By Dusty Luthy
LEBANON - Terry Phillips made it a two-win weekend, winning the last race of the Mid America Racing Series Missouri double-header at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.
Phillips started the race third row and inside and made it to the lead by passing Billy James on lap 14.
"(It helped,) getting luck to start in the front a little bit," Phillips said. "Usually, we're like Bill (Frye) coming from the back. It worked out pretty good. The track was good, able to move around a little bit."
What may be more noteworthy than Phillips' win would be Bill Frye's performance. Frye started the feature tailback after breaking a tie rod in the heat race, took a provisional, and came back to finish the feature second.
"I thought it was pretty impressive," track promoter Randy Mooneyham said. "He was uncharacteristically weak in his heat race, or off, and then he just got dialed in and raced real good."
Frye also came in second to Phillips at Bolivar Speedway USA on Friday night.
"We had a pretty good run," Frye said. "I've been sick all weekend. I actually feel better now than I have all weekend, but it may be adrenaline flowing."
Qualifying for the feature on the pole was Billy James, followed by Justin Wells, Joey Mack, Will Vaught and Phillips.
James held the lead for 13 laps before Phillips passed him and was then passed by Frye on lap 24. James held a competitive race with Frye, taking second back on lap 28, before succumbing to a third-place finish.
Brad Looney, the points leader at I-44 Speedway, started the feature eighth, but was able to bring his car up to a solid fourth-place finish. Jeff Floyd rounded out the top five.
"It's sweet anytime you get a victory," Phillips said, "whether it's one or two or whatever, but that points chase, Bill's way ahead of me. He's running good too.
"It's a tough series," Phillips said about MARS, "you can't mess up."
Phillips, Frye, and other MARS and local drivers have already committed to competing in the Tuesday, July 25 World of Outlaws race coming to the speedway, but Phillips seemed unconcerned at this point.
"I haven't really thought about it a lot," he said "because I'm worried about next Friday. I try to take it one race at a time. And we'll see what we have when we get here."
A highlight of the evening was the Make-A Wish Foundation silent auction. Several items from local businesses were donated to be auctioned off. The auction brought in a little over $1300 said Wish Granter and auction organizer, Melissa McCormick.
"I just want to thank all the businesses for their support," McCormick, the wife of Late Model driver Brandon McCormick, said. "A lot of them support us every year."
Mason, an area Wish child, and his family, rode in the MARS pace truck for the evening. Mason also told the drivers to "start your engines" before the feature race.
"I also want to give a special thanks to Mason and his family," McCormick said. "He really made the night. He did for me, anyway."
Drivers Frye, Phillips and Brandon McCormick, all donated and autographed old door panels from their race cars, bringing in several hundred dollars for the Foundation.
Jeff Cutshaw won another Modified victory for the season, but had a tough challenge at the end of the feature when Scotty Roberts came charging in.
"I didn't know who it was back there for sure, and that's great," Cutshaw said. "We've raced with Scotty for years and even if he would have gotten around us and beaten us, that would have been alright. We would have taken second and been happy about it."
Roberts started the feature eighth before making a late-race run for first. Steve Martin, after winning his heat and starting on the pole, finished the feature third. Justin Neuman and Dave Elson finished fourth and fifth.
Cutshaw has one word to describe his racing strategy right now: consistency.
"Everybody's trying to change their set-ups and try all this crazy stuff," he said, "but we just keep running the exact same stuff every week and that's what makes us go round, just stay consistent."
Lake Mooneyham won the Factory Stock feature. Mooneyham started on the pole and kept his lead the entire race.
Derek Brown, in his first night of racing at the speedway, started the feature on the outside pole, but faded to an eighth-place finish. His dad, Tim Brown, started the feature ninth, but made it up to second. Michael Maggard finished third, with Lonnie Henderson and Darrin Fox following.
Jason Huey won his fourth Bomber feature, extending his points lead. Lonnie Muhlbauer took first in the Pro-4 feature, followed by Darrell Mooneyham. Mooneyham normally drives a Late Model, but took a turn in a Pro-4 seat Saturday night.
