PEVELY, Mo. — Spencer Bayston emerged from a hard-fought battle with Tristin Thomas to win Friday night’s POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget feature at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.
High point qualifier Thomas started on the pole for the 30-lap feature with 24 other competitors breathing down his neck as the field was launched into green flag racing. As the drivers would fire off for the initial start, red flag conditions would appear on the track as Shelby Bosie took a wild roll-over in turn three.
After the drivers were re-stacked for an original double-file restart, Thomas flew out to an early lead gapping the field by several car lengths as competitors raced side-by-side for almost every position. Leading by nearly an entire straightaway Thomas would waste no time catching the back end of the field. Meanwhile, Shannon McQueen, Trey Gropp and Bayston battled for second. McQueen would catch a competitor’s tire causing her car to tip over down the backstretch and bringing out the second caution of the feature on lap 18,
Back to green flag racing on lap 18 with Thomas leading Bayston and Gropp. Thomas would hold an inside line to perfection as Bayston would take it topside battling for the lead. With the laps winding down and great action throughout the pack, a third caution would appear on lap 27 as Emilio Hoover found himself facing the wrong way on the exit of turn four, setting the stage for a green-white-checkered finish.
Thomas finished second with Gropp, Rico Abreu and Thomas Meseraull rounding out the top five.
The finish:
1. 19az – Spencer Bayston 2. 26 – Tristan Thomas 3. 00 – Trey Gropp 4. 67 – Rico Abreu 5. 7x – Thomas Meseraull 6. 3n – Jake Neuman 7. 21 – Zach Daum 8. 98 – Clinton Boyles 9. 21ks – Tucker Klaasmeyer 10. 71k – Kaylee Bryson 11. 28 – Ace McCarthy 12. 56d – Mitchell Davis 13. 49 – Joe B Miller 14. 9 – Brenham Crouch 15. 97 – Austin O’Dell 16. 50 – Daniel Adler 17. 21k – Emilio Hoover 18. 2h – Luke Howard 19. 35 – Tyler Robbins 20. 19a – Hayden Reinbold 21. 27 – Austin Wood 22. 53 – Sean Robbins 23. 7 – Shannon McQueen 24. 08 – Noah Gass 25. 3b – Shelby Bosie