ELDON, Mo. -- “Sunshine” Tyler Courtney may have led them all on Friday night at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri, ultimately scoring his fifth Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 main event victory of the season, but his 25-lap campaign in the Beach Brawl opener did not conclude without a challenge, forced to fend off a last lap lunge by Millersville, Missouri’s Joe B. Miller.

Miller, who started tenth on the Lake Ozark grid before climbing his way to second on lap 21, did everything he could to power by the reigning All Star champion, nearly squeezing underneath Courtney as the pair battled off of turn four on the final circuit. Despite an impressive attempt, Miller was forced to take a backseat, missing out on the $8,000 payday by a mere-.122 seconds. Zeb Wise, now the full-time ace of the Rudeen Racing No. 26, finished third, followed by Gio Scelzi and Parker Price-Miller.

A few bad turns allowed Miller to close the gap on Courtney; Courtney was forced to nearly stop the car to get through turn four one lap prior.

“I just made some bad moves in those last couple of laps,” Courtney, driver of the Clauson Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink/No. 7BC, said. “I never really left the top tonight, which was probably my fault. Everytime we got to traffic, a yellow would come out so I never really had to move around. I’ve been racing with Joe B. a long time and I wasn’t really expecting him to be racing me that close to the line. I’m just happy it all worked out…we’ll do whatever we can to do it again tomorrow.”

VIDEO: Watch highlights from Friday's Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions race at Lake Ozark. 

The All Star Circuit of Champions will cap their Lake Ozark Speedway visit with the Beach Brawl finale on Saturday, July 23. Adding to the weekend luster, the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint League will join the All Stars in the $10,000-to-win Beach Brawl finale, also battling for full championship points. A rain date of Sunday, July 24, will be utilized if needed.

LAKE OZARK AGENDA:

Saturday, July 23

Drivers Meeting 6:45

Engine Heat 7:15

Hot Laps 7:30

www.lakeozarkspeedway.net

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