Ross Kenseth Scores Victory In Redbud 300

Ross Kenseth, seen here from earlier action, powered to the victory Saturday night in the Redbud 300 at Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana. Photo by Brandon Reed

After having bad luck in his first visits to Anderson Speedway in Anderson, IN, Ross Kenseth got inside of Bubba Pollard with 51 laps remaining and went on to win the Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 at Anderson Speedway on Saturday.

Kenseth, who made an unscheduled stop on lap 75 opted to take only two tires at the halfway break and restarted fifth. With the outside groove coming in Kenseth worked his way to the front.

Pollard took the lead on lap 224 when leader Eddie VanMeter broke the transmission in his car.

The caution flag waved on lap 228 when T.J. Reaid, running second at the time, got loose coming off the second corner and spun when Becca Kasten tapped the back of his car.

For ten laps Kenseth hung on the back of Pollard’s car and finally on lap 250 he got inside to take the lead entering turn three.

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Defending champion Steve Dorer used the outside line to pass Pollard and Johnny VanDoorn to move into the second spot.

The final 24 laps went green with Kenseth able to pull away from Dorer. Behind the two front runners there was a spirited battle for third between Pollard, VanDoorn and Kenzie Ruston.

Coming to the white flag, Ruston spun which caused Pollard to slow. VanDoorn claimed third and at the checkers Pollard finished fourth and Becca Kasten fifth.

Kenseth said the win was the biggest of his career.

“I’ve wrecked here several times,” Kenseth said. “This was the best car I’ve had here. For me it was a clean race except for an incident around lap 60.”

Kenseth said the team made changes at the halfway break.

He opted to start on the outside line after taking the lead on the restarts.

“The outside was the way to go,” Kenseth said. “Starting on the outside you were able to keep the other guys pinched down on the bottom.”

Dorer, looking to make it two Redbud wins in a row, said he knew Kenseth would start on the outside.

“I’m sure his crew told him (Kenseth) we won here last year on the outside,” Dorer said. “I feel we had the best car on the outside. He knew I was good on the outside.”

VanDoorn said he battled an ill-handling race car most of the night, but was pleased with the third place finish.

“It was a long 300 laps for us,” he said. “There was something wrong with the car, we never gave up and the crew kept fighting.”

VanDoorn said he has a lot of respect for Pollard and knew the hard racing would be clean between the two veteran drivers.

“The outside was the place to be on the restarts,” he said.

Terry Fisher Jr. dominated the first half of the race leading from lap 24 through 188, when he pitted on lap 189 following contact between Kenny Tweedy and Stephan Nasse, who were battling for fourth spot. Fisher took home the Kingen Interstate Express and Mitch Smith Auto Care Halfway Leader Awards.

History was made when Becca Kasten became the first woman to lead laps in the Redbud 300, leading from lap 185 through 205.

Fans were treated to side by side racing between Pollard and VanDoorn around the lap 250 mark as the two battled for the third spot.

There were five lead changes among six different drivers. The race was slowed 13 times by the caution flag for a total of 88 laps.

The next event for the ARCA/CRA Super Series will be the Fatheadz100 presented by Team Construction at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on Friday, July 27.  For more information, visit www.craracing.net.

ARCA-CRA Super Series
Anderson Speedway – Anderson, IN
Redbud 300 – July 21, 2012