(LEBANON, Missouri, by Sarah Woodhurst) The hot weather couldn’t keep drivers and fans of I-44 Speedway away on Saturday, July 9. Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon put on a great show for fans in the grandstands and on the Budweiser Wild Side in the ASA Late Model division, winning both his heat and feature events in his first appearance of the season. Sam Shaw of Rogersville also won his first feature event in his first start this season. Tyler Scott of Nixa made it four in a row in the Modified division and Ashley Deschenes of Lees Summit claimed the victory in an exciting race of the returning Outlaw Mini Stock class. Fair Grove’s Rick Sharp won the Sportsman feature event, while Belle’s Caston Jones finished first in the Charger main event.

Before the feature races took to the track, kids from the grandstand were divided into four age groups to participate in the annual ‘Kids Penny Scramble’. During intermission, 50,000 pennies were scattered over the paved infield portion of the racetrack and kids filled cups and even backpacks full of as many pennies as they could carry. This set the mood for the rest of the ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ racing show as kids beamed with happiness after either cashing in or taking home their pennies.

Sixteen ASA Late Models started the feature event, but Tony Jackson Jr. proved that he had the car to beat after taking the lead on lap five and maintaining it for the remaining 25 laps. The 2010 Late Model Fall Shootout winner, Justin Jennings of LaGrange, made his first appearance of the season one to remember by working his way from the back of the pack to take home second place. Meanwhile, Dale Roper Jr., Jim Reaves, Chrissy Wallace, and Joe Ross gave everything they had for an advance in position as they formed a tight pack gunning for the third place spot. Coming across the finish line, Roper Jr. won the battle for third, with Reaves in fourth, and Wallace, who has won the two previous Late Model events, finished fifth. “We made a lot of laps around here,” Jackson Jr. said in Monster Energy victory lane. “It’s a good place to race.” Jackson Jr., who is a familiar face to many at I-44 Speedway went on to thank his crew and supporters after his first appearance at the track this season.

Tyler Scott won his fourth consecutive ASA Modified feature Saturday night, which is also his sixth feature win of the season. Jason Otto of Richland took advantage of his pole starting position as he led the first half of the race. The #29 machine of Rodrick Icenhower and the #5 car belonging to Mike Coryell swapped spots numerous times after a first lap caution involving a spin out that Terry Taylor was caught up in, having to retire to the pits with damage. On lap 10, Scott, who started last in the field due to a feature win the week before, made an impressive crossover move to gain the third place position. By lap 11, he had advanced to second place after a tough battle with Coryell, but he didn’t stop there. On lap 14, Scott took the lead from Otto and didn’t look back. Otto held on to the second position after feeling pressure from Coryell who finished third. Icenhower took home the fourth spot and Riley Sharp of Fair Grove rounded out the top five.

The Outlaw Mini Stocks made their return Saturday night in a race that was decided on the last lap. Tyler Berry of Springhill, Kansas took the lead early in the race, but the husband and wife team of Michael and Ashley Deschenes were right on his heels after a hard charge to the front. Previous feature winner, Joe Bunkers of Harrisonville, joined the front-running four-car pack soon after. Ashley Deschenes, Michael Deschenes, and Bunkers battled hard for position in a race that seemed to build with excitement. With cars going three-wide on the last lap, Ashley Deschenes gained momentum and made a turn four pass over Kevin Hunt of Springhill, Kansas, for the win, with Michael Deschenes taking home the third place finish, Bunkers claiming the fourth place position and Berry finishing fifth.

The 4-cylinder Charger class lived up to its name during an action-packed race of ten hard-charging drivers. Drivers were four-wide on the start before Caston Jones of Belle took over a big lead. Ben Kramer of Richland and Shawn Jones of Belle battled for the second place position, while the #74 car of Larry Hunter who made his return to I-44 Speedway after missing a few weeks worked his way forward. Caston Jones took the checkered flag on lap twelve followed by Shawn Jones in second, Hunter in third, Kramer in fourth, and Reggie Jackson in fifth.

The four-car field of Road Warriors proved they know how to put on a show in a 10-lap feature event that was only slowed for one caution. Sam Shaw of Rogersville joined I-44 Speedway for the first time this season and commanded the race. The real battle was for the second position, which featured Mike Scott and Steve Shaw, both of Rogersville. These three Rogersville drivers completed the top three, while Dustin Reeves, of Camdenton, finished fourth. Four cars started the Sportsman feature race, with only three crossing the finish line. Rick Sharp of Fair Grove earned his fifth feature win of the season after taking the lead from JC Newell of Stoutland halfway through the race. Aaron Douglas of Lebanon finished third and Toby Harden finished fourth.

The Pro National ‘Baby Grand’ Series cars will join the show next Saturday night, July 16, at I-44 Speedway. A full program will be on tap with the five ASA stock car classes also racing. Gates will open at 5:00 pm, with racing beginning at 7:30 Additional information about upcoming events, racecar construction rules and championship points is available online at www.i44speedway.net.

