Mike Campbell photos
ROSSBURG, Ohio (September 22, 2020) — Brent Marks held off a surging Kerry Madsen over the final three laps to win the opening night of the Governor’s Reign for the Ollies Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 at Eldora Speedway. Marks from Myerstown, Pennsylvania had to exchange slide jobs with Madsen over the final laps and dove under a slower car coming to the white flag, putting that car between himself and Madsen to secure the victory. The win was Marks’ fourth victory of the 2020 season with CJB Motorsports.
The victory was in doubt in the closing laps for Marks. Not only was he under pressure from Madsen, but smoke was pouring from his race car. After the race with fluids visible under the car Marks explained how he experienced some damage on the final green flag run.
“Somebody hit the cushion down there wrong I guess and pealed up a big clump of mud a couple of laps after that last restart and I just demolished that and messed up something up here in the front of the car,” said Marks as oil poured from his winning race car. “Honestly, it felt like something could have been broke, so I was a little leery and I was just trying to hang on.”
Marks was able to overcome the damage and challenges from Madsen for the $10,000 winner’s prize.
James McFadden took the lead at the start as Marks quickly moved up from fourth starting position into second place on the opening lap. Behind them Madsen and Donny Schatz raced for the third spot with Madsen holding onto the position.
By lap eight Marks was closing in on McFadden as he approached slower traffic. Marks made the move to take the lead from McFadden two laps later with a slide job in turn three and four. His started a wild exchange of slide jobs over the next three laps with Marks using a crossover move on McFadden and pull away on lap 12.
One late later Madsen passed McFadden for second position. David Gravel made his presence felt as well passing McFadden for third and started to chase down Madsen for second.
Just as Gravel caught Madsen the first yellow flag of the feature came out for All Star Circuit of Champions point leader Aaron Reutzel getting into the wall in turn four.
During the restart Sheldon Haudenschild came to a stop in turn one with a flat left rear tire. Haudenschild was unable to make repairs for the restart.
During the next attempt to restart the feature Madsen and Gravel bumped wheels with Gravel sliding into the inside wall and tipping over to bring out the red flag. Gravel’s team was able to make repairs for him to join the tail of the field for the restart.
After the race was successfully restarted Marks pulled away from Madsen while Shane Stewart moved up into the top three on lap 26.
Marks’ lead quickly vanished over the closing laps with Madsen right on his back bumper. After exchanging slide jobs with two laps to go Marks was able to make a daring dive under a slower car through turns three and four coming to the white flag that put enough distance between himself and Madsen to secure the victory.
Madsen, Stewart, Logan Schuchart from 21st starting position, and Carson Macedo rounded out the top five.
Afterwards Masen thought he had something for Marks on the long runs, but credited him with the move at the end making the difference.
“The car was great, we just had a big stumble problem on the starts,” said Madsen. “On long runs I felt like I could maneuver anywhere I wanted to go in three and four. With two to go I fired off a shot down there and sent it and thought it was going to be good enough. He got back under me though and that was that.”
For Marks it was his first time at Eldora with CJB Motorsports, which seemed to be a good fit for both parties.
“This is amazing my first time in this car at Eldora Speedway. They have always been fast here, and I felt comfortable. We were good all night long. It was a lot of fun.”
At the start of the night David Gravel broke Craig Dollansky’s track records at Eldora Speedway set in 2002 with a lap of 12.599 seconds.
The Governor’s Reign – Night #1
Ollies Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, Ohio
Tuesday September 22, 2020
Qualifying:
1. 41-David Gravel, 12.599 (NTR)
2. 1A-Jacob Allen, 12.736
3. 14P-Parker Price-Miller, 12.766
4. 71-Shane Stewart, 12.770
5. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 12.800
6. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.835
7. 9-James McFadden, 12.848
8. 39-Sammy Swindell, 12.875
9. 2-Carson Macedo, 12.878
10. 57-Kyle Larson, 12.881
11. 5-Brent Marks, 12.935
