LAWTON, Okla. — Rodney Sanders passed early leader Kenny Gaddis on the seventh lap and then proceeded to disappear into the distance, as the 33-year-old dominated Saturday night’s American Racer USRA Modified Series feature at the Lawton Speedway.
En route to collecting the $2,000 winner’s paycheck, the four-time Summit USMTS National Champion found the low side to be the fast way around the fast quarter-mile red clay oval.
“We had a good car all night,” Sanders said. “We changed a few little things from last night and it seemed to really respond. (The track) was a little bottom dominant and I thought I could roll Kenny on the outside, but then he kind of moved up a little bit and gave me some room on the bottom.”
A caution with 12 laps to go may have given hope to some of the racers chasing Sanders, but nobody could get near his familiar No. 20 MB Customs USRA Modified. In fact, his margin of victory was 7.75 seconds over Gaddis, who was racing down the backstretch when Sanders crossed the finish line on the other side of the racetrack.
Gaddis claimed the runner-up honors by holding off a late charge from Kale Westover. Manuel Williams Jr. and Cole Dennis completed the top five.
Feature Finish (30 Laps)
1. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, 2. (1) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, 3. (7) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla., 4. (2) 24M Manuel Williams II, Fouke, Ark., 5. (3) 11D Cole Dennis, Altus, Okla., 6. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., 7. (5) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas, 8. (22) 24X Xavier Ortega, Las Cruces, N.M., 9. (13) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., 10. (15) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas, 11. (11) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas, 12. (17) 9H Aaron Halpain, Hulbert, Okla., 13. (10) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas, 14. (18) 121 Dylan Ballard, Cache, Okla., 15. (9) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas, 16. (12) 07 Jason Hilliard, Cache, Okla., 17. (20) 71W Harold Winton Jr., Waurika, Okla., 18. (16) 2X Tyler Webb, Iowa Park, Texas, 19. (6) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark., 20. (14) 68 Garry Little, Lawton, Okla., 21. (19) 95 Shawn Johnson, Marlow, Okla., 22. (21) 82 Jimmie Williams, Denison, Texas, 23. (24) 7M Danny McCarty, Lawton, Okla., 24. (23) 24 Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.