By David Darnell
After two consecutive rain outs, the Malden Speedway got back in action with the opening of its 2004 points season Friday night. Terry English topped a 22-car Late Model field for his fifth win in five trips to the Speedway.
Jared Wagster went wire to wire in a very exciting 20-lap Modified feature.
Jeff Greene of Paragould won the Hobby Stock feature. Aaron Darby took top honors in the Street Stock division. Chris and Gene Kelley piloted the 38K to victory lane in the Cruiser Class.
Terry English, defending UMP national champion, led from start to finish in the Late Model feature. English, Jeff Floyd and Bronson Berry made it a three-car race early as they quickly opened a margin on the field. English raced to a full two-second lead while Floyd and Berry battled back and forth for the second spot. The leaders were up to lapped traffic by lap 10 and Floyd quickly closed back to English's bumper. A caution flag on lap 18 reset the field and Floyd made his move on the restart. Floyd raced high into turns one and two and pulled even with English for a short time on the back straight, but English held the better line into turn three and held off his closest challenge of the night. English took the checkered with a 3-car lead on Floyd. Berry held on for third. Todd Hall moved up from the 10th starting position to take fourth. Steve Rushin grabbed fifth. Floyd and English won the heat races.
LATE MODELS
22 Entries - 20 Start Feature
1. 96 Terry English Benton, KY
2. F1 Jeff Floyd Walnut Ridge, AR
3. 00 Bronson Berry Huntingdon, TN
4. 99 Todd Hall Charleston
5. 14 Jr. Steve Rushin Poplar Bluff
6. 54 Dane Dacus Lakeland, TN
7. C21 Rex Berry Huntingdon, TN
8. 5 Jr. Billy James Sikeston
9. 33 Gary Stolba Willow Springs
10. 81 Gary Beard Trumann, AR
Jared Wagster also led from start to finish in the Modified feature. Wagster missed a great race, as there was a 5-car scramble for second behind him.
Wagster built a comfortable margin while they wrestled for positions. Robby Arnold and Greg King settled into second and third with Claudie Cook, Shawn Haynes and Jeremy Russell right behind. Arnold and King battled side by side for 5 laps before King took the second spot on lap 17. A lap later a caution fell, and Wagster's comfortable margin was gone. Wagster had no room for error with two of the area's best lurking right on his tail for the restart. Wagster took the high line and for a short time King was able to pull along side down low. Wagster nosed ahead coming out of turn two and was alone as he took the white flag and held on the rest of the way for the win.
On the final lap, Arnold bumped into the rear of King in turn two, causing him to spin into the infield and having to settle with a fifth place finish.
Arnold held off Cook for second. Russell took fourth. Heat winners were Wagster, Haynes, and Arnold. Lannie Blake took the B-Main.
MODIFIEDS
23 Entries - 20 Start Feature
1. 10 Jared Wagster Portageville
2. 32 Robby Arnold Paragould, AR
3. Mee 2 Claudie Cook Portageville
4. 6R Jeremy Russell Jonesboro, AR
5. 1 Greg King Sikeston
6. 55 Jess Short Cape Girardeau
7. 10R Tim Radford Piedmont
8. 45 Jeremy Conner Essex
9. G1 Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
10. 21 Shawn Haynes Malden
In one of the best races of this young season, Jeff Greene out dueled Tim Winchester and topped a 19-car field to take the Hobby Stock feature. An intense five car battle for the first half of the race left Greene leading Winchester with Claudie Cook, Steven Cunningham, Glenn Griffin, and Doug Moore right in tow. Winchester dove low coming out of turn four on lap 8 for his first real challenge of Greene, but Greene won the drag race down the front straight. Winchester mounted another attack on lap 11, and was able to pull even through the back straight and nosed ahead for a short time. The pair raced side by side the final three laps and took the white flag together. Greene got the advantage out of the final turn and won by half of a car length. Great show guys. Cook took third followed by Cunningham and Scott Tracer, who moved into the top five on the final lap.
Cook and Greene won the heat races.
