Lapped Cars Take Larson Out of Race While Leading
04/06/2009 - Justin Larson was excited about heading back to New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA. The 20-year-old Clearwater, FL driver finished third the last time the ASALMS met there in 2008. After a tough weekend in South Georgia, Justin was looking for a little change of luck.
On Saturday, Justin and his team were second overall in their practice sessions. Larson qualified at a 14.335 which was good enough for fifth position. After the inversion, the #88 Ford Fusion would be starting third for the Senoia Showdown 100.
The green was out and it was race time. Keeton Hanks #09 and James Nealis #29 would battle hard the first few laps of the race. Larson was riding in third until Russell Fleeman #98 started to apply pressure and overtake the #88 machine. Justin would fall into fourth and watch the battle heat up. As the cars in front of him started to slice and dice for the top position, Larson would make the most of it and come out as the leader on lap twenty.
Larson would stretch out a huge lead over Russell Fleeman until the caution flags started falling. Several cautions would fly over the next fifteen laps and that would keep the field bunched up. Again, Larson would move out into a sizeable lead as the battle for second would heat up behind him.
Drew Brannon would overtake Russell Fleeman just after the halfway point. With a tough competitor behind him, Larson knew there was no margin for error. With Larson hitting his marks, it looked as if Brannon would have his work cut out if he wanted to pass the #88. At lap seventy-five, Larson would start making his way through lapped traffic. As Justin came across the start finish line at lap eighty, two lapped cars got together in front of him. Warren Mobley would spin in front of Larson and push him up near the turn one wall. Unfortunately, Justin was unable to restart the race due to heavy damage on the left front.
Justin and his team were the dominate car in the Senoia Showdown 100. It looked as if Larson would bring home his first career ASALMS victory. Unfortunately, the Justin Larson Racing, Inc. team would leave Georgia disappointed. “I just hate this for our whole team. My guys worked hard all day long to get us where we were. The car was awesome. Unfortunately the lapped cars were racing a little too hard in front of us instead of abiding by the move over flag,” explained Larson. “I was really looking forward to Senoia because we ran well here last year. I thought I might get my first win tonight but I just can’t get a break.”
The Justin Larson Racing, Inc. team will take a month off before heading to Watermelon Capitol Speedway in Cordele, GA on May 9th where Justin will celebrate his 21st birthday.
