After 50 laps and one caution, it was clear who the hungriest was after the chrome horn came into play and led to a win for long time TFG competitor Trevor C. Williams. While sporting a tribute scheme to his real life racing mentor John Maynard after his recent passing, Williams would claim his first victory in a Two Fat Guys Sim Racing Promotions event after being well within striking distance on multiple occasions.
After 10 drivers logged into the session, the lobby may not have been packed, but the action was! Heat 1 started and finished in a mostly uneventful way, the top 4 broke away and were nose to tail for the entire duration just waiting for a slip-up, but it was Trevor C. Williams leading brothers Jared and James Murphy to the checkered flag with Mitch Maynard and Thomas Levister rounding out the field, setting the inside row for the A main.
Heat 2 was led to the green by Robert Charette with Andrew Reigel on the outside pole. Off the initial start, Reigel missed a shift and dropped to the outside lane to allow cars to pass on the inside by turn 1, and by turn 2 the running order was Charette and Tyler Bickford nose to tail with Jackson Johnstone and Gary Steele battling side by side for the 3rd position. Johnstone would claim the 3rd position by turn 1 of the following lap and close a big gap on 2nd as Bickford would get loose entering. Steele would get loose off of turn 4 and luckily spin onto the infield which would keep the race under green flag conditions for another 2 laps before Jackson Johnstone would get loose off of turn 2 and spin down the back stretch. Johnstone avoided hitting the wall and would restart at the rear of the heat race with no damage. The restart would lead to one short battle between Johnstone and Reigel for the 3rd position, but Reigel with a disadvantage on the outside lane dropped back and fell into line, it was clear that the inside line was the dominant one as the field would finish with Charette on the point, Bickford in 2nd, Johnstone in 3rd, Reigel in 4th and Steele in the pits after his spin onto the infield.
After the conclusion of the 2nd heat race, the drivers all took to the track for a short 5 minute warmup while our sponsors Misfit Racing Leagues, Extreme Wrap Studios, TFGracing.com and the sponsors of Buckeye Racing Network had commercial airtime. Once the commercial break had concluded, the race was on. All ten cars hit the grid and set for a 50 lap feature event with anticipation to put on a good show for all viewers. Heat race winners Trevor C. Williams and Robert Charette led the field to the drop of the flag with Jared Murphy and Tyler Bickford in row 2, James Murphy and Jackson Johnstone in row 3, Mitch Maynard and Andrew Reigel in row 4, and Thomas Levister and Gary Steele in the final row.
Williams and the entirety of the inside row of cars would see a phenomenal start as the outside lane lagged behind nearly 2 car lengths, allowing Jared Murphy to stay on the tail of Williams into turn 1 to overtake Charette with little difficulty, but it was brother James Murphy that would battle Charette for the 3rd position. Charette would sink from there on the outside lane as the inside lane held the advantage. After a few laps, the action fell to a simmer as the top 4 broke away in a nose to tail formation. The action would flare up again as leader T. Williams would get loose on the exit of turn 4, opening the door for both Murphy brothers to pass on the inside before Williams would fall back into line by turn 3 of the following lap.
A caution would fall on lap 30 after Andrew Reigel found the marbles in turn 3 and would spin into the infield wall, being the only caution for the entirety of the event. Under the short break, only Maynard, Levister, Charette, and Steele going pit-side for new tread. Reigel would park it for the remainder of the event due to extensive damage. The field would return to the green flag with 14 laps remaining and it was certainly go time for the 3 leaders who all elected to stay on their old tread. Off the start the inside lane got a great jump and this led to Williams challenging James Murphy for the runner up spot as brother Jared could only watch from his rear view. With James at a disadvantage, Williams gained the upper hand on lap 37 and now had Jared in his crosshairs. By the end of turn 4, the chrome horn came in handy as Williams would put it to use in a textbook fashion on Jared Murphy, moving him up a lane and filling the gap into turn 1, leaving Murphy hung out on the outside lane.
Williams would give it everything he had and pull away just enough to stay out of range for both of Jared’s attempts at repaying the favor in the closing laps. Williams would go on to dedicate the win to his real life racing mentor John Maynard in his post-race interview with Tyler Bentley of Buckeye Racing Network.