O'REILLY AUTO PARTS MID-AMERICA RACING SERIES
Joplin 66 Speedway
Saturday, April 26
by Larry Olson; Mountain Home, AR
JOPLIN MO. Terry Phillips used a late race caution to capture his second O'Reilly Auto Parts Mid-America Racing Series feature event. The feature, shortened to 30 laps for track conditions, saw Al Purkey lead the first 26 laps before Phillips was able to make a high side pass on the restart to take the win.
Sonny Findling was the polesitter for the race, with Purkey to his outside. Purkey moved to the lead as the green appeared, with Jeff Floyd moving past Findling for the second spot. Findling was third initially with Jerry Buck and Daryl Brown behind. Findling dropped out of the top five quickly, with Purkey taking a 10 carlength lead after just two laps.
Alan Vaughn was fourth by lap four, and Terry Phillips was in the fifth spot a lap later. Phillips drove around Vaughn for fourth in turn two on lap five. The first of five caution flags waved on lap six for Wendell Wallace, who was turned around in turn four.
Raymond Merrill drove past Vaughn for fifth on the restart, then the caution flag waved again on lap eight for John Dillard who had spun on the backstretch.
Jerry Buck drove past Floyd on the restart for second, then Phillips got by Floyd for the third position in turn two. Merrill and Floyd were side by side on lap nine, with Merrill getting the spot on lap 10. Floyd caused caution number three on lap 14, as he slowed with a tire down.
Bill Frye was fifth on the restart, and shot into fourth as the green flag came back out. Phillips was by Buck for the second spot, then Frye bypassed Buck for third in turn two. Phillips and Frye raced side by side on lap 16. Raymond Merrill drove by Buck for fourth in turn two on lap 19.
Purkey was enjoying a five carlength advantage over Phillips and Frye, who were dicing for second spot on lap 20. Steve Rushin brought the yellow flag out on lap 23, as he broke a tie-rod, and was stopped in turn three.
Frye and Phillips bumped on the restart, opening the door for Merrill to shoot all the way into second. Merrill made a run on Purkey, and was on his bumper by lap 24. Merrill pulled even with Purkey on lap 26, but Frye got turned around in turn four in close racing.
Phillips was in third on the restart, so he started to the outside of Raymond Merrill on the double file restart. Phillips shot past Merrill, even with Purkey going into turn three. Phillips came off turn four with the lead. Jeff Taylor made his way from the last starting position to fifth on lap 27. Taylor and Charlie Randolph raced side by side on lap 28.
Phillips was pacing the field by 10 carlenghts as the white flag came out. Taylor picked up two more spots on the last couple of laps. Terry Phillips picked up the win, with Al Purkey, Jeff Taylor, Raymond Merrill, and Charlie Randolph making up the top five. Leslie Essary, Jerry Buck, Jeff Floyd, Alan Vaughn, and Daryl Brown rounded out the top ten.
Entries: 43
Top Qualifier: Sonny Findling
Hard Charger: Jeff Taylor
Provisionals: Jeff Taylor, Steve Rushin (3)
Lap Leaders: Al Purkey 1-26, Terry Phillips 27-30
Cautions: 5
A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1) Terry Phillips, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $3,000
2) Al Purkey, Larry Shaw/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $2,000
3) Jeff Taylor, Larry Shaw/Kuntz/Taurus; $1,250
4) Raymond Merrill, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $1,100
5) Charlie Randolph, GRT/BMS/Monte Carlo; $1,000
6) Leslie Essary, GRT/Mike's/Grand Prix; $750
7) Jerry Buck, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $700
8) Jeff Floyd, GRT/Kuntz/Taurus; $675
9) Alan Vaughn, Rocket/Smitty's/Grand Prix; $650
10) Daryl Brown, Rocket/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $625
11) Mike Brown, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $600
12) Donnie Barnhart, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $575