12. 21B-Christopher Bell, 12.945
13. 21-Brian Brown, 12.958
14. 41S-Dominic Scelzi, 12.959
15. 17-Ian Madsen, 12.963
16. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 12.968
17. 17A-Austin McCarl, 12.972
18. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12.973
19. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.975
20. 12N-Joey Saldana, 12.978
21. 14-Tim Kaeding, 12.989
22. 24-Rico Abreu, 12.990
23. 49-Brad sweet, 12.991
24. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.992
25. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 12.998
26. 83-Spencer Bayston, 13.003
27. 69-Brady Bacon, 13.011
28. 18-Gio Scelzi, 13.012
29. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.023
30. 39M-Anthony Macri, 13.027
31. 28-Tim Shaffer, 13.030
32. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 13.046’
33. 72-Daryn Pittman, 13.067
34. 11-Zeb Wise, 13.078
35. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.088
36. 17B-Bill Balog, 13.092
37. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.095
38. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.117
39. 10-Dave Blaney, 13.123
40. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 13.140
41. 3C-Cale Conley, 13.171
42. 67-Buddy Kofoid, 13.182
43. 70-Cale Thomas, 13.199
44. 15K-Chad Kemenah, 13.276
45. 22C-Cole Duncan, 13.309
46. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.319
47. 4-Cap Henry, 13.351
48. 99-Skylar Gee, 13.373
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps):
1. 41-David Gravel
2. 71-Shane Stewart
3. 57-Kyle Larson
4. 2M-Kerry Madsen
5. 1A-Jacob Allen
6. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild
7. 41S-Dominic Scelzi
8. 11K-Kraig Kinser
9. 11-Zeb Wise
10. 5T-Travis Philo
Heat Race #2:
1. 12N-Joey Saldana
2. 87-Aaron Reutzel
3. 2-Carson Macedo
4. 49-Brad Sweet
5. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss
6. 3-Jac Haudenschild
7. 72-Daryn Pittman
8. 83-Spencer Bayston
9. 28-Tim Shaffer
10. 69-Brady Bacon
Heat Race #3:
1. 39-Sammy Swindell
2. 21B-Christopher Bell
3. 14P-Parker Price-Miller
4. 9-James McFadden
5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney
6. 17-Ian Madsen
7. 3C-Cale Conley
8. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg
9. 70-Cale Thomas
10. 15K-Chad Kemenah
Heat Race #4:
1 15-Donny Schatz
2. 14-Tim Kaeding
3. 17A-Austin McCarl
4. 5-Brent Marks
5. 1S-Logan Schuchart
6. 39M-Anthony Macri
7. 17B-Bill Balog
8. 67-Buddy Kofoid
9. 99-Skylar Gee
Heat Race #5:
1. 18-Gio Scelzi
2. 26-Cory Eliason
3. 21-Brian Brown
4. 13-Paul McMahan
5. 4-Cap Henry
6. W20-Greg Wilson
7. 22C-Cole Duncan
8. 10-Dave Blaney
9. 24-Rico Abreu
C-Main (10 Laps):
1. 11K-Kraig Kinser
2. 83-Spencer Bayston
3. 28-Tim Shaffer
4. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg
5. 70-Cale Thomas
6. 67-Buddy Kofoid
7. 11-Zeb Wise
8. 99-Skylar Gee
9. 5T-Travis Philo
10. 69-Brady Bacon
11. 10-Dave Blaney
DNS: 24-Rico Abreu
DNS: 15K-Chad Kemenah
Dash #1 (4 Laps):
1. 2M-Kerry Madsen
2. 15-Donny Schatz
3. 18-Gio Scelzi
4. 39-Sammy Swindell
5. 21-Brian Brown
DNS: 12N-Joey Saldana
Dash #2 (4 Laps):
1. 9-James McFadden
2. 5-Brent Marks
3. 41-David Gravel
4. 14P-Parker Price-Miller
5. 2-Carson Macedo
6. 71-Shane Stewart
C-Main (10 Laps):
1. 11K-Kraig Kinser
2. 83-Spencer Bayston
3. 28-Tim Shaffer
4. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg
5. 70-Cole Thomas
6. 67-Buddy Kofoid
7. 11-Zeb Wise
8. 99-Skylar Gee
9. 5T-Travis Philo
10. 69-Brady Bacon
11. 10-Dave Blaney
DNS: 24-Rico Abreu
DNS: 15K-Chad Kemenah
B-Main (12 Laps):
1. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild
2. 1S-Logan Schuchart
3. 1A-Jacob Allen
4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney
5. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss
6. 3-Jac Haudenschild
7. 17-Ian Madsen
8. 39M-Anthony Macri
9. 41S-Dominic Scelzi
10. 4-Cap Henry
11. 72-Daryn Pittman
12. 17B-Bill Balog
13. 3C-Cale Conley
14. 83-Spencer Bayston
15. 11K-Kraig Kinser
16. W20-Greg Wilson
17. 22C-Cole Duncan
A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 5-Brent Marks
2. 2M-Kerry Madsen
3. 71-Shane Stewart
4. 1S-Logan Schuchart
5. 2-Carson Macedo
6. 1A-Jacob Allen
7. 9-James McFadden
8. 14P-Parker Price-Miller
9. 57-Kyle Larson
10. 15-Donny Schatz
11. 18-Gio Scelzi
12. 49-Brad Sweet
13. 14-Tim Kaeding
14. 21-Brian Brown
15. 26-Cory Eliason
16. 21B-Christopher Bell
17. 41-David Gravel
18. 7BC-Tyler Courtney
19. 39-Sammy Swindell
20. 17-Ian Madsen
21. 13-Paul McMahan
22. 17A-Austin McCarl
23. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild
24. 87-Aaron Reutzel
25. 12N-Joey Saldana