ST: Ryan Kimball leads flag-to-flag in Limited Late Model Autumn Colors Classic 75

After leading 104 of 114 laps in the Pro Late Model feature en route to finish second amongst some restart controversy, Ryan Kimball was looking to get back to stride in the Limited Late Model event. The 2014 Peterborough Speedway Champion would follow through, leading every lap en route to scoring the victory.

Nick Goetz and Jack Horner started the event on the front row after finishing one-two in the Chase for the Colors event. Kimball would start third ahead of Tom Walters, Jason Witty, Gord Shepherd, Rick Walt, Taylor Holdaway, Shaun McWhirter, Billy Zardo, Al Inglis, Dwayne Baker, Paul Maltese, Thayne Hallyburton, Travis Hallyburton, Jason Parker, Frank Davey, Josh Stade, Mat Box, Marvin Freiburger, Amanda Connolly, Mike Westwood, Steve Foster, Dave Bartlett, Shane McGlynn and Alvin McNicol.

Goetz would get a little sideways on the start of the race, opening the door for Kimball as he was able to get by both Goetz and Horner to grab the lead before lap one was complete. Goetz’s problem would continue as he would get spun by Walt on lap two, with Travis Hallyburton, Baker, McNicol and Box collecting damage in the process. With 73 laps to go, Kimball led Witty, Shepherd, Horner, Walters, Holdaway, Inglis, Maltese, Travis Hallyburton, Zardo, Davey, Thayne Hallyburton, Box, Connolly, Parker, Westwood, McGlynn, Baker, Bartlett, Freiburger, Stade, Goetz, Foster and Walt.

Kimball would get a good restart to take the lead, while Shepherd would make his way by Witty for second before the caution flew for Maltese hitting the turn one wall on lap seven. With 68 laps to go, Kimball led Shepherd, Witty, Walters, Holdaway, Inglis, Horner, Zardo, Thayne Hallyburton, Travis Hallyburton, Connolly, Parker, Box, Davey, Goetz, Baker, Walt, Stade, Freiburger, Foster, Bartlett and McGlynn.

The first attempt at a restart would result in a mess turn one with Horner, Walt and Foster spun around. The second attempt would go smoother with Kimball getting another good restart, while Witty got back by Shepherd for second before the caution flew once again on lap 11. The fourth caution would fly on lap 11 for McGlynn spinning off turn two, and Horner taking his trip through climbing the backstretch wall. With 64 laps to go, Kimball led Witty, Shepherd, Walters, Holdaway, Inglis, McWhirter, Zardo, Parker, Travis Hallyburton, Thayne Hallyburton, Box, Baker, Davey and Goetz.

Kimball would get a good restart while Shepherd was able to get by Witty to move into second. Shepherd would keep himself on Kimball’s tail, looking for a way around, though was unable to as Kimball stretched out his lead. The green flag run would allow a lot of shifting for position from fourth on back, with Velocity 250 winner Jason Parker making the climb to fourth before the caution flew at lap 24 for Horner spinning. With 51 laps to go, Kimball led Shepherd, Witty, Parker, Holdaway, Thayne Hallyburton, McWhirter, Inglis, Walters, Zardo, Baker, Goetz, Travis Hallyburton and Walt.

The first attempt at a restart brought forth the sixth caution with Inglis getting into Baker. The second attempt went smoother with Kimball pulling ahead once again as Parker continued his climb to the front, moving into second. Witty would get back by Shepherd to move into third before the caution flew once again at lap 31, for McGlynn spinning in turn four. Under the caution, Horner would head down pit road. With 44 laps to go, Kimball led Parker, Witty, Shepherd, Holdaway, Thayne Hallyburton, Travis Hallyburton, Goetz, Walters, Box, Davey, Walt, Zardo, Bartlett, Freiburger, Baker, Stade, Connolly, McGlynn, Horner, Foster and McWhirter.

There’d be a pair of quick cautions back-to-back following the restart, with a caution for debris at lap 35, followed by Box going around on lap 36 virtue of contact from Goetz. With the race going beyond its scheduled time limit, caution laps would be counted. As a result, the restart would come at lap 44, though was followed by another quick yellow at lap 46 for Zardo stopping in turn four. The restart would come at lap 49, though meant another yellow with Davey having a flat tire.

The officials would clean up the debris, restarting the event at lap 55. The racing throughout the field would be close as everyone knew the laps were counting down, with Parker all over Kimball’s bumper for the lead. Kimball would keep Parker behind him all the way till the caution flew at again at lap 59, for McWhirter and Walt getting together. The pair would crowd each other off turn four, resulting in both making contact with the frontstretch wall. McWhirter would then swing around to make contact with Walt once again. The pair would share some words before both continued.

The restart would come at lap 62, only to be followed by another caution at lap 64 for Connolly going around. Now with 11 laps to go, Kimball led Parker, Shepherd, Holdaway, Walters, Thayne Hallyburton, Travis Hallyburton, Witty, Box, Bartlett, Baker, Goetz, Zardo, Stade, Horner, Walt, McWhirter and McGlynn.

The restart would come at lap 66, though only lasted two laps before being flown again at lap 68 as Witty would have problems. With the restart coming with five laps to go, Ryan Kimball would get a good restart and score the victory in the feature event. Gord Shepherd would finish second, while Tom Walters would score third after a thrilling side-by-side battle with Taylor Holdaway in the closing laps. Jason Parker would get fourth, with Holdaway rounding out the top-five. Travis Hallyburton would finish sixth ahead of his old brother Thayne Hallyburton as Travis would get into Thayne in the late laps. Mat Box finished eighth, followed by Billy Zardo, Rick Walt, Dwayne Baker, Nick Goetz, Shaun McWhirter, Dave Bartlett, Josh Stade, Jason Witty, Jack Horner, Shawn McGlynn and Frank Davey.