jdearing
05-22-2005, 04:05 PM
By Dusty Luthy
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
LEBANON, Mo. - Will Vaught won his fourth Late Model feature at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday night. Vaught edged out Brad Looney, who won the feature the previous night at Bolivar Speedway, and also veteran driver Ken Essary.
"Every time I beat Brad, it's an accomplishment," said Vaught after his $1,000 victory on Armed Forces night at the speedway.
Vaught started pole in the feature and kept his first place position the entire race. Both Vaught and Looney took an early lead and extended it to an entire straightaway length.
Jason Meadors got a good jump on the first laps, driving the second lap in third place. Essary came from fourth on the inside to take third on the third lap.
Brian Schutt was also in contention and put added pressure on Meadors.
Vaught and Looney took on the lap traffic of Bob Cummings on lap 9. Looney closed the gap between he and Vaught as the lap traffic of Leroy Johnson and Bob Hiller held them back in a side-by-side race on lap 13.
After a single-file restart from a caution caused by Meadors, Looney took the high side, but Vaught held him at bay. Essary took a turn in second place when Looney hit a little trouble on turns three and four, but Looney was able to take it back on the 19th lap.
Vaught said he changed a few details with the car and added Modified driver Rex Merritt helped get it in shape.
"We played with the springs and shocks a little bit, little bit different stuff," Vaught said.
Rex Merritt then took home his second victory in the $600-to-win Modified feature after an exciting competition.
Merritt said it felt, "real good to outrun someone as good as Terry Beckham."
Terry Beckham Jr. made a thrilling high-side run from his 10th position start to fourth place by lap four. On lap four, Jamie Ragland was first, followed by Merritt and Brandon Maggard.
Merritt took first from Ragland on the fifth lap, only to lose the position to Beckham on the next lap in a side-by-side match. Ragland went to the pits with trouble on lap seven.
With Maggard running third, Justin Newman gave a hard push for fourth against Jeff Cutshaw and took the position by lap 14.
Merritt began closing the gap for first with two laps to go when Beckham went to the pits with a flat right rear tire, leaving Merritt the first place finish.
Merritt said the track was in good racing condition for the evening racing event.
"I-44 is my favorite track," he said. "Randy (Mooneyham) does such a good job here. This place is the best track in the Midwest as far as I'm concerned."
After numerous disappointing, yet close finishes in the 2005 racing season, Beckham said frustration was a good word to describe his feelings.
"I think I have the curse of the Bambino," he said. "I've had more DNS (did not start) in this last month than I had last year combined."
In the United States Modified Touring Series Race, Beckham lost a motor and missed qualifying for the feature by one place. Beckham has also had other troubles that have knocked him out of the lead and into the pits this season.
The 15-lap Factory Stock feature also had an exciting ending. After the 11th lap, K.C. Prettyman was running in first, followed closely by David Hendrix, Matt Miller, Lake Mooneyham and Steve Schultz.
On lap 12, Hendrix took his car two-wide on the inside, taking the position from Prettyman and holding it to the end for his second victory of the season.
Mooneyham started his charge to the front on lap 13, taking third and then took second place on the final lap feature.
Ben Newell won his first victory in the Super Stock feature. Justin Foust took his second win of the season in the Bomber division. Chad Shields took the Legends feature win.
The DLRA racing series will bring a wide field of Legends cars back to I-44 Speedway next Saturday night. All other classes will still compete in a season points race.
