jdearing
04-03-2005, 06:07 PM
By Dusty Luthy
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - Cool temperatures did not hinder the enthusiasm at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on its opening night of the 2005 racing season. Track owner Randy Mooneyham estimated 2500 people attended or participated in the season opener.
"We want to thank the fans for coming out on such a cool night," said track owner Randy Mooneyham. "It's nice to have tier parking on a cool night; it was literally packed."
I-44 Speedway ran 131 cars on its opening night, more than the 100 cars Mooneyham had predicted.
"I was very pleased with the car turnout," Mooneyham said. "The car count was amazing."
After hanging on through 15 laps of the Factory Stock A Feature, Michael Maggard, 15, of Republic, won first in the feature. Maggard was the 2004 points champion.
Randy Berry began the Factory Stock A Feature in the pole position and Jordan Holloway starting second. Both fell a few spots by the fifth lap as a caution flag slowed down the race.
With three laps to go, an accident brought out another caution flag. Kenny Carol held the top position as Maggard tailed close behind. Kevin Brown and David Hendricks held the third and fourth spots as the green flag waved them to race again.
Maggard came from behind and passed Carol, leading himself to the victory. Hendricks pushed hard to pass Brown, but didn't have enough time.
Factory Stocks had 28 entries and four heats to qualify for the feature races. Terry Beckham Jr. of Joplin, went home with a victory in the 20-lap Modified A Feature.
After the fifth lap, Beckham pushed out ahead of Jesse Stovall for the first place spot.
After the tenth lap, Beckam was in the lead, followed by Stovall, Erik Maggard and Rex Merrit. Erik Maggard then took a hard turn, allowing Rex Merrit to move to third. Merrit kept up with the pack and took the inside corners to push past Stovall on lap 18. Beckham stayed on the top of the track to hold on to his first place position.
Eric Hudson, the 2004 Modified champion, had car trouble and was unable to contend for the evening.
Will Vaught, of Crane, Mo., won the Late Model victory and the $1000 purse.
The Late Model feature race turned out to be the longest and possibly the most interesting. Twenty-one cars lined up to start the feature; 150 feet into the race, a red flag came out when several cars piled up.
After moving the damaged cars off the track, 15 cars lined up for an original restart to try the $1000-to-win feature.
Chris Smyser started on the pole. Track veterans Leslie Essary and Brandon McCormick started in the eight and ninth positions.
The second and third laps were each slowed by cautions. Essary had already climbed to third and took the second place spot on the fourth lap. He pushed to first by the sixth lap.
With a caution and four laps to go in the 25-lap race, 13 cars were remaining. Essary was in the lead, followed by Vaught, Brandon McCormick and Chris Smyser.
With the green flag, Vaught made his run and pushed past Essary on the inside corners on lap 23 and held first place to the finish.
2004 Late Model Champion Darrell Mooneyham also had car trouble and did not contend in the feature race.
Attempting to speed up the show, officials decided to take no intermissions and to race straight through the evening.
After the Late Models, 2004 defending Super Stock champion Larry Pruitt came out with the Super Stocks for a quick race.
Steve Morton and Dustin Moore started the race in the top positions, switching leads for the first laps. Pruitt, Ben Newell and Justin Newman were left to battle for third and fourth.
By the sixth lap, Moore took the lead from Morton. The eighth lap marked a caution, taking the contending field down from 15 cars to 11. In the 1lth lap, Pruitt makes a move and pushed in for the third spot.
With two laps to go, Moore goes off the track, leaving Morton alone for the first place spot. Pruitt makes a quick run and moved to second.
After the 15th lap, Morton, of Clever, Mo., takes the Super Stock victory.
Randal Roberts took first in the small showing of 305 Winged Sprint Cars.
On the second lap, two cars were involved in a vehicle-flipping crash and had to be removed from the track, leaving the race with 8 contenders.
The third lap saw Clint Todd and Randal Roberts in the top spots as Eric Todd and Mike Brown vied for the third spot. Roberts took the lead from Clint Todd in the sixth lap.
