VOLUME 58 ISSUE 21 MAY 25, 2021 P37
Kelley was running around fifth
early in the race, but on the first
lap moved up into third behind
Russell and Baylor.
"I was right behind Stew, and
I just washed the front end; I
was so mad," said Kelley. "I was
able to put in some good laps
and pass those guys—just kind of
held a better line in some sec-
tions and snuck in on them. I was
behind Ricky for like two laps. I
was faster than him and put in a
charge to try to pass him, but he
was going good. I couldn't make
it happen. We kind of yo-yoed for
a bit, and I finally passed him at
the end of the second lap right
after the finish."
After taking the lead from Rus-
sell on the second lap, Kelley
held the lead until the final lap.
"Strang was slowly reeling me
in; we would get to that grass
track section, and he would just
suck right up to me," said Kelley.
"It was like I was working so hard
out there but he was just faster.
I just put in a hard charge that sec-
ond-to-last lap, got about seven
or eight seconds. Coming out of
one of the creeks and there was
a bottleneck, so Strang was right
on my wheel. I pushed to try to
get a gap again, but we were right
before that Penton section and
the grass track and he caught me.
I had nothing left in the tank. I ran
off the track into some trees a few
times. I was giving it my all, but he
bested me. It seemed like he just
had good lines there at the end
and he beat me, outsmarted me."
Kelley also had to hold off
Ben Kelley had a
shot at the win but
the veteran, Strang,
out-lasted the KTM
rider in the heat.
Steward Baylor saw his
win streak come to an
end but he still ended
up on the podium.
