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Marcus Thomas scores Bandits Outlaw Sprint win at


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Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series event nets Thomas the ‘W’ at HOT

- Yet Another Unpredictable Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series Event at HOT
 
Elm Mott TX (5/15/21) - Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series fans are frequently commenting how unpredictable the race outcomes are from event to event, and last night’s ‘Children Tumor Foundation Night’ at Heart O' Texas Speedway (HOT) was certainly no different with 7th-place starter Marcus Thomas, piloting the beautiful Ray Williams owned #22x, to victory lane and collecting $2,000. 
 
Event recap:
Thirty Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series teams were split into three-10 car qualifying heat races with the top 16 in combined finishing and passing points lining up the straight-up for the 24-car feature with the balance of the field advancing from the B-feature.
 
Lots of passing highlighted the heat races with winners Chase Randall (started 4th), Austin Mundie (1) and Blake Mallory (2) all advancing to the feature. The top four overall qualifiers - after passing points were added in - were Chase Randall (2), Dalton Steed (8) Channin Tankersley (10) and Blake Mallory (2). This set the stage for a repeat of the March 12, 2021 ‘Bandit event HOT with the same trio up front for most of both features. 
 
When the green flag dropped for the 25-lapper, the slick, smooth racing surface allowed racers to utilize both the very bottom and upper deck with Dalton Steed taking the point until a lap-4 yellow flag flew for DJ Estes who suffered mechanical woes, sidelining him for the rest of the event.
 
On the restart Steed pulled away from Chase Randall for a 10 car-length lead over Channin Tankersley. 
 
Meanwhile, Marcus Thomas was picking his way through the field, advancing up to the 4th position.
 
Tankersley took over the 2nd spot from Randall on the eighth circuit and set his sights on Steed, while Thomas put pressure on Randall for 3rd.
 
Tankersley's night ended abruptly on lap 9, however, when he collected Junior Jenkins, who had experienced severe rear end issues and had slowed at the top of turns 3-4.  The contact knocked down the RR tire of the Old School Racing #17g in the process ending his night. 
 
That moved Thomas back into the 3rd spot next to Randall for the restart, setting up yet another dynamic as the event resumed. On that restart, Steed and Thomas pulled away from the field as Randall got wide going into corner one, losing two spots in the process.
 
The battle between Steed and Thomas intensified on lap 10 when Thomas blasted by Steed on the low side to take the lead until Austin Saunders got crossed up in turn two on lap 12 to bring out another quick yellow.
 
A bit of a stack up on the restart caused several cars to get together with ‘Bandits points leader John Ricketts pulling to the infield with suspension damage and 3rd-place runner Chase Randall getting a flat LF tire.
 
Once the race resumed, 3rd-running Austin Mundie quickly shot by Steed on lap 13 taking over the 2nd spot. Meanwhile, seemingly out of nowhere, Jeb Sessums had been making his way through the field from his 17th place starting position to enter the top 5.
 
By now the track was taking rubber, as evidenced by some smoking RR tires, when the race was paused for a quick spin in corner 4 on lap 19 leaving Thomas, Steed and Sessums the top three for the restart. 
 
When green flew, Thomas pulled ahead of Steed and Sessums who both were showing heavy smoke from their right-rear tires leaving Thomas to take the checkers and $2,000 richer.
 
We’d like to thank the Heart O’ Texas Speedway staff, especially track promoter Selby Holder and staff for providing a smooth racing surface after the several inches of rainfall just a few days prior to the event. It is not an easy process after that much rainfall to make a track surface perfect, but it did stay smooth the entire event – which resulted in virtually no cars being torn up in the process.
 
Thank you also the appreciative HOT fans, who were both plentiful and very much ‘in to’ the racing program – as they were cheering on their favorite drivers and the action the Series brought them.
 
NEXT UP for the Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series is a trip up to Texas’ Dirt Track Palace – Monarch Motor Speedway in Wichita Falls – on Saturday, May 22nd. Note early start times are in effect, with 6:30pm hot laps and at 7pm the first heat race will hit the track. The ‘Bandits will be racing 2nd division out all night long.
 
Also note that on Monday May 17th, we will be launching the All Star Sprint Showdown at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track www.raceXR.com – and teams are urged to enter the moment it launches, as there is an entry cap of 50 sprint teams of this highly anticipated 2-day event kicking off NASCAR All Star Weekend. The Bandits Outlaw Sprint Series are the headliner on Thursday June 10th and Friday June 11th. The events each pay $2,500 to win and $400 to start, with all non-qualifiers receiving $150. Of course with it being NASCAR weekend, a few special ‘invaders’ can be expected, and we will keep all the fans notified just who those drivers will be in the weeks leading up to the event. Until then, thanks once again to all for their support of this series focused on sustainable – yet high quality – outlaw winged sprint car racing!
 
Here are the posted A-feature results:
22x – Marcus Thomas
26 – Dalton Steed
5 – Austin Mundie
71 – Colby Estes
b99 – Blake Mallory
12w – Dale Wester
74e – Claud Estes III
01j – Jeb Sessums
72p – Gary Floyd
87x – Briley Stone
64x – Will Eggimann
41 – Joshua Harner
17 – Matt Etzelmiller
3 – Brett Engstrom
72 – Daniel Estes
27 – Kodey Keimig
9 – Chase Randall
5r – John Ricketts
83 – Jett Hays
82 – Austin Saunders
17g – Channin Tankersley
23 – Junior Jenkins
74 – DJ Estes
7 – Jerrad Warhurst
 
Series points after the HOT event will be posted when they become available.
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