In the 11th lap, Eric Todd clipped the wall, taking him out of top spot contention. Roberts kept the lead for the victory in the Sprint cars.
Dusty Rhoades dominated the Bomber class much of the race and went home with the first place finish.
Even though many accidents had occurred though the evening, especially in the Late Model races, Mooneyham thought the track was still in great race condition.
"I thought the track was racey," he said. "We had two really good lanes - a lot of side by side races."
A few kinks remained left to be worked out on the new PA system but will be corrected by next Saturday night said Mooneyham.
Next Saturday evening will feature another points race. Tickets will also go on sale for the World of Outlaws racing event to be held July 26.
RESULTS: April 2, 2005
(in place order)
Factory Stocks
Heat 1:
94 - Kenny Carol, 160 - Michael Maggard, 20 - Bryan Stewart, 25 - Chad Smith, 37 - Derrick Peterson, 41 - Jim Cox, 89s - Joe Sanford
Heat 2:
21b - Randy Berry, 8r - Jason Reckker, 27 - Seth Burup, 51 - Bill Schaar, 69s - Sam Petty, 00 - Vern Bliss, 03 - Tim Ellis
Heat 3:
21h - Jordan Holloway, 76 - Kevin Brown, 54 - David Hendricks, 8c - Cliff Champney, 77x - David McDonald, 42j - Donnie Jackson
Heat 4:
45 - Colt Cheevers, 06 - Scott Symmonds, 5* - Steve Schultz, 14 - Shawn Nations, 89g - Justin Grindstaff, 61 - Mike Murzynski
A Feature:
160 - Michael Maggard, 94 - Kenny Carol, 76 - Kevin Brown, 54 - David Hendricks, 20 - Bryan Stewart, 21b - Randy Berry, 06 - Scott Symmonds, 25 - Chad Smith, 37 - Derrick Peterson, 5* - Steve Schultz, 51 - Bill Schaar, 42j - Donnie Jackson, 8r - Jason Reckker, 27 - Seth Burup, 41 - Jim Cox, 21h - Jordan Holloway, 8c - Cliff Champney, 45 - Colt Cheevers, 77x - David McDonald
Modifieds
Heat 1:
31m - Erik Maggard, 10 - James Hartman, 24 - Donnie Fellers, 18t - Tony Fatino, 59 - Jimmy Belemy, 97 - John Rathgeher
Heat 2:
25m - Rex Merritt, 00js - Jesse Stovall, 27t - Bob Test, 67 - Doug Cridel, 25r - Scotty Roberts, 17m - Jeff Miller, 11w - Don Luna, 21m - Steve Martin
Heat 3:
118 - Terry Beckham Jr., 157 - Larry Winn, 15r - Jamie Ragland, 12 - Scotty Allen, 2r - Jason Russle, t10 - Rick Brown, 32 - Mike Foster
Heat 4:
98 - Jeff Cutshaw, 00z - Steve Picou, 21 - Kenny Dickinson, 66 - Steve Price, 9k - Robert Knabbel, 17L - Eric Lampe, 2b - Brian Brown, 17p - David Payne, 90 - Terry Schultz
A Feature:
118 - Terry Beckham Jr., 25m - Rex Merrit, 00js - Jesse Stoval, 31 - Erik Maggard, 00z - Steve Picou, 98 - Jeff Cutshaw, 27t - Bob Test, 90 - Terry Schultz, 12 - Scotty Allen, 157 - Larry Winn, 24 - Donnie Fellers, 21 - Ken Dickinson, 2r - Jason Russle, 17m - Jeff Miller, t10 - Rick Brown, 66 - Steve Price, 15r - Jamie Ragland, 10 - James Hartman
Late Models:
Heat 1:
55w - Dave Ware, 2 - Dustin Mooneyham, 26 - Burl Woods, 20 - Darrell Mooneyham, 1v - Will Vaught, 10 - Justin Wells
