Fall Nationals - Bristol, TN
Final
Andy Bing, Phillip Ruffin, Tom Gariepy, Matt Welliver, Randy Corson, Ben Hadsell, Steven Redden, Reggie Banks, Lynne Higgins, John Ruiz, Darryl Lozier, Scott Hutchins
The season has really turned for Darryl Lozier (1st Tampa Open, Jersey Derby, Big Apple Smash Up, Alamo Derby) who finishes last in the final, his second pointless appearance in the past month. As always his vehicle looked well prepared but John Ruiz only needed one hit as he charged up and over the title leader.
It was no better for Andy Bing (1st Idaho Invitational, Indy Nationals, Ohio Derby, Golden Gate Invitational) as he delivered a hit to Ben Hadsell that resulted in a fatal stall to leave without a single point in ten of the last thirteen weeks.
Reggie Banks (1st Firecracker Open, 11th Alamo, 10th Ohio) is the first recipient of the good fortune left behind by the eliminated contenders, picking up a single point. It was not a good performance with blindside hits from Ruiz and Bing, two shots by Redden, and Banks only initiated contact once with a hit on Corson.
In her seventh final in nine weeks Lynne Higgins (4th Arkansas Derby, 3rd Bluegrass National Derby) continues her season form by picking up points in all thirteen appearances. Hits on Redden and Ruffin led to a derby-ending stall, and Scott Hutchins (1st Seattle Derby, 2nd Smash up, 2nd Lobster Nationals, 1st Bluegrass) makes a slight gain on Lozier in the standings but a bad miss results in him leaving in eighth spot due to a stall.
Steven Redden (Tied-2nd Valentine's Day Massacre, 3rd Indy) did help himself in his first final for some time as a miss on his intended target led him straight into the path of Ben Hadsell who was all too happy to take his man out. Striking Banks twice Redden also got a shots in on Ruiz and Gariepy.
Randy Corson (5th Frostbite, 5th Tampa, 6th Alamo) started out with hits on Gariepy and Welliver, but a trip into the barriers allowed the latter to really go to town with three quick shots of his own, continuing his assault after Corson was free to finish the job.
It's back-to-back top five finishes for Phillip Ruffin (8th Smash Up, 8th Mile High, 5th Hickory) as he takes just two hits while delivering four. Corson on the blindside was the second contact after Higgins laid one in earlier; Lozier, Gariepy, Bing and Redden the victims.
Tom Gariepy (1st Wisconsin Invitational, Arkansas, Mile High) claims his eighth top-five finish and he started with two hits on John Ruiz before delivering two hits on Welliver. It was a tough battle for the joint-winner of heat three with four of the six hits against him coming in the first minute, but he kept himself moving and avoided many challenges until Welliver and Hadsell double-teamed him.
A third podium of the year for Matt Welliver (1st Summer National Derby, 4th Ohio, 2nd Golden Gate) started out dodgy with a brief stall but, after re-firing, he went on to rampage over Corson with hits on Bing, Gariepy and Hadsell outside of that onslaught. With just three hits against he may have hoped for a better result, but this will move him several spots up the rankings.
The finale came down to Ben Hadsell and John Ruiz with both men earning derby wins at Frostbite and the Ides of March events respectively, but while Hadsell (3rd Tampa, Tied-2nd Summer National, 2nd Texas) has picked up good points hauls in all but one of his eleven previous finals Ruiz has struggled in his seven appearances with six of the results finishing no better than eighth.
The two competitors did not encounter each other until near the end when Hadsell initiated contact after striking Gariepy, Hutchins and Higgins, taking a blindsider from Corson as well. A return to Gariepy after laying a shot onto Redden then led him into the path of Ruiz who did not need to be invited twice. But Hadsell was able to turn much quicker than his opponent, who had saved two stalls during the final after destroying Lozier, and laid in one final hit to take his second derby win of the season and join the eleven strong pack that have amassed over one-hundred points.
Race Result
1. Ben Hadsell
2. John Ruiz
3. Matt Welliver
4. Tom Gariepy
5. Phillip Ruffin
6. Randy Corson
7. Steven Redden
8. Scott Hutchins
9. Lynne Higgins
10. Reggie Banks
11. Andy Bing
12. Darryl Lozier
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