By Jordan Kuehne
(LEBANON, Missouri) – On a night centered around the showcasing of the Budweiser Modifieds and their annual special, the ‘Hillbilly 50,’ 16-year-old Cole Williams and his fluorescent green O’Reilly Auto Parts ASA Late Model stole the show with a strong performance usually associated with more seasoned hotshoes at Lebanon I-44 Speedway. Williams made his trek from the Louisville, Ky. area worth it as he drove through the field after starting in the rear and fended off Mike Slone and drivers three times his age on the way to the winner’s circle. David Bates collected the win in the showcase ‘Hillbilly 50’ as Modifieds’ points leader Tyler Scott’s efforts came up a bit short. Paul Jepson made it for two-in-a-row in the Coca-Cola Chargers while Dustin Reeves continued his early-season dominance with a win in the Hoosier Tire Road Warriors. Lil’ J.C. Newell extended his points lead with a triumph in the Hardee’s Sportsman.

A wild start slowed the start of the Budweiser Modifieds ‘Hillbilly 50’ headliner as a lap three wreck swept up Rocky Rash and Joe Ross. When the 50-lap special got underway in earnest, Ricky Icenhower rushed to the lead and quickly built a six car-length advantage over David Bates. Points leader Tyler Scott broke into the top three after blowing past Payton Lucas in turn three.

David Bates inherited the lead with 24 circuits remaining after Icenhower’s motor couldn’t handle the extra laps and finally gave way. As the laps ticked off, Scott slowly sliced into the gap between himself and the leader, narrowing the deficit to three car lengths with nine circuits to go. Scott could get no closer over the final laps however, falling short as Bates fended off ‘The Nixa Nightmare’ en route to his third feature win of the season.

“I was planning on being patient at first,” said Bates in the winner’s circle. “After I heard everyone else say they were going to do the same, I decided to just get to the front. It’s unfortunate what happened to Ricky but I wanted that win tonight.”

Scott settled for second but he extended his points lead with the runner-up finish while Payton Lucas notched a podium effort in third. Chris Johnson finished fourth while Kevin Hunt rounded out the top five in fifth.

Jimmy Vanzandt broke away from the 13-car field and surged to the early lead in the 30-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts ASA Late Models nightcap. After a pair of mid-race cautions halted the racing action, Vanzandt slipped away on the restart. Dale Roper, Jr. quickly pulled even with the leader, diving to the low side and stealing the top spot with nine circuits to go as Vanzandt dropped to fifth.

Roper, Jr. quickly came under fire from Cole Williams, succumbing to the pressure of the visiting driver with five laps remaining as Mike Slone followed suit and scored the bridesmaid’s position. Williams escaped the clutches of Slone as the laps quickly wound down and the 16-year-old hotshoe held on for the win making his seven hour trek from the Louisville, Ky. area well worth it.

“I came here to shake the car down,” said an excited Williams in victory lane. “I started tail back and wanted to get some practice for the 50-lap event coming up in a few weeks and we ended up winning the thing.”

Slone soldiered home in the bridesmaid’s position and extended his points lead in the process. Roper, Jr. put together a season-best third place finish while Matt Wallace and Jim Vanzandt rode home in fourth and fifth respectively.

Lil’ J.C. Newell snatched the lead from Robert Reeves on the fifth circuit of the 20-lap Hardee’s Sportsman feature and never looked back, easing away from the field and surviving a pair of mid-race cautions on the way to victory lane. The 16-year-old young gun nabbed his second win of the season and extended his points lead in the process, setting himself up for a potential bid for the championship. Reeves held on to second as the elder J.C. Newell made it a family affair up front with his third place effort.

Caston Jones jumped out front in the early stages of the 15-lap Coca-Cola Chargers headliner but Paul Jepson, fresh off his first career feature win last weekend, quickly drove through the field and began to challenge Jones. The top two drivers in the division point standing went door-to-door for four laps before Jepson finally nosed past Jones with an aggressive maneuver on the exit of turn four with three circuits to go. Despite Jones’ best efforts to rally back, he couldn’t get to the top spot as Jepson held on for his second consecutive trophy in as many weeks. Jones settled for a hard fought second while Jesse Poindexter came home third.

The Hoosier Tire Road Warriors was all Dustin Reeves as the ‘Showstopper’ rolled to the top spot on lap three of the 10-lap main event. A mid-race caution paused the proceedings but Reeves picked back up right where he left off, never looking back as he cruised to his fifth feature win of the relatively young 2012 campaign and extended his points lead in the process. Les Mallard notched a runner-up effort while Michael Juergensen pieced together a solid third place finish.

