GAS CITY, Ind. – The tide turned for Matt Westfall Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway in the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature that headlined the quarter-mile dirt track’s Beach Night Bash show.
After being close many times, the Pleasant Hill, Ohio-based driver was victorious over Shane Cockrum and C.J. Leary on a highly competitive night that saw 36 sprint car drivers sign in at the pit shack.
The sprint car feature got off to a rough start. Max Guilford spun in turn four to bring out a yellow, Carson Short and Clinton Boyles both flipped hard in turn two to bring out a red, and then something broke on the right-front of polesitter Kevin Thomas Jr.’s car, sending him to the pits before one lap was in the books.
Anton Hernandez eventually led the first lap before Sterling Cling brought out another yellow when his car developed a flat tire in turn two.
Hernandez remained the leader on the restart but Westfall passed him in turn four working lap three and led the rest of the way.
Cockrum used the low side in turn four to pass Hernandez for second working lap six and then chased Westfall to no avail. Leary dipped under Hernandez in turn two working lap 11 for third. By that time Westfall had a healthy lead over Cockrum.
The best battle of the race was between Leary and Hernandez for third, with Leary getting the show spot.
Hernandez hung on for fourth and Scotty Weir came from 13th to fifth.
Also advancing eight positions was Brayden Fox, who started 17th and finished ninth. He and Weir tied for the extra $100 given to the hard charger of the race by A.J. and Matt Brookmyer.
The Brookmyers also awarded a Hoosier right-rear tire to the first sprint car non-quaiifier, that being Lee Underwood.
Westfall’s yellow No. 33 is a Maxim fielded by Ray Marshall Motorsports and powered by a Hampshire-prepped engine. Buckeye Machine and DPI Ink are among the team’s sponsors.
In other action, Joey Paxson won the 20-lap feature for Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions TQ midgets, while Derek Losh led all 20 laps of the modified feature for his third victory of the year at Gas City.
James Headley did that one better, as he is undefeated in the four 15-lap hornet features held at Gas City so far this year. The Dirt Track Truck Series made its first appearance at Gas City during the action-packed program, with Chris Hicks dominating that 15-lapper.
The finish:
Non-Winged Sprints (25 laps): 1. Matt Westfall (5); 2. Shane Cockrum (8); 3. C.J. Leary (6); 4. Anton Hernandez (3); 5. Scotty Weir (13); 6. J.J. Hughes (2); 7. Thomas Meseraull (11); 8. Adam Byrkett (9); 9. Brayden Fox (17); 10. Dustin Ingle (16); 11. Dallas Hewitt (18); 12. Korbyn Hayslette (10); 13. Max Guilford (19); 14. Evan Mosley (20); 15. Cole Ketcham (14); 16. Dakota Jackson (7); 17. Sterling Cling (15); 18. Kevin Thomas Jr. (1), 19. Carson Short (4), 20. Clinton Boyles (12).
Lap Leaders: Hernandez 1-2; Westfall 3-25.