Austin Blais fell off the pace early on, slipping from a third place start back to seventh before ratcheting forward to challenge rookie Jake Johnson who was leading the run. But a couple rookie mistakes – twice spinning his rears on the restarts and losing speed cost Johnson and Blais was more than happy to take advantage and the lead.
Michael Benevides left outside pole sitter Anthony Flannery behind on lap one and the latter had to contend with Blais and Dion who started in the row behind. Dion managed to press past while Dion fell back to sixth, just before Joey Parker got together with Matt Carlson bringing out the first caution on lap five. Parker came away with sheet metal damage and a flat rear tire. He went to the pits along with Mike Mitchell.
Benevides lined up with Dion and again went to the lead as Dion came loose. Johnson ducked under Dion, while behind them Flannery was working under Dylan Estrella. By lap nine, Benevides led Johnson, Flannery, Blais and Dion. On the following lap, Johnson dodged underneath Benevides and into the lead. Blais got under Flannery and was in third on lap 12.
Mike Teague got sideways coming out of turn three on lap 13 and in the slick grass, couldn’t get the car pointed back to the raceway. As the yellow flew, Paiva spun while slowing but retained his spot.
Johnson and Benevides came off the front row and Johnson powered into the lead. Benevides clung to third as he had all through the second half of the race. Jeramee Lillie got sideways on lap 16 and Dion then went around with Carlson bouncing off him. Bad feeling erupted as Lillie put his nose into Estrella and pushed him around during the caution, earning an ejection.
Johnson, restarting from the pole, spun tires on the green as Benevides got underneath and Dion spun to avoid. Several were involved with Ryan Kuhn coming up with a good deal of damage to his nose and Vinny Arrenegado suffering the same.
Johnson and Blais now lined up. They battled wheel-to-wheel for a lap before Blais got a nose ahead. A lap later, he had half the car past but Johnson rushed ahead in turn two and pulled away. Benevides followed Blais in third with Dion on his tail and Flannery keeping pace. Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. headed for the pits under green and did not return.
Blais looked underneath Johnson once again and they went side-by-side before Johnson again pulled away down the backstretch. He went to a one-car lead on lap 22. Two laps later, it was Johnson, Blais, Benevides, Dion and Flannery.
But Dan Johnson and Estrella got together and spun in turn one on lap 24. They avoided the wall barely and pulled together for some polite conversation for a brief moment.
Johnson and Blais lined up again, and on the green, Johnson spun his rears again and Blais powered into the lead. Dion ran up to Johnson’s outside and began a duel for second but Benevides came back to third. He was never out of the top three for the race.
Blais began to build distance on Johnson, who pulled away from Benevides. But over the final laps, Johnson again rushed up onto Blais’ bumper and would not go away. Benevides, Dion and Flannery followed.
A mad dash to the finish ensued with Blais crossing with Johnson still on his bumper. Benevides, Dion and Flannery completed the top five. Sixth wnet to Ryan Lineham, followede by Ryan Morgan, Arrenegado, Dan Johnson, Estrella and Teague.
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