MUSKOGEE, Okla. — John Carney II took advantage of his outside second row starting position to study the early leaders and learn from their mistakes.
The homework paid off as Carney took the lead away from Whit Gastineau on lap five and never looked back to post his first AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Sprint Car victory Friday at Thunderbird Speedway.
“I really watched the guys in front of me and watched where they were hitting the holes for three or four laps,” Carney said of his move to the lead. “I just remembered where they were bouncing and just avoided that. Once we were in the lead we had clean air.”
The win came in an unfamiliar sprint car.
“I have never been here before or drove this car, but the way the track was flat reminded me of Oskaloosa (Iowa),” Carney said.
Former champion Zach Chappell wheeled into third behind Gastineau and the three stayed out front most of the race. On lap 21 Chappell spun out and Jake Martens moved into third.
Sheldon Barksdale raced from ninth to fourth and Creek County Speedway winner Blake Edwards rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 laps): 1. John Carney II, 2. Whit Gastineau, 3. Jake Martens, 4. Sheldon Barksdale, 5. Blake Edwards, 6. Rees Moran, 7. Chris Kelly, 8. Jack Potter, 9. Dean Drake Jr, 10. Luke Cranston, 11. Shane Redline, 12. Conner Thomas, 13. Zach Chappell, 14. Trevor Serbus, 15. Elizabeth Phillips, 16. Johnny Kent, 17. Charlie Crumpton, 18. Perry Pickard, 19. Terry Easum, 20. Mitchell Barros