Kevin Coyne
Jason Thompson
Brad Smith
By Sam Stoecklin
CMS Announcer/PR
August 22, 2009
(Warrensburg, MO) Central Missouri Speedway hosted week number sixteen of the 2009 championship season last night as the large crowd on hand witnessed eighteen races contested among a total of 103 drivers competing in four divisions. To add to the excitement, film crews and cameras adorned the speedway from the Discovery Channel as the network filmed some of the racing action for an upcoming race-related TV program. Children twelve years and under competed in foot races on the track during the intermission-time break and all kids went home with a goodie bag stuffed with school supplies, treats, and various race-related items donated by fans and drivers during the annual kid's night festivities on KMMO radio race night.
The B-Modified division kicked off the night's program with three qualifying heat races for the twenty-seven drivers present. Brad Smith, Ethan Isaacs, and Paul West crossed the line first in the first heat with the heat victory for Smith being his tenth of the year. Bryan Montgomery claimed his seventh heat win this year in heat two over Mark Evinger and Chris Brockway with Brian Ziegler taking heat number three for his second heat win of the year ahead of Lucas Isaacs and Bronson Combs. A.J. Tice and Cody Brill were able to survive a caution-filled b-main event and transferred to the main event by finishing first and second. Brad Smith paced the field as the twenty drivers began the 15-lap feature event. Smith, who is no stranger to victory lane this year at a number of tracks, quickly shot out to a half straightaway lead ahead of his closest competitors. It did not take long for the all-too familiar caution flag to wave over the field and slow the race as several drivers had a variety of issues on the track. Heat winner Montgomery spun early and was relegated to the rear of the field on lap two, additional caution periods fell on lap five and lap nine. At the front of the field, Smith was on cruise control as a flurry of battles took place behind him among Ethan and Lucas Isaacs, Brian Ziegler, and Chris Brockway. By lap ten, Montgomery raced his way back to the top ten as contact among drivers sent Lucas Isaacs and Brockway to the back of the field in separate incidents. It was clear no one had anything for Smith by race end as he claimed his eighth track win and twenty-third overall feature win this season. In a fight to the finish, Ethan Isaacs, Jacob Ebert, Montgomery, West, and Jason Billups completed the top six.
Fifteen street stock drivers made their way into the 15-lap feature event via two qualifying heat races during the race program’s early stages. Veteran Warrensburg driver Chad Eickleberry kept fourteen-time track champion John Brooks and Michael Mullins in his rearview mirror to claim his eighth heat win of the year in the first qualifier. Herb Dannar narrowly claimed his fourth heat victory this season in heat two as he held track point leader Bryan Johnson and John Ebert for the win. Eickleberry and Dannar were set to pace the field at the drop of the green flag; however, the two drivers were unable to start side-by-side on two occasions, which is a violation if a general track rule and were sent to the tail end of the field on the third attempt to get the race underway. The original pole sitters' demise set up a classic duel up front as the drivers who finished one-two in the recent Missouri State Fair race earlier in the week now held down the front row starting positions. Brooks, the track's all-time winningest driver and Johnson, who is this year's winningest driver in any class, now, held down the front row for the fifteen-lap main event. Brooks shot out to an early lead with Johnson literally glued to his bumper for the first four laps until a caution flag waved due to debris on the track. Once the race resumed, the driver on the move was Eickleberry who came back from fifteenth to sixth position by lap five. On lap eight, another caution period slowed the field as Brooks, Johnson, Mullins, and Clayton Campbell held down the top-four positions. Johnson had a run on the low side of leader Brooks coming off of turn two on lap nine but could not complete the pass for the lead. Eickleberry's hard charge to the front ended on the front straightaway as he experienced mechanical issues on lap number ten. For the final five laps Johnson was all over Brooks trying to find a way around the leader but in the end Brooks held on for his eighty-ninth track victory, even though the car had reportedly lost a cylinder. Johnson padded his point lead with a second-place run. Mullins stayed in the championship hunt by coming away third, last year's champion, Nic Bennett, finished fourth with Clayton Campbell fifth and John Ebert sixth.
