CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — The tables turned.
One year ago, Briggs Danner found himself one lap shy of victory during the Western World Championships 360 Sprint Car feature at Central Arizona Raceway when his right rear tire suddenly went flat.
On Saturday, it was an eerily similar predicament that befell another race-leading driver, which aided in propelling Danner to victory lane in the 59th running of the famed event.
Starting on the outside of the front row at the controls of the Rex Calderwood Racing No. 6, Danner Pennsylvania) had a somewhat inauspicious start to the 30-lap feature as he drifted back to fourth while Ricky Thornton Jr. took the lead with Ricky Lewis and Gavin Miller in tow.
Miller jumped to the lead on the second lap by using the bottom of the track to maneuver from third to first in three-wide fashion by both Thornton and Lewis in turn two. Meanwhile, by lap three, Danner had already climbed his way back to second as he flashed by Lewis on the front straight.
As Miller wandered into the middle of the three-eighths-mile dirt oval on entry into turn one on lap eight to work around the lapped car of Brent Yarnal, Danner had a full head of steam up top which he utilized to momentarily take over the lead from Miller on the back stretch. By the time the fellow Allentown, Pennsylvania racers reached the front straight, however, Miller had reestablished control.
Possessing a half-straightaway lead with just eight laps remaining, Miller’s right rear tire suddenly let go as he entered turn three on the cushion. The sudden shred instantly shot Miller’s car hard right, slamming with a wham into the concrete of the outside wall. Miller was able to walk away, but his race was done.
Miller later earned some consolation when he went on to win the accompanying USAC 410 Sprint Car feature about an hour later after the accident.
With a new outlook, the altered storyline of the race turned the page to Danner who finished out the final chapter by racing away from the field to earn a commanding 2.501-second victory over runner-up Ricky Lewis with Jake Helsel third, J.J. Yeley fourth, and Elijah Gile fifth.
The finish:
FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Briggs Danner (#6 Calderwood) (2), 2. Ricky Lewis (#007 Siddle) (3), 3. Jake Helsel (#44 Ledbetter) (11), 4. J.J. Yeley (#2 Yeley) (7), 5. Elijah Gile (#17GP Dutcher) (10), 6. Kevin Thomas Jr. (#51 Johnson) (6), 7. Ryan Bernal (#6c Calderwood) (8), 8. Dayton Shelton (#4D Shelton) (12), 9. Ricky Thornton Jr. (#20RT Petty) (1), 10. R.J. Johnson (#33p Petty) (5), 11. Daylin Perreira (#21p Perreira) (15), 12. David Gasper (#20 Deskins) (9), 13. Bruce St. James (#1AZ St. James) (14), 14. Chaz Baca (#57 Stone) (16), 15. Koen Crawford (17), 16. Jordan Stetson (20), 17. A.J. Hernandez (18), 18. Austin Ervine (21), 19. Bryan Ledbetter Jr. (22), 20. Gavin Miller (#21AZ Team AZ/Curb-Agajanian) (4), 21. Mickey Gile (23), 22. Grant Schaadt (#88G Schaadt) (13), 23. Brent Yarnal (24), 24. Rickey Kinney Jr. (25), 25. Racin Silva (19). NT
