BATESVILLE, Ark. (September 27, 2018) – Kyle Stricker opened the second annual Race For Hope 74 by setting fast time in time trials on Tuesday night. On Thursday, he raced to the qualifying feature win in dominating fashion.
The Mooresville, N.C. driver started on the pole for the 30-lap, 30-car A-feature and led every trip around the high-banked three-eighths mile clay oval.
"The track was a lot better tonight. It didn't lock down around the bottom. The car was really good, I can't thank all my guys enough," said Strickler after the race. "This is great. This is exactly how we planned it. The track was pretty racy tonight and that's all you can ask for in these types of conditions," added Stricker, referencing the heavy rain that had saturated the speedway this week.
Strickler took the lead on lap one over Ricky Engels Jr. as several drivers raced three and four wide for the third spot. Peyton Taylor won that battle and set his sights on Engels Jr for second. The race was slowed on lap seven for Benji Lacrosse, who hooked a rut in turn two and spun, which forced him to give up his transfer position inside the top eight.
Following another quick caution, the race endured a long green flag run. David Stremme moved his way up to the second spot as Taylor remained in third.
Strickler sliced his way through lapped traffic in the closing laps and went on to score the win. Stremme, Taylor, Robert Baker and Kelly Shryock rounded out the top five.
Terry Phillips, Jason Wolla, who started 26th, and Engles Jr. rounded out the top eight, respectively, and punched their ticket into Saturday's $20,000-to-win, 74-lap main event.
Mark Martin's Race For Hope 74 continues Friday and Saturday night at Batesville Motor Speedway. Friday will be the final round of qualifying, leading up to championship night on Saturday. Racing begins at 7pm.
If you can't make it to the track, watch every lap live online at www.imca.tv.
For more information, visit www.batesvillemotorspeedway.com.