FRANKLIN, Pa. – A.J. Flick scored a much-needed victory in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint class Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park.
With his usual haunts getting hit with rain, Flick was looking for a place to do some preparation for the World of Outlaws event coming up Tuesday at Lernerville Speedway. Everything worked to his liking and he left Tri-City with $2,500 for his efforts.
Leyton Wagner had the pole andFlick was on his flank for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint feature. Carl Bowser and Bob Felmlee were in the second row, with Matt Farnham and Clay Riney beside him. Behind them were Brandon Matus and Adam Kekich, who was subbing for Logan McCandless. Ken Rossey, Jr. and Brent Matus made up the sixth row.
Flick got the best of Wagner on the initial start, and that proved to be an advantage that would not be overcome.
“It is weird because we’ve never been good here at Tri-City, but here in 2021, it has been our best track,” said Flick.
Flick now has a pair of wins despite only a part-time schedule at the speedway.
Wagner raced along in second, but surrendered the spot to Farnham as the field completed the second circuit of the big half mile.
As Flick and Farnham drew away for the field, Wagner and Felmlee were fighting for third. The veteran, Felmlee, went beneath the younger pilot and took over the third spot with ten to go.
The most hotly contested position for most of the race was sixth, as Sodeman and Brandon Matus were fighting for points. Sodeman entered the night just one point ahead of the Wheelman, but Matus passed him, and a couple of other racers, to put himself unofficially in the lead seeking his first championship at any track.
In the final laps, Farnham started to close in on Flick, who was held up a bit by lapped traffic. However, Flick had a big enough cushion that Farnham could not get close enough to make a bid for the win.
After Flick and Farnham were Felmlee, Brandon Matus, and Wagner. Sixth went to Riney. Sodeman was seventh, then came Kekich, Weaver, and Gallagher.
The pair of heat races for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints, presented by the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group, went to Wagner and Flick. There was no B Main.
Also scoring wins Sunday were Gale Ruth Jr. (Gary Glass Automotive and Washington House RUSH Sprints), Bobby Whitling (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks), Chad Greeley (4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks), Garrett Davenport (Junior Sprints Open), and Grady Rinehart (Junior Sprints Stock).