A “Scorcher” at South Sound Speedway in Rochester, WA as the 99 degree heat set the stage for Tyler Allen to claw his way to a 2nd place finish. While the night brought cooler temperatures, the drivers heated up and gave the crowd a race to remember. The Allen Racing crew found a setup that produced a 14.06, 2nd place qualifying time to points leader #20, Billy Weber.
The sun was setting as the green flag dropped and the field dove into the first turn where the #69, Rich Spooner, spun towards the infield bringing out the yellow flag for a full restart. A second try and Allen dives his R& C Roofing Monte Carlo to the inside, passing #95 Rod Shultz Sr., moving into 2nd place, while in the back of the field the #14 of Austin Hoye spins in turn three and brings out the yellow. Allen took the inside at the commitment cone behind the #34 of Dave Knittle and with a good restart Allen starts to work on Knittle as Weber and Shultz battle it out for first place. A move to the inside down the front stretch and Allen takes Knittle on the inside through turn two, while Weber sets up Shultz Sr. for a turn three pass putting Shultz Sr. and Weber into a drag race down the front stretch. Into turn one and Weber breaks free into first place ahead of Shultz Sr. leaving Allen looking at Shultz Sr. bumper for the third week in a row. “The more time I spent behind Sr. the more I learned. It was time to get a little more aggressive and make a move, I think we had something for Weber so it was important that I get by Sr. as early as possible.” Allen settled in behind Shultz Sr. looking for a lane to pass. As Weber begins to pull away Allen finds an opening on the inside and moves under Shultz and gets the 2nd place position along the backstretch. Allen sets his eyes on the leader as the gap widens with the rest of the pack. The yellow flag comes out at lap twenty where #1 Shultz Jr. and #69 Rich Spooner tangle.
A Red Flag is thrown as the drivers settle their dispute and the track is littered with oil.
The drivers are given five laps to work the speedy dry in and are told to take it easy on the restart. Allen took the inside line behind Weber and the crowd held their breath as they went into the first turn. Weber and Shultz Sr. battle through the turn and its Weber, Shultz Sr., and Allen racing towards the finish with Shultz Sr. protecting the inside line. Allen keeps the pressure on, staying on Shultz Sr.’s bumper and showing his nose in the mirror, waiting for a chance to make the move. Both drivers are pushing their cars to the limit and on lap thirty four Tyler drives in hard and gets loose in turn three. Allen gathers it up and saves the car but looses ground to Shultz Sr. “The car was really good through the center of the corner, I could roll right up to Senior, and he was not getting off the corner as well. I was really frustrated at myself that I had lost so much ground in turn three but I knew I was still in it.”
Allen gets up on the wheel and in five laps put himself in Shultz Sr.’s mirror again, with ten to go. Finally, with three laps to go, Allen forces his way under Shultz Sr. and in turn two they get loose but gather it back up on the backstretch. Tyler backs out in the next turn and sets him up one final time. Allen puts his nose under Shultz Sr. coming out of four and brought the crowd to their feet as they battled down the front stretch. Coming to the white flag they are hooked together and someone was going to have to give. “I had done it once earlier in the race and I knew I had to do it again, the white flag dropped and it was time to get after it.”
Allen makes his move in turn two and beats Shultz Sr. to turn three. The crowd roars as they see the veteran immediately set up for the classic crossover out of turn four. Coming to the checkered flag Shultz Sr. goes to the inside but he doesn’t have enough to make it work. Allen takes the checkered flag and moves up another step on the podium, finishing 2nd place to Billy Weber who continued his strangle hold on the points lead for the series.
Visit Allenracing.com to see other race highlights. Tyler Allen and the Allen Racing team will compete in the Miller 200 at South Sound Speedway August 28th. Come watch some of the best Late Model racing in the Northwest at South Sound Speedway.
