By Dusty Luthy
I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - If there's one driver to beat in dirt Late Model racing right now, it's Brad Looney.
Looney won his fifth Late Model victory at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday night, making it his 11th overall victory for the season. The speedway points leader took the lead five laps into the feature and never looked back.
The Late Model feature ran green, white, checkered, with no cautions to stall racing action.
"If I'm leading it, we'd like to go green, white, checkered," Looney said, "but sometimes you need those cautions to set things up to get in the lead. Sometimes it works for you, sometimes it doesn't."
Dave Ware started on the pole and held onto the lead for five laps, but finished second after Looney passed him.
Typically, Ware's car is better set up for a slicker track, he said. The hot afternoon sun put the track in just the state Ware liked it.
"It worked better for me," Ware said. "I got a little motor and it definitely runs better on a slicker track. We definitely like the summer better because we like the slicker tracks."
Although his car was as good as it could be, one thing didn't work out so well for Ware.
"Brad," he said. "Brad Looney. He's fast. I don't know how to outrun him. I just try to run my own race, try to stay out of trouble and run my own race."
Looney said any intimidation is a mental game, but knows his competition is stiff.
"All these cars are good and anymore everybody's got good motors and good equipment," Looney said. "You've just got to outsmart them and have a lot of luck. And right now, the luck is going my way. It could change at any minute."
Brandon McCormick started the feature second, but a poor start and some bad luck pushed him back to finish third in the feature.
"It was slick coming off of four and spun the tires coming off," McCormick said about his start, "and I knew I was going to have to try and jump Dave to beat him down at the bottom, but didn't happen."
McCormick then hit a tire in the birm, knocking his front fender up and into his left front tire.
"I couldn't see because it knocked my fender up and I couldn't see to hit my marks," he said, "and from then on out, I was just trying to finish. Trying to hold on to third and not hit anything."
Danny Atkinson, Christian Rayburn and Jason Meadors kept action exciting in the run for fourth and fifth. Meadors was able to secure fourth after taking the high side of the track for a door-to-door battle with Rayburn, who got fifth. Atkinson finished sixth.
Jeff Cutshaw, the defending Modified track champion, won his third Modified victory of the year.
Cutshaw won the pole and kept his lead the entire race. Steve Martin started second, but faded around lap 15 to a third place finish when Justin Neuman passed him. Neuman, the current points leader, came from a sixth place start to finish second.
In yet another feature with no cautions, Cutshaw was able to drive his way through several lap cars, eventually lapping the seventh place finisher of Erik Maggard.
Rex Merritt received fourth and Dave Elson finished fifth.
If it's Looney's name that is whispered with intimidation in the Late Models, it's David Hendrix that's getting recognition in the Factory Stock class.
Hendrix won his fourth victory in a row, taking the points lead away from Lake Mooneyham. Mooneyham had engine troubles for the second week in a row.
Hendrix won the pole after passing five drivers in his heat race and kept the lead for the remainder of the feature.
"Well, we went out there in the heat race and the car was a little loose," Hendrix said. "The track got dry faster than we thought so we tightened it up and it was just hooked up really good. Couldn't use all the throttle, but it was still really good."
Tyson Troutman won second in the feature, followed by Bud Pursley, Lonnie Henderson and Derrick Peterson. Henderson had a flat tire early in the race, but was able to come back out only a lap down during a caution.
In perhaps the most competitive race of the night, Jason Huey won the Bomber feature. Huey and Donnie Jackson ran close and side-by-side most of the race.
"The bottom," he said about his strategy, "it still had a little bit of a bite, and that was it. Just stay up front."
Huey, who is running second in points, said a track championship is on his goal list.
"I'm going to try and win the points," he said. "That's what I am going to try and do."
Josh Woody took home the Super Stock feature win and Dean Hensler won in the Rookie class. Hensler is only a few wins away from being moved up to the Bomber division.
