**Patrick Spangler denies Joe Howe2 in frantic feature finish at Lernerville** Patrick Spangler and Joe Howe2 staged a back-and-forth battle down the stretch that came down to the final laps, with Spangler executing the decisive pass to take the checkered flag and open the season with a win. Howe2 had controlled much of the feature with 20 laps led, but Spangler's patience and positioning in traffic paid off when it mattered most. The real story was Bruce Clingan's charge from ninth to the podium. The hard charger threaded through a chaotic midfield to grab third and announce himself as a serious contender early. Brandon Garman rounded out the top four after winning his heat, while Christian McCartney capped off an impressive debut run by winning a consolation race and finishing fifth in the feature. Kenny Hoffman set the tone all day with pole position, but couldn't maintain that speed when the main event started. Lernerville's dirt proved demanding right out of the gate, separating the prepared from the unprepared in hurry.