The season opener at Phoenix [Legacy] started with Rick Ravon on pole, Cole Hunley alongside on the front row, with Johnny Hamby and Steven Kiefer on the 2nd row. Ravon took an early lead and seemed in good shape. It was the pitstops under yellow that shook things up: Chris Brown staid out, Ravon’s team fitted new tires that took forever to come in, Hunley and Hamby were duking it out in 2nd and 3rd.
Brown didn’t get the yellow he so desperately wanted and dropped out of contention after running strongly in the lead. It was Hunley and Hamby going hard at it for the lead, with Ravon and Breuning right behind them. Breuning was a little more cautious than Ravon, who mixed in the fight. On lap 75, the battle got a little too close. Hamby and Hunley touched wheels coming off turn 2 and both spun, with Hamby sustaining enough damage to end his race. Finishing under yellow, narrowly getting by the accident, Rick Ravon was the new season’s first winner and Breuning was 2nd, with Trey Mitts in 3rd.
Ravon up front is an all too familiar sight, but it was definitely not as easy as some of last season’s races…
- Rick Ravon
- Marc Breuning
- Trey Mitts
