ALGER, Wash. — NARC rookie driver Dominic Gorden scored his first career 410 sprint car victory with an impressive performance at night two of the Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway.
Gorden battled with polesitter Tanner Carrick, took the lead on lap 20 and effectively checked out on the field in the 35-lap main event riding the cushion like a seasoned veteran.
“This is amazing; it’s been such an up and down, mostly down Speedweek so far, so to come out like this swinging is amazing,” said the 18-year old emotional winner in victory lane. “Last night wasn’t our best night, but tonight Richard (Brown, crew chief), Jared, and Ashton got the car on rails, and from the drop of the green I knew we were going to have a solid car.”
The feature started with Carrick seizing control of the top position. Carrick, piloting the California Waterfowl No. 83T Maxim, would have his efforts slowed by a pair of red flags in the first three laps. Once the green flag runs developed, he would be under heavy pressure from Chase Johnson, but future cautions would break up any momentum Johnson had built up.
At the midway point, Gorden brought his A-Game riding high on the cushion. He flew around the high side of the track in his JI Apparel Company No. 10 KPC. He would power past Carrick on lap 16 to take the lead, but Carrick was quick to take it back the next time to the line.
Carrick did his best to hold back Gorden’s aggressive advances, but the Rookie of the Year contender blasted past the leader on the 20th circuit. Gorden drove a flawless race the remaining distance to score the massive triumph.
“(Carrick) knows how to fight off a slider, but I knew the top was better in two. It just took me a long time to get my momentum built up to pass him,” continued Gorden. “We’ve been struggling with this car, but we’ve slowly been getting more and more notes on it, and finally, we got a night where I really felt I could put it anywhere.”
The Farmer’s Brewing Company No. 2X KPC of Justin Sanders made a late-race surge toward the front and grabbed second place with a few laps remaining for the Mittry Motorsports team. He started 10th. Corey Day also rallied late in the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14 KPC to earn the final step on the podium and the William Roofing Hardcharger honors after starting 16th.
Carrick held on for fourth, chased by the Bates-Hamilton Racing-entry piloted by Justyn Cox.
Feature Finish (35 Laps)
1. 10X-Dominic Gorden [6]; 2. 2X-Justin Sanders [10]; 3. 14-Corey Day [16]; 4. 83T-Tanner Carrick [1]; 5. 42X-Justyn Cox [5]; 6. 24X-Chase Johnson [4]; 7. 26R-Zeb Wise [17]; 8. 18T-Tanner Holmes [14]; 9. 21-Jesse Schlotfeldt [3]; 10. 29C-Willie Croft [7]; 11. 18-Jason Solwold [15]; 12. 5V-Colby Copeland [9]; 13. 55-Trey Starks [8]; 14. 121-Caeden Steele [23]; 15. 21T-Cole Macedo [18]; 16. 96-Greg Hamilton [22]; 17. 2XM-Max Mittry [20]; 18. 5K-Kinzer Cox [19]; 19. 21P-Robbie Price [13]; 20. 8-Devon Borden [11]; 21. 19-Colby Thornhill [21]; 22. 17W-Shane Golobic [24]; 23. 88N-DJ Netto [12]; 24. 26-Eric Fisher [2]