RESULTS:
Late Model
Heat 1:
1. 55e Ken Essary
2. 71 Jason Meadors
3. 15s Brian Schutt
4. 6 Bob Cummings
5. 31 Bob Hiller
6. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
Heat 2:
1. 1v Will Vaught
2. 14L Brad Looney
3. 55w Dave Ware
4. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
5. 28j Leroy Johnson
Feature:
1. 1v Will Vaught
2. 14L Brad Looney
3. 55e Ken Essary
4. 15s Brian Schutt
5. 55w Dave Ware
6. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
7. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
8. 28 Leroy Johnson
9. 71 Jason Meadors
10. 31 Bob Hiller
11. 6 Bob Cummings
Modified
Heat 1:
1. 15r Jamie Ragland
2. t10 Rick Brown
3. 4g Gary Clark
4. 55 Terry Kirk
5. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
6. 00z Steve Picou
DQ 31m Erik Maggard
Heat 2:
1. 31b Brandon Maggard
2. 25 Rex Merritt
3. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
4. 14 Justin Newman
5. 98e Eddie Edwards
6. 41 Matt Menzie
7. 2j Michael Jones
8. 21m Steve Martin
Feature:
1. 25 Rex Merritt
2. 31b Brandon Maggard
3. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
4. 14 Justin Newman
5. 31m Erik Maggard
6. 21m Steve Martin
7. 98e Eddie Edwards
8. t10 Rick Brown
9. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
10. 2j Michael Jones
11. 15r Jamie Ragland
12. 41 Matt Menzie
DNS: Gary Clark, Terry Kirk, Steve Picou
Factory Stock
Heat 1:
1. 1b Tim Brown
2. 5* Steve Schutlz
3. 84 Donnie Jackson
4. 83 Tim Riffle
5. 25 Chad Smith
6. 31 Don Stark
7. 89s Joe Sanford
Heat 2:
1. 45 Robbie Bryant
2. 5 Lake Mooneyham
3. 94 Kenny Carroll
4. 28 Doug Rich
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 61 Mike Murzynski
7. 11k A.J. Koch
Heat 3:
1. 95 K.C. Prettyman
2. 54h David Hendrix
3. 17m Matt Miller
4. 8 Jason Reckker
5. 27 Seth Rurup
6. 21 Jordan Holloway
Feature:
1. 54h David Hendrix
2. 5 Lake Mooneyham
3. 95 K.C. Prettyman
4. 17m Matt Miller
5. 5* Steve Schultz
6. 45 Robbie Bryant
7. 28 Doug Rich
8. 31 Don Stark
9. 37 Derrick Peterson
10. 84 Donnie Jackson
11. 11k A.J. Koch
12. 27 Seth Rurup
13. 8 Jason Reckker
14. 25 Chad Smith
15. 83 Tim Riffle
16. 1b Tim Brown
17. 94 Kenny Carroll
18. 21 Jordan Holloway
DNS: Mike Murzynski, Joe Sanford
Super Stock
Heat 1:
1. 83 Ben Newell
2. 21 Josh Woody
3. 4c Chuck Avis
4. 68 Craig Mintz
5. 000 Dustin Moore
DNS Steve Morton
Feature:
1. 83 Ben Newell
2. 68 Craig Mintz
3. 21 Josh Woody
4. 000 Dustin Moore
5. 4c Chuck Avis
DNS Steve Morton
Bomber
Heat 1:
1. 42 James Flood
2. 1 Justin Foust
3. 87 Justin Stoufer
4. 8 Toby Howe
5. 6 J.C. Morton
6. 63 Pat Lubbock
Heat 2:
1. 76 Lonnie Henderson
2. 5 Mike Williams
3. 24 Roger Flood
4. 35 Justin Wilson
5. 51s Justin Wilcons
6. 14 Bud Pursley
7. 23 Jason Huey
Feature:
1. 1 Justin Foust
2. 42 James Flood
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 5 Mike Williams
5. 24 Roger Flood
6. 14 Bud Pursley
7. 51s Justin Wilcons
8. 87 Justin Stoufer
9. 6 J.C. Morton
10. 35 Justin Wilson
11. 63 Pat Lubbock
12. 8 Toby Howe
Legends
Heat 1:
1. 7 Patrick Johnson
2. 1 Jeremy Yarbrough
3. 23 Travis Ashwood
4. 8 John Coats
5. 44 Park Jones
6. 43 Rhonda Casey
7. 71 Paul Horton
8. 18 Jason Yarbrough
9. 57 David Bauer
10. 81 Chad Shields
Feature:
1. 81 Chad Shields
2. 23 Travis Ashwood
3. 1 Jeremy Yarbrough
4. 71 Paul Horton
5. 57 David Bauer
6. 7 Patrick Johnson
7. 8 John Coats
8. 44 Park Jones
9. 43 Rhonda Casey
10. 18 Jason Yarbrough
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
LEBANON, Mo. - Will Vaught won his fourth Late Model feature at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday night. Vaught edged out Brad Looney, who won the feature the previous night at Bolivar Speedway, and also veteran driver Ken Essary.
