By Dusty Luthy
I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - It all came down to that one last night that really mattered. The Season Championship night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway crowned five new track champions.
Republic's Brad Looney won the Late Model track championship, but his thunder was stolen during the feature. Mid America Racing Series driver Terry Phillips showed up took home the $1,000 first-place prize.
Phillips and his teammate, Jeremy Payne, dropped in to the track to have one last chance to find the right set-ups for the upcoming Larry Phillips Memorial Race to be held Friday and Saturday nights.
"(We came) to get better, get faster and try some stuff," Phillips said. "We've been having a little trouble with the battery but it seems to be fixed. I wasn't very good tonight. I ended up breaking a shock, but we accomplished what we were wanting to do."
Phillips won the pole and kept his lead the whole race. Lebanon's Brandon McCormick started on the outside pole, but faded to a fourth-place finish.
Looney started the feature in the third position and looked to challenge Phillips for the lead until he jumped the cushion, temporarily losing his second-place position, but was able to regain it for the finish.
Looney is sponsored by Willard Quarry, Lebanon Ready Mix and Republic Glass and drives for David Willard.
Justin Neuman, of Crocker, won the Modified feature and looks to also have won the track championship. Modifieds are sanctioned by USRA and calculate all points standings. Going in to the race, Neuman had a 25-point lead on Jeff Cutshaw, of Prescott, Kan.
Neuman started the feature third behind Fordland's Jason Meadors on the pole. Steve Martin, of Ozark, started the feature second.
Tony Jackson Jr, of Lebanon, got a quick jump on the start and had taken first place by lap two after a fifth place start. But on the fourth lap, Jackson spun coming out of turn four, collecting Martin. Jackson was done racing and Martin had to rejoin the field tailback after a visit to the pits.
"I was just being patient and just running wherever I could," Neuman said. "I mean, I knew I needed to run fifth and I knew I was faster than Meadors and Martin and them, I just needed some green laps to get going."
With the race leaders out of the way, Neuman was able to drive on the inside of Meadors to take the lead for the rest of the feature by lap seven.
Lebanon's Jamie Ragland finished a strong second place. Cutshaw started the feature 12th after making it out late for his heat race, but finished the night in the third spot.
Neuman said he thanked his mom and dad especially for all the help this season, as well as his engine builder, Jim Ruble with Ruble Racing Engines in Springfield. Neuman is sponsored by: Allied Home Mortgages, St. Robert; N and S Farms, Crocker; Bell's Construction, Waynesville; Woody's Signs, Laquey; Reality Executives, St. Robert; Bench Motor Company, Waynesville; and Hayes Painting, Crocker.
David Hendrix wasn't originally going to run for the points championship in the Factory Stock class. Hendrix, of Buckhorn, had a 50-point lead during the 2005 race season until he broke his arm and missed several races and the championship by only a few points.
With disappointment still in his mind, Hendrix felt none of it Saturday night, winning both the feature and the championship.
"I didn't want to get wrapped up in it," Hendrix said. "They have a lot of bigger money races for this class now, like the big one in Batesville tonight, and I really had my heart set on going to them."
After a tough battle with Lake Mooneyham, of Republic, all year for the championship, Hendrix said regaining the points lead toward the end of the season brought back old memories.
"I knew that feeling of getting the point lead back was good," he said. "We got it back, we might as well try to keep it. We can go to Batesville and race it next year, but it's not very often you get to win a championship."
Hendrix almost didn't get the final regular season win. With only a few laps left, Burl Woods, of Springfield, poured it on, taking the lead from Hendrix with one lap to go.
"I saw the red flag come out and I thought, here's my chance," Woods said. "I looked at the score board and it said three laps to go, so I gathered what I had left and I gave it to him and we raced pretty close side by side until the end. I didn't even know who won."
But Hendrix was able to salvage the race, beating Woods at the line by mere inches.
"I'd rather run second and run like that, than win and blow someone away," Woods said.
Hendrix is sponsored by: Bluegrass Ready Mix and Bedrock Sand and Gravel, St. Robert; DI Excavating, Dixon; Mudslinger Drywall, Buckhorn; 1800Nametape.com, Waynesville; Majestic Autobody, Waynesville; York's Welding, Waynesville; Paddock Construction, Waynesville; Value Tire, Waynesville; Munchkinland Daycare, Waynesville; Woodworx Racing Plaques, Buffalo. Hendrix also runs a Ruble Racing Engine.
