WAYNESFIELD, Ohio — Texas sprint car driver T.J. Michael made the long tow to western Ohio and made it count Saturday night.

Michael banked the $5,500 top prize as the FAST Sprint Car Series opened the season at Waynesfield Raceway Park.

Michael held off Gary Taylor at the checkered flag.

“Starting from the front row, I just wanted to get a good pace going once I got into the lead,” stated Michael. “Cole was the best car, but lapped traffic was tough. I saw it coming a mile away, lapped traffic was somewhat in the way. I just can’t thank team, partners, and dad for allowing me to come do this, it feels good to get the win.”

Taylor started on the pole with Michael alongside when the green dropped for the start of the 30-lap contest. Taylor blistered into turn one the leader as the other winged warriors were in pursuit and scattered for position.

A blistering fast start, as Cole Duncan dove into second dropping Michael to third and a short time later in lapped traffic Duncan sailed to the point dropping Taylor to second. As Duncan sliced through the field setting sail clearly the class of the field, Michael and Taylor switch second and third every lap.

Lapped traffic would pick up and become significant as Duncan tried to roll through but eventual got caught up and came to a stop in turn one. Relegated to the tail of the field, Duncan regained the field as now Michael and Taylor would settle it.

Michael fired off lap after lap clicking away and Taylor showing a wheel every lap. Again in lapped traffic and the leaders would find it tight, until taking the white flag and on the returning lap in turn three and four cars would get tangled as both Kody Swanson and Duncan flipped in  separate crashes.

Once the white and green flags were displayed there was little doubt, it was Michaels to lose as he finished it off. Max Stambaugh was third as Brandon Wimmer came up to fourth and Thomas Messeraull rounded out the top five.