Canyon Speedway Park
Williams sweeps SWDRA doubleheader at Canyon
By M.J. Anderson
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Brad Williams races to victory at Canyon. (TME Photography)
PEORIA, Ariz. (May 23-24) — Brad Williams of Tucson, Ariz., swept Memorial Day weekend action at Canyon Speedway Park, grabbing a pair of $1,000 victories on the Southwest DIRTcar Racing Association. Williams, whose only previous SWDRA victory came last August at Prescott Valley Raceway, made a dramatic last-corner pass in Saturday's opener, then led all the way in Sunday's finale.
Five-time series champion Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., was second in both events while Tucson's Jeremy Thornton had a pair of third-place finishes on the weekend for the Dairy Queen-sponsored series.
In Saturday's feature, Williams started on the pole and led nine laps before Parker took over. Parker maintained his edge through a series of cautions while Williams had his hands full with Thornton in a battle for second. At the white flag, Parker approached a pack of slower cars and Williams went to the high side while Parker elected for the low groove. Williams used his high-side momentum to swing into the lead exiting turn four, beating Parker by a car length at the checkered flag. Parker, Thornton, Anthony Madrid of Phoenix, Ariz., and Keith Noyes of Tucson rounded out the top five.
In Sunday's feature, Williams started on the pole and kept Thornton in check through the first two-thirds of the race. A lap-21 caution for third-running Noyes moved the sixth-starting Parker up to third for the restart, and he took second from Thornton. But Parker couldn't catch Williams, setting for second ahead of Thornton, Joey Moriarty of Phoenix and Madrid.
May 23 feature: (1) Brad Williams, (2) Lonnie Parker Jr., (3) Jeremy Thornton, (4) Anthony Madrid, (5) Keith Noyes, (6) Jamie Throckmorton, (7) Jerry Fincher, (8) Randy Carder, (9) Mike Clark, (10) Keith McKinney, (11) John Romero, (12) Joey Moriarty, (13) Doug Shell, (14) Brad Whitfield.
May 24 feature: (1) Brad Williams, (2) Lonnie Parker Jr., (3) Jeremy Thornton, (4) Joey Moriarty, (5) Anthony Madrid, (6) Brad Whitfield, (7) Jamie Throckmorton, (8) Keith McKinney, (9) John Romero, (10) Jerry Fincher, (11) Bruce Duckett, (12) Doug Shell, (13) Mike Clark, (14) Keith Noyes, (15) Cory Hemphill.
