O'REILLY AUTO PARTS MID-AMERICA RACING SERIES
West Plains Motor Speedway
Saturday, April 12, 2003
by Larry Olson; Mountain Home, AR
WEST PLAINS MO. Terry Phillips, the winningest driver on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Mid-America Racing Series, added another to his talley. Phillips picked up career victory number 24 Saturday at the West Plains Motor Speedway. Phillips was the dominant driver, leading all 40 laps, and had comfortable margins until a late race caution bunched the field.
Leslie Essary was the polesitter for the second night in a row, with Phillips to his outside. Phillips drove to the lead as the green came out, while Essary, and Jeff Taylor were side by side for the second spot. Dewaine Hottinger and Billy Moyer were fourth and fifth.
Phillips took no time to break out to a 10 carlength advantage, while Jeff Floyd powered his way from a row five starting position, past Moyer on lap four. Phillips was a half straightaway ahead of the pack by lap six Floyd moved past Hottinger for fourth, then Alan Vaughn and Hottinger diced for fifth on lap seven.
Moyer rallied back past Vaughn for the fifth spot on lap 10. Phillips was starting to get into traffic by lap 15. Phillips looked at four cars race for position ahead of him, but was able to work his way through without giving up any of his lead over Leslie Essary who was riding in second.
Phillips split a pair of cars on lap 21. Moyer and Floyd raced for the fourth spot on lap 23, with Moyer taking the position in turn two. Phillips was looking at more heavy traffic by lap 26, but cleared that pack still a half straightaway ahead by lap 30.
Moyer was closing in on Jeff Taylor for the third spot by lap 34, but the only caution of the race came out on that lap as a tire marking the infield was kicked out onto the track.
Phillips was able to power back to a five carlength lead as the green came out, but other positions were up for grabs behind him. Taylor, Moyer, and Essary dueled 3 wide on lap 35. Taylor moved to 2nd on lap 38, then Moyer slipped past Essary on the last lap, securing third.
Terry Phillips came home with the win, with Jeff Taylor, Billy Moyer, Leslie Essary, and Duke Whiseant making up the top five. Steve Rushin came from the 22nd starting position to claim sixth, with Jeff Floyd, Wendell Wallace, Al Purkey, and Alan Vaughn rounding out the top ten.
Entries: 41
Top Qualifier: Leslie Essary
Hard Charger: Steve Rushin
Provisionals: Bill Frye, Steve Rushin
Lap Leaders: Terry Phillips 1-40
Cautions: 1
A FEATURE (40 Laps)
1) Terry Phillips, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $3,000
2) Jeff Taylor, Larry Shaw/Kuntz/Taurus; $2,000
3) Billy Moyer, MasterSbilt/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $1,250
4) Leslie Essary, GRT/Mike's/Grand Prix; $1,100
5) Duke Whiseant, GRT/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $1,000
6) Steve Rushin, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $750
7) Jeff Floyd, GRT/Kuntz/Taurus; $700
8) Wendell Wallace, GRT/Craft/Taurus; $675
9) Al Purkey, Larry Shaw/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $650
10) Alan Vaughn, Rocket/Smitty's/Grand Prix; $625
11) Dewaine Hottinger, GRT/Kuntz/Monte Carlo; $600
12) Robbie Starnes, Larry Shaw/Dynotech/Grand Prix; $575
13) Darren Miller, MasterSbilt/Pro Power/Taurus; $550
14) Jack Sullivan, GRT/Dickens/Grand Prix; $525
15) Mike Bowers, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
16) Bill Frye, GRT/Kuntz/Mustang; $500
17) Mike Brown, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
18) Donnie Barnhart, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $500
19) Charlie Randolph, GRT/BMS/Monte Carlo; $500
20) Gary Webb, GRT/Pro Power/Grand Prix $500
21) Stacy Taylor, GRT/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $500
22) Shannon Babb, Rayburn/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $500
1st Heat (12 Laps) 1) Dewaine Hottinger, Russellville AR 2) Jeff Taylor, Batesville AR 3) Gary Webb, Blue Grass IA 4) Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson OK 5) Jack Sullivan, Greenbriar AR 6) Jason Snodgrass, Mountain Home AR 7) Joey Mack, Benton MO 8) Gary Stolba, Willow Springs MO 9) Jerry Walker, Southaven MS
