Going into Homestead, five drivers have a realistic shot at Championship victory in 2021. Ryan Heuser and John Battista are the two favorites coming into the event, coming in 42 and 62 points behind leader Scott Jackson, who starts 9th. Ken Pettit comes off the grid 14th, only 8 points back.
Race Results
Points Standings
Schedule
The start of the event was a two-wide extravaganza from front to rear. Pole-sitter Jimmie Stevens led the first five laps before Bill Werkheiser stone the lead on the outside lane. He would stay up front for 17 circuits.
The Championship bonus point battle commensed when John Battista found his way to the front. From behind, Scott Jackson and Ken Pettit were dropping back through the field, leaving Battista and Ryan Heuser as the drivers duking it out for the crown during the first green flag run.
The Wendy's machine would yield for tire saving as the Fenway Park Ford Fusion and regular season Champion heralded the advantage. Pizzaro would not stay for long as the QSM horsepower loomed in short distance.
Ryan Heuser finally had his turn, leading the rest of the green flag run. Earlier on, Matt Raboin came in for a flat tire early and short-pitted to the lead. He would hold ground for 10 laps before the field engulfed him to smithereens. Heuser was still your leader.
A three-wide battle for control of the field commenced late in the second green flag run. Rick Jackson power-moved to the outside lane and took the lead, looking to spoil the Championship party and win his third race in the final four events to end the 2021 season.
Johnny Reed Foley was the only driver who could keep up with Jackson, as the two battled for victory as well as the 11th-place Championship crown. Both drivers would have been serious title contenders if they had clinched their spot in the chase, but it stand as is. Foley is enjoying his final drive for the Shake N' Bake racing crew.
It was an R2W race to the finish. Ken Pettit was ahead of Ryan Heuser by less than 20 points coming in to make the final pit stop. He was hovering from 7th to 14th in a heap of turmoil, as Heuser made up the points distance with a solid top-5 showing. Meanwhile, Jackson and Pizzaro would use completely different strategies to find their possible route to victory lane.
With 22 laps to go, Pettit decided to roll the dice and make a four-tire change. He dropped from 13th to 36th. Heuser got the call and came in the next lap, coming out four spots ahead. Neither driver knew if anybody could make it on gas, as Scott Jackson attempted to make the distance. He could not, coming in with 5 laps to go and a zero-tire call.
As Pettit and Heuser battled for the Championship, Pizzaro and Battista battled through lapped traffic to race for the victory. Nobody could make it on fuel, leaving Battista and an excellent spot if he could find his way past the #12. Somehow, Pettit and Heuser had used the tire advantage perfectly and were fourth and third, not far behind the battle. Pettit has the Championship wrapped up barring dire circumstances. Rick Jackson dropped back to 5th on conventional pit strategy.
An all Race-2-Win day as Jackson led the most laps, Pizzaro wins the race, and Ken Pettit becomes your 2021 Extravaganza Series Champion with a come-from-behind fourth place finish. Congratulations to the entire team for a dominant season, as all three cars earned their stripes on speed down the final stretch. Slim Horton and the gang has found himself a Championship crown!
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