Steve Morton, of Clever, won the Super Stock feature, but it was veteran driver Ben Newell, of Stoutland, who won the Super Stock points championship.
"We made some changes tonight before the feature and went the wrong way with it, I guess," Newell, who finished third in the feature, said. "We had a pretty good year. We won some and had some pretty good finishes."
"I want to thank my wife, Kelly," Newell said. "She's been there for me all year. And my boys, Dayton and J.C.; they're my pit crew." Newell thanked his father, J.C. Newell, and his sponsor, Air Gas, out of Camdenton, as well as track promoter Randy Mooneyham for his hard work this season.
Swedeborg's Jason Huey won the Bomber season championship, as well as the Bomber feature. Huey has run a tough season with Tyler Brown of Richland, but was able to edge him out for the championship.
"It was a good season," Huey said. "I had good luck all season long and then the last three races here I had a lot of trouble. Tonight we got all the bugs worked out."
Huey is sponsored by: Charlie's Cars, St. Robert; Jensen Concrete, Crocker; Totally You Hair and Nail, Waynesville; and Gary Smith Construction, Richland.
Rich Reynolds, of Springfield, won his second Rookie feature in a row Saturday night after a dicey heat race. Drivers Josh Lewis, of Stoutland, and Tim Ballinger, of Halfway, both rolled their cars down the front straightaway on the last lap of the heat race. Both drivers were taken to the hospital but were OK.
Up Next: It's the final time to watch dirt track racing this season at I-44 Speedway. The 4th Annual Larry Phillips Memorial Race will be held Friday and Saturday nights.
The Fall Shootout will feature a MARS/UMP Challenge. UMP drivers such as UMP National points leader Randy Korte have already pre-entered for the event. MARS drivers Terry Phillips, Bill Frye and Wendell Wallace will all be on hand to try and win the coveted trophy.
Friday and Saturday night will both include Late Model features. The top 10 drivers in Friday night's feature will have the top 10 starting spots in the main feature on Saturday night.
The total purse for the event will be $80,000. In addition to Late Models will be All State DLRA Legends, Modifieds, Factory Stock, Super Stock and Bombers.
For payout information, see the track Web site at www.lebanoni44.com www.lebanoni44.com .