13) Jack Sullivan, GRT/Dickens/Grand Prix; $550
14) Bill Frye, GRT/Kuntz/Mustang; $525
15) Rob Hough, GRT/BMS/Grand Prix; $500
16) Jason Snodgrass, GRT/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $500
17) Dewaine Hottinger, GRT/Kuntz/Monte Carlo; $500
18) Steve Rushin, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
19) Larry Jones, American Made/Jones/Monte Carlo; $500
20) Wendell Wallace, GRT/Craft/Taurus; $500
21) Sonny Findling, GRT/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $500
22) John Dillard, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
1st Heat (12 Laps) 1) Jeff Floyd, Walnut Ridge AR 2) Jason Snodgrass, Mountain Home AR 3) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK 4) Steve Rushin, Poplar Bluff MO 5) Mike Bowers, North Little Rock AR 6) Bill Frye, Greenbriar AR 7) Rusty Dukes, Fair Grove MO 8) Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS 9) David Gibson, Ash Flat AR
2nd Heat 1) Jerry Buck, Harviell MO 2) Terry Phillips, Springfield MO 3) Wendell Wallace, Batesville AR 4) Leslie Essary, Crane MO 5) Duke Whiseant, Texarkana AR 6) Joey Mack, Benton MO 7) Steve Ihm, Hazel Green WI 8) Shannon Phillips, Joplin MO 9) Jerry Walker, Southhaven MS
3rd Heat 1) Sonny Findling, Kirksville MO 2) Rob Hough, South Coffeyville OK 3) Larry Jones, Eldorado Springs MO 4) Jack Sullivan, Greenbriar AR 5) Gary Stolba, Willow Springs MO 6) Ken Essary, Cape Fair MO 7) LeRoy Johnson, Springfield MO 8) Andy Gerstenkorn, Independence KS 9) Terry Melton, Bartlesville OK
4th Heat 1) Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS 2) Donnie Barnhart, North Little Rock AR 3) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw OK 4) Dewaine Hottinger, Russellville AR 5) Jeff Taylor, Batesville AR 6) Robbie Starnes, Baytown TX 7) Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville AR 8) Gary Gorby, Caney KS
5th Heat 1) Daryl Brown, Altimount KS 2) John Dillard, Farmington AR 3) Alan Vaughn, Belton MO 4) Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson OK 5) Shane Essary, Aurora MO 6) Jeff French, Waukee IA 7) Kerry Schulze, Moundsville MO 8) Chris Comer, Parkville MO
1st Last Chance Qualifier (15 Laps, two transfer) 1) Bill Frye 2) Dewaine Hottinger 3) Joey Mack 4) Duke Whiseant 5) Shane Essary 6) Terry Melton 7) Rusty Dukes 8) LeRoy Johnson 9) Gary Stolba 10) David Gibson 11) Steve Rushin 12) Russell Portwood 13) Gary Gorby (scratch: Kerry Schulze)
2nd Last Chance Qualifier 1) Leslie Essary 2) Mike Brown 3) Mike Bowers 4) Jeff Taylor 5) Ken Essary 6) Stacy Taylor 7) Jeff French 8) Steve Ihm 9) Chris Comer 10) Shannon Phillips 11) Jerry Walker 12) Andy Gerstenkorn 13) Robbie Starnes
MARS POINTS AS OF: 04/26/03
1 5E ESSARY, LESLIE CRANE, MO 322
2 75P PHILLIPS, TERRY SPRINGFIELD, MO 314
3 5T TAYLOR, JEFF BATESVILLE, AR 312
4 66F FRYE, BILL GREENBRIAR, AR 282
5 F1 FLOYD, JEFF WALNUT RIDGE, AR 264
6 88W WALLACE, WENDELL BATESVILLE, AR 262
7 22V VAUGHN, ALAN BELTON, MO 252
8 11B BARNHART, DONNIE NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 244
9 14JR RUSHIN, STEVE POPLAR BLUFF, MO 242
10 81B BUCK, JERRY HARVIELL, M0 240
11 65H HOTTINGER, DEWAINE RUSSELLVILLE, AR 238
12 33P PURKEY, AL COFFEYVILLE, KS 232
13 427B BROWN, MIKE FT. GIBSON, OK 216
14 21M MOYER, BILLY BATESVILLE, AR 210
9R RANDOLPH II, CHARLIE MUSKOGEE, OK 210
16 60B BOWERS, MIKE NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 202
17 77RS STARNES, ROBBIE BAYTOWN, TX 200
18 12M MERRILL, RAYMOND SALLISAW, OK 192
19 18S SULLIVAN, JACK GREENBRIAR, AR 184
20 15E ESSARY, SHANE AURORA, MO 162
Joplin 66 Speedway
Saturday, April 26
by Larry Olson; Mountain Home, AR
JOPLIN MO. Terry Phillips used a late race caution to capture his second O'Reilly Auto Parts Mid-America Racing Series feature event. The feature, shortened to 30 laps for track conditions, saw Al Purkey lead the first 26 laps before Phillips was able to make a high side pass on the restart to take the win.