Heat 2:
5 - Leslie Essary, 00s - Chris Smyser, 28j - Leroy Johnson, 71 - Jason Meadors, 1r - Christian Rayburn, 51 - Donnie Gemes, 15 - Bryan Schutt
Heat 3:
42 - Brandon McCormick, 8k - T.J. Kuykendall, 14 - Reid Millard, 83 - Josh Steinacker, 60 - Darrin Barton, 1j - Reggie Jackson, 55e - Ken Essary
Feature:
1v - Will Vaught, 5 - Leslie Essary, 42 - Brandon McCormick, 00 - Chris Smyser, 55w - Dave Ware, 8 - T.J. Kuykendall, 26 - Burl Woods, 71 - Jason Meadors, 60 - Darrin Barton, 51 - Donnie Gemes, 28 - Leroy Johnson, 1j - Reggie Jackson, 83 - Josh Steinacker, 15 - Bryan Schutt, 1r - Christian Rayburn, 14m - Reid Millard, 6 - Bob Cummins, 2 - Dustin Mooneyham, 10 - Justin Wells, 55e - Ken Essary
Super Stock
Heat 1:
32 - Steve Morton, 83 - Ben Newell, 38 - Bob Menzie, 22p - Tim Petty, j1 - Jack Daniels, 17t - Ted Ballinger Sr., 68 - Gary Pressman
Heat 2:
22Lp - Larry Pruitt, 000 - Dustin Moore, 29 - Justin Newman, 24 - Stacy Hall, 14 - Tim Ballinger, 18t - Trent Harrison, 17 - Teddy Ballinger
Feature:
32 - Steve Morton, 22LP - Larry Pruitt, 8 - Jason Otto, 83 - Ben Newell, 22p - Tim Petty, 24 - Stacy Hall, 17t - Ted Ballinger Sr., 68 - Gary Pressman, 000 - Dustin Moore, 14 - Tim Ballinger, 85 - David Saffeels, 38 - Bob Menzie, J1 - Jack Daniels, 17 - Teddy Ballinger
305 Winged Sprint Cars
Heat 1:
10 - Clint Todd, 82 - Mike Brown, 7 - Scott Widdlestaat, 24 - Andy Gill, 33 - Gabe Maycock, 11 - Doug Rose
Heat 2:
1 - Joe Todd, 21 - Eric Todd, 1r - Randal Roberts, 8 - Keith Breedlove, 9 - Erik Enneking
Feature:
1r - Randall Roberts, 10 - Clint Todd, 82 - Mike Brown, 1 - Joe Todd, 24 - Andy Gill, 11 - Doug Rose, 7 - Scott Widdlestaat, 21 - Eric Todd, 8 - Keith Breedlove, 9 - Erik Enneking
Bombers
Heat 1:
1 - Justin Foust, 6r - Mark Ryan, 23 - Jason Huey, 5 - Mike Williams, 97 - Larry Rifenburg, 63 - Pat Lubbick, 71 - Bill Bent, 1j - Landon Johnson
Heat 2:
4 - Dusty Rhoades, 51s - Kent Shouse, 5s - Sam Reynolds, 18 - Tony Right, 87 - Justin Stoufer
Heat 3:
76 - Lonnie Henderson, 42 - James Flood, 30 - Chris Pitts, 6w - Carl Weaver, 244 - Richard Talley, 12 - Tommy Bowling, 16 - Brandon Sullivan
Feature:
4 - Dusty Rhoades, 1 - Justin Foust, 76 - Lonnie Henderson, 42 - James Flood, 23 - Jason Huey, 51 - Kent Shouse, 30 - Chris Pitts, 5 - Mike Williams, 244 - Richard Talley, 63 - Pat Lubbick, 12 - Tommy Bowling, 6r - Mark Ryan, 1j - Landon Johnson, 24 - Roger Flood, 87 - Justin Stoufer, 6w - Carl Weaver, 16 - Brandon Sullivan
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
LEBANON - Cool temperatures did not hinder the enthusiasm at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on its opening night of the 2005 racing season. Track owner Randy Mooneyham estimated 2500 people attended or participated in the season opener.
