By Brennon Willard
Lebanon, Mo.- Fan Appreciation Night along with double points up for grabs brought in several top teams from around the Midwest to the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday night.
Lebanon’s own Brandon McCormick drew the pole position for the 25-lap $1,000 to win Late Model feature and jumped ahead of Dave Ware to take the early lead. Defending track champion starting from the back of the pack started making his charge early and jumped in to fourth position by lap seven. Looney would make his way around third place Brian Schutt and Ware to take over the second position and began his purist of McCormick on lap-13 as McCormick started to catch lap traffic. McCormick was able to hold off Looney’s late charge and the Mid-America Racing Series (M.A.R.S.) rookie of the year contender took his second win of the season at I-44 Speedway. Ware, Schutt, Chris Smyser and Looney, who fell back to fifth place on the last lap after a flat tire, followed McCormick.
Chad Smith jumped out to the lead on the opening lap of the Factory Stock feature with Harvey Quick and Matt Miller following closely behind. Miller came storming to the front after starting in the back and would quickly jump into the lead with Steve Schultz and Lake Mooneyham following closely behind in the second and third positions. Schultz caught Miller in lap traffic and was trying to make his move on the bottom of the track when a late race caution came out setting up a green-white-checker finish. Miller would hold off Schultz to take the victory with Mooneyham coming in third, Riffle in fourth and Smith in the fifth position.
The Super Stock class saw heat winners Steve Morton and third generation driver, Dustin Moore, jump out front early and put on an exciting show swapping the lead back and forth until a caution came out on lap seven when Fred McAdams had a hard crash in turn four. Moore would jump out to the lead on the restart and would lead the remainder of the race to appear to win the race, only to be disqualified after the race for his car being to light weight. Morton would be awarded the victory followed by point leader Larry Prewitt, Josh Woody, Scott Joplin and Ben Newell would come home fifth.
Rookie driver Justin Newman would take the early lead in the Modified feature after winning his heat race and would try to pull away from the rest of the field. Defending track champion, Erik Maggard would start charging to the front as soon as the green flag dropped after starting last on the grid. Maggard finally caught Newman and tried for several laps to make the pass on the high side and would finally pull off the pass on lap 13 to take the victory. Newman was second followed by Meadors, Hudson and Picou.
The always-exciting Bomber class once again would not disappoint fans, with three and four wide racing the entire race. Justin Foust would take the lead on the opening lap followed closely by Rodney Jones and Donnie Jackson. Henderson got by Foust to take the lead on lap three. Derrick Peterson would also make his way by the fading Foust after starting mid-pack, and would be followed by Brandon Knutdson. Lebanon’s Henderson would go on to take his first career win at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway with Peterson, Knutdson, David Hendrix and KC Prettyman coming home in fifth position.
Don’t forget the stars of the USAC sprint cars along with the Modfieds will be on hand for a special Wednesday night show. Missouri’s own World of Outlaw super star Danny Lasoski is scheduled to be on hand driving a third car for Tony Stewart’s team. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with time trials at 6:00 p.m. and races beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Next Saturday night will be the final tune up for the Second Annual Fall Shootout that will take place on September 24th and 25th and is sure to be exciting as everyone gets ready for the big race.
Lebanon, Mo.- Fan Appreciation Night along with double points up for grabs brought in several top teams from around the Midwest to the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday night.
Lebanon’s own Brandon McCormick drew the pole position for the 25-lap $1,000 to win Late Model feature and jumped ahead of Dave Ware to take the early lead. Defending track champion starting from the back of the pack started making his charge early and jumped in to fourth position by lap seven. Looney would make his way around third place Brian Schutt and Ware to take over the second position and began his purist of McCormick on lap-13 as McCormick started to catch lap traffic. McCormick was able to hold off Looney’s late charge and the Mid-America Racing Series (M.A.R.S.) rookie of the year contender took his second win of the season at I-44 Speedway. Ware, Schutt, Chris Smyser and Looney, who fell back to fifth place on the last lap after a flat tire, followed McCormick.
Chad Smith jumped out to the lead on the opening lap of the Factory Stock feature with Harvey Quick and Matt Miller following closely behind. Miller came storming to the front after starting in the back and would quickly jump into the lead with Steve Schultz and Lake Mooneyham following closely behind in the second and third positions. Schultz caught Miller in lap traffic and was trying to make his move on the bottom of the track when a late race caution came out setting up a green-white-checker finish. Miller would hold off Schultz to take the victory with Mooneyham coming in third, Riffle in fourth and Smith in the fifth position.
The Super Stock class saw heat winners Steve Morton and third generation driver, Dustin Moore, jump out front early and put on an exciting show swapping the lead back and forth until a caution came out on lap seven when Fred McAdams had a hard crash in turn four. Moore would jump out to the lead on the restart and would lead the remainder of the race to appear to win the race, only to be disqualified after the race for his car being to light weight. Morton would be awarded the victory followed by point leader Larry Prewitt, Josh Woody, Scott Joplin and Ben Newell would come home fifth.
Rookie driver Justin Newman would take the early lead in the Modified feature after winning his heat race and would try to pull away from the rest of the field. Defending track champion, Erik Maggard would start charging to the front as soon as the green flag dropped after starting last on the grid. Maggard finally caught Newman and tried for several laps to make the pass on the high side and would finally pull off the pass on lap 13 to take the victory. Newman was second followed by Meadors, Hudson and Picou.
The always-exciting Bomber class once again would not disappoint fans, with three and four wide racing the entire race. Justin Foust would take the lead on the opening lap followed closely by Rodney Jones and Donnie Jackson. Henderson got by Foust to take the lead on lap three. Derrick Peterson would also make his way by the fading Foust after starting mid-pack, and would be followed by Brandon Knutdson. Lebanon’s Henderson would go on to take his first career win at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway with Peterson, Knutdson, David Hendrix and KC Prettyman coming home in fifth position.
Don’t forget the stars of the USAC sprint cars along with the Modfieds will be on hand for a special Wednesday night show. Missouri’s own World of Outlaw super star Danny Lasoski is scheduled to be on hand driving a third car for Tony Stewart’s team. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with time trials at 6:00 p.m. and races beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Next Saturday night will be the final tune up for the Second Annual Fall Shootout that will take place on September 24th and 25th and is sure to be exciting as everyone gets ready for the big race.