Sonny Findling was the polesitter for the race, with Purkey to his outside. Purkey moved to the lead as the green appeared, with Jeff Floyd moving past Findling for the second spot. Findling was third initially with Jerry Buck and Daryl Brown behind. Findling dropped out of the top five quickly, with Purkey taking a 10 carlength lead after just two laps.
Alan Vaughn was fourth by lap four, and Terry Phillips was in the fifth spot a lap later. Phillips drove around Vaughn for fourth in turn two on lap five. The first of five caution flags waved on lap six for Wendell Wallace, who was turned around in turn four.
Raymond Merrill drove past Vaughn for fifth on the restart, then the caution flag waved again on lap eight for John Dillard who had spun on the backstretch.
Jerry Buck drove past Floyd on the restart for second, then Phillips got by Floyd for the third position in turn two. Merrill and Floyd were side by side on lap nine, with Merrill getting the spot on lap 10. Floyd caused caution number three on lap 14, as he slowed with a tire down.
Bill Frye was fifth on the restart, and shot into fourth as the green flag came back out. Phillips was by Buck for the second spot, then Frye bypassed Buck for third in turn two. Phillips and Frye raced side by side on lap 16. Raymond Merrill drove by Buck for fourth in turn two on lap 19.
Purkey was enjoying a five carlength advantage over Phillips and Frye, who were dicing for second spot on lap 20. Steve Rushin brought the yellow flag out on lap 23, as he broke a tie-rod, and was stopped in turn three.
Frye and Phillips bumped on the restart, opening the door for Merrill to shoot all the way into second. Merrill made a run on Purkey, and was on his bumper by lap 24. Merrill pulled even with Purkey on lap 26, but Frye got turned around in turn four in close racing.
Phillips was in third on the restart, so he started to the outside of Raymond Merrill on the double file restart. Phillips shot past Merrill, even with Purkey going into turn three. Phillips came off turn four with the lead. Jeff Taylor made his way from the last starting position to fifth on lap 27. Taylor and Charlie Randolph raced side by side on lap 28.
Phillips was pacing the field by 10 carlenghts as the white flag came out. Taylor picked up two more spots on the last couple of laps. Terry Phillips picked up the win, with Al Purkey, Jeff Taylor, Raymond Merrill, and Charlie Randolph making up the top five. Leslie Essary, Jerry Buck, Jeff Floyd, Alan Vaughn, and Daryl Brown rounded out the top ten.
Entries: 43
Top Qualifier: Sonny Findling
Hard Charger: Jeff Taylor
Provisionals: Jeff Taylor, Steve Rushin (3)
Lap Leaders: Al Purkey 1-26, Terry Phillips 27-30
Cautions: 5
A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1) Terry Phillips, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $3,000
2) Al Purkey, Larry Shaw/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $2,000
3) Jeff Taylor, Larry Shaw/Kuntz/Taurus; $1,250
4) Raymond Merrill, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $1,100
5) Charlie Randolph, GRT/BMS/Monte Carlo; $1,000
6) Leslie Essary, GRT/Mike's/Grand Prix; $750
7) Jerry Buck, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $700
8) Jeff Floyd, GRT/Kuntz/Taurus; $675
9) Alan Vaughn, Rocket/Smitty's/Grand Prix; $650
10) Daryl Brown, Rocket/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $625
11) Mike Brown, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $600
12) Donnie Barnhart, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $575
