JOHNNY APPLESEED CLASSIC RECAP

MILLER SCORES BIG LATE MODEL WIN IN JOHNNY APPLESEED CLASSIC BY MILLER LITE

Craig, Daggett and Gilpin Win Big on Memorial Day Weekend

ROSSBURG, Ohio (May 24, 2015) – Matt Miller raced both high and low to fight through traffic to best Matt Westfall and win the Sunoco American Late Model Series (ALMS) race Sunday at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

Miller, from Waterville, Ohio, had the car to beat, but it wasn’t easy as he battled though lapped traffic with Westfall chasing him down in the 25-lap feature. Westfall passed him briefly in turn one with a classic Eldora slide job when Miller hit traffic late in the race, but Miller managed to swap the favor down on the backstretch on the same lap.

“This is awesome,” Miller said. “This is only our third race of the year. It’s nice to rebound. Matt (Westfall) is a heck of a wheelman. I knew he would put the pressure on. We hit some lapped traffic, but we got up on the wheel too. This is a good warm up for the Dream in two weeks.”

The next event at Eldora Speedway is the 21^st annual Dirt Late Model Dream Weekend presented by Ferris Commercial Mowers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 4, 5 and 6.

The Dirt Late Model Dream, sanctioned by DIRTcar, is the richest dirt late model race in the world with $100,000 going to the winner of Saturday night’s 100-lap feature event. A total purse of $306,625 is available for the three nights of racing, including $214,875 available on Saturday.

Devin Gilpin, from Columbus, Indiana, came from the fourth starting spot and beat Jerry Bowerstock in the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds 20-lap feature.

“It’s an awesome racetrack,” Gilpin said. “Eldora’s always awesome and thanks to the fans for coming out tonight. Racing needs fans and it’s suffers without them. I truly thank each and every one for coming out tonight.”

Dustin Daggett led all 25 laps, lapped all but eight of 20 cars and won by almost nine seconds in the winged National Racing Association (NRA) Sprint Invaders. The Portland, Michigan resident was untouched in the feature.

“This car was on a rail tonight,” Daggett said. “I didn’t know how far back anyone was and when you‘ve got Randy Hannagan behind you, you have to assume he’s right there. I have to say thanks to my guys. We’ve have a pretty rough weekend. It was nice to win.”

In an emotional win, Barney Craig, from Cridersville, Ohio, won the 15-lap stock car feature while his mother is in a nearby hospital.

“This place is awesome,” Craig said. “I want to dedicate this to my Mom. She’s laying up in the hospital and I hope she pulls though. I love it when (the track) is this slick. It brings the driver out. It takes away the horsepower and your crew has to figure it out. Lapped traffic about got me, but I think my Mom was helping me out.