Christopher Bell added a Wednesday win at Tri-County Speedway to his victory total this week.
Bell, who won at Darlington Sunday in the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500, bided his time and emerged victorious in the second day of Speedweek at Tri-County Speedway in the Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA Stars super late model national making its debut on the 4/10 paved oval.
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Keelan Harvick, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick, was fastest all week in practice and won the pole in his Hunt Brothers Toyota with a lap of 15.154 seconds for the 250 lap race.
At the start of the race Harvick grabbed the lead and set the pace. Last week’s NASCAR Cup Series winner, Christopher Bell, who started 8th was running second by the 22nd lap. ASA points leader Carson Brown started 12th and sliced his way through the field passing Bell for second on the 28th lap. Brown took the top spot on lap 38.
The first caution flag came out on lap-54 when Kyle Steckley got spun going into the second turn and backed his number 22 Toyota into the fence. The second yellow flag was displayed on the 75th lap to signal the end of the first stage. Brown, Harvick and Bell were running one, two, three until Harvick stopped on the front stretch on lap 131.
“The camshaft broke,” explained Harvicl. “We had a fast hot rod and were looking forward to the finish.” The top-two pitted for fuel and tires giving the lead to Cole Butcher. On the lap-139 restart Brown was fifth and Bell was eighth. Three laps later they were second and third on Butcher’s rear bumper. On lap 146 Brown retook the lead and was out front when the fourth and final caution flag flew on lap 150 to signal the end of the second stage.
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Brown and Bell restarted on the front row and put on a tremendous battle for the lead. The two displayed incredible race craft and car control, battling door to door. Bell grabbed the lead on the 158th lap and batted Brown for several laps before driving away and taking the checkered flag.
Bell said in victory lane “That was incredible, felt like the old days back at Millbridge. I enjoy racing late models and going back to my favorite short tracks. I had never raced here before tonight but now Tri-County is on my list of favorite tracks.”
Brown finished second. Ty Fredrickson, Casey Roderick and Derek Kraus were third through fifth. The lone female driver Jade Avedisian was sixth. Butch, Cole Jones, Vito Cancilla and Bret Crews rounded out the top ten.
The night started with a nation qualifier for the Legends car series.
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After 30-laps the top three crossed the finish line in a dead heat. Brexton Busch, son of Kyle Busch, took the victory over Lucas Palacio and Case James. The young Busch’s victory drew a lively reaction from the crowd. He got on top of his machine and did the victory lane bow his late father made famous. The final night of Tri-County is this Saturday with a CARS Tour doubleheader. 225 laps of late model action. Gates open at 4pm.
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