Weekend Race Recap
RACING WINNER: GRAVE DIGGER
FREESTYLE WINNER: GRAVE DIGGER
In front of more than 65,000 adoring fans in the sold out Georgia Dome Dennis Anderson claimed the first Double Down trophy of 2009, driving Grave Digger to an exciting victory over Scott Hartsock and Gunslinger in the Championship Race, then to a narrow freestyle win over George Balhan in Escalade Saturday night.
With the capacity crowd in the tradition rich Atlanta building roaring from the start Anderson opened the night by setting the fastest qualifying time on the competitive, challenging course, Grave Digger’s 27.10 second lap a mere four-tenths of a second faster than Marc McDonald’s Safe Auto Minimizer.
Anderson ran strong but also caught a huge break in route to the event victory. Grave Digger was beaten in a close race by Scott Hartsock and Gunslinger in the second round, but in the 12 truck field round two is the only round where a fast loser advances. Grave Digger was the fastest loser of round two and took advantage of the reprieve, getting the semifinal round win when Linsey Weenk’s Blue Thunder mysteriously lost power halfway through the race, then Anderson avenged his earlier loss by beating Hartsock in the extra lap Championship Race. Grave Digger beat Gunslinger by a length in the finale, with Hartsock digging so deep to try and get the win the he flipped his big Ford onto its roof after crossing the finish line.
Onto a rocking freestyle where Cam McQueen set the bar very high as the first driver to compete. On a course full of World Finals style obstacles McQueen filled his run with huge leaps and grabbed the hot seat with the lead, and he would stay in the lead position until the next to last competitor of the night, George Balhan, nailed his second straight phenomenal performance of the New Year. McQueen had been equaled by Andy Slifko in Eradicator, who turned in the first donuts of the night and a sensational save to tie Pastrana 199 for the lead. It was Balhan though who topped both leaders with a run that had some of everything: massive air, unbelievable saves, wild slap wheelies, finishing with a set of cyclones where he pulled off his patented no-handed cyclones, thrusting his steering wheel through the roof hatch and bringing the crowd to a huge standing ovation. Balhan appeared on the verge of his first Speed televised win, but Anderson was on a mission to claim the Double Down award. Maximum Destruction was sidelined when Kreg Christensen blew his engine, and then destroyed the steering in a racing rollover, so Anderson roared onto the track knowing it was Escalade that he had to beat. Anderson filled the clock and the bonus time with vintage, ragged edge Grave Digger freestyle action and the judges scored Grave Digger the winner of freestyle and the season’s first Double Down honors.
RACING RESULTS
Fast qualifier – Grave Digger
1st round – Grave Digger def Bulldozer; Gunslinger def Pastrana 199; Blue Thunder def War Wizard; Escalade def Eradicator; Maximum Destruction def Cowboy; Safe Auto Minimizer def Backdraft
2nd round – Gunslinger def Grave Digger; Blue Thunder def Escalade; Maximum Destruction def Safe Auto Minimizer (Grave Digger advanced to semifinals as the fastest loser of 2nd round)
Semifinals – Gunslinger def Maximum Destruction; Grave Digger def Blue Thunder
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE – GRAVE DIGGER DEFEATED GUNSLINGER
FREESTYLE RESULTS
GRAVE DIGGER 28 (26 + 2 bonus points)
Escalade 25 (23 + 2)
Pastrana 199 22 (19 + 3)
Eradicator 22 (21 + 1)
Safe Auto Minimizer 21 (18 + 3)
Cowboy 15 (13 + 2)
War Wizard 15 (13 + 2)
Gunslinger 15
Backdraft 13 (12 + 1)
Bulldozer 13 (9 + 4)
Blue Thunder 12