HOBBY STOCK
19 Entries - 18 Start feature.
1. 9X Jeff Greene Paragould, AR
2. 30/30 Tim Winchester Gideon
3. 54C Claudie Cook Portageville
4. 96 Steven Cunningham Milan, TN
5. 94 Scott Tracer Rector, AR
6. 27M Glenn Griffin Rutherford, TN
7. 54A Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
8. 82 Gene Fowler Portageville
9. JP21 Jason Pennington Qulin
10. 6 Billy Kelm Poplar Bluff
It was just one of the nights for the Street Stock class. The 12-lap feature was marred with 11 caution flags and never got into any real flow.
The final three laps went caution free and set up a three-way battle for the flag. Aaron Darby had grabbed the lead from Kyle Berry on the fifth lap as Berry and Paul Reeder battled down the front straight. Darby found a clear path down low and dove past both to move from third to first. Darby had his hands full the final laps with Mike Elliott and Berry right on his tail.
With one to go Berry dove low for the lead but got loose and gave up second to Elliott, this skirmish was all Darby needed as he pulled away the final lap to pick up the win. Elliot took second. Berry was disqualified post race for being too light at the scales. Justin Rojas, Pat Thompson, and Tony Copeland rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Thompson, Jason Palmer, and Reeder. Greg Casey won the B-Main.
STREET STOCK
28 Entries - 19 Start Feature
1. 29 Aaron Darby Portageville
2. 26 Mike Elliott Ellsinore
3. 42 Justin Rojas Malden
4. 3 Pat Thompson Portageville
5. 33 Tony Copeland Cooter
6. 51 Kyle Oberkramer Broseley
7. C8 Allen Boone Blytheville, AR
8. 98 Jim Hyde Tiptonville, TN
9. 9 Randy Emison Bells, TN
10. 97 Paul Reeder Malden
Chris and Gene Kelley won the both the Heat and the Feature in the Cruiser division. They were the class of the field as they led both races from green to checker without serious challenge
CRUISERS
7 Entries - 6 Start Feature
1. 38 K Kelley & Kelley Portageville
2. 23 S McChristian & Magouirk Pollard, AR
3. 357 Simpson & Simpson Piggott, AR
4. 911 Champlin & Champlin Piggott, AR
5. 84 Null & Null Puxico
Points racing will continue Friday May 14 in the same five classes - Late Models, Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Street Stock, and Cruisers. Check maldenspeedway.com for up to date info and photos.
After two consecutive rain outs, the Malden Speedway got back in action with the opening of its 2004 points season Friday night. Terry English topped a 22-car Late Model field for his fifth win in five trips to the Speedway.
Jared Wagster went wire to wire in a very exciting 20-lap Modified feature.
Jeff Greene of Paragould won the Hobby Stock feature. Aaron Darby took top honors in the Street Stock division. Chris and Gene Kelley piloted the 38K to victory lane in the Cruiser Class.
Terry English, defending UMP national champion, led from start to finish in the Late Model feature. English, Jeff Floyd and Bronson Berry made it a three-car race early as they quickly opened a margin on the field. English raced to a full two-second lead while Floyd and Berry battled back and forth for the second spot. The leaders were up to lapped traffic by lap 10 and Floyd quickly closed back to English's bumper. A caution flag on lap 18 reset the field and Floyd made his move on the restart. Floyd raced high into turns one and two and pulled even with English for a short time on the back straight, but English held the better line into turn three and held off his closest challenge of the night. English took the checkered with a 3-car lead on Floyd. Berry held on for third. Todd Hall moved up from the 10th starting position to take fourth. Steve Rushin grabbed fifth. Floyd and English won the heat races.
LATE MODELS
22 Entries - 20 Start Feature
1. 96 Terry English Benton, KY
2. F1 Jeff Floyd Walnut Ridge, AR
3. 00 Bronson Berry Huntingdon, TN
4. 99 Todd Hall Charleston
5. 14 Jr. Steve Rushin Poplar Bluff
6. 54 Dane Dacus Lakeland, TN
7. C21 Rex Berry Huntingdon, TN
8. 5 Jr. Billy James Sikeston
9. 33 Gary Stolba Willow Springs
10. 81 Gary Beard Trumann, AR
Jared Wagster also led from start to finish in the Modified feature. Wagster missed a great race, as there was a 5-car scramble for second behind him.
