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Last-lap magic: Fuqua makes late pass to grab USRA Modified feature headliner at Lucas Oil Speedway

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Darron Fuqua celebrates his first Lucas Oil Speedway feature win, after a last-turn pass gave him the Pitts Homes USRA Modified feature Saturday night. (Kenny Shaw photo)

By Lyndal Scranton – WHEATLAND, Missouri (May 13, 2018) – On a Saturday night of memorable finishes in the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series, Darron Fuqua earned a thriller in the main event at Lucas Oil Speedway.

Fuqua passed Chase Domer in the final turn of the final lap of the Pitts Homes USRA Modified feature, earning $1,000 in the night’s 25-lap headliner.

Meanwhile, Aaron Marrant made some last-lap magic of his own with a last-lap pass to capture the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Model feature. David Hendrix (Big O Tires Street Stocks) and Kris Jackson (Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods) also visited victory lane in a program presented by NMI/VMG Marketing and Wild Animal Safari.

Fuqua, of Mayetta, Kan., weaved through lapped traffic and made a daring pass of  Domer in the final 75 yards. It was Fuqua’s first win at Lucas Oil Speedway and the 99th of the veteran driver’s career.

Surely few were more exciting or satisfying than this one.

“I felt like I had a good car, but he was so good on the top,” Fuqua said of Domer. “I was good on the bottom. It was basically follow him until he left me just a little bit around the top and that was the only thing I had.

“I just put it in there as hard as I could and I had enough momentum to get around him.”

Fuqua worked his way from the ninth starting position and into contention as Domer and fellow front-row starter Ronnie Woods traded the lead five times over the first 15 laps.

In a race with only one caution, Domer caught lapped traffic with five laps to go and Fuqua continued his steady gain, setting up the thrilling finish.

“I was hoping to have a lane down low, but there was a lapped car there,” Fuqua said. “I just did the one thing I had, 110 percent.”

Mark Dotson came home third with Lance Town coming all the way from 17th to fourth and Woods finishing fifth.

Marrant in a Late Model thriller: Aaron Marrant threw a winning slide job on Shane Essary going into turn three on the final lap to capture the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Model feature.

Essary led all the way – until Marrant, from Richmond, Missouri – drove deep into the third turn in a last-ditch move to steal the win on the final circuit. It was Marrant’s second feature win of the young season at Lucas Oil Speedway.

“We were about the same speed,” Marrant said of he and Essary. “I knew it was gonna be a Hail Mary. I wanted to wait until the last lap because I didn’t want to lose position and lose myself an opportunity in that last corner.”

Essary started on the pole and Marrant on the outside of turn two. They broke away from the field to turn it into a two-car race when a lap-14 caution, after Gregg Truelove spun in turn four, bunched the field.

Just one lap later, Larry Ferris’ strong run ended when he found the wall in turn four to bring out caution number six. Ferris was running fifth at the time.

Essary again had to weather a restart and he did so, until the very end.

“I knew I was close enough that I could probably do it,” Marrant said. “It started to get a little slicker going into three. I just knew I couldn’t mess up in one and two. I had to stay on his back bumper to get it done. Coming off two, I was right there with him. I’m just glad that everything worked out.”

Josh Poe came home third with Daniel Jessen fourth and Tom Cordray fifth.

Hendrix makes it two straight: David Hendrix continued his strong start to the 2018 Big O Tires Street Stocks season, making a winning pass with five laps remaining to earn his second straight feature win.

Hendrix, of Waynesville, passed Brian Schutt coming to the start-finish line to complete lap 15 and held on from there. James Flood finished second with Schutt third and Derek Brown finishing fourth after starting 13th.

“I was getting some pretty hot pressure from Flood and Brown and I was like man, I’ve got to find something different, to go,” Hendrix said. “I think Brian’s car was getting tight. Mine was pretty tight. The track’s a lot different than it was last week.”

Hendrix spun in his heat race, but rallied to finish third to earn a third-row starting spot in the feature.

“We were terrible in the heat race. I ran out of patience and out of talent and spun out on my own,” he said. “This definitely helps make up for it a little.”

Jackson rolls to B-Mod win: Kris Jackson of Lebanon led all 20 laps, but had to withstand a couple of late restarts that wiped out sizeable leads for the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod feature victory.

“It’s just glad to be back in victory lane,” Jackson said following his first Lucas Oil Speedway feature win of 2018. “This is a horsepower track tonight and I think I have the best of that. I have to chalk this one up to (engine builder Jim) Ruble. He won us this race.”

