After three weeks off, the Arena Racing League returned to the 1/10 mile oval inside the Richmond Coliseum for “reunion night,” a night with Bobby Allison as a special guest and also a night to pay tribute to the great Lennie Pond. Pond, unfortunately, was not able to be in attendance due to health problems but that was not the only noticeable absence from the race as defending Arena Racing League champion Cody Carlton would not be racing either, serving a one-race suspension for the altercation at the previous race. Replacing Carlton is former champion Jordan Wood, using the same body originally used in Wood’s championship season.
After the random draw for starting spots the a-main lined up with #27-Cullen Roberts on the pole followed by, #11-Conner Medeiros, #94-Jordan Wood, #04-Larry Murphy, #1-Garrett Manes, #28-Robbie Allison, #18-Branden Sanders, #17t-Camden Testerman and #55-Howie DiSavino rounding out the nine car a-main to kick off the evening.
As soon as the green flag was dropped, Conner Medeiros took his #11 to the front and he and Cullen Roberts in the #27 began to pull away from the field, the duo stayed out in front until lap five when Camden Testerman flipped his #17t on the front stretch, bringing out the first caution of the night, soon to become a red flag while the officials cleaned up oil that was leaking out of the #17t.
Once everything was cleaned up from the wreck, the field restarted with Conner Medeiros leading Cullen Roberts and Larry Murphy. Garrett Manes opted to restart on the outside of Medeiros, a move that is allowed and is an option given to drivers that were not involved in the wreck to bring out the original caution. Within only four laps, Medeiros had opened up a .785 second lead over Manes but the caution came out again on lap 12 as Manes spun, in turn, two, then being hit by Testerman who could not avoid it. This caution negated a 1.001-second lead that Medeiros held over the field.
On the restart, Jordan Wood lined his #94 up on the outside of Medeiros but the field wouldn’t stay green for long as Manes clipped the #55 of Howie DiSavino, in turn, two, spinning DiSavino and bringing out the third caution after only 12 laps.Once the field restarted yet again, Medeiros jumped out and within five laps of the restart, held a 1.605 second lead over the field. The race stayed green until lap 36 when Manes spun, in turn, two, negating Medeiros’ then 1.218 second lead over Jordan Wood in the #94.
Once the field restarted the a-main they did not stop and Conner Medeiros picked up the win just .231 seconds ahead of Jordan Wood with the full running order as follows.
- Conner Medeiros
- Jordan Wood
- Cullen Roberts
- Camden Testerman
- Larry Murphy
- Branden Sanders
- Garrett Manes
- Howie DiSavino
- Robbie Allison
c/o Medeiros Motorsports
The field the b-main was #54-Matt Sanders, #17-John Nickens,#21-Johnny Shonk, #07-Shane Zupo, #74-Jim Grady Jr, #91-John Alford, #4-Brad Davis and #71-Savannah Nickens
Once the green flag dropped, John Nickens took his #17 to the front with Matt Sanders following, the two opened up a 2.003 second lead over the field in only three laps with the gap from Nickens to Sanders being 1.096 seconds. While the older Nickens was up front cruising, the younger Nickens in the #71 had a near flip on lap 10 but the car leaned on the 21 and came back down to the ground, still running and just one lap later, John Nickens began lapping the field as he was setting a blistering pace, a pace that was slowed by a lap 14 caution when Brad Davis spun his #4 along with Savannah Nickens in the #71, Jim Grady Jr the #74 cut a tire, ending his night and causing him to spin. This caution negated a 2.235-second lead John Nickens held over Matt Sanders in the #54.
After the field restarted, Nickens pulled out to a 2.298 second lead over Shane Zupo in the #07 after only six green flag laps. The field stayed green and as they worked lap 30, John Nickens held a remarkable 4.744 second lead over Shane Zupo and was looking cooler than the other side of the pillow but the caution came out on lap 31 when something in the #91 of John Alford broke, causing Nickens to lose a massive 5.054 second lead over Zupo.