Twenty-three ULMA late model competitors signed in for three heat races and a main event in preparation for the upcoming $1,500-to-win special event on Friday, the fourth of September. Former track point's leader Kevin Coyne was the first to taste victory in late model qualifying races as he claimed his second heat win of the year over Dwight Niehoff and Joe Walkenhorst. Allen Perryman continued his recent run of strong heat race performances by flying the checkers in heat two for his second win of the year, this one coming ahead of Bob King and Randy Ainsworth. O'Fallon, Missouri's Shawn Rayfield made his long-distance travels pay off with his second heat-race victory this season in the third and final heat ahead of point leader Jon Binning and Bob Test. Coyne and Perryman led the field at the start of the fifteen-lap main event with Coyne coming away as the early race leader on the low side. Perryman ran strong in second position behind Coyne with Rayfield also getting in the mix by the time a caution flag flew on lap four. The second of caution period flew on the next lap and again on lap seven as drivers struggled to find a solid race rhythm in the event. As Coyne continued pacing the field, Rayfield made his way into second and ran nose-to-tail with the leader lap-after-lap, trying to make the move for the win. Behind the leaders, King, Perryman, Niehoff, and Binning raced for positions inside the top five. A long period of green flag racing ensued after the lap seven caution flag until Perryman's car spun in turns one and two bringing out another caution period. A multi-car incident took place off of corner number four and eliminated Danny Lorton, Ainsworth, and Bob Test. Coming down to complete the closely contested final laps, Coyne was barely able to keep Rayfield behind him to claim his first feature win in a number of years at the speedway, his twenty-third win at the track. Behind second-place Rayfield were Bob King third, Dwight Niehoff with his best-ever CMS feature finish in fourth, Binning fifth and Kevin Kaiser sixth.
Thirty-eight competitors signed in for four heat races, a b-main event, and 20-lap feature for 'mighty' modified action. The talent-filled pool of drivers on hand were the center of attention for the Discovery Channel film crews as competitors had an uphill battle trying to fight their way into the feature race lineup. With his division-leading ninth heat race win, Jason Thompson crossed the line first in heat one ahead of Jim Moody and Danny Hines. Donnie Dannar claimed his second heat win of the season in heat two over Justin Boney and Dean Wille with point leader Aaron Marrant flying the checkers for the fifth time this year in heat three, this time ahead of Danny Charles and Chad Staus. Tim Karrick returned to victory lane to claim his fifth qualifying win of the season in the fourth and final heat over Terry Schultz and Richard Layne. Lucas Conley, Mark Dotson, Joey Lile, and Jim Hopkins completed the top four in the b-main and claimed the final four positions for the feature race. With Thompson and Dannar on pole, the twenty-four drivers began a furious battle for the win with Thompson taking charge early on in the race. The first eight laps were caution-free with Marrant, Dannar and Moody all trying to stay with Thompson at the front of the field. Once the race resumed it was a quick-paced run to the finish of the race with Terry Schultz one of the few drivers to find the outside lane to his liking as he advanced to fourth position by lap fifteen. Chad Lyle made a return to racing and worked his way inside the top ten from his fourteenth-starting position late in the race. Boney unusually slipped outside of the top five as did Karrick by the end of the nightcap event. As the double-checkered flags waved over the field, Jason Thompson became the first modified driver to capture four feature wins this season. The battle for second position was an exciting one between Moody and Marrant right to the finish as Marrant narrowly kept Moody at bay for the runner-up spot. Behind Moody in third was Schultz, who advanced from his eighth starting position to take fourth. Chad Lyle advanced to fifth by race end with Justin Boney clinging on to sixth to finish up the night's program.
Next Saturday night, August 29th is Fan Appreciation Night at the Speedway with all adult grandstand general admission just $8. Once again all four racing divisions will thrill the race fans with close-up racing on the CMS high banks. Fans and drivers are reminded that next weekend is the deadline for saving money on the September fourth and fifth race entries and admission tickets. For event entry forms, advanced ticket applications, point standings, results, and event information visit www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Call the Track Report line at (660) 747-2166. Statistical information provided by Glyda Jaeger, track statistician.
