PC: DB3 Inc via Twitter
Tulsa, Oklahoma (01/11/2021)... Cannon McIntosh held off "Sunshine" Tyler Courtney to win Monday's Cummins Qualifying Night at the 35th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.
Ryan Bernal had the most passing points at the end of Heats and Qualifiers to earn himself the pole position in Monday nights A-Main. Bernal got a good start, but McIntosh took to the high side and captured the lead just three laps into the thirty lap race.
Tyler Courtney pounced quickly on Bernal as well, taking the second spot just a lap later. Clinton Boyles was on the move early on as he passed five cars in as many laps.
As McIntosh entered lap traffic, the 2019 USAC National Midget closed in, just as it started to get interesting, the first caution of the race came out for Kevin Bayer, who was on his side in turn one.
Courtney went after McIntosh on the restart, throwing a slider in turns one and two the first two laps of green flag racing. Mitchel Moles, the 2021 Tulsa Shootout Wing Outlaw Champ, started sixth and had made his way up to third when smoke started coming out of the engine.
A caution came out for Ryan Bernal just past the halfway point for a flat right rear after jumping the cushion while battling Matt Wood Racing teammate Mitchel Moles for third.
Bernal did not return, the Top 5 with fourteen to go was McIntosh, Courtney, Moles, Carson Macedo, and Chris Windom.
"Sunshine" once again went after Cannon on the restart throwing the bomb into turn one. Meanwhile, Macedo made his move on the dying Moles for third.
While Moles, Windom, and Hahn sorted it out for fourth, Chili Bowl rookie, Jacob Denney tip toed his way into the mix on the bottom. He was getting ready to take the spot when a caution came out for a stopped C.J. Leary.
Denney was sent back several positions because the lap had not been recorded. During the caution, Mitchel Moles and Clinton Boyles both pulled off the track after having solid runs going.
Blake Hahn restarted sixth and made moves early on the restart using the bottom. Capitalizing on mistakes by Carson Macedo and David Gravel; Hahn was able to move into the final podium position.
The final caution of the evening came with nine to go, but it did not matter. Cannon McIntosh was able to pull away from Tyler Courtney to win back to back prelim nights. Hahn held on to third after starting twelfth.
McIntosh and Courtney have both locked into the A-Main on Saturday night.
Hard Charger of the race went to the No. 32T of Gary Taylor. Another notable performance belongs to Tim McCreadie, who ate some Soup. He made it through the C and B Mains, started nineteenth in the A-Main, and made it up to eighth.
Jacob Denney may have been the sleeper entering the night. The 16-year-old driver for Petry Motorsports won his heat over Chris Windom and Clinton Boyles. After starting 13th in the A-Main, Denney almost collected a Top 5 but had to settle for 6th.
-Lucas Halbert
A-Main Results (30 Laps):
1. #71K Cannon McIntosh [2], 2. #7C Tyler Courtney [4], 3. #52 Blake Hahn [12], 4. #89 Chris Windom [7], 5. #1D David Gravel [8], 6. #35 Jacob Denney [13], 7. #5 Chase Briscoe [3], 8. #9 Tim McCreadie [19], 9. #32T Trey Marcham [17], 10. #21T Carson Macedo [5], 11. #8 Alex Sewell [10], 12. #32 Gary Taylor [24], 13. #11S Stephen Schnapf [20], 14. #28K Kory Schudy [11], 15. #45X Roger Crockett [16], 16. #55 C.J. Leary [15], 17. #0G Steven Russell [21], 18. #8M Kade Morton [18], 19. #56A Riley Kresiel [23], 20. #07W Mitchel Moles [6]-DNF, 21. #14S Clinton Boyles [9]-DNF, 22. #85 Jerry Coons Jr. [22]-DNF, 23. #87W Ryan Bernal [1]-DNF, 24. #91K Kevin Bayer [14]-DNF