The Keeppers

After 3 weeks off from racing I returned to Lucas Oil Speedway where they had yet another great turn out with 41 Factory Stocks. The track messed up the lineup causing me to start pole in the 4th heat instead of outside front row of the 1st heat. The track was slick and my car had a hard time hooking up in the corners. My brother-in-law Isaac was in my heat and passed me at one point but then blew a shock allowing me a heat win where I should have finished 2nd. During the Feature I started 6th and once again had problems hooking up in the corners. I was able to hold my own for the most part but had nothing on the leaders. Finished 6th.

Write up from Lucas Oil Speedway’s website…

Tonight’s Transport Graphics Factory Stock event is exactly why industry insiders and fans call our weekly shows, “The Best Racin’ In The Nation!” Kris Jackson 65J and Troy Reasoner, Jr. 25JR held off an all star Factory Stock cast pulling away a bit and creating a near photo finish to end the night.

Reasoner is all over Jackson for the last two laps. Down the front stretch taking the white flag it looked liked one of those two-car drafting teams we heard so much about at Taladega this weekend.
Into three Reasoner goes high trying to set himself up for a dive to the inside off turn 4. Jackson holds the middle/high line that he has been working all night. Reasoner pulls along the inside down the front straight and you could have tossed a blanket over both cars at the line.

However, it was Jackson with just a bit more momentum holding off the 25JR by not much more then a bumper for the win. Bobby Maggard, Isaac Keepper and Chris Darnell rounded out the top 5.

Did I mention it was a Factory Stock all-star cast: Ben Solberg, James Flood, Allen Thompson, Bob Gustin and last years class champ Keith Webster finishes the top 10. Webster started the feature from the 19th position.

Speaking of hard charging, Roger Flood 24, came from 21st to finish just outside the top 10 in 11th and Doug Rich 28, came from 20th to finish 12th.

Needed a top 3 finish to qualify for the feature but finished 4th by just one car length. On the second lap of the Feature car number 57 bumped the back of Maggard (160) which resulted in him turning down the track into Brown (11) who then turned into me causing Reeves (18) to crash into the back of me. There was plenty of cosmetic damage to the car including broken right front upper and lower A arms. First DNF of the season.