Conrad & Sizemore Win Speedrome
Mini Indy 125 Main Events
By: Scott Nigh
Indianapolis, IN (October 11, 2008)
- "The World's Home of
the Figure 8" ® saw a unique doubleheader of racing
and wrestling known as WRESTLERACE 8.0 on Saturday night. The
stars of AWA Entertainment gave a command performance for the
huge UAW Family Night crowd. But first the cars and stars in
the Roadrunner and Hornet divisions took to the track in the
Annual Mini Indy 125. The long distance events sparkle each post-season
for these machines. Let's get to the racing details.
The 6th Annual Roadrunner 125 program
began with time trials. 2008 Chase for the Cup Champion Kevin
Smith set the bar with a new track record lap of 14.789 seconds
to set the field. The main event began with inaugural Indiana
Asphalt Shootout Figure 8 race winner Johnny Magee taking the
lead. He led a hungry pack of racers until returning 2007 Chase
runner-up Larry Jones took over and increased a nice gap over
the next 20 circuits. "Wild thing" David Lee Byrd was
the second place runner until lap 32 when his machine gave up
the ghost. This development saw Smith now in the on deck spot
coming from last starting position.
A lap 57 red flag saw the races tables
turn as during the lull the leading machine of Jones had his
radiator bubble over ending his day. This new event complexion
had Smith out front and veteran Herbie Conrad running a very
close second. The third spot had Magee just one lap off the pace.
The two leaders stayed in close proximity all the way until lap
115 when the transmission failed on the Smith machine. Conrad
cruised to the finish for his biggest career victory and the
$1000 check that went with it. Magee came home second with steady
Scott McKinney finishing third.
The Hornet portion of the show saw defending
Mini Indy 125 winner Don Klein top the qualifying charts with
a great lap of 15.268 seconds. This set the lineup for the 37-car
field with veteran Tim Pfeifer on the pole. The green flag flew
with outside front row starter and Figure 8 mainstay Mike Burgess
taking the lead in his first division start. The early scramble
for the front had Nathan Arthur, John Greer Jr, and Justin Brown
in the mix. Just before the 50-lap mark the trio of Klein, Nigel
Peters, and Chad Sizemore made it to the front. Then the red
flag flew for a stalled car. The race was reversed at that point
into a right hand turn configuration.
This change saw Klein take to it well
and pushed his lead all the way to a half lap over the next 25
circuits. Peters and Sizemore traded the runner-up position as
the two struggled slightly this direction. A fourth turn crash
collected Peters as the red flag came out again. The restart
was now a two man battle while Nigel now had to come from the
tail. Klein kept a nice pace until his car decided that it had
had enough on lap 106. This handed the lead to Sizemore who rolled
to his second big victory of the season. Jess Holliday was steady
as the runner-up with Nigel Peters raced back to third at the
checkered.
The Blood Hound Underground Indianapolis
Speedrome TM is located near the intersection of Brookville Road
and Kitley Avenue on Indy's South East Side. For more information
please log on to www.speedrome.com or call the Speedrome Hotline
317-353-8206.
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