When Bryan Howland won his heat to qualify for the feature, he knew he had locked up the 2009 Lucas Oil ASCS Patriot Title; with points no longer a worry, he focused in on going for the win and came through with a wire-to-wire win.
Howland, of Auburn, NY, celebrated his record-breaking third Lucas Oil ASCS Patriot Championship in style Sunday Night at Eriez Speedway as he held off some intense challenges from Bubba Broderick and Trevor Lewis for his fifth win of the year. Along the way Howland would collect $2,009 in the final points race of the season also capture the King of OH/PA $heriez point title.
Howland has never found immense success at Eriez Speedway, but on another glorious night for racing he drew well, ran well and finished the job as Bubba Broderick stalked him for all 25 laps.
“I heard (Broderick) back there the entire race, I was hoping it was my motor but he was right there, ” said the elated 22-year-old in Victory Lane. “He showed a wheel under me once and I had just enough time to get down to the bottom.
“Flyin’ Bryan” drew the outside pole for the 22nd feature of the season, with local favorite Scott Bonnell on the pole. Howland rim rode around the No. 3B in the opening turn and after a caution on the second lap would slice the Filtrec Corporation/ Jimmy D Powered Maxim through a slew of lapped cars, all the while with Broderick in his tire tracks.
Broderick jumped for fourth to second on the opening lap and from that point to the finish was never more than five car lengths from the No. 51. The two navigated through lapped traffic masterfully and made life difficult for Howland.
As the two former Patriot Rookie of the Year’s held the top two spots, Trevor Lewis was on a mission to pass them and pick up $5,000.
Lewis, the May winner at Eriez, redrew eighth and on a difficult track to pass laid low in sixth place for the first 1/3 of the race on the 1/3-mile. On lap eight he cleared Gordy Button for fifth after a spirited battle; for the next 10 laps Lewis hit a new gear and began chomping down his deficit on the leaders.
The No. 21L got together with the lapped car of Doug Bowman while moving by Scott Bonnell and Kyle Drum to get to third. By lap 16 the five time Patriot winner in 2009 had caught the leaders and began to work on Broderick. The Connecicut kid was up for the battle though.
Lewis tried a pass on the outside of turns 3 and 4 when Broderick decided to take the bottom line in an attempt to pass Howland for the lead in lapped traffic. The two would come together and a lap later as they were side-by-side, Lewis slammed in to the front stretch wall but continued.
When the caution flew on lap 20 for fourth place Scott Bonnell breaking in turn four, Lewis appeared ready to make his run for the money but instead was able to accurately diagnose that his rear end was broken and took it pit side.
With Lewis out, the win, as well as the King of OH/PA Crown came down to Howland and Broderick; whichever came out on top would win the fourth leg of the Lucas Oil Five Crown Tour.
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