"We want to thank the fans for coming out on such a cool night," said track owner Randy Mooneyham. "It's nice to have tier parking on a cool night; it was literally packed."
I-44 Speedway ran 131 cars on its opening night, more than the 100 cars Mooneyham had predicted.
"I was very pleased with the car turnout," Mooneyham said. "The car count was amazing."
After hanging on through 15 laps of the Factory Stock A Feature, Michael Maggard, 15, of Republic, won first in the feature. Maggard was the 2004 points champion.
Randy Berry began the Factory Stock A Feature in the pole position and Jordan Holloway starting second. Both fell a few spots by the fifth lap as a caution flag slowed down the race.
With three laps to go, an accident brought out another caution flag. Kenny Carol held the top position as Maggard tailed close behind. Kevin Brown and David Hendricks held the third and fourth spots as the green flag waved them to race again.
Maggard came from behind and passed Carol, leading himself to the victory. Hendricks pushed hard to pass Brown, but didn't have enough time.
Factory Stocks had 28 entries and four heats to qualify for the feature races. Terry Beckham Jr. of Joplin, went home with a victory in the 20-lap Modified A Feature.
After the fifth lap, Beckham pushed out ahead of Jesse Stovall for the first place spot.
After the tenth lap, Beckam was in the lead, followed by Stovall, Erik Maggard and Rex Merrit. Erik Maggard then took a hard turn, allowing Rex Merrit to move to third. Merrit kept up with the pack and took the inside corners to push past Stovall on lap 18. Beckham stayed on the top of the track to hold on to his first place position.
Eric Hudson, the 2004 Modified champion, had car trouble and was unable to contend for the evening.
Will Vaught, of Crane, Mo., won the Late Model victory and the $1000 purse.
The Late Model feature race turned out to be the longest and possibly the most interesting. Twenty-one cars lined up to start the feature; 150 feet into the race, a red flag came out when several cars piled up.
After moving the damaged cars off the track, 15 cars lined up for an original restart to try the $1000-to-win feature.
Chris Smyser started on the pole. Track veterans Leslie Essary and Brandon McCormick started in the eight and ninth positions.
The second and third laps were each slowed by cautions. Essary had already climbed to third and took the second place spot on the fourth lap. He pushed to first by the sixth lap.
With a caution and four laps to go in the 25-lap race, 13 cars were remaining. Essary was in the lead, followed by Vaught, Brandon McCormick and Chris Smyser.
With the green flag, Vaught made his run and pushed past Essary on the inside corners on lap 23 and held first place to the finish.
2004 Late Model Champion Darrell Mooneyham also had car trouble and did not contend in the feature race.
Attempting to speed up the show, officials decided to take no intermissions and to race straight through the evening.
After the Late Models, 2004 defending Super Stock champion Larry Pruitt came out with the Super Stocks for a quick race.
Steve Morton and Dustin Moore started the race in the top positions, switching leads for the first laps. Pruitt, Ben Newell and Justin Newman were left to battle for third and fourth.
By the sixth lap, Moore took the lead from Morton. The eighth lap marked a caution, taking the contending field down from 15 cars to 11. In the 1lth lap, Pruitt makes a move and pushed in for the third spot.
With two laps to go, Moore goes off the track, leaving Morton alone for the first place spot. Pruitt makes a quick run and moved to second.
After the 15th lap, Morton, of Clever, Mo., takes the Super Stock victory.
Randal Roberts took first in the small showing of 305 Winged Sprint Cars.
On the second lap, two cars were involved in a vehicle-flipping crash and had to be removed from the track, leaving the race with 8 contenders.
The third lap saw Clint Todd and Randal Roberts in the top spots as Eric Todd and Mike Brown vied for the third spot. Roberts took the lead from Clint Todd in the sixth lap.