Wagster built a comfortable margin while they wrestled for positions. Robby Arnold and Greg King settled into second and third with Claudie Cook, Shawn Haynes and Jeremy Russell right behind. Arnold and King battled side by side for 5 laps before King took the second spot on lap 17. A lap later a caution fell, and Wagster's comfortable margin was gone. Wagster had no room for error with two of the area's best lurking right on his tail for the restart. Wagster took the high line and for a short time King was able to pull along side down low. Wagster nosed ahead coming out of turn two and was alone as he took the white flag and held on the rest of the way for the win.
On the final lap, Arnold bumped into the rear of King in turn two, causing him to spin into the infield and having to settle with a fifth place finish.
Arnold held off Cook for second. Russell took fourth. Heat winners were Wagster, Haynes, and Arnold. Lannie Blake took the B-Main.
MODIFIEDS
23 Entries - 20 Start Feature
1. 10 Jared Wagster Portageville
2. 32 Robby Arnold Paragould, AR
3. Mee 2 Claudie Cook Portageville
4. 6R Jeremy Russell Jonesboro, AR
5. 1 Greg King Sikeston
6. 55 Jess Short Cape Girardeau
7. 10R Tim Radford Piedmont
8. 45 Jeremy Conner Essex
9. G1 Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
10. 21 Shawn Haynes Malden
In one of the best races of this young season, Jeff Greene out dueled Tim Winchester and topped a 19-car field to take the Hobby Stock feature. An intense five car battle for the first half of the race left Greene leading Winchester with Claudie Cook, Steven Cunningham, Glenn Griffin, and Doug Moore right in tow. Winchester dove low coming out of turn four on lap 8 for his first real challenge of Greene, but Greene won the drag race down the front straight. Winchester mounted another attack on lap 11, and was able to pull even through the back straight and nosed ahead for a short time. The pair raced side by side the final three laps and took the white flag together. Greene got the advantage out of the final turn and won by half of a car length. Great show guys. Cook took third followed by Cunningham and Scott Tracer, who moved into the top five on the final lap.
Cook and Greene won the heat races.
HOBBY STOCK
19 Entries - 18 Start feature.
1. 9X Jeff Greene Paragould, AR
2. 30/30 Tim Winchester Gideon
3. 54C Claudie Cook Portageville
4. 96 Steven Cunningham Milan, TN
5. 94 Scott Tracer Rector, AR
6. 27M Glenn Griffin Rutherford, TN
7. 54A Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
8. 82 Gene Fowler Portageville
9. JP21 Jason Pennington Qulin
10. 6 Billy Kelm Poplar Bluff
It was just one of the nights for the Street Stock class. The 12-lap feature was marred with 11 caution flags and never got into any real flow.
The final three laps went caution free and set up a three-way battle for the flag. Aaron Darby had grabbed the lead from Kyle Berry on the fifth lap as Berry and Paul Reeder battled down the front straight. Darby found a clear path down low and dove past both to move from third to first. Darby had his hands full the final laps with Mike Elliott and Berry right on his tail.
With one to go Berry dove low for the lead but got loose and gave up second to Elliott, this skirmish was all Darby needed as he pulled away the final lap to pick up the win. Elliot took second. Berry was disqualified post race for being too light at the scales. Justin Rojas, Pat Thompson, and Tony Copeland rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Thompson, Jason Palmer, and Reeder. Greg Casey won the B-Main.
STREET STOCK
28 Entries - 19 Start Feature
1. 29 Aaron Darby Portageville
2. 26 Mike Elliott Ellsinore
3. 42 Justin Rojas Malden
4. 3 Pat Thompson Portageville
5. 33 Tony Copeland Cooter
6. 51 Kyle Oberkramer Broseley
7. C8 Allen Boone Blytheville, AR
8. 98 Jim Hyde Tiptonville, TN
9. 9 Randy Emison Bells, TN
10. 97 Paul Reeder Malden
Chris and Gene Kelley won the both the Heat and the Feature in the Cruiser division. They were the class of the field as they led both races from green to checker without serious challenge
CRUISERS
7 Entries - 6 Start Feature
1. 38 K Kelley & Kelley Portageville
2. 23 S McChristian & Magouirk Pollard, AR
3. 357 Simpson & Simpson Piggott, AR
4. 911 Champlin & Champlin Piggott, AR
5. 84 Null & Null Puxico
Points racing will continue Friday May 14 in the same five classes - Late Models, Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Street Stock, and Cruisers. Check maldenspeedway.com for up to date info and photos.