Up next: The United States Modified Touring Series will be back to the speedway for another fast night of racing. Over 40 Modifieds are expected for the special event.
Results
Late Models
Heat 1
1. 42 Brandon McCormick
2. 14 Brad Looney
3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
4. 1 Christian Rayburn
5. 60 Darrin Barton
6. 26 Burl Woods
7. 17m Matt Miller
8. 71 Jason Meadors
Heat 2
1. 99 Larry Jones
2. 55 Dave Ware
3. 4a Danny Atkinson
4. 72 Larry Moon
5. 28 Leroy Johnson
6. 0 Darrell Mooneyham
7. 31 Bob Hiller
Feature
1. 14 Brad Looney
2. 55 Dave Ware
3. 42 Brandon McCormick
4. 71 Jason Meadors
5. 1 Christian Rayburn
6. 4a Danny Atkinson
7. 26 Burl Woods
8. 60 Darrin Barton
9. 17m Matt Miller
10. 28 Leroy Johnson
11. 72 Larry Moon
12. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
13. 0 Darrell Mooneyham
14. 99 Larry Jones
15. 31 Bob Hiller
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 21m Steve Martin
2. 31m Erik Maggard
3. 112 Justin Moon
4. 47 Corey Simpson
5. 14m Casey Mooneyham
6. 23 Mook Cunningham
7. 9 Sam Petty
Heat 2
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 25m Rex Merritt
3. 14n Justin Neuman
4. 71e Dave Elson
5. 12m Christopher Moon
6. 4g Bill Glawson
7. 160 Bobby Maggard Jr.
8. 71c Kevin Crider
Feature
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 14n Justin Neuman
3. 21m Steve Martin
4. 25m Rex Merritt
5. 71e Dave Elson
6. 160 Bobby Maggard Jr.
7. 31m Erik Maggard
8. 112 Justin Moon
9. 12m Christopher Moon
10. 14m Casey Mooneyham
11. 47 Corey Simpson
12. 9 Sam Petty
13. 23 Mook Cunningham
14. 71c Kevin Crider
15. 4g Bill Glawson
Factory Stock
Heat 1
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 54 David Hendrix
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 44 Tyson Troutman
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 03 Tim Ellis
7. 14p Bud Pursley
Feature
1. 54 David Hendrix
2. 44 Tyson Troutman
3. 14p Bud Pursley
4. 76 Lonnie Henderson
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 5 Lake Mooneyham
7. 03 Tim Ellis
Super Stock
Heat 1
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 83 Ben Newell
3. 8 Jeff Scroggins
4. 14 Tim Ballinger
Feature
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 83 Ben Newell
3. 14 Tim Ballinger
4. 8 Jeff Scroggins
Bomber
Heat 1
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 9 Darrin Crisler
3. 42 Donnie Jackson
4. t10r Rick Brown
5. 111 Kenny Carter
6. 17 Joe Francis
7. 15 Colby McClain
8. t10t Tyler Brown
DNS 7p Brandon Pister
Feature
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 42 Donnie Jackson
3. 9 Darrin Chrisler
4. t10t Tyler Brown
5. t10r Rick Brown
6. 111 Kenny Carter
7. 17 Joe Francis
8. 15 Colby McClain
9. 7p Brandon Pister
Rookie
Heat 1
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 17 Jeff Brown
3. 14b Tim Ballinger
4. 47 Lance Baunmiller
5. 23h John Henson
Heat 2
1. 14s Shawn Strong
2. 6 J.C. Morton
3. 7L Josh Lewis
4. 7r Rich Reynolds
5. 22g Grant Sharp
6. 45 Lee Quick
Feature
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 6 J.C. Morton
3. 14s Shawn Strong
4. 7L Josh Lewis
5. 7r Rich Reynolds
6. 14b Tim Ballinger
7. 47 Lance Baunmiller
8. 22g Grant Sharp
9. 17 Jeff Brown
10. 23h John Henson
11. 45 Lee Quick
I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - If there's one driver to beat in dirt Late Model racing right now, it's Brad Looney.
