The second slate of heat races kicked off with a multi-car crash on the opening lap of Heat 1B, but once it was cleaned up there was no stopping Pat Ward, who led from wire to wire over Ryan Watt and polesitter Chris Raabe.
Heat 2B saw a torrid battle between Haers and Tim Fuller, which ended with Haers beating out Fuller, Mat Williamson and Dave Blaney in a caution-free eight-lap affair.
A lone caution for Justin Wright’s meeting with the frontstretch wall did nothing to slow polesitter Brett Hearn’s momentum in Heat 3B.
Hearn darted away to the win over champion-elect Matt Sheppard, who charged from sixth to second in eight laps, with Gary Tomkins and Erick Rudolph claiming the remaining transfer positions.
Heat 4B was an easy win for Wight, who started on the pole and crusied to victory over Heinke-Baldwin Racing teammates Peter Britten and Jimmy Phelps. ‘The Doctor’, Danny Johnson, was the final transfer in fourth.
The final Saturday heat race saw Billy Decker dominate the eight lap run, but Stewart Friesen become the show after the Super DIRT Week champion got crossed up on the second lap and made contact with several drivers, falling back to fifth and outside the guaranteed transfers as a result.
But Friesen was not to be denied, passing Brett Cresley for fourth with two laps to go and going on to finish there behind Tyler Dippel and Rick Laubach, who also moved into Saturday’s main event.
Saturday’s feature lineup will see the five heat winners draw for their starting spots, with Ryan Watt, Fuller, Sheppard, Britten and Dippel rolling off from positions six through 10, respectively.
Raabe, Williamson, Tomkins, Phelps, Laubach, Mike Maresca, Blaney, Rudolph, Johnson and Friesen start in rows six through 10 on Saturday night.
Notables who will have to race their ways in through the Saturday Last Chance Showdowns include defending World Finals winner Tim Kerr, Billy Pauch Jr. and young gun Max McLaughlin.
The Bad Boy Off Road World Finals continue Friday with the first of two Super DIRTcar Series racing programs, featuring two Last Chance Showdowns and a 30-lap A-Main.
