INDIANAPOLIS — Veteran R.J. Norton survived an attrition filled 50-lap King Kenny Tribute Late Model Figure 8 race at Circle City Raceway on Saturday night. Norton’s win was worth $5,000.
Saturday’s event was the first time Late Model Figure 8 cars have raced at Circle City and the first time since 1995 that the cars have raced a dirt figure 8 track in the Midwest. The race was run in honor of five-time World Figure 8 champion and former ASA competitor Kenny St. John who recently passed.
The 50-lap feature event took a toll on a significant portion of the field including various race leaders. The first major altercation occurred on lap 29 when Jeff Shackleford made contact with the lapped car of Mike St. John at the intersection in a severe hit. Third place Mark Tunny had nowhere to go and collided with Shackleford. A red flag was flown to clean up the carnage.
When the race resumed, a few laps later on lap 36, Doug Grieg got upside down exiting turn two to bring out another red flag.
When the race resumed after the Grieg incident race leader Jesse Tunny began to build up a sizable lead and looked dominant at that point. With around 12 laps to go Tunny left the race with a flat tire. Norton, who started sixth, inherited the lead. Norton’s lead was anything but safe.
Fast qualifier Ben Tunny (18.241), who had raced from the rear of the field after getting an early race flat tire, began to reel Norton Jr. in. Tunny worked the high side on Norton Jr. the final few laps. Coming down to the final lap Tunny tried an inside pass of Norton at the start/finish line. The duo made contact with Norton Jr. holding on for the win.
Feature Finish (50 laps)
1. 9-RJ Norton Jr.; 2. 74-Charlie Hargraves; 3. 51-Lee Schwartz; 4. 5-Ben Tunny; 5. 17-Cory Harmon; 6. 92-Jason Wall; 7. 83-Chuckie Herne; 8. 57-Jesse Tunny; 9. 27-Chris Gray; 10. 33-Doug Greig; 11. 3t-Mark Tunny; 12. 22-Jeff Shackleford; 13. 71-Mike St. John; 14. 13-Brayton Laster; 15. 19x-Elliott McKinney; 16. 21-Roy Taylor; 17. 28-Jeffrey Shackleford; 18. 75-Jeff Swinford; 19. 2t-Tim Slucher; 20. 32-Dennis Sloan; DNS 20-Jack Dossey Jr. DNS 7-Austin Tunny