jdearing
09-19-2004, 10:32 PM
Mooneyham, Prewitt, Hudson, Maggard, Joe Todd and Prettyman win 2004 I-44 Speedway Track Championships
By Brennon Willard
Lebanon, Mo.- The 2004 points season came to a close on Saturday night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway with over 90 cars checking into the pits trying to advance points positions and get their final tune up for next week’s Fall Shootout.
The Late Models had 22 cars strong check into the pits all looking for the $1,000 check at the end of the night. Lebanon’s Brandon McCormick took the lead of the A feature and began trying to pull away from Burl Woods, and Dustin Mooneyham. The red came out on lap two for three cars getting tangled in turn four, bunching the cars up for the restart. When the green came back out the red was thrown again for Dustin Mooneyham who lost a drive shaft and had to retire his machine for the night. McCormick held onto the lead holding off fellow MARS driver Gary Stolba until lap 11, when Stolba was able to make the pass in lap traffic. Point’s leader Darrell Mooneyham continued to run in the 3rd position with Chris Smyser and Brian Schutt trying to close the gap. After 25 laps it was Stolba taking the win with McCormick holding on for second. Mooneyham was third, Smyser fourth and Looney fifth. The Late Model point championship went to Darrell Mooneyham of Aurora Mo. The veteran Mooneyham also won the title at the I-44 Speedway in 1988.
In the Super Stocks Ben Newell and Larry Prewitt took the heat race wins. In feature action Prewitt took the early lead. Josh Woody and Dave Bozich were second and third trying to stay close. Caution came out early as two cars got tangled in turn one. Newell was quietly racing his way through the field, picking up the second spot on lap 11, as Steve Morton fell back to third. When the checkered waved it was Prewitt picking up win number 16 of the season and the 2004 Super Stock point championship. Newell came in second with Morton, Woody and Bozich rounding out the top five.
Gary Clark got the heat race win in the modifieds. With a close point race, point leader Eric Hudson started on the pole with Erik Maggard on his outside. Maggard led the 1st lap with Hudson and Justin Newman on his bumper. As Maggard pulled away the battle for 3rd was heating up as Newman, Jamie Ragland, Steve Martin, and Rex Merritt were all trying for the same position. On lap 10 Hudson started gaining ground on the leader, but Maggard held off the late charge and took the home the race win. Eric Hudson went on to take second place and win the 2004 Modified Championship. Newman, Ragland, and Martin completed the top five.
Factory Stocks saw Michael Maggard and Steve Price with heat race wins. In feature action the cars took the green with Maggard leading the first circuit. The battle for second was a close battle between Steve Schultz and Lake Mooneyham. Caution came out on lap seven for Mooneyham spinning in turn one. When the field restarted it was Maggard holding onto the lead, Schultz in 2nd and Robbie Bryant making a hard charge to the front. Maggard held onto the win and the season point championship. Bryant passed Schultz on the white flag lap for second. Steve Price would finish fourth and Tim Riffle would come home fifth.
The Sprint cars came into the night with a heated battle for the point championship. Only 8 points separated the first place car of father Joe Todd, with sons Clint and Eric in second and third place coming in to the racing action. When the feature lined up Joe was on the pole with Clint to his outside. Joe led the first lap with Clint and Eric trying to run him down. The sons were able to close the gap quickly on their dad when he reached lap traffic early on, as J.P. Compton started working his way through the pack. In the end it was dad Joe Todd getting the win plus the championship. Eric Todd beat brother Clint to the line for second as Clint had some mechanical trouble coming to the flag. Compton finished fourth and Wedelstadt came in fifth.
KC Prettyman and David Hendrix took home heat race wins in the Bomber division. Prettyman led lap one with Justin Foust and Hendrix battling hard for the second position. Foust started to fade as Hendrix was putting pressure on Prettyman for the lead. The yellow came out on lap 9 with Hendrix and Prettyman racing hard to the yellow. Hendrix won the race back to the yellow only to have Prettyman beat him back to the checkers. Prettyman took the top spot along with the season point championship. Hendrix came in a close second, Knutdson third, Foust fourth and Peterson fifth.
The Lebanon I-44 Speedway will be hosting the 2nd annual Fall Shootout next Friday and Saturday night. The MARS Late Models, Show- Me Late Models, Factory Stocks, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and Bombers will all be in attendance with $80,000 up for grabs. Qualifying heat races and features will be Friday night with A and B- features on Saturday night. Gates open at 5:00 races at 7:30 p.m. on both nights.
