Garner garners Marysville win with last-lap pass

Northern SportMod, Results

Mark Garner won a barnburner Saturday night at Marysville Raceway, topping the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature with a well-executed last-lap pass. (Photo Courtesy by as.photography)

By Ben Deatherage

MARYSVILLE, Calif. (June 1, 2024) – Mark Garner’s second win of the season at Marysville Raceway came following his pass for the front of the final lap of Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event.

The feature kicked off with Shaun Merritt taking an early lead and setting a blistering pace with Garner hot on his heels.

Merritt’s strategic use of the middle portion of the racing surface proved to be formidable and as Garner’s efforts were thwarted, it opened a window for Ray Lindeman to challenge for the runner-up position.  

The first stoppage, on the ninth circuit, bunched the field up and give Merritt an open track to work with. When the green flag returned, Garner got a brilliant run down the back stretch on lap 13, getting beside Merritt but just unable to complete the pass.

A pair of yellows occurred with a few laps left, setting up a thrilling shootout. Garner tried again to get the necessary run on Merritt, but the leader was just a little bit better in turns three and four.

Garner turned up the wick following a restart and got a run underneath Merritt coming to the white flag. Garner finally seized the lead coming out of turn two, the held on through the final set of left hand turns for the hard-fought win.

Merritt was a close second, with third going to Lindeman.

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