2nd Heat 1) Alan Vaughn, Belton MO 2) Mike Bowers, North Little Rock AR 3) Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS 4) Shannon Babb, Mowequa IL 5) Jerry Buck, Harviell MO 6) Shane Essary, Aurora MO 7) Rex McCroskey, Springfield MO 8) Dustin Mooneyham, Aurora MO
3rd Heat 1) Billy Moyer, Batesville AR 2) Duke Whiseant, Texarkana AR 3) Robbie Starnes, Baytown TX 4) Donnie Barnhart, North Little Rock AR 5) Dean Carpenter, Coldwater MS 6) Ace Ihm, Hazel Green WI 7) Chris Moore, Nesbit MS 8) Travis Mears, Newport AR
4th Heat 1) Wendell Wallace, Batesville AR 2) Darren Miller, Chadwick IL 3) Jeff Floyd, Walnut Ridge AR 4) Brandon Ball, West Plains MO 5) David Gibson, Ash Flat AR 6) Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI 7) Garrett Durrett, Simsboro LA 8) John Pafford, Eads TN
5th Heat 1) Terry Phillips, Springfield MO 2) Leslie Essary, Crane MO 3) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK 4) Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville AR 5) Steve Rushin, Poplar Bluff MO 6) Bill Frye, Greenbriar AR 7) Shane Diamant, North Little Rock AR 8) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw OK
1st Last Chance Qualifier (15 Laps, two transfer) 1) Shannon Babb 2) Jack Sullivan 3) Steve Rushin 4) Chris Moore 5) Shane Essary 6) Kerry Hanson 7) Dustin Mooneyham 8) John Pafford 9) Shane Diamant 10) Joey Mack 11) Dean Carpenter 12) Jerry Walker 13) Brandon Ball
2nd Last Chance Qualifier 1) Stacy Taylor 2) Mike Brown 3) Bill Frye 4) Jerry Buck 5) Jason Snodgrass 6) David Gibson 7) Raymond Merrill 8) Garrett Durrett 9) Rex McCroskey 10) Travis Mears 11) Gary Stolba 12) Ace Ihm
West Plains Motor Speedway
Saturday, April 12, 2003
by Larry Olson; Mountain Home, AR
WEST PLAINS MO. Terry Phillips, the winningest driver on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Mid-America Racing Series, added another to his talley. Phillips picked up career victory number 24 Saturday at the West Plains Motor Speedway. Phillips was the dominant driver, leading all 40 laps, and had comfortable margins until a late race caution bunched the field.
Leslie Essary was the polesitter for the second night in a row, with Phillips to his outside. Phillips drove to the lead as the green came out, while Essary, and Jeff Taylor were side by side for the second spot. Dewaine Hottinger and Billy Moyer were fourth and fifth.
Phillips took no time to break out to a 10 carlength advantage, while Jeff Floyd powered his way from a row five starting position, past Moyer on lap four. Phillips was a half straightaway ahead of the pack by lap six Floyd moved past Hottinger for fourth, then Alan Vaughn and Hottinger diced for fifth on lap seven.
Moyer rallied back past Vaughn for the fifth spot on lap 10. Phillips was starting to get into traffic by lap 15. Phillips looked at four cars race for position ahead of him, but was able to work his way through without giving up any of his lead over Leslie Essary who was riding in second.
Phillips split a pair of cars on lap 21. Moyer and Floyd raced for the fourth spot on lap 23, with Moyer taking the position in turn two. Phillips was looking at more heavy traffic by lap 26, but cleared that pack still a half straightaway ahead by lap 30.
Moyer was closing in on Jeff Taylor for the third spot by lap 34, but the only caution of the race came out on that lap as a tire marking the infield was kicked out onto the track.
Phillips was able to power back to a five carlength lead as the green came out, but other positions were up for grabs behind him. Taylor, Moyer, and Essary dueled 3 wide on lap 35. Taylor moved to 2nd on lap 38, then Moyer slipped past Essary on the last lap, securing third.
Terry Phillips came home with the win, with Jeff Taylor, Billy Moyer, Leslie Essary, and Duke Whiseant making up the top five. Steve Rushin came from the 22nd starting position to claim sixth, with Jeff Floyd, Wendell Wallace, Al Purkey, and Alan Vaughn rounding out the top ten.
