ROSSBURG, Ohio — Snapping what was to become an unexpected winless spell with the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1, Tyler Courtney won Saturday’s 4-Crown Nationals feature at Eldora Speedway.
It was Courtney’s seventh of the All Star season, was as rich as it was fashionable, securing the defending series champion a $10,000 score — his first All Star triumph since Lake Ozark’s Beach Brawl sweep in late July.
In addition, the victory added to Courtney’s All Star championship lead, all but securing a second consecutive title with only two events remaining on the 2022 calendar.
Although Courtney was in command for 29 of the 30 circuits, commencing his winning march from the front row, Buch Motorsports’ Justin Peck, who started from the outside of row two, did not go down without a fight.
In fact, Peck did all he could to outduel the ace of the Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC, actually sneaking by Courtney to lead at exactly halfway. Despite his attempts to maintain the top spot, Courtney quickly returned the favor, getting back by Peck at the exit of turn four on lap 16.
“Obviously, Justin and I had a run-in last weekend at Lincoln. I take full responsibility for that, and hats off to him for racing me tonight like I always intend to race him,” Courtney expressed. “He knows how to get around these places this year, and everytime we get back to places like Eldora, it always seems like it’s him and I battling up front. It’s been fun racing him and the Buch team all year. It was definitely hard-fought tonight…this is awesome.”
Peck would hold on to finish second, followed by Aaron Reutzel, Rico Abreu, Travis Philo and Greg Wilson, who charged 17 positions.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [1]; 2. 13-Justin Peck [4]; 3. 8-Aaron Reutzel [3]; 4. 24-Rico Abreu [9]; 5. 5T-Travis Philo [10]; 6. 97-Greg Wilson [23]; 7. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. [8]; 8. 19-Chris Windom [18]; 9. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [13]; 10. 21H-Brady Bacon [2]; 11. 11-Logan Seavey [5]; 12. 26-Zeb Wise [11]; 13. 3-Ayrton Gennetten [21]; 14. 4-Sye Lynch [6]; 15. 5TX-Ryan Timms [14]; 16. 19P-Trey Jacobs [19]; 17. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [7]; 18. 47X-Dylan Westbrook [15]; 19. 17-Tyler Reeser [22]; 20. 55T-McKenna Haase [16]; 21. 9-Kasey Kahne [17]; 22. 17B-Bill Balog [20]; 23. 55x-Cole Macedo [12]; 24. 56R-Ryan Myers [24]