Joshua Parsons went home with his first Legends feature win after dodging through an accident-marred feature and the demotion of two leaders at race’s end. Parsons had started sixth and worked through the event, staying within striking distance. At the finish, Derek Gluchacki and Brandon “Batman” Martinez, who finished 1-2, got the setback call from Race Control, moving them back to sixteenth and seventeenth. Parsons had been watching from third as the duo engaged in a spirited battle for supremacy over the closing laps. As Martinez led Gluchacki into turn four, there was contact and the Batmobile came loose. Gluchacki got underneath and to the lead while Martinez got his control back and followed through in second. Parsons powered through in third. Martinez reversed direction and came back looking for confrontation. Race Control set them back to sixteenth and 17th, the end of the still-operating field of competitors for their rough behavior.
Parsons came through for the win, followed by Shiliegh Martinez while Joe Marfeo, Adam Avedisian and Connor Holderbach rounded out the top five.
It was a difficult night for the division, as the 25 laps were marred by seven cautions. Seven competitors were forced to watch the finish from the pits by accidents and equipment failures. The opening lap yielded the first yellow as five cars scrambled together following Trent Goodrow’s start that saw him zoom away from the field as they left the starting box. A full race restart ensued as the accident cars assembled at the rear. Goodrow pulled away again on the second try and outside polesitter Mike Marfeo gabbed second. Into lap one, Mason Levesque held third, followed by Brandon Hammann and Matthew Carpenter. Carpenter quickly took over fourth.
Law two saw caution two, as Reagan Parent spun, bringing Goodrow and Marfeo back for another restart. Goodrow was away again as Levesque got under Marfeo heading for second. Carpenter moved to third and glued onto their tails, moving into a three-wide. Martinez spring boarded into second on lap three and had moved Goodrow out of the lead within another circuit. Gluchacki suddenly appeared in fourth behind Marfeo. Another pass and he was into second behind Goodrow.
Mike Marfeo was moving up and presented himself in fifth. Martinez went to a 12-car lead just as caution flew for the third time on lap six, sending Parent and Matt Vallerand to the pits for the adjustment. Both returned for the restart.
Martinez and Gluchacki went wheel-to-wheel on the green; Martinez took the lead and Derek dropped in behind but bounced back to the high side. Joe Marfeo claimed third, followed by Avedisian, Goodrow and The Mop – Jesse Jakubajtys. As the lead became a 3-car breakaway, Marfeo ducked under Gluchacki into second. Jakubajtys got under Avedisian, claiming fourth in turn two. Avedisian continued with Carpenter on his bumper.
Lap 12 saw Gluchacki looking to take second back from Marfeo. After some side-to-side racing, he succeeded. Martinez’ lead was now five cars. Parsons, now, had moved into fifth behind Jakubajtys. Just in time for another caution as Scott Serydynski, Jr’s powerplant went silent in turn one and he went off on the hook.
Now, Martinez and Gluchacki were door-to-door once more for the lap 15 restart. But Carpenter and Andrew Kun spun, collecting Thomas Murray and Jessica O’Leary and Hammann spun to avoid. O’Leary pitted for repairs and returned.
On the second attempt, they were away as before. Gluchacki nosed ahead but got loose in turn four; Batman seized the opportunity to take the front. Jakubajtys looked and then dived in underneath to unseat Gluchacki from second, but was held off while Parsons rocketed along, seeking an opportunity. Behind him, Shileigh Martinez was working outside Avedisian. A spirited battle for position ensued, but caution called it off.
The lap 19 restart had Martinez and Gluchacki on the front row with Jakubajtys and Parsons behind them. Shileigh and Avedisian held down the third set with Holderbach and Jake Mattheson behind them. The came out of the box dead even and went that way to turn two. Derek got a nose ahead but Brandon came back and pushed halfway past. He pulled all the way past on lap 22, but Jakubajtys spun to bring the final caution.
They restarted with three laps remaining and it was again wheel-to-wheel with Martinez and Gluchacki hacksawing the lead. Shileigh ran up to the Batmobile’s bumper as Brandon edged ahead and Derek grabbed it back. Shileigh moved up and Parsons leapt in underneath for a second door-to-door. This carried into the white flag lap.
Brandon took the front in turn two and Derek dropped in front of Parsons and Shileigh. They entered turn three for the final time and Gluchacki’s nose bumped the leader: Brandon came loose and drifted up – Derek dived under and into the lead as they entered the final stretch to the line. Parsons crossed a mere .016 seconds ahead of Shileigh and with the leaders’ demotions he had earned his first feature win.
Mattheson drove home for sixth, followed by Carpenter, Levesque, Hammann, Goodrow and Luke LeBrun.