WHEATLAND, Mo. – In a special Wednesday Night Madness event at Lucas Oil Speedway, Doug Keller used a last-lap pass in turn four to overtake Bill Crimmins and earn the $750 first prize in the debut at the track by the Christie Door Company Iron Man Challenge and American Racer USRA Stock Cars.
Front-row starters Crimmins and Keller raced side by side through three laps with Keller leading the first two and Crimmins passing him coming out of turn four to complete lap three.
He held on to that lead all the way until the 25th and final circuit, when Keller made the winning move.
Crimmins had a 1.5-second lead with just three laps remaining when the current Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series USRA Stock Car national points leader began to reel him in.
He was right on Crimmins’ back bumper while taking the white flag.
“The lapped traffic was getting there and I knew I only had one shot,” Keller said. “I was reeling him back in once I found the line in (turns) three and four. I just had to go wherever he doesn’t, so I went high and if he crossed over I was like, ‘Hell, I’ve got to go low and give it a try.'”
“That lapped car pushed and I thought that might be all I need.”
“Lapped car,” Crimmins said succinctly, of the difference at the end.
Even in disappointment, Crimmins added that he enjoyed the trip to Lucas Oil Speedway saying “I wish it wasn’t so far away.”
USMTS boss Todd Staley finished third with fellow Iowans Pat Graham and Jessie Brown completing the top five in the 20-lap feature race presented by Medieval Chassis.
The finish:
Doug Keller, Bill Crimmins, Todd Staley, Pat Graham, Jaylen Wettengel, Jesse Brown, Nick Whalen, Peyton Taylor, Kevin Anderson, Gerald Wahwahsuck, Steve Jackson, Curt Van Beek, C.J. Turner, Robbie Jones, Edwin Wells, Jerry Brown, Aaron Johns, James McMillin, Brett Heeter, Andy Altenburg.