RESULTS
Late Models
Heat 1
1. 75 Terry Phillips
2. 97m Joey Mack
3. 8k Jason Bodenhammer
4. 14L Brad Looney
5. 00s Chris Smyser
6. 99j Larry Jones
7. 66 Bill Frye
8. 18 Jack Sullivan
9. 54 Dane Dacus
Heat 2
1. 10 Justin Wells
2. f1 Jeff Floyd
3. 15e Shane Essary
4. 5t Jeff Taylor
5. 27t Stacey Taylor
6. 55e Ken Essary
7. 55w Dave Ware
8. 60b Darrin Barton
Heat 3
1. 5JR Billy James
2. 1v Will Vaught
3. 14jr Steve Rushin
4. 42 Brandon McCormick
5. 26 Burl Woods
6. 5e Leslie Essary
7. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
8. 60j Jordan Jones
Main B Feature (Top four advance to A)
1. 55e Ken Essary
2. 5e Leslie Essary
3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
4. 60j Jordan Jones
5. 55w Dave Ware
6. 60b Darrin Barton
Main A Feature
1. 75 Terry Phillips
2. 66 Bill Frye
3. 5jr Billy James
4. 14L Brad Looney
5. f1 Jeff Floyd
6. 14jr Steve Rushin
7. 00s Chris Smyser
8. 97m Joey Mack
9. 1v Will Vaught
10. 5t Jeff Taylor
11. 8k Jason Bodenhammer
12. 42 Brandon McCormick
13. 10 Justin Wells
14. 60j Jordan Jones
15. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
16. 55e Ken Essary
17. 99j Larry Jones
18. 26 Burl Woods
19. 27t Stacey Taylor
20. 15e Shane Essary
21. 5e Leslie Essary
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 14n Justin Neuman
3. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
4. 25r Scotty Roberts
5. 96 Jeff Taylor
6. b29 Tammy Small
7. 71c Kevin Crider
Heat 2
1. 21m Steve Martin
2. 31m Erik Maggard
3. 71e Dave Elson
4. 44 Robert Hopkins
5. 23 Mook Cunningham
6. 47 Corey Simpson
7. 7jr Corky Waters
8. 9 Sam Petty
Feature
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 25r Scotty Roberts
3. 21m Steve Martin
4. 14n Justin Neuman
5. 71e Dave Elson
6. 31m Erik Maggard
7. b29 Tammy Small
8. 44 Robert Hopkins
9. 47 Corey Simpson
10. 23 Mook Cunningham
11. 7jr Corky Waters
12. 71c Kevin Crider
13. 96 Jeff Taylor
14. 9 Sam Petty
15. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
Factory Stocks
Heat 1
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 160 Michael Maggard
3. 8f Darrin Fox
4. 37p Derrick Peterson
5. 83r Tim Riffle
6. 5a Rich Allen
7. 22 Tim Petty
8. 03 Tracy Henry
Heat 2
1. 11 Derek Brown
2. 83e James Ellis
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 1 Tim Brown
5. 44 Tyson Troutman
6. 68 Brian Monnahan
7. 54 David Hendrix
8. 8r Jason Rekker
Feature
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 1 Tim Brown
3. 160 Michael Maggard
4. 76 Lonnie Henderson
5. 8f Darrin Fox
6. 37p Derrick Peterson
7. 83r Tim Riffle
8. 11 Derek Brown
9. 8 Jason Rekker
10. 83e James Ellis
11. 5a Rich Allen
12. 03 Tracy Henry
13. 22 Tim Petty
14. 44 Tyson Troutman
DNS 68 Brian Monnahan, 54 David Hendrix
Bomber
Heat 1
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. t10t Tyler Brown
3. 21 Landon Johnson
4. 9 Mike Pearcy
5. 26 Rex Payne
6. 7L Josh Lewis
7. t10r Rick Brown
8. 8 Cody Harmon
Heat 2
1. 32 Joe Francis
2. 27m Danny Muhurrn
3. 42 Donnie Jackson
4. 75w Darrin Woody
5. 44 Dennis Harmon
6. 7 Brandon Pister
7. 70 John West
DNS 63 Pat Lubbock
Feature
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 32 Joe Francis
3. 27 Danny Muhurrn
4. 21 Landon Johnson
5. 9 Mike Pearcy
6. 42 Donnie Jackson
7. 75 Darrin Woody
8. t10t Tyler Brown
9. 44 Dennis Harmon
10. 7p Brandon Pister
11. 7L Josh Lewis
12. 70 John West
13. 8 Cody Harmon
14. 63 Pat Lubbock
15. 26 Rex Payne
DNS t10r Rick Brown
Pro 4
Heat 1
1. 7s Pat Schudy
2. 10 John Ryan
3. 20 Don Lacey
4. 11 Darrin Widener
5. 15 Kameron Smith
Heat 2
1. 89 Darrell Mooneyham
2. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer
3. 50 Theresa Widener
4. 8 Robert Schoefeld
5. 7 Bob Widener
Feature
1. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer
2. 89 Darrell Mooneyham
3. 20 Don Lacey
4. 8 Robert Schoefeld
5. 10 John Ryan
6. 7w Bob Widener
7. 50 Theresa Widener
8. 7s Pat Schudy
9. 11 Darrin Widener
LEBANON - Terry Phillips made it a two-win weekend, winning the last race of the Mid America Racing Series Missouri double-header at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.
