INDIANAPOLIS — Oklahoma's Cannon McIntosh took a victory in a thrilling BC39 feature on Sunday evening, holding off Jade Avedisian after passing Chase McDermand on the final lap.
Heavy rain and winds from the remnants of Hurricane Helene created for a heavily-condensed event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Dirt Track.
Friday and Saturday's events were washed out by the rain, pushing all heat races, qualifying races plus the C-, B-, and A-mains to Sunday afternoon.
When the green flag finally flew on the BC39 feature around 9 p.m., the 26 starters all vying for the $20,039 prize put on another classic show on the newly surfaced IMS Dirt Track.
Chase McDermand and Daison Pursley started on the front row for the 39-lap feature followed by preliminary feature winner Kale Drake and Alabama's Kevin Thomas Jr. The only former winner in Sunday's feature was last year's winner Justin Grant, who started in the fourth row.
Pursley led early before Chase McDermand finally slid by Pursley on the third lap. The first caution of the feature occurred on lap 7 when Zach Wignal spun from 19th place, collecting four other cars. After the restart, McDermand continued to set the pace.
A caution on lap 18 for Kyle Cummins' spin in turn 4 took away the lapped traffic that had been slowing McDermand down, but there was still half a race left to run. Pursley continued to chase McDermand, but eventually came under pressure from Kale Drake and Kevin Thomas Jr.
On lap 24, sixth-place runner Jade Avedisian made contact with Justin Grant sending the defending winner tumbling. Avedisian was able to continue, but Grant's chances at a repeat were dashed.
Jade Avedisian came out of the caution flag on a mission. The California driver started ripping the top of the race track, eventually moving herself into the third position with a chance at victory.
With less than ten laps to go, prelim feature winner Kale Drake cut a tire while battle for fourth place and slowed to a stop to bring out the final caution flag of the night. McDermand had survived all the restarts so far, but needed to survive this one to clinch his first BC39 feature win.
With 8 laps to go, McDermand appeared to have the advantage on the final restart as he pulled out to a decent lead over Pursley. Pursley, Cannon McIntosh, and Avedisian fought hard for second, but McDermond struggled to pull away.
McIntosh and Avedisian continued to hound McDermand as the laps clicked down.
Suddenly, coming to the white flag, McDermand clipped one of the infield tires meant to mark the start of the racing surface, and slowed rapidly.
McIntosh flew past McDermond into Turn 2 and Avedisian got by on the backstretch. Avedisian ripped the top in a last-ditch effort to score the win, but came up just short, giving Cannon McIntosh his first BC39 feature win.
"I'm at a loss for words, I'm so grateful to be standing here," said McIntosh to FloRacing after the race. "Just grateful to be in this position. Thankful that Keith Kunz Motorsports believed in me."
"We've been so close to winning here, even on prelim nights, and just haven't gotten it done."
McIntosh is the sixth different winner of the BC39 in its short history. Since the race's inception in 2018, no driver has won the event more than once.
"I didn't know it was the white (flag) until (McDermond) messed up and I seen it. I thought about driving it in there and chopping his nose but I just stuck to the line I had," said McIntosh after the race. "I'm so thankful to do this in honor of Bryan (Clauson). He was a legend in our sport."
