Hughes sweeps USTMS season series at Lebanon I-44 Speedway

jdearing

Administrator
Staff member
by Andrew McNaughton/Lebanon I-44 Speedway

(Lebanon) Jason Hughes and the O'Reilly Autoparts United States
Modified Touring Series had already been to the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway back in June, but when they returned to the track on a warm and dry August night in the Ozarks, they found almost completely different conditions.

Back in June, Hughes claimed his first victory of the 2007 USMTS season at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, when the track was moist and muddy due to seemingly endless spring rain. Those conditions allowed for the fastest Modifieds in the country to whip around the track at full throttle. Now in August, rainfall is a distant memory, and the track became very slick early in the night, which produced some of the best Modified action Lebanon I-44 Speedway fans have seen all year long.

"It's a totally different race track tonight than last time," said Jason Hughes, who lead all 30 laps of the A-Main feature Saturday night en route to securing his fifth victory of the season. "Last time we were on the hammer all the way around this place, tonight you are trying to keep the car straight, and not slide it across the slick racetrack."

Hughes drew for the pole, and lead every lap in the feature, but he had plenty of competition nipping at his bumper at various points during the race from the likes of Tommy Weder Jr., Jason Krohn, Jon Tesch, and local favorite Terry Beckham Jr., who was looking for his fourth straight Modified win at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

"I saw Beckham got up to second, and I was worried about the high side coming in, but we hung out on the bottom [line] and held onto it,"
said the Colcord, Oklahoma driver in Victory Lane. "I just tried to keep the car straight so they couldn't get up under me."

Hughes finished ahead of Krohn, Tesch, Beckham Jr., and Dean Mahlstedt. Kelly Shryock came to Lebanon in the points lead, but lost that lead to Hughes after finishing in 11th place. This was the third of sixteen races that the USTMS holds to determine their champion at season's end. Their "Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS Championship" is similar to the NASCAR "Chase for the Nextel Cup".

Local favorite Tony Jackson Jr. finished 16th in the USTMS Modified feature, while 2006 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Modified Champion Justin Neuman finished in 21st after suffering a mechanical failure.

The Modifieds provided plenty of high speed thrills for the large crowd at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, but there was other action Saturday night, featuring the Factory Stock, B-Modified, Bomber and Rookie classes.

A familiar face in the Factory Stock class was back on the track for longtime fans of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway. Kenny Carroll from Camdenton looked to provide some extra competition in a class that has been largely dominated by Lebanon driver Kris Jackson this year.

Jackson and Carrol were racing for the lead, side-by-side coming off of turn 2, when Jackson, who was on the outside line, got trapped behind lapped traffic, and had to lay off the throttle. Carrol was able to blast past the Factory Stock points leader, and keep the lead until the checkered flag waved.

"It just worked out, I hit him in the right spot," Carrol said of the winning pass.

When asked about how he feels returning to the Lebanon I-44 Speedway for the first time this season, Carroll smiled and replied, "It's been a good time."

Devin Wollansky, Jim Reeves, Mike Smith, and Jackson filled out the rest of the Top 5 finishers in the 15-lap Factory Stock feature.

The top three drivers in the B-Modified class duked it out again on the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday night. Last Saturday, Jim Hayes edged Jason Otto by inches at the start/finish line for the closest finish of the year at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, while points leader Josh Woody finished in third. This time, Hayes and Otto were racing hard again, but Woody was leading both of them, and took the checkered flag in the 15-lap feature Saturday night.

"We missed our set-up last week, but we got her dialed in tonight,"
Woody said about his return to Victory Lane at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

When asked what he will do to maintain his points lead in the B-Modified class, Woody responded simply, "Try to keep winning."

Otto and Hayes finished behind Woody. Matt Brookshire and Jeff Kinsley rounded out the Top 5.

The last time fans at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway saw Landin Johnson's
#21 Bomber was on July 3rd when the World of Outlaw Late Models were in town. Johnson was attempting to qualify for the Factory Stock feature on the special Tuesday night race, and slammed his car into the wall off of turn 4. While Johnson has maintained his winning ways and his points lead in the Bomber class using a back-up car, he was glad to have his primary ride back Saturday night, and proved it by winning another Bomber feature at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

"That car is awesome," Johnson said from Victory Lane. "This track was good, and I just babied [the car], but that Ruble Racing Engine power is something else."

Dean Hensler, who put his bright yellow #9 Bomber in Victory Lane twice in July, ran side-by-side with Johnson early in the race, but fell back with mechanical problems. Johnson dominated the rest of the Bomber feature. He finished ahead of Chris Darnell, JC Morton, last week's feature winner Shawn Winfrey, and Patrick West.

Meanwhile, the Rookie battle between Josh Lewis and Rich Reynolds continued Saturday night. Reynolds won last week and closed to within
5 points of Lewis, but Lewis was able to get back into victory lane Saturday night in his orange #7, and stay atop the Rookie points.