RESULTS
Late Models
Heat 1
1. Terry Phillips
2. Jesse Stovall
3. Burl Woods
4. Trace Westling
5. Matt Miller
6. Shannon Anastosopolis
Heat 2
1. Brandon McCormick
2. Christian Rayburn
3. Leroy Johnson
4. Larry Jones
5. Shorty Acre
6. James Flood
Heat 3
1. Brad Looney
2. Dave Ware
3. Jeremy Payne
4. Reid Millard
5. Darrin Barton
6. Bob Hiller
Feature
1. Terry Phillips
2. Brad Looney
3. Jesse Stovall
4. Brandon McCormick
5. Jeremy Payne
6. Christian Rayburn
7. Larry Jones
8. Dave Ware
9. Shannon Anastosopolis
10. Reid Millard
11. James Flood
12. Trace Westling
13. Leroy Johnson
14. Bob Hiller
15. Shorty Acre
16. Burl Woods
17. Darrin Barton
18. Matt Miller
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. Justin Neuman
2. Jamie Ragland
3. Brian Schutt
4. Jeff Cutshaw
5. Bob Hopkins
6. Mike Shaddy
Heat 2
1. Jason Meadors
2. Jimmy Willis
3. T.R. Phillips
4. Sam Petty
5. Corey Simpson
6. Brian Brown
Heat 3
1. Steve Martin
2. Tony Jackson Jr.
3. Brent Greenstreet
4. Fred Liles
5. Brandon Linneburr
6. Dewayne Hobbs
Feature
1. Justin Neuman
2. Jamie Ragland
3. Jeff Cuthshaw
4. Jason Meadors
5. Jimmy Willis
6. Brent Greenstreet
7. Bob Hopkins
8. Mike Shaddy
9. Brian Brown
10. Corey Simpson
11. Brian Schutt
12. Fred Liles
13. Sam Petty
14. Steve Martin
15. Tony Jackson Jr.
16. T.R. Phillips
17. Dewayne Hobbs
DNS Brandon Linneburr
Factory Stock
Heat 1
1. David Hendrix
2. Burl Woods
3. Chad Smith
4. Peter Wansing
5. Tim Petty
Heat 2
1. Jim Reaves
2. Lonnie Henderson
3. Derrick Peterson
DNS Kevin Crider, Bud Pursley
Feature
1. David Hendrix
2. Burl Woods
3. Jim Reaves
4. Chad Smith
5. Lonnie Henderson
6. Derrick Peterson
7. Tim Petty
8. Bud Pursley
DNS Peter Wansing, Kevin Crider
Super Stock
Heat 1
1. Josh Woody
2. Matt Menzie
3. Travis Harrison
4. Jamie Petty
5. Tim Ballinger
6. Mike Mitchell
Heat 2
1. Steve Morton
2. Ben Newell
3. Jeff Scroggins
4. Ted Ballinger
DNS Kit Gaynor
Feature
1. Steve Morton
2. Josh Woody
3. Ben Newell
4. Jeff Scroggins
5. Trent Harrison
6. Tim Ballinger
7. Jamie Petty
8. Ted Ballinger
9. Mike Mitchell
10. Matt Menzie
DNS Kit Gaynor
Bomber
Heat 1
1. Jason Huey
2. Shawn Winfrey
3. Donnie Jackson
4. Michael Merritt
5. Dennis Harmon
6. Brandon Pister
7. John West
Heat 2
1. Landen Johnson
2. Tyler Brown
3. Rick Brown
4. Joe Francis
5. James Scroggins
6. Richard Talley
Feature
1. Jason Huey
2. Landen Johnson
3. Joe Francis
4. Rick Brown
5. Brandon Pister
6. Shawn Winfrey
7. John West
8. Michael Merritt
9. Dennis Harmon
10. James Scroggins
11. Richard Talley
12. Donnie Jackson
Rookie
Heat
1. Rich Reynolds
2. J.C. Morton
3. Shawn Strong
4. Dane Bartle
5. Tim Hall
6. Corey Dunn
7. Tim Ballinger
8. Josh Lewis
Feature
1. Rich Reynolds
2. J.C. Morton
3. Shawn Strong
4. Dane Bartle
5. Tim Hall
6. Corey Dunn
I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - It all came down to that one last night that really mattered. The Season Championship night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway crowned five new track champions.
Republic's Brad Looney won the Late Model track championship, but his thunder was stolen during the feature. Mid America Racing Series driver Terry Phillips showed up took home the $1,000 first-place prize.
Phillips and his teammate, Jeremy Payne, dropped in to the track to have one last chance to find the right set-ups for the upcoming Larry Phillips Memorial Race to be held Friday and Saturday nights.
"(We came) to get better, get faster and try some stuff," Phillips said. "We've been having a little trouble with the battery but it seems to be fixed. I wasn't very good tonight. I ended up breaking a shock, but we accomplished what we were wanting to do."
Phillips won the pole and kept his lead the whole race. Lebanon's Brandon McCormick started on the outside pole, but faded to a fourth-place finish.
Looney started the feature in the third position and looked to challenge Phillips for the lead until he jumped the cushion, temporarily losing his second-place position, but was able to regain it for the finish.
Looney is sponsored by Willard Quarry, Lebanon Ready Mix and Republic Glass and drives for David Willard.
Justin Neuman, of Crocker, won the Modified feature and looks to also have won the track championship. Modifieds are sanctioned by USRA and calculate all points standings. Going in to the race, Neuman had a 25-point lead on Jeff Cutshaw, of Prescott, Kan.
Neuman started the feature third behind Fordland's Jason Meadors on the pole. Steve Martin, of Ozark, started the feature second.
Tony Jackson Jr, of Lebanon, got a quick jump on the start and had taken first place by lap two after a fifth place start. But on the fourth lap, Jackson spun coming out of turn four, collecting Martin. Jackson was done racing and Martin had to rejoin the field tailback after a visit to the pits.
"I was just being patient and just running wherever I could," Neuman said. "I mean, I knew I needed to run fifth and I knew I was faster than Meadors and Martin and them, I just needed some green laps to get going."
With the race leaders out of the way, Neuman was able to drive on the inside of Meadors to take the lead for the rest of the feature by lap seven.
Lebanon's Jamie Ragland finished a strong second place. Cutshaw started the feature 12th after making it out late for his heat race, but finished the night in the third spot.
