CANEY, Kan. – Â For the second straight week, a first-time winner made it to victory lane with the AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series.
A week ago Joe Wood Jr. won for the first time at Enid Speedway. Friday rookie Avery Goodman accomplished the same feat at Caney Valley Speedway.
However, it is not surprising. The son of two-time Tulsa Speedway champion and three-time OCRS champion Mike Goodman, Avery is showing the apple does not fall far from the tree.
“It feels pretty good,” Goodman said of his victory on Friday. “It is our third win of the season in a two-barrel and my first season in a sprint car as well.
“I am picking it up pretty quick. I have a lot of help behind me. My dad is pretty experienced.”
Goodman, who came into the night with six OCRS top-10 finishes to his credit, started on the outside of the front row next to Sheldon Barksdale. He used that outside line to jump into a quick lead on the fast quarter-mile oval.
“I started on the outside so getting the jump on the start was pretty critical there,” Goodman said of his move to the lead. “The first corner I just drove it in a little deeper and hit the moisture and got a better run off the corner. It just worked out from there. I was just cruising from there on.”
Traffic played a big factor over the 30-lap distance, and almost cost Goodman the lead when he made contact with another car on lap 20 and nearly turned over.
“It got a little harry there,” Goodman explained. “I almost turned it over. I ended up saving it.
“I entered turn three higher (than a lapped car in front of him) and crossed back over and exited the corner below him. We were side-by-side down the straightaway and he kind of crowded me out a little bit. My right rear went over his left front.”
Goodman got his sprinter back down on all four wheels and continued with the lead. However, the only yellow flag of the night waved for James Shoun and Whit Gastineau who came together in turn two.
Goodman continued his torrid pace leading Barksdale across the line by a 1.435-second margin. Terry Easum, who started eighth, climbed to third with 2017 champion Zach Chappell holding down fourth and defending champion Alex Sewell finishing fifth.
“I got to thank everyone behind me,” Goodman said of those who support him. “Without them I could not be here for sure. My dad, Window World, Goodman Associates, Karen and Josh McElhaney, McElhaney Construction, D&E Supply, Dyno Services of Oklahoma, and Corrosion X. Everyone played a big part.”
Nick Lucito was the York Plumbing Hard Charger, advancing from 15th to ninth.
The finish:
1, 11-Avery Goodman[2]. 2, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[1]. 3, 88-Terry Easum[8]. 4, 50Z-Zach Chappell[5]. 5, 8-Alex Sewell[3]. 6, 4AM-Mike Goodman[11]. 7, 5-Joe Bob Lee[7]. 8, 4PM-Travis Jenkins[4]. 9, 65L-Nick Lucito[15]. 10, 9-Emilio Hoover[12]. 11, 22T-Frank Taft[14]. 12, 14-Stephanie Chappell[16]. 13, 79-Tim Kent[9]. 14, 10K-Kevin Brewer[13]. 15, 2W-Whit Gastineau[6]. 16, 62-James Shoun[10]. 17, 15D-Mike Deal[17]. 18, 77-JC Wilson[18].