By Brennon Willard
Lebanon, Mo.- The second annual Fall Shootout at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway saw over 190 cars check in, all looking to cash in on the $80,000 purse. Batesville, Arkansas’ Wendell Wallace dominated the 50-lap MARS Feature to take home the $10,000 check in front of a massive crowd of over 5,000 people.
Defending Fall Shootout Champion Bill Frye won the 20-lap qualifying feature on Friday night to earn the pole for the MARS A-Feature led the 22 car field to the green flag. Wallace, who won Saturday night’s qualifying feature, started alongside Frye and quickly jumped out to the early lead. Crowd favorite Terry Phillips started in fifth place and quickly worked his way up to third place.
The race stayed green until lap-21 when Washington’s Ed Dixon lost a motor in turn four bringing out the caution. The race would restart only to see the caution fly again one lap later when Phillips slowed in turn one after a flat right front tire. Phillips would restart at the tail end of the lead lap when the race went back green and immediately went charging towards the front. Phillips made his way up to fourth when the caution flew with eight laps to go for Joey Mack stalling in turn four.
The late caution would set up an eight-lap shootout between Wallace, Al Purkey, Frye and Phillips for the win. Wallace would pull away when the green flag dropped leaving Frye and Phillips battling for second place. Wallace would cruise to the victory with Frye, Phillips, Purkey and Jeff Floyd rounding out the top five.
Phillips, who claimed the 2004 MARS Championship when he started the race, would be joined by Wallace after the race as the two took a “Polish” victory lap around the track in honor of Phillips’ late father Larry who passed away earlier this week.
The Show-Me Racing IMCA Late Models put on a great show for the sellout crowd with Leslie Essary taking the victory in the $1,500 to win feature over defending IMCA National Champion Justin Wells. Essary and Wells would be followed by Mark Bourney, Ken Essary and Connor Ward to round out the top five of the 24-car field.
2004 Modified Track Champion, Eric Hudson, took the lead in the $1500 to win modified feature and looked to be cruising to the win. That was until a late race caution came out and Hudson would have to hold off strong charges from Eric Lampe and Erik Maggard in the closing laps. Steve Mullenburg and rookie Justin Newman rounded out the top five.
Steve Morton took home the $800 top prize in the Super Stock feature, holding off young gun Dustin Moore and Lebanon’s Tony Jackson Jr. Moore gave Morton a run for the victory after a late race caution but came up short on the high side as Morton took the victory. Moore, Jackson Jr., Ben Newell and Tim Petty rounded out the top five.
The Factory Stock feature was a showcase of young talent between Jordan Holloway and 2004 Track Champion Michael Maggard. Holloway would hold off Maggard to take the $800 top prize. Kevin Brown came home in third place; Mitch Keeter in fourth and David Hendrix had a strong run coming home in fifth place.
The Bombers took to the track with 2004 Track Champion KC Prettyman jumping out to the early lead on the 22-car field. The bombers put on a great show at mid pack, with three and four wide racing throughout the entire race. Roger Flood would take the lead away from Prettyman midway through the race and would hold off Prettyman the rest of the way to take the victory. Derrick Peterson, Jon Mulienburg, followed Flood and Prettyman to the line and Matt Cates came home in fifth place.
The Fall Shootout closed out what was a very exciting 2004 season. Everyone at the I-44 Speedway would like to thank all the fans, sponsors and drivers on a great season of racing!
Lebanon, Mo.- The second annual Fall Shootout at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway saw over 190 cars check in, all looking to cash in on the $80,000 purse. Batesville, Arkansas’ Wendell Wallace dominated the 50-lap MARS Feature to take home the $10,000 check in front of a massive crowd of over 5,000 people.
Defending Fall Shootout Champion Bill Frye won the 20-lap qualifying feature on Friday night to earn the pole for the MARS A-Feature led the 22 car field to the green flag. Wallace, who won Saturday night’s qualifying feature, started alongside Frye and quickly jumped out to the early lead. Crowd favorite Terry Phillips started in fifth place and quickly worked his way up to third place.
The race stayed green until lap-21 when Washington’s Ed Dixon lost a motor in turn four bringing out the caution. The race would restart only to see the caution fly again one lap later when Phillips slowed in turn one after a flat right front tire. Phillips would restart at the tail end of the lead lap when the race went back green and immediately went charging towards the front. Phillips made his way up to fourth when the caution flew with eight laps to go for Joey Mack stalling in turn four.
The late caution would set up an eight-lap shootout between Wallace, Al Purkey, Frye and Phillips for the win. Wallace would pull away when the green flag dropped leaving Frye and Phillips battling for second place. Wallace would cruise to the victory with Frye, Phillips, Purkey and Jeff Floyd rounding out the top five.
Phillips, who claimed the 2004 MARS Championship when he started the race, would be joined by Wallace after the race as the two took a “Polish” victory lap around the track in honor of Phillips’ late father Larry who passed away earlier this week.
The Show-Me Racing IMCA Late Models put on a great show for the sellout crowd with Leslie Essary taking the victory in the $1,500 to win feature over defending IMCA National Champion Justin Wells. Essary and Wells would be followed by Mark Bourney, Ken Essary and Connor Ward to round out the top five of the 24-car field.
2004 Modified Track Champion, Eric Hudson, took the lead in the $1500 to win modified feature and looked to be cruising to the win. That was until a late race caution came out and Hudson would have to hold off strong charges from Eric Lampe and Erik Maggard in the closing laps. Steve Mullenburg and rookie Justin Newman rounded out the top five.
Steve Morton took home the $800 top prize in the Super Stock feature, holding off young gun Dustin Moore and Lebanon’s Tony Jackson Jr. Moore gave Morton a run for the victory after a late race caution but came up short on the high side as Morton took the victory. Moore, Jackson Jr., Ben Newell and Tim Petty rounded out the top five.
The Factory Stock feature was a showcase of young talent between Jordan Holloway and 2004 Track Champion Michael Maggard. Holloway would hold off Maggard to take the $800 top prize. Kevin Brown came home in third place; Mitch Keeter in fourth and David Hendrix had a strong run coming home in fifth place.
The Bombers took to the track with 2004 Track Champion KC Prettyman jumping out to the early lead on the 22-car field. The bombers put on a great show at mid pack, with three and four wide racing throughout the entire race. Roger Flood would take the lead away from Prettyman midway through the race and would hold off Prettyman the rest of the way to take the victory. Derrick Peterson, Jon Mulienburg, followed Flood and Prettyman to the line and Matt Cates came home in fifth place.
The Fall Shootout closed out what was a very exciting 2004 season. Everyone at the I-44 Speedway would like to thank all the fans, sponsors and drivers on a great season of racing!