Feature Race Results from August 22, 2009
MODIFIEDS (Finish, Car Number, Driver's Name, Hometown)
1- 20- Jason Thompson, Concordia
2- 70- Aaron Marrant, Orrick
3- 00- Jim Moody, Odessa
4- 90- Terry Schultz, Sedalia
5- 96- Chad Lyle, Lone Jack
6- 18- Justin Boney, Leavenworth, KS
7- 1k- Tim Karrick, Basehor KS
8- 68- Dean Wille, Warrensburg
9- 17- Luke Conley, Spring Hill, KS
10- 171- Donnie Dannar, Odessa
11- 81- Tom Charles, Bonner Springs, KS
12- 23- Steve Twenter, Sedalia
13- 88D- Matt Dotson, Sturgeon
14- 03- Richard Layne, Kansas City
15- 91- James Reid, Clinton
16- 81jr- Dan Charles, Bonner Springs, KS
17- 9L- Joey Lile, Higginsville
18- 71- Jim Hopkins, Excelsior Springs
19- 58- Terry Vantrump, Richmond
20- c3- Chad Staus, Otterville
21- 80- Jimmy Ngo, Independence
22- 88w- Danny Himes, Clinton
23- 49- Terry Schnakenberg, Concordia
DNS- 47- Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill
ULMA LATE MODELS (Finish, Car Number, Driver's Name, Hometown)
1- 22- Kevin Coyne, Kingsville
2- 18r- Shawn Rayfield, O'Fallon
3- 45- Bob King, Independence
4- 9d- Dwight Niehoff, Lockwood
5- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
6- 40- Kevin Kaiser, Cole Camp
7- 90- Joe Walkenhurst, Lee's Summit
8- 2- Dustin Vance, Cleveland
9- 1- Robbie Test, Jefferson City
10- 3p- Allen Perryman, Belton
11- 75- A.L. Barbour, California
12- 28- Kevin Gilpin, Olathe, KS
13- 10- Dave Mosby, Sedalia
14- 27L- Danny Lorton, Moberly
15- 57A- Randy Ainsworth, Excelsior Springs
16- 27t- Bob Test, Jefferson City
17- 68- John Pipes, Oak Grove
18- 54- Jimmy Jobe, Odessa
19- 52- Joe Bartlett, Centerview
20- 00- Zach Green, Higginsville
DNS- 33- Bryan Montgomery, Oak Grove
DNS- 3a- Josh Alig, Pleasant Hill
DNS- 12c- Steve Clancy, Odessa
B-MODIFIEDS
1- 99- Brad Smith, Belton
2- 66- Ethan Isaacs, Bonner Springs, KS
3- 94- Jacob Ebert, Oak Grove
4- 33- Bryan Montgomery, Oak Grove
5- 14w- Paul West, Shawnee KS
6- 33j- Jason Billups, Holt
7- 26- Steven Gearhart, Buckner
8- 44- Troy Carlyle, Kearney
9- 6- Lucas Isaacs, Bonner Springs KS
10- 4- A.J. Tice, Kansas City KS
11- 96- Cody Brill, Harrisonville
12- m20- Brian Ziegler, Bates City
13- 07- Gary Fain, Lone Jack
14- 55- Bronson Combs, Odessa
15- 03- Chris Brockway, Warrensburg
16- 7- Michael King, Orrick
17- 4w- Dustin Walker, Belton
18- 67x- Curtis Shaner, Hardin
19- 15- Mark Evinger, Bates City
20- 48- Owen Evinger, Odessa
STREET STOCKS (Finish, Car Number, Driver's Name, Hometown)
1- 49sr- John Brooks, Warrensburg
2- 97K- Brian Johnson, Independence
3- 01- Michael Mullins, Kingsville
4- 427- Nic Bennett, Grain Valley
5- 41- Clayton Campbell, Otterville
6- 94- John Ebert, Bates City
7- 00- Nick Whalen, Kansas City, KS
8- 74- Herb Dannar, Holden
9- 55m- John Miller, Oak Grove
10- 94ss- Stacy Scherer, Blue Springs
11- 09- Chad Eickleberry, Warrensburg
12- 26- Anthony Whitham, Kansas City
13- 68m- Bryce McMillin, Warrensburg
14- 15- T.J. Faulkenberry, Urich
15- 12x- Brett Kolsick, Orrick
