Devin Steele continued his reign over Franklin County Speedway this weekend despite a rule forcing him to have to start sixth due to winning two races in a row.
Steele qualified on the pole just ahead of rookie driver Jonathan Hall and Nathan Wheat who was making his first start of the season. Joey Phillips and Ricky Gillespie rounded out the top five in qualifying of the 11 cars that would take time. After Steele was put back to sixth due to the multiple wins rule that put Hall and Wheat starting from the front row.
Hall would take the lead from the start of the race with a furious battle behind him as Wheat, Phillips, Gillespie and Kevin Parker were mixing it up as they tried to keep Steele at bay behind them. Steele would have none of that as he began making his charge to the front of the field. Several cautions would wave over the field in the first 35 laps as cars would go spinning and the field would get all mixed up.
Meanwhile Steele had charged to the front and took the top spot. Steele would never look back as he dominated the second half of the race en route to his third win in a row. Behind him Hall would fend off challenges from Wheat to take second with Wheat finishing third after getting spun and coming back to the front of the field.
Joey Phillips continued to show improvement as he finished fourth with Toby Chaney finishing fifth in his first start of the season. Ricky Gillespie spun a couple different times and had some mechanical issued but managed a sixth place effort ahead of Rusty Gaspard, Kevin Parker, Wesley Thomason and Bobby Gillespie. Daryn Cockram finished last of the 11 cars that started the 60-lap race.
Franklin County Speedway officials are expected to announce a bounty on Steele ahead of the next event on Sunday June 12th.
Results:
1 – Devin Steele #17
2 – Jonathan Hall #25
3 – Nathan Wheat #1
4 – Joey Phillips #12
5 – Toby Chaney #5
6 – Ricky Gillespie #78
7 – Rusty Gaspard #23
8 – Kevin Parker #10
9 – Wesley Thomason #08
10 – Bobby Gillespie #18
11 – Daryn Cockram #1
