PORT ROYAL – Mike Erdley of Elizabethville took the lead late Saturday and went on to win the 25-lap Aumillers Insurance 410 sprint car feature at Port Royal Speedway.
In the 20-lap AB Auto Glass late model main, it was McClure’s Tim Wilson winning his first of the year after bad luck struck leader Gary Beward. Tyler Bear dominated to win the 305 sprint main, while Adam Yetter won the enduro dash.
Erdley started on the pole of the 410 sprint main, but lost the lead before the first lap was completed to early season point leader Ryan Taylor, who started second. Taylor set a pace unreachable by Erdley during the first half of the event; but Taylor’s pace was slowed with nine laps left when Keith Kauffman came up with a flat tire on his No. 8H.
Erdley found what he called a “sweet spot” on the inside of the second corner over the waning stages and used it to challenge for the lead with five laps to go.
He missed the spot a lap later and lost ground to Taylor, but settled back in for another run, which he completed with two laps to go when he drove up off of the bottom in the second corner to draw even with Taylor as the pair raced down the backstretch. Erdley used his momentum to bolt deep into the third corner moments later and slide up in front of Taylor as they headed through turn four with two laps remaining.
It was Erdley’s career fifth victory at the oval, worth $3,000. Taylor was second followed by Lance Dewease, Justin Henderson and Rick Lafferty. Sixth through tenth went to Mike Wagner, who crashed in his heat race, Curt Stroup, Davey Sammons, Kauffman and Dave Hahn. Heats went to Lafferty, Erdley and Kauffman.
Gary Beward was leading the way, appeared headed to his fourth late model win of the season when his car broke on a lap 12 restart and caused an accident that collected third place runner Bryon Sipe and that nearly took out the eventual winner.
Wilson was lined up behind Beward for the return to action and hit Beward’s racer from behind when green replaced the yellow and Beward didn’t take off. Wilson managed to keep going and inherited the lead but Sipe wasn’t as lucky, getting sidelined for the balance of the event. Wilson cruised unchallenged to the victory after taking control.
Information used in this story was provided by Shawn Brouse/Port Royal Speedway. Video used in this report is courtesy of www.SportsPlusVideo.com and Lynn Schaeffer Productions.