"Every time I beat Brad, it's an accomplishment," said Vaught after his $1,000 victory on Armed Forces night at the speedway.
Vaught started pole in the feature and kept his first place position the entire race. Both Vaught and Looney took an early lead and extended it to an entire straightaway length.
Jason Meadors got a good jump on the first laps, driving the second lap in third place. Essary came from fourth on the inside to take third on the third lap.
Brian Schutt was also in contention and put added pressure on Meadors.
Vaught and Looney took on the lap traffic of Bob Cummings on lap 9. Looney closed the gap between he and Vaught as the lap traffic of Leroy Johnson and Bob Hiller held them back in a side-by-side race on lap 13.
After a single-file restart from a caution caused by Meadors, Looney took the high side, but Vaught held him at bay. Essary took a turn in second place when Looney hit a little trouble on turns three and four, but Looney was able to take it back on the 19th lap.
Vaught said he changed a few details with the car and added Modified driver Rex Merritt helped get it in shape.
"We played with the springs and shocks a little bit, little bit different stuff," Vaught said.
Rex Merritt then took home his second victory in the $600-to-win Modified feature after an exciting competition.
Merritt said it felt, "real good to outrun someone as good as Terry Beckham."
Terry Beckham Jr. made a thrilling high-side run from his 10th position start to fourth place by lap four. On lap four, Jamie Ragland was first, followed by Merritt and Brandon Maggard.
Merritt took first from Ragland on the fifth lap, only to lose the position to Beckham on the next lap in a side-by-side match. Ragland went to the pits with trouble on lap seven.
With Maggard running third, Justin Newman gave a hard push for fourth against Jeff Cutshaw and took the position by lap 14.
Merritt began closing the gap for first with two laps to go when Beckham went to the pits with a flat right rear tire, leaving Merritt the first place finish.
Merritt said the track was in good racing condition for the evening racing event.
"I-44 is my favorite track," he said. "Randy (Mooneyham) does such a good job here. This place is the best track in the Midwest as far as I'm concerned."
After numerous disappointing, yet close finishes in the 2005 racing season, Beckham said frustration was a good word to describe his feelings.
"I think I have the curse of the Bambino," he said. "I've had more DNS (did not start) in this last month than I had last year combined."
In the United States Modified Touring Series Race, Beckham lost a motor and missed qualifying for the feature by one place. Beckham has also had other troubles that have knocked him out of the lead and into the pits this season.
The 15-lap Factory Stock feature also had an exciting ending. After the 11th lap, K.C. Prettyman was running in first, followed closely by David Hendrix, Matt Miller, Lake Mooneyham and Steve Schultz.
On lap 12, Hendrix took his car two-wide on the inside, taking the position from Prettyman and holding it to the end for his second victory of the season.
Mooneyham started his charge to the front on lap 13, taking third and then took second place on the final lap feature.
Ben Newell won his first victory in the Super Stock feature. Justin Foust took his second win of the season in the Bomber division. Chad Shields took the Legends feature win.
The DLRA racing series will bring a wide field of Legends cars back to I-44 Speedway next Saturday night. All other classes will still compete in a season points race.
