By Shawn Neisteadt
Jack Dover paced the field all 25 laps of Saturday’s main event at the Off Road Speedway, but it wasn’t an easy win at the event co-sanctioned by the Carpetland Nebraska 360 Sprint Series presented by Malvern Bank and Property Solutions of American Midwest Sprint Touring Series.
Dover had luck on his side when he drew the Saldana Racing Products Pole Award for the feature on the high-banked quarter mile in Norfolk, Nebraska. The Gasman used that starting spot to take in initial lead ahead of Ryan Bickett.
Don Droud, Jr., and Jordan Boston were exchanging slide jobs in a battle for fifth as the caution waved on lap four for Brant O’Banion who looped his #47 in turn two.
Four laps after the restart, the lead pack entered heavy lap traffic, that at one point was three wide in front of Dover. That allowed Ryan Roberts to close in on the leader. Roberts and Jason Martin then started a fierce fight for second, with each driver throwing massive slidejobs and then turning back under the other entering the next set of turns. Martin then has a misstep in turn one, taking the #36 up and over the cushion, dropping several spots.
However, “The Hitman” wasn’t done. Martin charged back to the second spot when the caution waved for Jordan Boston on lap 18. Boston was running fifth at the time of yellow.
On the resulting restart, it was another big slide job in turn two, this time for the lead. Martin slid up in front of the nose of Dover’s #53, but Dover was able to return the favor entering turn three.
Dover would lead from there to the checkered for his third win of the season with the Carpetland Nebraska 360 Sprint Series presented by Malvern Bank and the Property Solutions of America Midwest Sprint Touring Series. Martin was second ahead of Roberts. Cody Ledger crossed the line fourth. The Speedway Motors, AutoLand Hard Charger was Eric Lutz who finished fifth after starting fifteenth.