Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Matt Bentley continued to add to his numbers this season, scoring another feature victory on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway.
With qualifying locked in on July 9, it’d be Tyler Liscum starting pole ahead of Jordan Howse, Matt Bentley, Herb Walters, Ryan Semple, Coltin Everingham, Frank Davey, Rob Morrison, Brandon McFerran, Paul Allard, Miles Tyson, Stan Coe, Stefan Semeraro, Dan Archibald, Mike Weeda, Anthony DiBello, Nick Tooley, Kendra Adams, Ethan Constable, William Hughes, Ric Watson, Justin Holmes, Robbie Sikes and Nic Troback.
Liscum jumped out to the early lead behind the wheel of the No. 3 Paul Sadlon Motors, Ebike Universe, Tire Depot Anne Street, Barrie Pixels n Prints G&S computers, Pristine Solutions and Stonecrete Contracting Super Stock as Bentley and Howse battled for second. The caution then flew, though, for an incident in turn two involving Adams, Weeda and Semeraro. Under caution, Howse had to make his way down pit road due to a loose gas cap.
The first attempt at a restart saw a caution as McFerran got pushed through the turn three grass, courtesy of contact with Archibald while three-wide.
The second attempt at a restart produced another caution with Hughes going around courtesy of contact from Howse. Under caution, Everingham made a quick pit stop while McFerran pulled off the track.
The third attempt at a restart produced the fourth caution as Adams stalled at the end of the backstretch.
The fourth attempt at a restart went cleanly, with Bentley putting the No. 21 GL Manufacturing, ThringCo., Streamline Race Products, Creative Edge and Bentley Motorsports Super Stock out front into the lead as Semple and Liscum battled for second. Semple got the spot on Lap 6 ahead of Liscum as Tyson and Archibald battled for fourth. Archibald was able to clear Tyson on Lap 9, but Tyson tagged Archibald, getting him a little sideways.
Behind them, Sikes went around for the spin, resulting in the fifth caution. With 20 laps to go, Bentley led Semple, Liscum, Archibald, Coe, Constable, Howse, Holmes, Allard, DiBello, Tooley, Semeraro, Latimer, Troback, Everingham, Morrison, Hughes, Walters, Sikes, Davey, Adams and Tyson.
The first attempt at a restart brought forth a wreck as Semple slowed up with a flat tire, resulting in Archibald and Constable making heavy contact behind him. All three drivers unfortunately weren’t able to continue.
Bentley got a good restart to keep the lead on the second attempt ahead of Liscum, Coe, Howse and Holmes. Paul Allard made his way up to sixth ahead of Semeraro, Tooley and Troback as Adams made her way down pit road. Walters then got alongside Troback for ninth at Lap 13, making the pass a lap later for the spot.
Troback now ran 10th as Everingham and Sikes battled for 11th. Sikes managed to get the edge, tagging the back of Troback’s car. Everyone was able to keep it straight with Sikes moving into 10th at Lap 16, as Everingham got alongside Troback.
Closer to the front of the field, Howse continued his climb back through the field, getting alongside Coe for third at Lap 17, while Semeraro got alongside Allard for sixth at Lap 18. The caution then flew a lap later, though, as a result of Walters slowing in turns three and four.
Bentley got a good restart to keep the lead ahead of Liscum, Howse, Coe and Holmes as Allard and Semraro battled for sixth. Semeraro got the spot on Lap 20, taking sixth ahead of Allard and Sikes. Tyson then made his move, passing Sikes for eighth at Lap 22. Tyson kept moving forward, passing Allard for seventh a lap later, bringing Sikes and Archibald through with him. Tyson’s climb continued as he’d pass Semeraro on Lap 28 to move into sixth.
Matt Bentley led the rest of the way en route to scoring the victory ahead of Tyler Liscum. Liscum, however, wasn’t credited with second as he was DQ’d post-race. Jordan Howse got second ahead of Stan Coe, Justin Holmes, Miles Tyson, Stefan Semeraro, Dan Archibald, Paul Allard and Robbie Sikes after Archibald got into Sikes on the last lap. Nick Tooley finished 10th, followed by Coltin Everingham, Frank Davey, Anthony DiBello, Herb Walters, Nic Troback, Johnny Morrison and William Hughes.