Entries: 41
Top Qualifier: Leslie Essary
Hard Charger: Steve Rushin
Provisionals: Bill Frye, Steve Rushin
Lap Leaders: Terry Phillips 1-40
Cautions: 1
A FEATURE (40 Laps)
1) Terry Phillips, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $3,000
2) Jeff Taylor, Larry Shaw/Kuntz/Taurus; $2,000
3) Billy Moyer, MasterSbilt/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $1,250
4) Leslie Essary, GRT/Mike's/Grand Prix; $1,100
5) Duke Whiseant, GRT/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $1,000
6) Steve Rushin, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $750
7) Jeff Floyd, GRT/Kuntz/Taurus; $700
8) Wendell Wallace, GRT/Craft/Taurus; $675
9) Al Purkey, Larry Shaw/Hatfield/Grand Prix; $650
10) Alan Vaughn, Rocket/Smitty's/Grand Prix; $625
11) Dewaine Hottinger, GRT/Kuntz/Monte Carlo; $600
12) Robbie Starnes, Larry Shaw/Dynotech/Grand Prix; $575
13) Darren Miller, MasterSbilt/Pro Power/Taurus; $550
14) Jack Sullivan, GRT/Dickens/Grand Prix; $525
15) Mike Bowers, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
16) Bill Frye, GRT/Kuntz/Mustang; $500
17) Mike Brown, GRT/Hatfield/Monte Carlo; $500
18) Donnie Barnhart, GRT/Kuntz/Grand Prix; $500
19) Charlie Randolph, GRT/BMS/Monte Carlo; $500
20) Gary Webb, GRT/Pro Power/Grand Prix $500
21) Stacy Taylor, GRT/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $500
22) Shannon Babb, Rayburn/Dickens/Monte Carlo; $500
1st Heat (12 Laps) 1) Dewaine Hottinger, Russellville AR 2) Jeff Taylor, Batesville AR 3) Gary Webb, Blue Grass IA 4) Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson OK 5) Jack Sullivan, Greenbriar AR 6) Jason Snodgrass, Mountain Home AR 7) Joey Mack, Benton MO 8) Gary Stolba, Willow Springs MO 9) Jerry Walker, Southaven MS
2nd Heat 1) Alan Vaughn, Belton MO 2) Mike Bowers, North Little Rock AR 3) Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS 4) Shannon Babb, Mowequa IL 5) Jerry Buck, Harviell MO 6) Shane Essary, Aurora MO 7) Rex McCroskey, Springfield MO 8) Dustin Mooneyham, Aurora MO
3rd Heat 1) Billy Moyer, Batesville AR 2) Duke Whiseant, Texarkana AR 3) Robbie Starnes, Baytown TX 4) Donnie Barnhart, North Little Rock AR 5) Dean Carpenter, Coldwater MS 6) Ace Ihm, Hazel Green WI 7) Chris Moore, Nesbit MS 8) Travis Mears, Newport AR
4th Heat 1) Wendell Wallace, Batesville AR 2) Darren Miller, Chadwick IL 3) Jeff Floyd, Walnut Ridge AR 4) Brandon Ball, West Plains MO 5) David Gibson, Ash Flat AR 6) Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI 7) Garrett Durrett, Simsboro LA 8) John Pafford, Eads TN
5th Heat 1) Terry Phillips, Springfield MO 2) Leslie Essary, Crane MO 3) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK 4) Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville AR 5) Steve Rushin, Poplar Bluff MO 6) Bill Frye, Greenbriar AR 7) Shane Diamant, North Little Rock AR 8) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw OK
1st Last Chance Qualifier (15 Laps, two transfer) 1) Shannon Babb 2) Jack Sullivan 3) Steve Rushin 4) Chris Moore 5) Shane Essary 6) Kerry Hanson 7) Dustin Mooneyham 8) John Pafford 9) Shane Diamant 10) Joey Mack 11) Dean Carpenter 12) Jerry Walker 13) Brandon Ball
2nd Last Chance Qualifier 1) Stacy Taylor 2) Mike Brown 3) Bill Frye 4) Jerry Buck 5) Jason Snodgrass 6) David Gibson 7) Raymond Merrill 8) Garrett Durrett 9) Rex McCroskey 10) Travis Mears 11) Gary Stolba 12) Ace Ihm