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RACE RESULTS FOR JULY 9, 2011

LATE MODELS

HEAT 1

1)     21    Ken Dickinson

2)     16    Robert Baltzell

3)     93    Chrissy Wallace

4)             O2   Brian Brown

5)     67    Jimmy Vanzandt

6)     45    Chris Beaver

HEAT 2

1)     2      Grant Sharp

2)     56x  Justin Jennings

3)     18    Jim Reaves

4)     20    Austin Fullerton

5)     69    Caleb Hall

HEAT 3

1)     56    Tony Jackson

2)     11x  Phil Harris

3)     10    Dale Roper

4)     27    Joe Ross

5)     7      Jeremy Manes

FEATURE

1)     56    Tony Jackson Lebanon

2)     56x  Justin Jennings     LaGrange

3)     10    Dale Roper Jr Fair Grove

4)     18    Jim Reeves    Strafford

5)     93    Chrissy Wallace     Concord, NC

6)     27    Joe Ross        Independence

7)     O2   Brian Brown    Springfield

8)     45    Chris Beaver  Joplin

9)     69    Caleb Hall        Lees Summit

10)   7      Jeremy Manes        Nixa

11)   20    Austin Fullerton     Claremore, OK

12)   67    Jimmy Vanzandt    Springfield

13)   21    Ken Dickinson        Camdenton

14)   11    Phil Harris       Camdenton

15)   16    Robert Baltzell        Nixa

16)   2      Grant Sharp    Conway

MODIFIEDS

HEAT 1

1)     57    Tyler Scott

2)     66    Terry Taylor

3)     7      Rick Icenhower

4)     29    Rod Icenhower

5)     8      Jason Otto

HEAT 2

1)     5      Mike Coryell

2)     26    Payton Lucas

3)     33    Riley Sharp

4)     25    Stephen Counterman

5)     44    Kevin Blackburn

FEATURE

1)     57    Tyler Scott      Nixa

2)     8      Jason Otto      Richland

3)     5      Mike Coryell    Lebanon

4)     29    Rod Icenhower       Fair Grove

5)     33    Riley Sharp     Fair Grove

6)     26    Payton Lucas Fair Grove

7)     7      Rick Icenhower       Fair Grove

8)     25    Stephen Counterman    Fair Grove

9)     44    Kevin Blackburn    Lebanon

10)   66    Terry Taylor    Fair Grove

SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1

1)     10    Rick Sharp

2)     7      Aaron Douglas

3)     83    JC Newell

4)     1      Toby Harden

5)     77-DNS    Kevin Crider

FEATURE

1)     10    Rick Sharp      Fair Grove

2)     83    JC Newell        Stoutland

3)     7      Aaron Douglas       Lebanon

4)     1      Toby Harden   Ozark

5)     77-DNS    Kevin Crider   Rolla

ROAD WARRIOR

HEAT 1

1)     98    Sam Shaw

2)     34    Mike Scott

3)     6      Dustin Reeves

4)     90    Steve Shaw

5)     35-DNS    Gary Ball

FEATURE

1)     98    Sam Shaw       Rogersville

2)     34    Mike Scott       Rogersville

3)     90    Steve Shaw    Rogersville

4)     6      Dustin Reeves Camdenton

5)     35-DNS    Gary Ball   Lebanon

CHARGERS

HEAT 1

1)     7      Shawn Jones

2)     42    Reggie Jackson

3)     14    Ben Kramer

4)     27    Nick Cherry

5)     0      Austin Hunter

HEAT 2

1)     21    Josh Ratliff

2)     10    Gary Davenport

3)     74    Larry Hunter

4)              1P   Amanda Page

5)     34    Caston Jones

FEATURE

1)     34    Caston Jones Belle

2)     7      Shawn Jones  Belle

3)     74    Larry Hunter   Laquey

4)     14    Ben Kramer    Richland

5)     42    Reggie Jackson

6)     10    Gary Davenport      Marshfield

7)     27    Nick Cherry     Springfield

8)     21    Josh Ratliff     Rolla

9)     1      Amanda Page

10)   0      Austin Hunter

OUTLAW MINI STOCKS

HEAT 1

1)     86    Michael Deschenes

2)     26    Kevin Hunt

3)     12    Ashley Deschenes

4)     4      Joe Bunker

5)     27    Tyler Berry

6)     80    JW Blankenship

FEATURE

1)     12    Ashley Deschenes Lees Summit

2)     26    Kevin Hunt      Springhill, KS

3)     86    Michael Deschenes        Lees Summit

4)     4      Joe Bunker     Harrisonville

5)     27    Tyler Berry      Springhill, KS

6)     80    JW Blankenship     Warrensburg