Ashton Tucker Becomes The First Four-Time Yard Gear 250 Champion
On Monday afternoon at Speedway 660, Ashton Tucker (#2) created history in a spectacular manner by clinching his fourth Yard Gear 250 presented by Valvoline Motor Oil, leaving some of his competitors devastated.
Tucker took the lead in the race three times, leading for fifty-eight laps in total. He secured the final lead by overtaking Austin MacDonald (#13) with only ten laps left. He maintained this lead, winning the race and a historic victory award of over $19,000.
MacDonald, who won the Summer Clash 250 at Scotia Speedworld three weeks ago, had to accept a second-place finish. Greg Fahey (#20), despite his efforts to secure a hard-to-come-by 250 victory, only managed to reach third place. This came after the top three racers repeatedly swapped the lead in an intense battle to the finish line.
The 24th Yard Gear 250 race had 23 drivers on the grid, but was delayed to Monday afternoon due to bad weather on Sunday. Ryan Messer (#1) started in the lead alongside Hudson Weston (#43), both of whom, along with Dustin Tucker (#52), had won Summit Dodge heat races earlier. Messer continued to lead, accruing a significant lead and earning the majority of the $50 lap leader bonuses. The positions of the other drivers shifted frequently as they competed behind Messer.
The race started with a lengthy green flag run, during which Messer led the field for 98 uninterrupted laps. The smooth start was disrupted by a shocking accident involving Joe Hoyt (#14), who was participating in the Yard Gear 250 for the first time. Hoyt’s car flipped onto the pit entrance ramp after going over the backstretch embankment. Thankfully, Hoyt was unharmed and managed to walk away from the crash.
Ashton Tucker worked his way up to the second position during the initial green flag run, eventually taking the lead from Messer after a restart. A multi-car incident on lap 116 in turn three brought about the second caution, with Devin Snell (#10) suffering the most damage after hitting the fence. The restart that followed resulted in a quick caution due to Cory Hall’s (#83) motor expiring and leaking oil all over the track, causing several competitors including Nicholas Naugle (#08) to spin. Dave O’Blenis (#48) managed to get ahead of Tucker in the subsequent restart, a move that proved pivotal as the Modern Electric Halfway Bonus for leading at halfway was at stake. O’Blenis was declared the leader when the fourth caution was called due to Curtis Collins (#27) spinning out.
On the restart, Tucker reclaimed the lead and won the $1000 Halfway Bonus. He maintained his lead as several competitors headed to the pits for tire changes. A 25-lap green flag run up to lap 147 gave those who pitted the opportunity to start advancing to the front. When a caution was issued for Ian Rasmussen (#81), it slowed the field and gave Tucker the opportunity to pit.
During the subsequent restart, Lonnie Sommerville (#23) took the lead, only to be surpassed after a few laps by NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes (#99). However, Rhodes’s lead was brief as Greg Fahey took over on lap 153, establishing a substantial lead that signaled a potentially career-defining win. After his pit stop, Tucker managed to navigate through the traffic and secure the second position. He was beginning to close the gap with Fahey when the race’s sixth and final caution for Chris Duncan (#97) occurred on lap 212.
In a twist of fate, Dave O’Blenis made a victorious pit stop during a caution on lap 212 a year ago. In hopes of recreating this historic moment, O’Blenis held off until the later stages to pit once more. This also provided an opportunity for Austin MacDonald to head pit side. MacDonald emerged first from the pits, restarting in seventh place, while Fahey and Tucker were at the front as the race returned to green.
MacDonald swiftly rose to third place as Fahey and Tucker commenced a strategic power play for the lead. Tucker made a move to overtake Fahey on the outside, but Fahey moved up the track, almost forcing Tucker off course. Seeing an opportunity, MacDonald seized second place and started challenging Fahey for the lead. The King Freight Lines #13 vehicle, which had previously won three 250 races with Cassius Clark as the driver, skillfully maneuvered the outside and passed Fahey. However, contact from Fahey caused MacDonald to lose control momentarily, providing an opportunity for Tucker to reclaim his position as second runner-up.
Tucker subsequently started focusing on the #13, reducing the distance and overtaking with just ten laps left to secure the victory. Meanwhile, MacDonald had to fend off a determined Fahey to secure the second place.
Dave O’Blenis and Ryan Messer completed the top five, enjoying an excellent view of the intense competition ahead of them. Ben Rhodes, the champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, started third on the final restart but eventually fell back to the ninth position when the race ended.
Fans were entertained by eight lead changes among seven drivers, with Messer leading the most laps of the day at ninety-eight (98). The race, which was completed in 2 hours and 10 minutes, was only slowed by six (6) cautions.
Tucker’s victory resulted in earnings exceeding $19,000! The Yard Gear 250 paid $15,000 for the win, the Modern Electric Halfway Bonus was $1,000, and 58 laps at $50 each summed up to $18,900 for the Brad Silliker Motorsports team. When additional bonuses and contingencies are taken into account, Tucker’s total payout will be higher once the final calculations are done.
Earlier today, Ayden Christensen from Maritime League of Legends, Dan Duke from Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics, Tristin Harris from Atlantic Modified Tour, and Wayne Fox from Sharp Shooter, all finished first in their respective races. The official results for the support classes will be confirmed and published later on Tuesday.
That concludes Lyle Bongard’s RV Sales SpeedWeekend for 2024 at Speedway 660. After a few weeks off, the track will return to action on Saturday September 21st for the Riverview Honda Weekend of Champions.
24th Annual Yard Gear 250 Results
- Ashton Tucker #2
- Austin MacDonald #13
- Greg Fahey #20
- Dave O’Blenis #48
- Ryan Messer #1
- Hudson Weston #43
- Lonnie Sommerville #23
- Dustin Tucker #52
- Ben Rhodes #99
- Nicholas Naugle #08
- Kent Vincent #8
- Chris Duncan #97
- Ian Rasmussen #81
- Clark Moore #54
- Cal Hatfield #11
- Steve Halpin #03
- Curtis Collins #27
- Kevin Moore #88
- Cory Hall #83
- Devin Snell #10
- Joe Hoyt #14
- Ed Bowlby #15
- Ryan Raynes #94