13) Jack Sullivan, GRT/Dickens/Grand Prix; $550
14) Bill Frye, GRT/Kuntz/Mustang; $525
15) Rob Hough, GRT/BMS/Grand Prix; $500
16) Jason Snodgrass, GRT/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $500
17) Dewaine Hottinger, GRT/Kuntz/Monte Carlo; $500
18) Steve Rushin, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
19) Larry Jones, American Made/Jones/Monte Carlo; $500
20) Wendell Wallace, GRT/Craft/Taurus; $500
21) Sonny Findling, GRT/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $500
22) John Dillard, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
1st Heat (12 Laps) 1) Jeff Floyd, Walnut Ridge AR 2) Jason Snodgrass, Mountain Home AR 3) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK 4) Steve Rushin, Poplar Bluff MO 5) Mike Bowers, North Little Rock AR 6) Bill Frye, Greenbriar AR 7) Rusty Dukes, Fair Grove MO 8) Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS 9) David Gibson, Ash Flat AR
2nd Heat 1) Jerry Buck, Harviell MO 2) Terry Phillips, Springfield MO 3) Wendell Wallace, Batesville AR 4) Leslie Essary, Crane MO 5) Duke Whiseant, Texarkana AR 6) Joey Mack, Benton MO 7) Steve Ihm, Hazel Green WI 8) Shannon Phillips, Joplin MO 9) Jerry Walker, Southhaven MS
3rd Heat 1) Sonny Findling, Kirksville MO 2) Rob Hough, South Coffeyville OK 3) Larry Jones, Eldorado Springs MO 4) Jack Sullivan, Greenbriar AR 5) Gary Stolba, Willow Springs MO 6) Ken Essary, Cape Fair MO 7) LeRoy Johnson, Springfield MO 8) Andy Gerstenkorn, Independence KS 9) Terry Melton, Bartlesville OK
4th Heat 1) Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS 2) Donnie Barnhart, North Little Rock AR 3) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw OK 4) Dewaine Hottinger, Russellville AR 5) Jeff Taylor, Batesville AR 6) Robbie Starnes, Baytown TX 7) Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville AR 8) Gary Gorby, Caney KS
5th Heat 1) Daryl Brown, Altimount KS 2) John Dillard, Farmington AR 3) Alan Vaughn, Belton MO 4) Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson OK 5) Shane Essary, Aurora MO 6) Jeff French, Waukee IA 7) Kerry Schulze, Moundsville MO 8) Chris Comer, Parkville MO
1st Last Chance Qualifier (15 Laps, two transfer) 1) Bill Frye 2) Dewaine Hottinger 3) Joey Mack 4) Duke Whiseant 5) Shane Essary 6) Terry Melton 7) Rusty Dukes 8) LeRoy Johnson 9) Gary Stolba 10) David Gibson 11) Steve Rushin 12) Russell Portwood 13) Gary Gorby (scratch: Kerry Schulze)
2nd Last Chance Qualifier 1) Leslie Essary 2) Mike Brown 3) Mike Bowers 4) Jeff Taylor 5) Ken Essary 6) Stacy Taylor 7) Jeff French 8) Steve Ihm 9) Chris Comer 10) Shannon Phillips 11) Jerry Walker 12) Andy Gerstenkorn 13) Robbie Starnes
MARS POINTS AS OF: 04/26/03
1 5E ESSARY, LESLIE CRANE, MO 322
2 75P PHILLIPS, TERRY SPRINGFIELD, MO 314
3 5T TAYLOR, JEFF BATESVILLE, AR 312
4 66F FRYE, BILL GREENBRIAR, AR 282
5 F1 FLOYD, JEFF WALNUT RIDGE, AR 264
6 88W WALLACE, WENDELL BATESVILLE, AR 262
7 22V VAUGHN, ALAN BELTON, MO 252
8 11B BARNHART, DONNIE NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 244
9 14JR RUSHIN, STEVE POPLAR BLUFF, MO 242
10 81B BUCK, JERRY HARVIELL, M0 240
11 65H HOTTINGER, DEWAINE RUSSELLVILLE, AR 238
12 33P PURKEY, AL COFFEYVILLE, KS 232
13 427B BROWN, MIKE FT. GIBSON, OK 216
14 21M MOYER, BILLY BATESVILLE, AR 210
9R RANDOLPH II, CHARLIE MUSKOGEE, OK 210
16 60B BOWERS, MIKE NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 202
17 77RS STARNES, ROBBIE BAYTOWN, TX 200
18 12M MERRILL, RAYMOND SALLISAW, OK 192
19 18S SULLIVAN, JACK GREENBRIAR, AR 184
20 15E ESSARY, SHANE AURORA, MO 162