Neuman said he thanked his mom and dad especially for all the help this season, as well as his engine builder, Jim Ruble with Ruble Racing Engines in Springfield. Neuman is sponsored by: Allied Home Mortgages, St. Robert; N and S Farms, Crocker; Bell's Construction, Waynesville; Woody's Signs, Laquey; Reality Executives, St. Robert; Bench Motor Company, Waynesville; and Hayes Painting, Crocker.
David Hendrix wasn't originally going to run for the points championship in the Factory Stock class. Hendrix, of Buckhorn, had a 50-point lead during the 2005 race season until he broke his arm and missed several races and the championship by only a few points.
With disappointment still in his mind, Hendrix felt none of it Saturday night, winning both the feature and the championship.
"I didn't want to get wrapped up in it," Hendrix said. "They have a lot of bigger money races for this class now, like the big one in Batesville tonight, and I really had my heart set on going to them."
After a tough battle with Lake Mooneyham, of Republic, all year for the championship, Hendrix said regaining the points lead toward the end of the season brought back old memories.
"I knew that feeling of getting the point lead back was good," he said. "We got it back, we might as well try to keep it. We can go to Batesville and race it next year, but it's not very often you get to win a championship."
Hendrix almost didn't get the final regular season win. With only a few laps left, Burl Woods, of Springfield, poured it on, taking the lead from Hendrix with one lap to go.
"I saw the red flag come out and I thought, here's my chance," Woods said. "I looked at the score board and it said three laps to go, so I gathered what I had left and I gave it to him and we raced pretty close side by side until the end. I didn't even know who won."
But Hendrix was able to salvage the race, beating Woods at the line by mere inches.
"I'd rather run second and run like that, than win and blow someone away," Woods said.
Hendrix is sponsored by: Bluegrass Ready Mix and Bedrock Sand and Gravel, St. Robert; DI Excavating, Dixon; Mudslinger Drywall, Buckhorn; 1800Nametape.com, Waynesville; Majestic Autobody, Waynesville; York's Welding, Waynesville; Paddock Construction, Waynesville; Value Tire, Waynesville; Munchkinland Daycare, Waynesville; Woodworx Racing Plaques, Buffalo. Hendrix also runs a Ruble Racing Engine.
Steve Morton, of Clever, won the Super Stock feature, but it was veteran driver Ben Newell, of Stoutland, who won the Super Stock points championship.
"We made some changes tonight before the feature and went the wrong way with it, I guess," Newell, who finished third in the feature, said. "We had a pretty good year. We won some and had some pretty good finishes."
"I want to thank my wife, Kelly," Newell said. "She's been there for me all year. And my boys, Dayton and J.C.; they're my pit crew." Newell thanked his father, J.C. Newell, and his sponsor, Air Gas, out of Camdenton, as well as track promoter Randy Mooneyham for his hard work this season.
Swedeborg's Jason Huey won the Bomber season championship, as well as the Bomber feature. Huey has run a tough season with Tyler Brown of Richland, but was able to edge him out for the championship.
"It was a good season," Huey said. "I had good luck all season long and then the last three races here I had a lot of trouble. Tonight we got all the bugs worked out."
Huey is sponsored by: Charlie's Cars, St. Robert; Jensen Concrete, Crocker; Totally You Hair and Nail, Waynesville; and Gary Smith Construction, Richland.
Rich Reynolds, of Springfield, won his second Rookie feature in a row Saturday night after a dicey heat race. Drivers Josh Lewis, of Stoutland, and Tim Ballinger, of Halfway, both rolled their cars down the front straightaway on the last lap of the heat race. Both drivers were taken to the hospital but were OK.
Up Next: It's the final time to watch dirt track racing this season at I-44 Speedway. The 4th Annual Larry Phillips Memorial Race will be held Friday and Saturday nights.
The Fall Shootout will feature a MARS/UMP Challenge. UMP drivers such as UMP National points leader Randy Korte have already pre-entered for the event. MARS drivers Terry Phillips, Bill Frye and Wendell Wallace will all be on hand to try and win the coveted trophy.
Friday and Saturday night will both include Late Model features. The top 10 drivers in Friday night's feature will have the top 10 starting spots in the main feature on Saturday night.
The total purse for the event will be $80,000. In addition to Late Models will be All State DLRA Legends, Modifieds, Factory Stock, Super Stock and Bombers.
