Double Deuce Is Lucky At Southern!!!
The Sure Fire Racing League returned to action Friday night for Round #6 of the Southern National Track Championship series. First time racer Tyler Simmons checked into the pits with his #810 machine ready to do battle. Happy Hour practice concluded with a late session quick lap for Jay Harned to put his #44 on top of the sheet with a time of 13.659 followed very closely but defending race winner Charlie Kuzma with a lap of 13.661. Qualifying would see Kuzma establish himself as the car to beat by setting fat time for the session with a lap of 13.557 in his #113 while Eric Nordhoff would lock up the runner up spot with a time of 13.630.
The field came to green with Michael Allen and Mark Koschik showing the way from the front row. Allen quickly moved his #59 out front as Koschik found tough sledding on the outside. Daryl Tiezzi moved his #16 into 2nd position and Clifton Cockrell moved into 3rd as the race settled in. Harned and Kuzma made a steady march through the field and by lap #26 they were in the top 3 and drawing closer to Allen. Lap 40 saw a few key things happen, Harned was able to move his #44 Teds Hot Dog machine to the lead bringing with him to 2nd, while that was going on TJ Christ unexpectedly brought his #55 machine to pit road for service. He would return to the race but would go a few laps down. The next 45 laps would see a classic duel between Harned and Kuzma as they ran nose to tail lap after lap with Kuzma peeking to the inside on numerous occasions but unable to find enough power to make the move. Cockrell would maintain a solid 3rd with his eyes on the leaders.
The caution would fly on lap #85 as contact between Allen and Nordhoff would send the #59 around but minimal damage to either car. Kuzma, Cockrell, Allen and the rest of the top 5 would pit pit road for service however Harned and Nordhoff would remain on track and pin them a lap down. On the restart Harned took command but had Kuzma and Cockrell on fresh tires on his bumper and on lap #96 they made the move to regain their lap and set sail to catch the balance of the field. Nordhoff was able to stabilize after a poor restart and maintain the gap to the leader but Harned was able to keep the #16 of Tiezzi behind him and create a buffer that appeared was going to pay off with an other victory until his pit strategy came unglued on lap #122 when his car hiccuped and ran out of fuel allowing Nordhoff to move his #22 to the top of the board while Harned coasted into the pits. Kuzma was flying around the speedway making up large chunks of time but it was to no avail a 2 laps from the finish he slapped the wall and rolled his car across the start/finish line bringing out the yellow and sealing the first career SFRL win for Nordhoff.
1. #22 Eric Nordhoff
2. #29 Clifton Cockrell
3. #113 Charlie Kuzma
4. #16 Darly Tiezzi
5. #59 Michael Allen