In the 11th lap, Eric Todd clipped the wall, taking him out of top spot contention. Roberts kept the lead for the victory in the Sprint cars.
Dusty Rhoades dominated the Bomber class much of the race and went home with the first place finish.
Even though many accidents had occurred though the evening, especially in the Late Model races, Mooneyham thought the track was still in great race condition.
"I thought the track was racey," he said. "We had two really good lanes - a lot of side by side races."
A few kinks remained left to be worked out on the new PA system but will be corrected by next Saturday night said Mooneyham.
Next Saturday evening will feature another points race. Tickets will also go on sale for the World of Outlaws racing event to be held July 26.
RESULTS: April 2, 2005
(in place order)
Factory Stocks
Heat 1:
94 - Kenny Carol, 160 - Michael Maggard, 20 - Bryan Stewart, 25 - Chad Smith, 37 - Derrick Peterson, 41 - Jim Cox, 89s - Joe Sanford
Heat 2:
21b - Randy Berry, 8r - Jason Reckker, 27 - Seth Burup, 51 - Bill Schaar, 69s - Sam Petty, 00 - Vern Bliss, 03 - Tim Ellis
Heat 3:
21h - Jordan Holloway, 76 - Kevin Brown, 54 - David Hendricks, 8c - Cliff Champney, 77x - David McDonald, 42j - Donnie Jackson
Heat 4:
45 - Colt Cheevers, 06 - Scott Symmonds, 5* - Steve Schultz, 14 - Shawn Nations, 89g - Justin Grindstaff, 61 - Mike Murzynski
A Feature:
160 - Michael Maggard, 94 - Kenny Carol, 76 - Kevin Brown, 54 - David Hendricks, 20 - Bryan Stewart, 21b - Randy Berry, 06 - Scott Symmonds, 25 - Chad Smith, 37 - Derrick Peterson, 5* - Steve Schultz, 51 - Bill Schaar, 42j - Donnie Jackson, 8r - Jason Reckker, 27 - Seth Burup, 41 - Jim Cox, 21h - Jordan Holloway, 8c - Cliff Champney, 45 - Colt Cheevers, 77x - David McDonald
Modifieds
Heat 1:
31m - Erik Maggard, 10 - James Hartman, 24 - Donnie Fellers, 18t - Tony Fatino, 59 - Jimmy Belemy, 97 - John Rathgeher
Heat 2:
25m - Rex Merritt, 00js - Jesse Stovall, 27t - Bob Test, 67 - Doug Cridel, 25r - Scotty Roberts, 17m - Jeff Miller, 11w - Don Luna, 21m - Steve Martin
Heat 3:
118 - Terry Beckham Jr., 157 - Larry Winn, 15r - Jamie Ragland, 12 - Scotty Allen, 2r - Jason Russle, t10 - Rick Brown, 32 - Mike Foster
Heat 4:
98 - Jeff Cutshaw, 00z - Steve Picou, 21 - Kenny Dickinson, 66 - Steve Price, 9k - Robert Knabbel, 17L - Eric Lampe, 2b - Brian Brown, 17p - David Payne, 90 - Terry Schultz
A Feature:
118 - Terry Beckham Jr., 25m - Rex Merrit, 00js - Jesse Stoval, 31 - Erik Maggard, 00z - Steve Picou, 98 - Jeff Cutshaw, 27t - Bob Test, 90 - Terry Schultz, 12 - Scotty Allen, 157 - Larry Winn, 24 - Donnie Fellers, 21 - Ken Dickinson, 2r - Jason Russle, 17m - Jeff Miller, t10 - Rick Brown, 66 - Steve Price, 15r - Jamie Ragland, 10 - James Hartman