JC Morton, who started 12th, worked his way to second with six laps to go but was still about eight car lengths behind Jackson. A lap-16 caution wiped that cushion away, however, and set the stage for a four-lap shootout.

Jackson re-established a comfortable lead and took the white flag well ahead of Morton. But David Harris spun into the front-stretch wall to bring out the caution and force Jackson to earn the win via a green-white restart.

Tyler Brown finished in third with Shawn Strong fourth and Taylor Moore fifth.

Lucas Oil Speedway results (May 12, 2018)
Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series
Big O Tires Street Stocks
Feature – 1. David Hendrix Waynesville, Mo. 2. James Flood Crane, Mo. 3. Brian Schutt Lebanon, Mo. 4. Derek Brown Stoutland, Mo. 5. Ted Welschmeyer Tebbetts, Mo. 6. Scott Chism Bolivar, Mo. 7. Cody Frazon Lamonte, Mo. 8. Tim Petty Niangua, Mo. 9. Bradley Gideon Ozark, Mo. 10. Francisco Escamilla Niangua, Mo. 11. Bobby Barnett Republic, Mo. 12. Steve Scott Pittsburg, Mo. DNF. Josh Dugan Fair Grove, Mo. DNF. Johnny Coats Joplin, Mo. DNF. Jay Lamons Savonburg, Ks. DNF. Toby Ott Wheatland, Mo. DNF. Scott Johnson Nevada, Mo. DNS. Josh Halbrook Springfield, Mo. DNS. Michael Lucas Wardsville, Mo.
Heat 1 – 1. Brian Schutt Lebanon, Mo. 2. Toby Ott Wheatland, Mo. 3. Ted Welschmeyer Tebbetts, Mo. 4. Scott Chism Bolivar, Mo. 5. James Flood Crane, Mo. 6. Jay Lamons Savonburg, Ks. 7. Derek Brown Stoutland, Mo. 8. Steve Scott Pittsburg, Mo. 9. Cody Frazon Lamonte, Mo. DNS. Francisco Escamilla Niangua, Mo.
Heat 2 – 1. Johnny Coats Joplin, Mo. 2. Tim Petty Niangua, Mo. 3. David Hendrix Waynesville, Mo. 4. Bobby Barnett Republic, Mo. 5. Scott Johnson Nevada, Mo. 6. Josh Halbrook Springfield, Mo. 7. Bradley Gideon Ozark, Mo. 8. Josh Dugan Fair Grove, Mo. 9. Michael Lucas Wardsville, Mo.

Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models
A-Feature – 1. Aaron Marrant Richmond, Mo. 2. Shane Essary Aurora, Mo. 3. Josh Poe Peculiar, Mo. 4. Daniel Jessen Joplin, Mo. 5. Tommy Cordray Browning, Mo. 6. Cody Holtkamp Holts Summit, Mo. 7. Jason Bodenhamer Centerview, Mo. 8. Lane Ehlert Republic, Mo. 9. Jon Binning Warrensburg, Mo. 10. Chad Richwine Lee’s Summit, Mo. 11. Ashlee Lancaster Sturgeon, Mo. 12. Jason Sivils Bolivar, Mo. 13. Tucker Cox Jefferson City, Mo. DNF. Larry Ferris Nevada, Mo. DNF. Gregg Truelove Liberty, Mo. DNF. Larry Jones El Dorado Springs, Mo. DNF. Bob Cummings Sedalia, Mo. DNF. Ryan Ferris Nevada, Mo. DNF. Kaeden Cornell Willard, Mo. DNS. Mark McGuire Pleasant Hill, Mo. DNS. Wesley Briggs Olathe, Ks. DNS. Bryon Allison Marshall, Mo. DQ. Johnny Fennewald Appleton City, Mo.
Heat 1- 1. Shane Essary Aurora, Mo. 2. Chad Richwine Lee’s Summit, Mo. 3. Johnny Fennewald Appleton City, Mo. 4. Daniel Jessen Joplin, Mo. 5. Lane Ehlert Republic, Mo. 6. Ryan Ferris Nevada, Mo. 7. Jason Bodenhamer Centerview, Mo. 8. Jason Sivils Bolivar, Mo.
Heat 2 – 1. Josh Poe Peculiar, Mo. 2. Aaron Marrant Richmond, Mo. 3. Tommy Cordray Browning, Mo. 4. Gregg Truelove Liberty, Mo. 5. Jon Binning Warrensburg, Mo. 6. Kaeden Cornell Willard, Mo. 7. Mark McGuire Pleasant Hill, Mo. 8. Wesley Briggs Olathe, Ks.
Heat 3 – 1. Cody Holtkamp Holts Summit, Mo. 2. Larry Jones El Dorado Springs, Mo. 3. Larry Ferris Nevada, Mo. 4. Ashlee Lancaster Sturgeon, Mo. 5. Tucker Cox Jefferson City, Mo. 6. Bob Cummings Sedalia, Mo. DNS. Bryon Allison Marshall, Mo.

Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods
A Feature – 1, Kris Jackson Lebanon, Mo. 2. JC Morton Springfield, Mo. 3. Tyler Brown Richland, Mo. 4. Shawn Strong Billings, Mo. 5. Taylor Moore Bois D Arc, Mo. 6. Robert Heydenreich Bolivar, Mo. 7. Brian Webster Holts Summit, Mo. 8. Quentin Taylor Wheatland, Mo. 9. Eddie Schwope, Jr. St Joseph, Mo. 10. Bobby Williams Hermitage, Mo. 11. Mark Long Willard, Mo. 12. Justin Pike El Dorado Springs, Mo. 13. Sam Petty Marshfield, Mo. 14. Mike Striegel Hermitage, Mo. 15. Morgan Campbell Nevada, Mo. 16. Dillon McCowan Urbana, Mo. 17. Casey Thomas Camdenton, Mo. 18. Austin Joplin Willard, Mo. 19. Tim Phillips Ft. Scott, Ks. 20. T J Yount Greenfield, Mo. 21. Jerry Ellis Richaland, Mo. 22. David Harris Chilhowee, Mo. 23. Ricky Watkins Brookline, Mo. 24. J C Newell Buffalo, Mo.
B Feature – 1. Mark Long Willard, Mo. 2. Quentin Taylor Wheatland, Mo. 3. Dillon McCowan Urbana, Mo. 4. Austin Joplin Willard, Mo. 5. Morgan Campbell Nevada, Mo. 6. Mike Striegel Hermitage, Mo. 7. T J Yount Greenfield, Mo. 8. Casey Thomas Camdenton, Mo. 9. Andy Chrisenberry Chilhowee, Mo. 10. Larry Prewett Jerome, Mo. 11. Ken Scott Willard, Mo. 12. Kent Shouse Jasper, Mo. 13. Justin Allen Urbana, Mo. DNF. Mitchell Franklin Camdenton, Mo. DNF. Jake Hereford Fort Scott, Ks. DNF. John Fellers Flemington, Mo. DNF. Jason Sivils Bolivar, Mo. DNF. Jenica Barfield Marshfield, Mo. DNF. Nate Thomas Marshfield, Mo. DNF. Cayden Campbell Nevada, Mo. DNS. Brandon King Nevada, Mo.
Heat 1 – 1. Tyler Brown Richland, Mo. 2. Brian Webster Holts Summit, Mo. 3. Sam Petty Marshfield, Mo. 4. Jerry Ellis Richaland, Mo. 5. Mark Long Willard, Mo. 6. Jake Hereford Fort Scott, Ks. 7. Mitchell Franklin Camdenton, Mo. 8. Kent Shouse Jasper, Mo. 9. Ken Scott Willard, Mo. 10. Jenica Barfield Marshfield, Mo.
Heat 2 – 1. JC Newell Buffalo, Mo. 2. Robert Heydenreich Bolivar, Mo. 3. Shawn StronBillings, Mo. 4. David Harris Chilhowee, Mo. 5. Dillon McCowan Urbana, Mo. 6. Quentin Taylor Wheatland, Mo. 7. Justin Allen Urbana, Mo. 8. Brandon King Nevada, Mo. 9. Casey Thomas Camdenton, Mo.
Heat 3 – 1. Taylor Moore Bois D Arc, Mo. 2. Ricky Watkins Brookline, Mo. 3. Jc Morton Springfield, Mo. 4. Tim Phillips Ft. Scott, Ks. 5. Justin Pike El Dorado Springs, Mo. 6. T J Yount Greenfield, Mo. 7. Andy Chrisenberry Chilhowee, Mo. 8. Larry Prewett Jerome, Mo. 9. Mike Striegel Hermitage, Mo.
Heat 4 – 1. Kris Jackson Lebanon, Mo. 2. Bobby Williams Hermitage, Mo. 3. Eddie Schwope, Jr. St Joseph, Mo. 4. Austin Joplin Willard, Mo. 5. Cayden Campbell Nevada, Mo. 6. Morgan Campbell Nevada, Mo. 7. John Fellers Flemington, Mo. 8. Jason Sivils Bolivar, Mo. 9. Nate Thomas Marshfield, Mo.

Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds
A Feature – 1, Darron Fuqua Mayetta, Ks. 2. Chase Domer Nevada, Mo. 3. Mark Dotson Cameron, Mo. 4. Lance Town Wellsville, Ks. 5. Ronnie Woods Mexico, Mo. 6. Jeff Cutshaw Bolivar, Mo. 7. Tyler Davis Haysville, Ks. 8. Jon Sheets Liberal, Mo. 9. Jason Pursley Hermitage, Mo. 10. Robert Reed Mexico, Mo. 11. Ryan Middaugh Fulton, Mo. 12. Paden Phillips Chanute, Ks. 13. Chase Jones Eldorado Springs, Mo. 14. Mike Striegel Hermitage, Mo. 15. Tracy Wolf Buffalo, Mo. 16. Donnie Fellers Wheatland, Mo. 17. Evan Hubert  18. Michael Maggard Republic, Mo. 19. Kyle Thompson Joplin, Mo. 20. Daniel Wosoba El Dorado Springs, Mo. 21. Johnny Cammon Witchita, Ks. 22. James Hartman Lebanon, Mo. DNF. Brandon Lennox New London, Mo. DNF. Shawn Strong Billings, Mo.
B Feature – 1. Lance Town Wellsville, Ks. 2. Brandon Lennox New London, Mo. 3. Jason Pursley Hermitage, Mo. 4. Kyle Thompson Joplin, Mo. 5. Robert Reed Mexico, Mo. 6. Michael Maggard Republic, Mo. 7. Johnny Cammon Witchita, Ks. 8. James Hartman Lebanon, Mo. 9. Alex Cammon Witchita, Ks. 10. Steve McLaughlin Joplin, Mo. 11. Scotty Bough Nevada, Mo. DNF. Robert King Nevada, Mo. DNS. Lucas Gibbs Udall, Ks.
Heat 1 -1. Paden Phillips Chanute, Ks. 2. Donnie Fellers Wheatland, Mo. 3. Chase Domer Nevada, Mo. 4. Tyler Davis Haysville, Ks. 5. Mike Striegel Hermitage, Mo. 6. Tracy Wolf Buffalo, Mo. 7. Alex Cammon Witchita, Ks. 8. Lance Town Wellsville, Ks. 9. Robert Reed Mexico, Mo. 10. Michael Maggard Republic, Mo.
Heat 2 – 1. Mark Dotson Cameron, Mo. 2. Evan Hubert  3. Darron Fuqua Mayetta, Ks. 4. Jeff Cutshaw Bolivar, Mo. 5. Chase Jones Eldorado Springs, Mo. 6. Jason Pursley Hermitage, Mo. 7. Kyle Thompson Joplin, Mo. 8. Lucas Gibbs Udall, Ks. 9. Steve McLaughlin Joplin, Mo. 10. Robert King Nevada, Mo.
Heat 3 – 1. Ryan Middaugh Fulton, Mo. 2. Ronnie Woods Mexico, Mo. 3. Jon Sheets Liberal, Mo. 4. Shawn Strong Billings, Mo. 5. Daniel Wosoba El Dorado Springs, Mo. 6. Brandon Lennox New London, Mo. 7. Scotty Bough Nevada, Mo. 8. Johnny Cammon Witchita, Ks. 9. James Hartman Lebanon, Mo.

Up next: Racing resumes next Saturday night as Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper Bottling Company along with OnMedia/DISH/DirecTV team up to present the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series. The Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models will be running a special 25-lap $1,000 to win main event as the featured class of the evening.

Gates on Saturday will open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7.

Meanwhile, earlier that day on the Off Road track, the Kansas City Off Road Racing Association with practice starting at 10 a.m., opening ceremonies at noon and features at about 3 p.m.

For ticket information for any event in 2018 at Lucas Oil Speedway – including the 26th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by Protecttheharvest.com May 24-26, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com. Tickets also can be purchased online for any event during the 2018 season.

Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket information and 2018 schedule can be found by visiting LucasOilSpeedway.com.

 

Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.

Click LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.

 

In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking “Like” at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway

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