Phillips started the race third row and inside and made it to the lead by passing Billy James on lap 14.
"(It helped,) getting luck to start in the front a little bit," Phillips said. "Usually, we're like Bill (Frye) coming from the back. It worked out pretty good. The track was good, able to move around a little bit."
What may be more noteworthy than Phillips' win would be Bill Frye's performance. Frye started the feature tailback after breaking a tie rod in the heat race, took a provisional, and came back to finish the feature second.
"I thought it was pretty impressive," track promoter Randy Mooneyham said. "He was uncharacteristically weak in his heat race, or off, and then he just got dialed in and raced real good."
Frye also came in second to Phillips at Bolivar Speedway USA on Friday night.
"We had a pretty good run," Frye said. "I've been sick all weekend. I actually feel better now than I have all weekend, but it may be adrenaline flowing."
Qualifying for the feature on the pole was Billy James, followed by Justin Wells, Joey Mack, Will Vaught and Phillips.
James held the lead for 13 laps before Phillips passed him and was then passed by Frye on lap 24. James held a competitive race with Frye, taking second back on lap 28, before succumbing to a third-place finish.
Brad Looney, the points leader at I-44 Speedway, started the feature eighth, but was able to bring his car up to a solid fourth-place finish. Jeff Floyd rounded out the top five.
"It's sweet anytime you get a victory," Phillips said, "whether it's one or two or whatever, but that points chase, Bill's way ahead of me. He's running good too.
"It's a tough series," Phillips said about MARS, "you can't mess up."
Phillips, Frye, and other MARS and local drivers have already committed to competing in the Tuesday, July 25 World of Outlaws race coming to the speedway, but Phillips seemed unconcerned at this point.
"I haven't really thought about it a lot," he said "because I'm worried about next Friday. I try to take it one race at a time. And we'll see what we have when we get here."
A highlight of the evening was the Make-A Wish Foundation silent auction. Several items from local businesses were donated to be auctioned off. The auction brought in a little over $1300 said Wish Granter and auction organizer, Melissa McCormick.
"I just want to thank all the businesses for their support," McCormick, the wife of Late Model driver Brandon McCormick, said. "A lot of them support us every year."
Mason, an area Wish child, and his family, rode in the MARS pace truck for the evening. Mason also told the drivers to "start your engines" before the feature race.
"I also want to give a special thanks to Mason and his family," McCormick said. "He really made the night. He did for me, anyway."
Drivers Frye, Phillips and Brandon McCormick, all donated and autographed old door panels from their race cars, bringing in several hundred dollars for the Foundation.
Jeff Cutshaw won another Modified victory for the season, but had a tough challenge at the end of the feature when Scotty Roberts came charging in.
"I didn't know who it was back there for sure, and that's great," Cutshaw said. "We've raced with Scotty for years and even if he would have gotten around us and beaten us, that would have been alright. We would have taken second and been happy about it."
Roberts started the feature eighth before making a late-race run for first. Steve Martin, after winning his heat and starting on the pole, finished the feature third. Justin Neuman and Dave Elson finished fourth and fifth.
Cutshaw has one word to describe his racing strategy right now: consistency.
"Everybody's trying to change their set-ups and try all this crazy stuff," he said, "but we just keep running the exact same stuff every week and that's what makes us go round, just stay consistent."
Lake Mooneyham won the Factory Stock feature. Mooneyham started on the pole and kept his lead the entire race.
Derek Brown, in his first night of racing at the speedway, started the feature on the outside pole, but faded to an eighth-place finish. His dad, Tim Brown, started the feature ninth, but made it up to second. Michael Maggard finished third, with Lonnie Henderson and Darrin Fox following.
Jason Huey won his fourth Bomber feature, extending his points lead. Lonnie Muhlbauer took first in the Pro-4 feature, followed by Darrell Mooneyham. Mooneyham normally drives a Late Model, but took a turn in a Pro-4 seat Saturday night.