Looney won his fifth Late Model victory at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday night, making it his 11th overall victory for the season. The speedway points leader took the lead five laps into the feature and never looked back.
The Late Model feature ran green, white, checkered, with no cautions to stall racing action.
"If I'm leading it, we'd like to go green, white, checkered," Looney said, "but sometimes you need those cautions to set things up to get in the lead. Sometimes it works for you, sometimes it doesn't."
Dave Ware started on the pole and held onto the lead for five laps, but finished second after Looney passed him.
Typically, Ware's car is better set up for a slicker track, he said. The hot afternoon sun put the track in just the state Ware liked it.
"It worked better for me," Ware said. "I got a little motor and it definitely runs better on a slicker track. We definitely like the summer better because we like the slicker tracks."
Although his car was as good as it could be, one thing didn't work out so well for Ware.
"Brad," he said. "Brad Looney. He's fast. I don't know how to outrun him. I just try to run my own race, try to stay out of trouble and run my own race."
Looney said any intimidation is a mental game, but knows his competition is stiff.
"All these cars are good and anymore everybody's got good motors and good equipment," Looney said. "You've just got to outsmart them and have a lot of luck. And right now, the luck is going my way. It could change at any minute."
Brandon McCormick started the feature second, but a poor start and some bad luck pushed him back to finish third in the feature.
"It was slick coming off of four and spun the tires coming off," McCormick said about his start, "and I knew I was going to have to try and jump Dave to beat him down at the bottom, but didn't happen."
McCormick then hit a tire in the birm, knocking his front fender up and into his left front tire.
"I couldn't see because it knocked my fender up and I couldn't see to hit my marks," he said, "and from then on out, I was just trying to finish. Trying to hold on to third and not hit anything."
Danny Atkinson, Christian Rayburn and Jason Meadors kept action exciting in the run for fourth and fifth. Meadors was able to secure fourth after taking the high side of the track for a door-to-door battle with Rayburn, who got fifth. Atkinson finished sixth.
Jeff Cutshaw, the defending Modified track champion, won his third Modified victory of the year.
Cutshaw won the pole and kept his lead the entire race. Steve Martin started second, but faded around lap 15 to a third place finish when Justin Neuman passed him. Neuman, the current points leader, came from a sixth place start to finish second.
In yet another feature with no cautions, Cutshaw was able to drive his way through several lap cars, eventually lapping the seventh place finisher of Erik Maggard.
Rex Merritt received fourth and Dave Elson finished fifth.
If it's Looney's name that is whispered with intimidation in the Late Models, it's David Hendrix that's getting recognition in the Factory Stock class.
Hendrix won his fourth victory in a row, taking the points lead away from Lake Mooneyham. Mooneyham had engine troubles for the second week in a row.
Hendrix won the pole after passing five drivers in his heat race and kept the lead for the remainder of the feature.
"Well, we went out there in the heat race and the car was a little loose," Hendrix said. "The track got dry faster than we thought so we tightened it up and it was just hooked up really good. Couldn't use all the throttle, but it was still really good."
Tyson Troutman won second in the feature, followed by Bud Pursley, Lonnie Henderson and Derrick Peterson. Henderson had a flat tire early in the race, but was able to come back out only a lap down during a caution.
In perhaps the most competitive race of the night, Jason Huey won the Bomber feature. Huey and Donnie Jackson ran close and side-by-side most of the race.
"The bottom," he said about his strategy, "it still had a little bit of a bite, and that was it. Just stay up front."
Huey, who is running second in points, said a track championship is on his goal list.
"I'm going to try and win the points," he said. "That's what I am going to try and do."
Josh Woody took home the Super Stock feature win and Dean Hensler won in the Rookie class. Hensler is only a few wins away from being moved up to the Bomber division.