Racing returns to Lebanon I-44 Speedway next weekend as the O’Reilly Auto Parts ASA Late Models headline the eighth ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ program of the 2012 campaign. The Budweiser Modifieds highlight an exciting undercard that includes the Hardee’s Sportsman, Hoosier Tire Road Warriors and Coca-Cola Chargers. Spectator gates will open at 5 p.m. with the green flag set to wave at 7:30 p.m. sharp on the evening’s exciting slate of racing action.

For more information on Lebanon I-44 Speedway, including a full 2012 schedule and more, visit the track website at www.i44speedway.net or visit the track’s Facebook and Twitter pages online.

****
Lebanon I-44 Speedway Race Results for June 9
Late Models

Heat 1 Heat 2
1. # 2 Sharp 1. # 67 Vanzandt
2 . # 46 Williams 2. # 77 Slone
3. # 9 Cory 3. # 10 Roper Jr.
4. # 07 Limberopoulos 4. # 02 Brown
5. # 27 Ross 5. # 20 Fullerton
6. # 3 Willard 6. # 6 Wallace
7. # 18 Reaves
Feature
1. # 46 Cole Williams Sellersburg, IN
2. # 77 Mike Slone Rolla
3. # 10 Dale Roper Jr Fair Grove
4. # 6 Matt Wallace Concord, NC
5. # 67 Jim Vanzandt Springfield
6. # 27 Joe Ross Independence
7. # 3 Brennon Willard Sleeper
8. # 9 Tucker Cory Quincy, IL
9. # 02 Brian Brown Springfield
10. # 18 Jim Reaves Strafford
11. # 20 Austin Fullerton Chelsea, OK
12. # 07 Terry Limberopoulos Cuba
13. # 2 Grant Sharp Conway

Modified – Hillbilly 50
Heat 1 Heat 2
1. # 1 Rash 1. # 91 D. Bates
2. # 64 Ross 2. # 57 Scott
3. # 00 Johnson 3. # 7 Icenhower
4. # 21 Hunt 4. # 77 Crider
5. # 95 Harris 5. # 81 J. Bates
DNS # 25 Counterman 6. # 26 Lucas
7. # 51 Kelley
Feature
1. # 91 David Bates Fair Grove
2. # 57 Tyler Scott Nixa
3. # 26 Payton Lucas Fair Grove
4. # 00 Chris Johnson Lebanon
5. # 21 Kevin Hunt Spring Hills, KS
6. # 1 Rocky Rash Elkland
7. # 81 Jay Bates Fair Grove
8. # 7 Ricky Icenhower Fair Grove
9. # 77 Kevin Crider Rolla
10. # 64 Joe Ross Independence
DNS # 95 Norm Harris Marshfield
DNS # 25 Stephen Counterman Fair Grove

Sportsman
Heat 1 Heat 2
1. # 84 Newell 1. # 15 Newell
2. # 25 Owens 2. # 6 Reeves
3. # 36 J. Higdon 3. # 1 Harden
4. # 63 C. Higdon 4. # 10 Sharp
5. # 42 Greven 5. # 7 Douglas
Feature
1. # 15 Lil JC Newell Stoutland
2. # 6 Robert Reeves Camdenton
3. # 84 JC Newell Decaturville
4. # 10 Rick Sharp Fair Grove
5. # 42 Daulton Greven Bolivar
6. # 25 Darin Owens Springfield
7. # 1 Toby Harden Marshfield
8. # 7 Aaron Douglas Lebanon
9. # 36 Jon Higdon Strafford
10. # 63 Chuck Higdon Strafford

Road Warrior
Heat
1. # 21 Mallard
2. # 6 Reeves
3. # 7 Jones
4. # 00 Juergensen
5. # 35 Ball
6. # 1 McCubbin
Feature
1. # 6 Dustin Reeves Camdenton
2. # 21 Les Mallard Fair Grove
3. # 00 Michael Juergensen Lebanon
4. # 35 Gary Ball Lebanon
5. # 7 Shawn Jones Belle
6. # 1 Alex McCubbin

Chargers
Heat 1 Heat 2
1. # 5 Poindexter 1. # 44 Jepsen
2. # 1 Page 2. # 6 Lewis
3. # 42 Nisbett 3. # 34 Jones
4. # 11 Buhr 4. # 74 Hunter
5. # 55 Coverdell 5. # 7 Poindexter
DNS # 51 Butts 6. # 30 Taylor
DNS # 27 Cherry

Feature

1. # 44 Paul Jepsen Rolla
2. # 34 Caston Jones Belle
3. # 7 Jesse Poindexter Willard
4. # 1 Amanda Page Republic
5. # 5 Jimmy Poindexter Willard
6. # 55 Shawn Coverdell Rolla
7. # 11 Lauren Buhr Neosho
8. # 30 Zak Taylor Willard
9. # 42 Jordan Nisbett Lebanon
10. # 74 Larry Hunter Laquey
11. # 6 Richard Lewis Willard
DNS # 27 Nick Cherry Springfield
DNS # 51 Jeff Butts Springfield