RESULTS:
Late Model
Heat 1:
1. 55e Ken Essary
2. 71 Jason Meadors
3. 15s Brian Schutt
4. 6 Bob Cummings
5. 31 Bob Hiller
6. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
Heat 2:
1. 1v Will Vaught
2. 14L Brad Looney
3. 55w Dave Ware
4. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
5. 28j Leroy Johnson
Feature:
1. 1v Will Vaught
2. 14L Brad Looney
3. 55e Ken Essary
4. 15s Brian Schutt
5. 55w Dave Ware
6. 2m Dustin Mooneyham
7. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
8. 28 Leroy Johnson
9. 71 Jason Meadors
10. 31 Bob Hiller
11. 6 Bob Cummings
Modified
Heat 1:
1. 15r Jamie Ragland
2. t10 Rick Brown
3. 4g Gary Clark
4. 55 Terry Kirk
5. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
6. 00z Steve Picou
DQ 31m Erik Maggard
Heat 2:
1. 31b Brandon Maggard
2. 25 Rex Merritt
3. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
4. 14 Justin Newman
5. 98e Eddie Edwards
6. 41 Matt Menzie
7. 2j Michael Jones
8. 21m Steve Martin
Feature:
1. 25 Rex Merritt
2. 31b Brandon Maggard
3. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
4. 14 Justin Newman
5. 31m Erik Maggard
6. 21m Steve Martin
7. 98e Eddie Edwards
8. t10 Rick Brown
9. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
10. 2j Michael Jones
11. 15r Jamie Ragland
12. 41 Matt Menzie
DNS: Gary Clark, Terry Kirk, Steve Picou
Factory Stock
Heat 1:
1. 1b Tim Brown
2. 5* Steve Schutlz
3. 84 Donnie Jackson
4. 83 Tim Riffle
5. 25 Chad Smith
6. 31 Don Stark
7. 89s Joe Sanford
Heat 2:
1. 45 Robbie Bryant
2. 5 Lake Mooneyham
3. 94 Kenny Carroll
4. 28 Doug Rich
5. 37 Derrick Peterson
6. 61 Mike Murzynski
7. 11k A.J. Koch
Heat 3:
1. 95 K.C. Prettyman
2. 54h David Hendrix
3. 17m Matt Miller
4. 8 Jason Reckker
5. 27 Seth Rurup
6. 21 Jordan Holloway
Feature:
1. 54h David Hendrix
2. 5 Lake Mooneyham
3. 95 K.C. Prettyman
4. 17m Matt Miller
5. 5* Steve Schultz
6. 45 Robbie Bryant
7. 28 Doug Rich
8. 31 Don Stark
9. 37 Derrick Peterson
10. 84 Donnie Jackson
11. 11k A.J. Koch
12. 27 Seth Rurup
13. 8 Jason Reckker
14. 25 Chad Smith
15. 83 Tim Riffle
16. 1b Tim Brown
17. 94 Kenny Carroll
18. 21 Jordan Holloway
DNS: Mike Murzynski, Joe Sanford
Super Stock
Heat 1:
1. 83 Ben Newell
2. 21 Josh Woody
3. 4c Chuck Avis
4. 68 Craig Mintz
5. 000 Dustin Moore
DNS Steve Morton
Feature:
1. 83 Ben Newell
2. 68 Craig Mintz
3. 21 Josh Woody
4. 000 Dustin Moore
5. 4c Chuck Avis
DNS Steve Morton
Bomber
Heat 1:
1. 42 James Flood
2. 1 Justin Foust
3. 87 Justin Stoufer
4. 8 Toby Howe
5. 6 J.C. Morton
6. 63 Pat Lubbock
Heat 2:
1. 76 Lonnie Henderson
2. 5 Mike Williams
3. 24 Roger Flood
4. 35 Justin Wilson
5. 51s Justin Wilcons
6. 14 Bud Pursley
7. 23 Jason Huey
Feature:
1. 1 Justin Foust
2. 42 James Flood
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 5 Mike Williams
5. 24 Roger Flood
6. 14 Bud Pursley
7. 51s Justin Wilcons
8. 87 Justin Stoufer
9. 6 J.C. Morton
10. 35 Justin Wilson
11. 63 Pat Lubbock
12. 8 Toby Howe
Legends
Heat 1:
1. 7 Patrick Johnson
2. 1 Jeremy Yarbrough
3. 23 Travis Ashwood
4. 8 John Coats
5. 44 Park Jones
6. 43 Rhonda Casey
7. 71 Paul Horton
8. 18 Jason Yarbrough
9. 57 David Bauer
10. 81 Chad Shields
Feature:
1. 81 Chad Shields
2. 23 Travis Ashwood
3. 1 Jeremy Yarbrough
4. 71 Paul Horton
5. 57 David Bauer
6. 7 Patrick Johnson
7. 8 John Coats
8. 44 Park Jones
9. 43 Rhonda Casey
10. 18 Jason Yarbrough