Up next: The United States Modified Touring Series will be back to the speedway for another fast night of racing. Over 40 Modifieds are expected for the special event.
Results
Late Models
Heat 1
1. 42 Brandon McCormick
2. 14 Brad Looney
3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
4. 1 Christian Rayburn
5. 60 Darrin Barton
6. 26 Burl Woods
7. 17m Matt Miller
8. 71 Jason Meadors
Heat 2
1. 99 Larry Jones
2. 55 Dave Ware
3. 4a Danny Atkinson
4. 72 Larry Moon
5. 28 Leroy Johnson
6. 0 Darrell Mooneyham
7. 31 Bob Hiller
Feature
1. 14 Brad Looney
2. 55 Dave Ware
3. 42 Brandon McCormick
4. 71 Jason Meadors
5. 1 Christian Rayburn
6. 4a Danny Atkinson
7. 26 Burl Woods
8. 60 Darrin Barton
9. 17m Matt Miller
10. 28 Leroy Johnson
11. 72 Larry Moon
12. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
13. 0 Darrell Mooneyham
14. 99 Larry Jones
15. 31 Bob Hiller
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 21m Steve Martin
2. 31m Erik Maggard
3. 112 Justin Moon
4. 47 Corey Simpson
5. 14m Casey Mooneyham
6. 23 Mook Cunningham
7. 9 Sam Petty
Heat 2
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 25m Rex Merritt
3. 14n Justin Neuman
4. 71e Dave Elson
5. 12m Christopher Moon
6. 4g Bill Glawson
7. 160 Bobby Maggard Jr.
8. 71c Kevin Crider
Feature
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 14n Justin Neuman
3. 21m Steve Martin
4. 25m Rex Merritt
5. 71e Dave Elson
6. 160 Bobby Maggard Jr.
7. 31m Erik Maggard
8. 112 Justin Moon
9. 12m Christopher Moon
10. 14m Casey Mooneyham
11. 47 Corey Simpson
12. 9 Sam Petty
13. 23 Mook Cunningham
14. 71c Kevin Crider
15. 4g Bill Glawson
Factory Stock
Heat 1
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 54 David Hendrix
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 44 Tyson Troutman
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 03 Tim Ellis
7. 14p Bud Pursley
Feature
1. 54 David Hendrix
2. 44 Tyson Troutman
3. 14p Bud Pursley
4. 76 Lonnie Henderson
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 5 Lake Mooneyham
7. 03 Tim Ellis
Super Stock
Heat 1
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 83 Ben Newell
3. 8 Jeff Scroggins
4. 14 Tim Ballinger
Feature
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 83 Ben Newell
3. 14 Tim Ballinger
4. 8 Jeff Scroggins
Bomber
Heat 1
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 9 Darrin Crisler
3. 42 Donnie Jackson
4. t10r Rick Brown
5. 111 Kenny Carter
6. 17 Joe Francis
7. 15 Colby McClain
8. t10t Tyler Brown
DNS 7p Brandon Pister
Feature
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 42 Donnie Jackson
3. 9 Darrin Chrisler
4. t10t Tyler Brown
5. t10r Rick Brown
6. 111 Kenny Carter
7. 17 Joe Francis
8. 15 Colby McClain
9. 7p Brandon Pister
Rookie
Heat 1
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 17 Jeff Brown
3. 14b Tim Ballinger
4. 47 Lance Baunmiller
5. 23h John Henson
Heat 2
1. 14s Shawn Strong
2. 6 J.C. Morton
3. 7L Josh Lewis
4. 7r Rich Reynolds
5. 22g Grant Sharp
6. 45 Lee Quick
Feature
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 6 J.C. Morton
3. 14s Shawn Strong
4. 7L Josh Lewis
5. 7r Rich Reynolds
6. 14b Tim Ballinger
7. 47 Lance Baunmiller
8. 22g Grant Sharp
9. 17 Jeff Brown
10. 23h John Henson
11. 45 Lee Quick