The Lebanon I-44 Speedway kicks it into high gear for the remaining weeks on the season schedule. This Saturday night, Sprint car fans will not want to miss the 360 Sprint cars of the Winged Outlaw Warriors, who cars fly around the Lebanon I-44 Speedway's high banks at 100MPH. Season champions will be crowned the following Saturday in all classes, and then on Labor Day Weekend, come out to Lebanon's fastest race track Friday and Saturday for the 5th Annual Larry Phillips Memorial MARS-MLRA Race, featuring area favorites like Bill Frye, Will Vaught, and Terry Phillips. For all upcoming dates, gates open at 5PM, racing begins at 730PM, and as always, kids 12 and under are admitted free at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, located off of interstate exit 135 on Old Route 66.

------------

Lebanon I-44 Speedway Results for Saturday, August 11, 2007

USTMS Modified Official Results
The Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship (Race 3 of 16)

(Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the Heats are locked into the Holley "A" Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.)

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (10 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6) 2. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (1) 3. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (8) 4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2) 5. 33r - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (4) 6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3) 7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7) DNF 8. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (5) DNF

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (6) 2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (2) 3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8) 4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5) 5. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (3) 6. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (7) 7. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (1) 8. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (4)

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (1) 2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2) 3. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (3) 4. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (7) 5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (6) 6. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (5) 7. 54 - David Hendrix -- Lakeway, MO (4) 8. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (8) DNF

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)
2. 14n- Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, MO (5) 3. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3) 4. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (2) 5. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (8) 6. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6) 7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4) 8. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (7)

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (5)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) 3. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (6) 4. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (1) 5. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (4) 6. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (3) 7. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (2)

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (8)
3. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (5) 4. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (2) 5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3) 6. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (9) 7. 54 - David Hendrix -- Lakeway, MO (11) 8. 33r - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (6) 9. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (7) 10. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (14) 11. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (12) 12. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (10) 13. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (13) 14. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 12B - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (1) 2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (13) 3. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2) 4. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (9) 5. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (6) 6. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (8) 7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (11) 8. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (3) 9. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (7) 10. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (5) 11. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (10) 12. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (4) DNF 13. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (12) DNF

HOLLEY "A" MAIN (30 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (16)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (9)
4. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (5) 5. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (2) 6. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (6) 7. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (12) 8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (23) 9. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (17) 10. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (20) 11. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (13) 12. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (24) 13. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (15) 14. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (21) 15. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (18) 16. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (10) 17. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (4) 18. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (11) DNF 19. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNF 20. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8) DNF 21. 14n - Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, Mo (3) DNF 22. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (14) DNF 23. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (22) DNF 24. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (19) DNF

Factory Stock

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 65 Kris Jackson
2. 11 Eric Todd
3. 27 Devin Wollansky
4. 25 Sheldon Stouffer
5. 01 Derrell Martin
6. 17 Shawn Danuser

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 76 Lonnie Henderson
2. 18 Jim Reeves
3. 94 Kenny Carroll
4. 67 Kevin Crider
5. 25 Mike Smith
6. 89 Justin Grindstaff

A-Main Feature (15 laps):
1. 94 Kenny Carroll
2. 27 Devin Wollansky
3. 18 Jim Reeves
4. 25 Mike Smith
5. 65 Kris Jackson
6. 67 Kevin Crider
7. 25 Sheldon Stouffer
8. 8P Daniel Jessen
9. 89 Justin Grindstaff
10. 76 Lonnie Henderson
11. 11 Eric Todd
12. 17 Shawn Danuser
DNS 01 Derrell Martin


B-Modified

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 14H Jim Hayes
2. 21 Josh Woody
3. 8 Jason Otto
4. 00B Matt Brookshire
5. 17T Ted Ballinger
6. 29 Jeff Kinsley
7 14B Tim Ballinger

A-Main Feature (15 laps):
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 8 Jason Otto
3. 14H Jim Hayes
4. 00B Matt Brookshire
5. 29 Jeff Kinsley
6. 17T Ted Ballinger
7 14B Tim Ballinger


Bomber

Heat 1 (6 laps):
1. 64 Shawn Winfrey
2. 9 Dean Hensler
3. 21 Landin Johnson
4. 30 Chris Darnell
5. 18 JC Morton
6. 32 Joe Francis
7. 70 Patrick West
8. 99 Mike Sloan
9. 67 Kevin Morrison

A-Main Feature (12 laps):
1. 21 Landin Johnson
2. 30 Chris Darnell
3. 18 JC Morton
4. 64 Shawn Winfrey
5. 70 Patrick West
6. 32 Joe Francis
7. 99 Mike Slone
8. 67 Kevin Morrison
9. 9 Dean Hensler


Rookie

Heat 1 (6 laps):
1. 7R Rich Reynolds
2. 7L Josh Lewis
3. 43 Trent Wagy
4. 6T Austin Treadway
DNS 17 Jeff Brown

A-Main Feature (10 laps):
1. 7L Josh Lewis
2. 7R Rich Reynolds
3. 43 Trent Wagy
4. 6T Austin Treadway
DNS 17 Jeff Brown
 




Back
Top