“BIG CAT” White Wins North/South 100 World Figure 8 Tour Finale

The beautiful Indiana evening of activities began with qualifications. 2009 World Figure 8® Champion and tour title contender Ben Tunny set the clock ablaze with a sizzling 17.204 second lap. His time was almost five-tenths quicker than point leader and second fastest Doug Greig. The traditional World Figure 8® Tour 6-car trophy dash was won by RJ Norton III over Donnie Garrigus III and Michigan’s Jeremy Vanderhoof. Heat one saw Casey White victorious over Norton and Jesse Tunny. The second heat had Steve Frost best over Charlie Hargraves and Kentucky’s Bobby Corbin III. Fast qualifier Ben Tunny then drew the dreaded full invert for the feature starting lineup.

The green waved from the AT&T Advertising Solutions flag stand with 2011 World Figure 8® Championship Qualifying Race winner Steve Frost launching to first place. The veteran Speedrome wheelman was piloting his son’s #16. He had emerging Figure 8 star “Heavy Hitter” Derick Anson on his tail. Having rough starts were trophy dash winner Norton who spun on lap 6 and Austin Tunny who dropped out on the second circuit with mechanical issues. White moved up to battle Kentucky’s Anson and eventually snagged the runner-up spot.

Casey conquered Frost for first on lap 12 and began to set sail. Steve then had to deal with a charging Ben Tunny who had went from 15th starting spot to 3rd in less than 20 orbits. He soon eclipsed Frost for that position. The running order at the quarter mark was Casey White, Ben Tunny, Doug Greig, Jesse Tunny, and Steve Frost. By lap 34, Ben had caught the rampaging White. The dazzling duel was very short lived though as Ben parked on the backstretch just 3 laps after hearing gremlins under the hood. His younger brother Jesse had the crowd gasping around this time with some tight trips through the intersection that resembled one’s regularly made by his father, the “man with no fear” 2003 World Figure 8® Champion Bill Tunny Jr.

By halfway, White had increased his advantage to massive proportions lapping everyone except the entertaining runner-up battle between 2-time World Figure 8® Champion Greig and his son-in-law Jesse Tunny. Casey had climbed to a single straightaway behind this duo. Lap 57, Steve Frost had to surrender a top five position when he had to make an evasive crossover maneuver to avoid a crash by spinning out. White finally reached the bumper of the runner-up battle at the three-quarter race mark. He stayed on their tail like a running back behind a pair of blockers all the way to the finish. It was Casey’s first-ever North/South Figure 8 100 victory and record-tying 5th win in World Figure 8® Tour history.

Greig held off Jesse for second place and clinched the World Figure 8® Tour championship. This capped off one of the most historic seasons in Figure 8 history. Jesse was third and the final car on the lead lap. Charlie Hargraves drove from last starting spot after missing time trials to a career best WF8T finish of fourth. The story of the race may have been Bobby Corbin III. The young gun that has had success in an entry-level Figure 8 division at the Sportsdrome Speedway made his first-ever start in a high-powered World Figure 8® Car. He drove smartly to an impressive 5th place result in a very tough field of drivers.

Join us at the Speedrome this weekend
October 15, 2011 – UAW Pack the House Night
Opening night of the 15th Annual Carmel Sod Fall Festival Series
Stocks, Roadrunners, Hornets, Hornet Figure 8’s, Legends, Bandoleros, and Junior Faskarts
Races get underway at 7pm
Rain date is Sunday October 16th at 2pm

The 36th Annual World Figure 8® Championship Three Hour Endurance Race® presented by Pure Power Technologies & UAW the Greatest Figure 8 Race on the Planet® will be held September 6-8, 2012 at the Bryant Heating and Cooling Indianapolis Speedrome®. The Speedrome is located at 802 South Kitley Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana 46219. We proudly reside in the Indianapolis community and the historical district of Irvington. For ticket information, visit us on the web at http://www.speedrome.com/ or email us at info@speedrome.com. Follow us Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn® or call the Speedrome hotline (317) 353-8206.
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