SAPULPA, Okla. — Upsets, heartbreak and jubilation was the theme Friday night as the NOW600 Nationals kicked off at Creek County Speedway.
The Dirt2Media National Open Wheel 600 Series presented by Hi-Plains Building Division welcomed 119 entries to the quarter-mile oval where Brant Woods, Philip Cordova, Jett Nunley and Jeff Patterson went to victory lane.
Finding the lead late in the A-Class feature event, Woods charged past Trey Zorn on a lap-17 restart and held on for career victory No. 3 despite his top wing coming apart.
Chasing Harley Hollan from the start, the Driven Midwest No. 14h suffered a failed drive chain, that sadly, ended with a flip trying to escape the racing surface.
Handing the point to Zorn, the No. 3z couldn’t fend off the Culligan No. 83, who slid by for the lead on the restart.
Shades of Johnny Herrera at the 1996 King’s Royal, the top left sideboard began peeling loose from the belly of the wing. With support struts no longer affixed, the top airfoil somehow held together for the final revolution.
Trey Zorn settled for second, with Matt Car moving from 11th to third. Jett Nunley and Jim Woods completed the top five.
Landing his first career NOW600 victory, Cordova found himself chasing a wild battle at the front of the field before taking over the point on lap 16. Prior to that, the race for the lead was between Jaden Alexander and Matt Carr.
Leading the first 11 revolutions, Alexander fell to second by 0.020 seconds the following lap. Able to retake the point at the mid-point of the feature, Carr hustled back to the lead on lap 14, only to bike the car two laps later in the first and second turns.
Leaving the bottom groove exposed, Cordova’s persistence paid off, with the door wide open for the lead. He kept the field at bay as Woods hustled his way into second in the closing laps from ninth. Jaden Alexander slipped to third, with Cole Roberts and Jim Woods completing the top five.
Getting the pole, taking the lead and never looking back, Nunley clicked off career victory No. 25 in NOW600 Restricted action. The No. 33 won by 3.823 seconds over Braxton Weger. Ollie Geiger, Cale Lagroon and Cash Lacombe made up the top five.
Making the trip from Texas to take on the Sooner State NOW600 Dwarf Cars, Jeff Patterson bested a field of 34 drivers Friday night for season win No. 7.
Challenged early by Chandler Foltz, the No. 27p found the top and with it, momentum, as he proceeded to run away by 2.825 seconds.
Chandler Foltz held on for second, with Ryan Stoy in third.
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