For payout information, see the track Web site at www.lebanoni44.com www.lebanoni44.com .
RESULTS
Late Models
Heat 1
1. Terry Phillips
2. Jesse Stovall
3. Burl Woods
4. Trace Westling
5. Matt Miller
6. Shannon Anastosopolis
Heat 2
1. Brandon McCormick
2. Christian Rayburn
3. Leroy Johnson
4. Larry Jones
5. Shorty Acre
6. James Flood
Heat 3
1. Brad Looney
2. Dave Ware
3. Jeremy Payne
4. Reid Millard
5. Darrin Barton
6. Bob Hiller
Feature
1. Terry Phillips
2. Brad Looney
3. Jesse Stovall
4. Brandon McCormick
5. Jeremy Payne
6. Christian Rayburn
7. Larry Jones
8. Dave Ware
9. Shannon Anastosopolis
10. Reid Millard
11. James Flood
12. Trace Westling
13. Leroy Johnson
14. Bob Hiller
15. Shorty Acre
16. Burl Woods
17. Darrin Barton
18. Matt Miller
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. Justin Neuman
2. Jamie Ragland
3. Brian Schutt
4. Jeff Cutshaw
5. Bob Hopkins
6. Mike Shaddy
Heat 2
1. Jason Meadors
2. Jimmy Willis
3. T.R. Phillips
4. Sam Petty
5. Corey Simpson
6. Brian Brown
Heat 3
1. Steve Martin
2. Tony Jackson Jr.
3. Brent Greenstreet
4. Fred Liles
5. Brandon Linneburr
6. Dewayne Hobbs
Feature
1. Justin Neuman
2. Jamie Ragland
3. Jeff Cuthshaw
4. Jason Meadors
5. Jimmy Willis
6. Brent Greenstreet
7. Bob Hopkins
8. Mike Shaddy
9. Brian Brown
10. Corey Simpson
11. Brian Schutt
12. Fred Liles
13. Sam Petty
14. Steve Martin
15. Tony Jackson Jr.
16. T.R. Phillips
17. Dewayne Hobbs
DNS Brandon Linneburr
Factory Stock
Heat 1
1. David Hendrix
2. Burl Woods
3. Chad Smith
4. Peter Wansing
5. Tim Petty
Heat 2
1. Jim Reaves
2. Lonnie Henderson
3. Derrick Peterson
DNS Kevin Crider, Bud Pursley
Feature
1. David Hendrix
2. Burl Woods
3. Jim Reaves
4. Chad Smith
5. Lonnie Henderson
6. Derrick Peterson
7. Tim Petty
8. Bud Pursley
DNS Peter Wansing, Kevin Crider
Super Stock
Heat 1
1. Josh Woody
2. Matt Menzie
3. Travis Harrison
4. Jamie Petty
5. Tim Ballinger
6. Mike Mitchell
Heat 2
1. Steve Morton
2. Ben Newell
3. Jeff Scroggins
4. Ted Ballinger
DNS Kit Gaynor
Feature
1. Steve Morton
2. Josh Woody
3. Ben Newell
4. Jeff Scroggins
5. Trent Harrison
6. Tim Ballinger
7. Jamie Petty
8. Ted Ballinger
9. Mike Mitchell
10. Matt Menzie
DNS Kit Gaynor
Bomber
Heat 1
1. Jason Huey
2. Shawn Winfrey
3. Donnie Jackson
4. Michael Merritt
5. Dennis Harmon
6. Brandon Pister
7. John West
Heat 2
1. Landen Johnson
2. Tyler Brown
3. Rick Brown
4. Joe Francis
5. James Scroggins
6. Richard Talley
Feature
1. Jason Huey
2. Landen Johnson
3. Joe Francis
4. Rick Brown
5. Brandon Pister
6. Shawn Winfrey
7. John West
8. Michael Merritt
9. Dennis Harmon
10. James Scroggins
11. Richard Talley
12. Donnie Jackson
Rookie
Heat
1. Rich Reynolds
2. J.C. Morton
3. Shawn Strong
4. Dane Bartle
5. Tim Hall
6. Corey Dunn
7. Tim Ballinger
8. Josh Lewis
Feature
1. Rich Reynolds
2. J.C. Morton
3. Shawn Strong
4. Dane Bartle
5. Tim Hall
6. Corey Dunn