Once the field resumed action with both Brad Davis and Johnny Shonk lining up outside of the leader, John Nickens pulled away again but only temporarily as the younger Nickens, Savannah spun her #71, in turn, two on lap 36, only five laps after the previous caution, John Nickens had built a 1.349 second lead over Brad Davis.
The field restarted again with four cars remaining but five cars on track as the #54 of Matt Sanders was running but was not being scored due to disobeying the black flag posted on lap 21. The field was caution free again until the #21 had a break inside of the car with three laps to go, setting up a Green-White-Checkered finish.
As the field took the G-W-C John Nickens continued to dominate, like he had throughout the b-main and the final results were
- John Nickens
- Brad Davis
- Savannah Nickens
- Johnny Shonk
- Matt Sanders
- Shane Zupo
- John Alford
- Jim Grady Jr
The 14 car Top Dog race rounded out the night with #11-Conner Medeiros, #07-Shane Zupo, #94-Jordan Wood, #21-Johnny Shonk, #55-Howie DiSavino, #17-John Nickens, #54-Matt Sanders, #71-Savannah Nickens, #1-Garrett Manes, #4-Brad Davis, #18-Branden Sanders, #17t- Camden Testerman, #04-Larry Murphy and #27-Cullen Roberts. John Nickens, Shane Zupo, and Johnny Shonk did not start the race, making it an 11 car Top Dog race.
Conner Medeiros took the lead from the word go and in only three laps opened up a 1.340 second lead over Jordan Wood and only four laps in both the #55 of Howie DiSavino and #04 of Larry Murphy took their cars onto the infield, ending their nights. The first caution came on lap six when Savannah Nickens and Branden Sanders spun with Brad Davis going into the inside wall as well and ending his night.
When the field restarted Conner Medeiros once again jumped out to the lead and just two laps later, Branden Sanders ended his night, shrinking the field down to only seven cars until lap 10 when Savannah Nickens brought her #71 to the infield and that made six cars left. The top three cars at this point were Medeiros, Testerman, and Wood, all only separated by .210 seconds. Jordan Wood took second from Testerman on lap 15 and the gap from Medeiros back to Wood was 1.096 seconds as of lap 18. Medeiros began to lap the field on lap 25 and he put Cullen Roberts a lap down. After 33 laps, the gap between first place Conner Medeiros and Jordan Wood was only .463 seconds but the field was bunched back up after a debris caution on lap 37.
For the restart, the six cars left lined up Medeiros, Wood, Testerman, Manes, Matt Sanders and Cullen Roberts. After the restart, it didn’t take long to see another caution as the third yellow of the race flew on lap 39 when Garrett Manes appeared to stall in turn two on lap 39, ending his night and leaving only five cars left.
For this restart, the field lined up with Medeiros leading Wood, Testerman, Matt Sanders and Cullen Roberts. Wood took the lead from Medeiros and Testerman followed, taking the lead from Wood but the cautions were not finished as Cullen Roberts cut a tire and spun, in turn, two with three laps left, leaving only four cars running, a new Arena Racing record for fewest cars running at the finish of a Top dog race.
Once the field went green again, Testerman couldn’t hold off Jordan Wood who won in place of defending champion Cody Carlton.
- Jordan Wood
- Camden Testerman
- Cooner Medeiros
- Matt Sanders
- Cullen Roberts
- Garrett Manes
- Savannah Nickens
- Branden Sanders
- Brad Davis
- Larry Murphy
- Howie DiSavino
- John Nickens
- Shane Zupo
- Johnny Shonk
After the race, Jordan talked about the win and how him driving the #94 today came together. “It was exciting, I wasn’t expecting to come out like that, the car was restarting bad. I think Camden gave me a little bit of a break there, he could have roughed me up. We beat and banged the whole race, the last couple of laps I really wanted it so I just had to go for it. I’m out here thankfully because Cody offered me the ride, definitely one of my more exciting wins.”
Beyond The Grandstand 