Texas Speedzone - O'Reilly's 50 USRA/All Star Race Trucks @ Houston Motorsports Park

O'Reilly's Auto Parts 50
Lucky Lehman Lands in Victory Lane
With the draw for the invert, Bill Hamilton took the number one spot, with Bryan Meredith along and fast qualifier, Green starting in fourth. Before the green flag could even drop, Craig Roper suffered transmissions woes and pulled off from his sixth starting spot. When the green did fly, Hamilton and Meredith raced side by side into turn 1. They were still together at the line with Hamilton leading. Meredith, currently second in points, then fell back quickly and rolled to a stop on the backstretch with ignition problems.

Hamilton got out to two truck lengths on Green on the restart, as San Antonio Speedway winner, Robert Walton got by Rusty Mirth for eighth. green quickly caught back up to Hamilton on lap 5. Walton took another spot on lap 7 getting past Josh Freeman for seventh. By lap 10, the top five had put some distance on the battle for sixth between Keith Patrick and Walton.

Richard Bunte had just caught Green for second on lap 13 when Cameron Moore jr spun in turn 2. Coming to the caution, Bunte would blow a motor and spin going into turn 2 as well. Bud Carroll got caught up sliding through the fluid and lightly hitting Bunte. Points leader, Shawn Paul Lehman got a scare when he also turned around on the slick track, but made no contact. Carroll was forced to pit, but Lehman was able to continue and retain his position.

The restart was tricky as they tried to negotiate the kitty litter in turn 1, with walton slidding high and falling back several spots. Green began to pressure Hamilton for the top spot on lap 15, while Lehman sat back and waited for a mistake. Lehman would loose ground on lap 17 when he got too high in turns 1-2. Freeman and Patrick then began a battle for fourth that saw Freeman give Patrick a tap in turn 2, but back off to let Patrick get straightened out.

While fighting for the lead Hamilton and Green made contact sending Hamilton spinning and both to the tail. This handed the lead to Lehman as the race went back to green. Lehman got away clean, while Moore passed Freeman for fifth. At the crossed flags the top five were Lehman, Patrick, Mirth, Walton and Moore. Walton picked up the third position on lap 27 getting by Mirth.

Moore's good run came to an end on lap 28 when he tagged the turn wall and got clipped by Brent Bell on the way by. The top four got a big lead on the restart, as Green fought his way back up to fifth when got past Neal Rogers. Walton snagged second from Patrick on lap 30 as Patrick began to slow. Mirth, Green and Hamilton also got by the slowing car of Patrick.

Green moved to third on lap 32 when he ducked under Mirth. The top three were separated by about five truck lengths each as the reached the 35 lap mark. Hamilton then tried to get under Mirth for fourth. Hamilton got into the back of Mirth on lap 37 sending Mirth around to bring out the yellow. With Lehman holding the point as green waved again, Freeman was trying to get low on Rogers for third.

Mirtyh quickly worked back to the top five, on lap 41 he and Rogers tangled on the backstretch battling for fourth. Lehman got a huge jump on the restart, but Walton closed back in with Green in tow. The top three were nose to tail on lap 43, until Walton got loose coming out of turn 2. Green had just made his way by when John Kelly jr and Shane Harris spun to bring out a caution with six to go.

Lehman again got away on green, while Mirth passed Freeman fou fourth. Green, unable to get under Walton, moved up to try the high side on lap 47, but lost ground as he slid up the banking. As the white was shown, Lehman in the Junior Medlock/Terry’s Body Shop/Washburns Town & Country Cleaners/Meredith Race Engines/Terry’s Race Cars, by five trucks ahead of Walton and Green. From there Lehman easily gathered in the checkers for his win of the season.

USRA/All Star Race Trucks Feature Results
Pos/Car#/Driver/Start
1 28 Shawn Paul Lehman (7)
2 10 Robert Walton (10)
3 54 Steve Green (4)
4 07 Rusty Mirth (9)
5 33 Josh Freeman (11)
6 57 John Kelly jr. (15)
7 3 Neal Rogers (14)
8 22 Shane Harris (13)
9 72 Brent Bell (12)
10 Bill Hamilton (1)
11 21 Keith Patrick (6)
12 38 Cameron Moore jr. (8)
13 18 Bud Carroll (5)
14 20 Richard Bunte (3)
15 30 Bryan Meredith (2)
16 40 Craig Roper–Did not take initial green