruffin and Alexander - with Lynne Higgins providing the killer blow on his blindside.
Those eliminations came in the first few minutes but it wasn't until the eighth minute that a rush of exits occurred, taking the pack from ten down to one in just five minutes. Jason Ingle (Tied-5th Lobster Nationals, 7th Louisiana Invitational, 3rd Mile High Open) has now missed eight of the last nine finals, the latest miss coming in no small part from blindside hits by Alexander and Higgins with Ruffin and Banks getting their late shots in.
It was a brutal day at the office for Matt Welliver (1st SidelineStrategy.com Derby, 4th Ohio Derby, 2nd Golden Gate Invitational as he was struck five times by Charlie Clayton alone, the two misses also did not help Welliver's cause as he hunted down Ingle, and Will Murphy (2nd Tampa Open, 3rd Spring Fling, 3rd Idaho Invitational, 3rd Big Apple) was rammed into the barriers by Timmy Barnes early on and freeing himself only to get blindsided twice by Clayton. The second of those shots resulting in a halt in proceedings as Clayton's car went up and over Welliver who walked away unharmed.
Bob Alexander delivered five hits and survived a long stall, Randy Corson failed to re-fire his stall after laying three of his seven shots onto Clayton, Reggie Banks barely escaped a tight spot among the barriers at the start, going on to hit five cars, and Leo May was credited with eight hits before the wrecking crew known as Charlie Clayton made him another victim. All four eliminations result in their inclusion into the consolation heat.
Phillip Ruffin looked a strong contender by laying on eight hits in as many minutes with Barnes, Ingle and May all receiving two, but focus from May, Banksand Corson provided a pair of hits each on the third place man. Clayton claimed yet another scalp but Ruffin makes it four finals on the year with his second qualification in four weeks.
With nineteen hits between them Lynne Higgins and Charlie Clayton were deserving of their place in the final; Higgins' eleventh and Clayton's tenth. While Clayton was busy decimating Matt Welliver, Lynne Higgins was not fussy over she was hitting as Redden, Ruffin, May and Banks were all targets before Higgins showed how on her game she was by avoiding a fast attack on her blindside.
A pair of short stalls and a war against Reggie Banks, who did manage to connect on her blindside, ended with Banks eliminated and Higgins stuck. She was able to quickly extricate herself and engage with Clayton who had swept through the pack eliminating Welliver, May, Murphy and Ruffin, taking on Higgins in between his devastating attacks. In the end though Higgins was able to connect with a massive shot to the rear of Clayton, earning her fourth heat victory.
Race Result
1. Lynne Higgins
2. Charlie Clayton
3. Phillip Ruffin
4. Leo May
5. Reggie Banks
6. Randy Corson
7. Bob Alexander
8. Will Murphy
9. Matt Welliver
10. Jason Ingle
11. Timmy Barnes
12. Steven Redden
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