RESULTS
Late Models
Heat 1
1. 75 Terry Phillips
2. 97m Joey Mack
3. 8k Jason Bodenhammer
4. 14L Brad Looney
5. 00s Chris Smyser
6. 99j Larry Jones
7. 66 Bill Frye
8. 18 Jack Sullivan
9. 54 Dane Dacus
Heat 2
1. 10 Justin Wells
2. f1 Jeff Floyd
3. 15e Shane Essary
4. 5t Jeff Taylor
5. 27t Stacey Taylor
6. 55e Ken Essary
7. 55w Dave Ware
8. 60b Darrin Barton
Heat 3
1. 5JR Billy James
2. 1v Will Vaught
3. 14jr Steve Rushin
4. 42 Brandon McCormick
5. 26 Burl Woods
6. 5e Leslie Essary
7. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
8. 60j Jordan Jones
Main B Feature (Top four advance to A)
1. 55e Ken Essary
2. 5e Leslie Essary
3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
4. 60j Jordan Jones
5. 55w Dave Ware
6. 60b Darrin Barton
Main A Feature
1. 75 Terry Phillips
2. 66 Bill Frye
3. 5jr Billy James
4. 14L Brad Looney
5. f1 Jeff Floyd
6. 14jr Steve Rushin
7. 00s Chris Smyser
8. 97m Joey Mack
9. 1v Will Vaught
10. 5t Jeff Taylor
11. 8k Jason Bodenhammer
12. 42 Brandon McCormick
13. 10 Justin Wells
14. 60j Jordan Jones
15. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
16. 55e Ken Essary
17. 99j Larry Jones
18. 26 Burl Woods
19. 27t Stacey Taylor
20. 15e Shane Essary
21. 5e Leslie Essary
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 14n Justin Neuman
3. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
4. 25r Scotty Roberts
5. 96 Jeff Taylor
6. b29 Tammy Small
7. 71c Kevin Crider
Heat 2
1. 21m Steve Martin
2. 31m Erik Maggard
3. 71e Dave Elson
4. 44 Robert Hopkins
5. 23 Mook Cunningham
6. 47 Corey Simpson
7. 7jr Corky Waters
8. 9 Sam Petty
Feature
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 25r Scotty Roberts
3. 21m Steve Martin
4. 14n Justin Neuman
5. 71e Dave Elson
6. 31m Erik Maggard
7. b29 Tammy Small
8. 44 Robert Hopkins
9. 47 Corey Simpson
10. 23 Mook Cunningham
11. 7jr Corky Waters
12. 71c Kevin Crider
13. 96 Jeff Taylor
14. 9 Sam Petty
15. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
Factory Stocks
Heat 1
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 160 Michael Maggard
3. 8f Darrin Fox
4. 37p Derrick Peterson
5. 83r Tim Riffle
6. 5a Rich Allen
7. 22 Tim Petty
8. 03 Tracy Henry
Heat 2
1. 11 Derek Brown
2. 83e James Ellis
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 1 Tim Brown
5. 44 Tyson Troutman
6. 68 Brian Monnahan
7. 54 David Hendrix
8. 8r Jason Rekker
Feature
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 1 Tim Brown
3. 160 Michael Maggard
4. 76 Lonnie Henderson
5. 8f Darrin Fox
6. 37p Derrick Peterson
7. 83r Tim Riffle
8. 11 Derek Brown
9. 8 Jason Rekker
10. 83e James Ellis
11. 5a Rich Allen
12. 03 Tracy Henry
13. 22 Tim Petty
14. 44 Tyson Troutman
DNS 68 Brian Monnahan, 54 David Hendrix
Bomber
Heat 1
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. t10t Tyler Brown
3. 21 Landon Johnson
4. 9 Mike Pearcy
5. 26 Rex Payne
6. 7L Josh Lewis
7. t10r Rick Brown
8. 8 Cody Harmon
Heat 2
1. 32 Joe Francis
2. 27m Danny Muhurrn
3. 42 Donnie Jackson
4. 75w Darrin Woody
5. 44 Dennis Harmon
6. 7 Brandon Pister
7. 70 John West
DNS 63 Pat Lubbock
Feature
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 32 Joe Francis
3. 27 Danny Muhurrn
4. 21 Landon Johnson
5. 9 Mike Pearcy
6. 42 Donnie Jackson
7. 75 Darrin Woody
8. t10t Tyler Brown
9. 44 Dennis Harmon
10. 7p Brandon Pister
11. 7L Josh Lewis
12. 70 John West
13. 8 Cody Harmon
14. 63 Pat Lubbock
15. 26 Rex Payne
DNS t10r Rick Brown
Pro 4
Heat 1
1. 7s Pat Schudy
2. 10 John Ryan
3. 20 Don Lacey
4. 11 Darrin Widener
5. 15 Kameron Smith
Heat 2
1. 89 Darrell Mooneyham
2. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer
3. 50 Theresa Widener
4. 8 Robert Schoefeld
5. 7 Bob Widener
Feature
1. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer
2. 89 Darrell Mooneyham
3. 20 Don Lacey
4. 8 Robert Schoefeld
5. 10 John Ryan
6. 7w Bob Widener
7. 50 Theresa Widener
8. 7s Pat Schudy
9. 11 Darrin Widener