By Brennon Willard
Lebanon, Mo.- The 2004 points season came to a close on Saturday night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway with over 90 cars checking into the pits trying to advance points positions and get their final tune up for next week’s Fall Shootout.
The Late Models had 22 cars strong check into the pits all looking for the $1,000 check at the end of the night. Lebanon’s Brandon McCormick took the lead of the A feature and began trying to pull away from Burl Woods, and Dustin Mooneyham. The red came out on lap two for three cars getting tangled in turn four, bunching the cars up for the restart. When the green came back out the red was thrown again for Dustin Mooneyham who lost a drive shaft and had to retire his machine for the night. McCormick held onto the lead holding off fellow MARS driver Gary Stolba until lap 11, when Stolba was able to make the pass in lap traffic. Point’s leader Darrell Mooneyham continued to run in the 3rd position with Chris Smyser and Brian Schutt trying to close the gap. After 25 laps it was Stolba taking the win with McCormick holding on for second. Mooneyham was third, Smyser fourth and Looney fifth. The Late Model point championship went to Darrell Mooneyham of Aurora Mo. The veteran Mooneyham also won the title at the I-44 Speedway in 1988.
In the Super Stocks Ben Newell and Larry Prewitt took the heat race wins. In feature action Prewitt took the early lead. Josh Woody and Dave Bozich were second and third trying to stay close. Caution came out early as two cars got tangled in turn one. Newell was quietly racing his way through the field, picking up the second spot on lap 11, as Steve Morton fell back to third. When the checkered waved it was Prewitt picking up win number 16 of the season and the 2004 Super Stock point championship. Newell came in second with Morton, Woody and Bozich rounding out the top five.
Gary Clark got the heat race win in the modifieds. With a close point race, point leader Eric Hudson started on the pole with Erik Maggard on his outside. Maggard led the 1st lap with Hudson and Justin Newman on his bumper. As Maggard pulled away the battle for 3rd was heating up as Newman, Jamie Ragland, Steve Martin, and Rex Merritt were all trying for the same position. On lap 10 Hudson started gaining ground on the leader, but Maggard held off the late charge and took the home the race win. Eric Hudson went on to take second place and win the 2004 Modified Championship. Newman, Ragland, and Martin completed the top five.
Factory Stocks saw Michael Maggard and Steve Price with heat race wins. In feature action the cars took the green with Maggard leading the first circuit. The battle for second was a close battle between Steve Schultz and Lake Mooneyham. Caution came out on lap seven for Mooneyham spinning in turn one. When the field restarted it was Maggard holding onto the lead, Schultz in 2nd and Robbie Bryant making a hard charge to the front. Maggard held onto the win and the season point championship. Bryant passed Schultz on the white flag lap for second. Steve Price would finish fourth and Tim Riffle would come home fifth.
The Sprint cars came into the night with a heated battle for the point championship. Only 8 points separated the first place car of father Joe Todd, with sons Clint and Eric in second and third place coming in to the racing action. When the feature lined up Joe was on the pole with Clint to his outside. Joe led the first lap with Clint and Eric trying to run him down. The sons were able to close the gap quickly on their dad when he reached lap traffic early on, as J.P. Compton started working his way through the pack. In the end it was dad Joe Todd getting the win plus the championship. Eric Todd beat brother Clint to the line for second as Clint had some mechanical trouble coming to the flag. Compton finished fourth and Wedelstadt came in fifth.
KC Prettyman and David Hendrix took home heat race wins in the Bomber division. Prettyman led lap one with Justin Foust and Hendrix battling hard for the second position. Foust started to fade as Hendrix was putting pressure on Prettyman for the lead. The yellow came out on lap 9 with Hendrix and Prettyman racing hard to the yellow. Hendrix won the race back to the yellow only to have Prettyman beat him back to the checkers. Prettyman took the top spot along with the season point championship. Hendrix came in a close second, Knutdson third, Foust fourth and Peterson fifth.
The Lebanon I-44 Speedway will be hosting the 2nd annual Fall Shootout next Friday and Saturday night. The MARS Late Models, Show- Me Late Models, Factory Stocks, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and Bombers will all be in attendance with $80,000 up for grabs. Qualifying heat races and features will be Friday night with A and B- features on Saturday night. Gates open at 5:00 races at 7:30 p.m. on both nights.