Late Models:
Heat 1:
55w - Dave Ware, 2 - Dustin Mooneyham, 26 - Burl Woods, 20 - Darrell Mooneyham, 1v - Will Vaught, 10 - Justin Wells
Heat 2:
5 - Leslie Essary, 00s - Chris Smyser, 28j - Leroy Johnson, 71 - Jason Meadors, 1r - Christian Rayburn, 51 - Donnie Gemes, 15 - Bryan Schutt
Heat 3:
42 - Brandon McCormick, 8k - T.J. Kuykendall, 14 - Reid Millard, 83 - Josh Steinacker, 60 - Darrin Barton, 1j - Reggie Jackson, 55e - Ken Essary
Feature:
1v - Will Vaught, 5 - Leslie Essary, 42 - Brandon McCormick, 00 - Chris Smyser, 55w - Dave Ware, 8 - T.J. Kuykendall, 26 - Burl Woods, 71 - Jason Meadors, 60 - Darrin Barton, 51 - Donnie Gemes, 28 - Leroy Johnson, 1j - Reggie Jackson, 83 - Josh Steinacker, 15 - Bryan Schutt, 1r - Christian Rayburn, 14m - Reid Millard, 6 - Bob Cummins, 2 - Dustin Mooneyham, 10 - Justin Wells, 55e - Ken Essary
Super Stock
Heat 1:
32 - Steve Morton, 83 - Ben Newell, 38 - Bob Menzie, 22p - Tim Petty, j1 - Jack Daniels, 17t - Ted Ballinger Sr., 68 - Gary Pressman
Heat 2:
22Lp - Larry Pruitt, 000 - Dustin Moore, 29 - Justin Newman, 24 - Stacy Hall, 14 - Tim Ballinger, 18t - Trent Harrison, 17 - Teddy Ballinger
Feature:
32 - Steve Morton, 22LP - Larry Pruitt, 8 - Jason Otto, 83 - Ben Newell, 22p - Tim Petty, 24 - Stacy Hall, 17t - Ted Ballinger Sr., 68 - Gary Pressman, 000 - Dustin Moore, 14 - Tim Ballinger, 85 - David Saffeels, 38 - Bob Menzie, J1 - Jack Daniels, 17 - Teddy Ballinger
305 Winged Sprint Cars
Heat 1:
10 - Clint Todd, 82 - Mike Brown, 7 - Scott Widdlestaat, 24 - Andy Gill, 33 - Gabe Maycock, 11 - Doug Rose
Heat 2:
1 - Joe Todd, 21 - Eric Todd, 1r - Randal Roberts, 8 - Keith Breedlove, 9 - Erik Enneking
Feature:
1r - Randall Roberts, 10 - Clint Todd, 82 - Mike Brown, 1 - Joe Todd, 24 - Andy Gill, 11 - Doug Rose, 7 - Scott Widdlestaat, 21 - Eric Todd, 8 - Keith Breedlove, 9 - Erik Enneking
Bombers
Heat 1:
1 - Justin Foust, 6r - Mark Ryan, 23 - Jason Huey, 5 - Mike Williams, 97 - Larry Rifenburg, 63 - Pat Lubbick, 71 - Bill Bent, 1j - Landon Johnson
Heat 2:
4 - Dusty Rhoades, 51s - Kent Shouse, 5s - Sam Reynolds, 18 - Tony Right, 87 - Justin Stoufer
Heat 3:
76 - Lonnie Henderson, 42 - James Flood, 30 - Chris Pitts, 6w - Carl Weaver, 244 - Richard Talley, 12 - Tommy Bowling, 16 - Brandon Sullivan
Feature:
4 - Dusty Rhoades, 1 - Justin Foust, 76 - Lonnie Henderson, 42 - James Flood, 23 - Jason Huey, 51 - Kent Shouse, 30 - Chris Pitts, 5 - Mike Williams, 244 - Richard Talley, 63 - Pat Lubbick, 12 - Tommy Bowling, 6r - Mark Ryan, 1j - Landon Johnson, 24 - Roger Flood, 87 - Justin Stoufer, 6w - Carl Weaver, 16 - Brandon Sullivan