By John Rittenoure
Salina, Okla (Sept. 22, 2012) – For Jeremy Allen 2012 has not gone anything like he expected. Six races into the OCRS season the Oklahoma City driver saw his quest for Rookie of the Year honors come to an abrupt halt.
The date was June 9th. On the opening lap of the Oklahoma Sports Park main event in Ada Allen found himself riding out a horrifying end over end flip that destroyed his sprint car. Allen was not hurt, but for the next two months he was busy building a new race car.
Two weeks ago Allen returned to the very track that nearly ended his season and managed a 16th place finish. Saturday Allen visited the Salina Highbanks Speedway and for once it was his night. Allen started on the pole and led all 25 laps to win his first career OCRS feature.
“We finally did something right,” smiled Allen.
“We had to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch after we tore that car up at Ada. We had to see what we had left and go from there.
“We bought a 2010 Eagle frame from Andy Shouse and we had a bunch of spare parts so we put it together.
“We made the right choices.”
After finishing second in his heat Allen won the pole dash then resisted the temptation from OCRS PR director John Lemon to take the Oil Medics Back Row Challenge which would have doubled his money if he could have won from the rear of the field.
And he is glad he did.
Allen had built a straightaway lead over second place Whit Gastineau after just six laps.
“The track was awesome,” said Allen. “I did no have to lift and where I turned the steering wheel is where the car went.
“It was pretty good. I could run from about three-quarters of the way up and down. It was real slick up at the top.
“I figured since it (the track) was taking rubber everyone would be fast. I knew I had no time to spare and went as fast as I could.”
Allen saw his lead evaporate after the yellow waved on lap 12 for Fred Mattox who spun in turn two. If there was any doubt that Allen would hold onto his lead that was quickly put to rest as he drove away from Gastineau. But in the final laps Casey Wills was closing fast and looking to make a race of it. But Allen held his line for the win.
“I could hear him back behind me,” said Allen of Wills. “I just figured, don’t screw up and can’t get you.”
Now Allen is looking forward to the season finale on Oct. 6 at Brill Motor Speedway.
“We are going to look forward to Meeker and hope we can do the same there now that we got a taste of victory,” said Allen.
Wills was driving his best race of the season and seemed to be getting faster as the laps were winding down. After passing Gastineau for second on lap 18 Wills closed the gap between himself and Allen but needed more laps if he had any hopes of picking up a win.
“I think I might have gone around him in the middle if that yellow had not been there,” said Wills of a yellow with three laps remaining for Andrew Deal who stopped in turn two. “But I am happy. May be that bigger right rear that Goodyear gave us helped.”
Harli White was also getting faster with each passing lap. White moved into third and with a few more laps a three-car race might have developed.
“It was really coming on when we started getting in lapped traffic,” said White who finished third for the second straight week. “It started coming in good. The track felt pretty good. It was fast.”
But the track was taking rubber and it was good the race ended when it did.
“I think everyone’s tires were starting to go away so I don’t know if we could have lasted much longer,” said White.
As the checkered fell rookie Alex Sewell moved up to fourth with Danny Smith climbing to fifth. Gastineau dropped to sixth after running second early.
Johnny Kent won the AmeriFlex Hose and Accessories Hard Charger award. Kent advanced 13 positions to finish eighth. Deal picked up the Dyno Services of Oklahoma Hard Luck award.