The richest race at the 2023 Miami Valley Raceway meet thus far produced a thrilling photo finish as expected on Tuesday (Feb, 14).
All eight of the preliminary leg winners over the past two weeks were present and accounted for when the field reported to the starter for the $35,000 final of the Claim To Fame Series for $20,000 claiming pacers.
Mustang Beach and driver Dan Noble put in a gutsy performance, going gate-to-wire, but facing stiff challenges on the inside and the outside to survive by a nose at the end of the stretch. After Noble set fractions of :26.2, :55.4 and 1:23.2, it took Mustang Beach all he had to prevail over Unloaded (Josh Sutton) on his inside and Mohawk Seelster (Chris Page) on his outside. The winning time was 1:51.3.
The Lucky Label Stable of Grove City, Ohio claimed the winner out of the first leg and needed to win Leg 2 to advance to the final. They did just that as well as drawing the coveted post position one for the lucrative final. Although Trace Tetrick advanced Mustang Beach for trainer Charlie Stewart in the preliminary round, Noble picked up the drive in the final as Tetrick had also won a preliminary round for trainer Tyler George, one of his top accounts.
The complete field, in order of finish, was Mustang Beach, Unloaded N, Mohawk Seelster, Major Crocker, Littlebitaswagger, Bunkndunk, Play The Ponies, Bold And Brassy and Rockin Daddy O. There was no claiming from the championship.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)