Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
After getting by Johnny Morrison and holding off the field on a late restart, Randy Rusnell would return to a place that he knows very well, in the form of Sunset Speedway Victory Lane.
The night started off with Lane Zardo scoring the heat win ahead of Rusnell, Morrison, Dennis Cybalski, Steve Cashmore and Chris Howse as Mike Weeda ran into mechanical problems.
Cayden Lapcevich won the second heat ahead of Paul Geniole Jr., Dan Archibald, Adam Martin, Tyler Liscum, Nick Tooley and Coltin Everingham.
Zardo and Lapcevich would face off in the ‘Dash for Cash’, with Lapcevich leading nine laps, before Zardo edged him out barely at the line for the victory. Rusnell finished third, followed by Geniole Jr., Morrison, Archibald, Cybalski, Cashmore, Howse, Liscum, Tooley and Martin.
Come feature time, it’d be Cybalski starting on pole ahead of Morrison, Weeda, Rusnell, Martin, Archibald, Lapcevich, Everingham, Liscum, Howse, Matt Bentley, Cashmore, Geniole Jr., Zardo and Tooley.
The feature started out with Cybalski and Morrison side-by-side for the lead all the way ahead of Rusnell and Weeda. The pair continued to battle till lap four when Morrison put the No. 83 Freddie’s Damn Good Fries, Northern Sons, Radical Rods & Rides, Hot Spot Auto Parts UCA Branding ride ahead of Cybalski, Rusnell and Weeda as Archibald and Lapcevich battled for fifth. Rusnell would get alongside Cybalski for second at lap five, before making the pass on lap six ahead of Weeda. Lapcevich and Archibald continued their battle as Rusnell caught Morrison for the lead.
Rusnell would get alongside Morrison at lap eight, putting the No. 72 Marvin Freiburger & Sons Inc., Travis Industrial Maintenance Ltd., J&K Converters Ltd., Dreamdoodles.Net, Dreamdevons.Com, Cournoyeaspoodles.Com, Thor Contracting Ltd., McCordick Glove & Safety Holmar Plumming Supplies, Homes and Money.Ca, Coldwell Banker and Mortgage Alliance, Truck Trans Inc., NComm Inc., Partimers Sign Monte Carlo out front on lap nine ahead of Morrison, Cybalski and Weeda. Lapcevich and Archibald continued their battle, still, for fifth, till the caution flew at lap 11 when Howse spun Tooley. With 20 laps to go, Rusnell led Morrison, Cybalski, Weeda, Archibald, Lapcevich, Bentley, Geniole Jr., Zardo, Martin, Liscum, Cashmore, Howse, Tooley and Everingham.
Rusnell would get a good restart, putting himself back out front ahead of Morrison as Cybalski and Weeda battled for third. It’d become a three-wide battle at lap 14 with Archibald joining the fray. Cybalski would fall back in the battle, with Weeda holding down the third spot as Bentley, Archibald and Lapcevich now ran three-wide. Lapcevich would get the advantage in that battle, getting alongside Weeda for third at lap 16 while Zardo and Archibald traded a couple shots. However, that wouldn’t be Archibald’s biggest trouble as contact from Geniole Jr. would send Archibald for the spin in turn three, for a caution at lap 17. With 14 laps to go, Rusnell led Morrison, Weeda, Lapcevich, Bentley, Zardo, Cybalski, Liscum, Cashmore, Howse, Martin, Everingham, Archibald, Tooley and Geniole Jr.
The restart would bring forth problems for Martin, resulting in the back of the field getting bottled up. Martin would keep it under control, making his way down pit road and into the infield, done for the night. Back on track, Rusnell got the advantage on the restart ahead of Morrison and Lapcevich as Zardo and Weeda battled for fourth at lap 18. Zardo go the advantage at lap 19, bringing Bentley through with him. Bentley would get alongside Zardo for fourth at lap 21, completing the pass two laps later.
However, as the laps trickled down, that wouldn’t be the battle to watch. That battle was for eighth between Cashmore and Archibald. The pair traded contact back and forth for a series of laps, before Cashmore pushed Archibald up the track, causing Archibald to make contact with the turn three wall and the caution at lap 23. Archibald would then retaliate, spinning Cashmore on the backstretch. Cashmore would then retaliate back. Archibald would then exit his car and proceed to chase Cashmore’s car on foot – though didn’t catch him. Once the officials were done, both drivers were evicted from the track, done for the night.
Now with eight laps to go, Rusnell led Morrison, Lapcevich, Bentley, Zardo, Weeda, Cybalski, Howse, Tooley, Everingham, Geniole Jr. and Liscum. The restart didn’t play any favors for Bentley as he would have a right front flat, drawing a caution. The second attempt at a restart went smoother with Rusnell and Morrison battling side-by-side. Rusnell would get the advantage on lap 24, ahead of Morrison as Zardo and Lapcevich battled for third. Zardo would clear Lapcevich on lap 25, or thought he cleared him as Lapcevich got back alongside at lap 26. The pair continued to battle till the caution flew with two laps to go for Tooley spinning on the backstretch. With three laps to go, Rusnell led Morrison, Zardo, Lapcevich, Cybalski, Weeda, Howse, Geniole Jr., Liscum, Everingham and Tooley.
Randy Rusnell would get the advantage on the restart to take home the victory. Johnny Morrison would hold off Lane Zardo’s final charge to take home the second spot, while Cayden Lapcevich and Dennis Cybalski rounded out the top five. Mike Weeda finished sixth, followed by Chris Howse, Paul Geniole Jr., Nick Tooley, Tyler Liscum and Coltin Everingham.
About the Author
RT @OnPitRoad_: Randy Rusnell returns to Super Stock feature victory lane at @Sunset_Speedway by @ladybug388 http://t.co/sUtFP9ql2G