Springfield,Mo.
Al Purkey led wire-to-wire of the Lucas Oil MLRA John Kuntz Memorial race Saturday night at Springfield Raceway. Purkey parked his 33 Purkey Auto Salvage, Shaw with a Hatfield Racing Engine in the AAA Missouri Victory Lane for the second time in his last two races.
With Terry Phillips and Jesse Stovall battling for second position for much of the race Purkey was able to gain a comfortable lead under green. A late race caution brought the field back to Purkey’s bumper. The caution also gave Stovall a chance to slide into second, but the 00 could not complete the lap in the position before the Andy’s Frozen Custard #75 GRT by Phillips was back in second. As the intense fight for second continues, the 21 of Billy Moyer moved from his 16th place starting position into the top five. Moyer cruised by Looney, Sullivan and Stovall before falling into his finishing place behind Phillips.
Despite unseasonably cool weather,fans packed into the stands for the Andy’s Frozen Custard sponsored event with 38 cars entered.
Heat winners included, Brad Looney, Matt Johnson, Jesse Stovall, Jack Sullivan and race winner Al Purkey. B Feature wins went to Jeremy Payne and Billy Moyer.
In support action the USRA Budweiser RHS Modifieds came in full force as Bobby Pearish grabbed the opening lead with Jerry Lankton,Brian Green,Darian Hendrix and other 2-3 wide on the opening laps.Pearish looking for his first ever USRA win started to pull away from the star-studded field.Caution waved on lap 7 as Erik Maggard who started 22nd and moving quickly came to a halt on the backstretch.Pearish brought the field to the green again as defending champion Mitch Keeter,current point leader Jackie Dalton,Terry Beckham II,Lankton,and USMTS regular Johnny Scott were battling for positions.On lap 10,Keeter who was charging forward lost the car in turn 1 spinning and collecting 3 others with small damage.Keeter retired for the evening.Pearish brought the field to the restart as Lankton,Scott,Dalton who was going for three in a row,Hendrix,Tillman ,Beckham and Green were side by side.On lap 13,Scott made the low groove move to take the lead from Pearish,but Pearish came right back around as the duo exchanged the lead for several laps until Scott secured the lead on lap 16 and took home the feature win.Pearish,Lankton,Dalton and Hendrix completed the top 5 while Beckham,Turkey classic winner Tillman,Robbie Bryant,Green and young Jordan McCrimmon rounded out the top 10.
The Reliable Chevrolet SportMods again provided side by side action all evening long.Brandon Maggard in his 602 GM Crate motor brought the field to the start with fellow crate racer Larry Tindle as Tindle took the opening lead. A lap 2 crash in turn 4 eliminated Terry Beckham Sr., Jeremy Chambers, Jerry Brown, Jared Thulin. On the restart, Tindle and Brandon Maggard found opening night winner Bobby Maggard Jr,JC morton and a hard-charging Kris Jackson following.Tindle had something break on the car on lap 5 sending him to the frontstretchwall while leading ending his night.Morton took over the top spot and the SportMods showed side by side racing as Brandon Maggard,Jackson,Maggard Jr along with leader Morton were door to door.A late caution on lap 18 bunched everyone up and on the double-file restart,Jackson dove to the bottom while Morton hung the top side.Yellow waved forcing a single-file restart.As the green flew,Brandon Maggard and Morton’s bumpers hooked together as Jackson was trying to find running room.This allowed Bobby Maggard Jr to move to the top side and grab the win as Jackson,Brandon Maggard,Morton and defending champion Wayne Graybeal completed the top 5.
The Missouri Legends feature saw another outstanding event as Dave Bauer took the opening lead only to see Chuck Comer move to the high groove and lead on lap 2.A pack including Colt Pruente,Tyler Horton,Jason Rayle and defending champion Justin Comer followed close behind.Chuck Comer would lead until lap 16 when Ralye took over the top spot with Justin Comer following.Heading for the final lap,J.Comer swung to the outside and grabbed the lead as Rayle tried to gather back in. Comer grabbed the win as Rayle rode the frontstretchwall in the finish with early leader Chuck Comer, Tyler Horton and point leader Park Jones following.
The Casey’s General stores Midwest Moods displayed two 3rd and fourth generation racers Trevor Drake and JC Newell went side by side for 7 of the 15 scheduled laps with Newell withstanding a late caution to grab a narrow win over Drake who was going for three in a row. Great early runs tonight for Ken Walker and Ryan Hendrix early in the race leading some of the laps.Hendrix’s chance for victory ended as he spun in turn 4.Matthew Thulin had a strong run early also.For Newell the Midway point leader he and Drake displayed excellent car control running both high and low.Rusty Forrest,Sam Petty and Shane Bias completed the top 5 in the 19 car field.
38 MARS/MLRA SuperLateModels,24 USRA Modifieds,24 SportMods,21 Legends and 19 Midwest Moods helped complete the 5th annual John Knutz Memorial.
Action continues Next Sat at the SpringfieldRaceway with the Transport Graphics Chase for the Championship with USRA Modifieds,SportMods,Midwest Moods,Legends,PureStocks and StreetStocks along with the battle of the Badges as officers across the state race to help raise money for Special Olympics in a special race with their owns prepared cars. Grandstand gates open at 5 with hotlaps at 6:15 and racing at 7PM sharp
Results-John Kuntz Memorial At SpringfieldRaceway
MARS/MLRA LateModels
Lucas Oil Heat 1 (10 Laps):1. Brad Looney 2. Tony Jackson Jr. 3. Dwight Niehoff 4. Joe Walkenhorst 5. Jeremy Payne 6. Bill Koons 7. Kyle Berck 8. Jon Driskill
Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps Heat 2 (10 Laps):1. Matt Johnson 2. John Anderson 3. Alan Vaughn 4. Billy Moyer 5. Jason Pursley 6. Brandon McCormick 7. Justin Asplin 8. RC Whitwell
Bodee’s Race Bodies Heat 3 (10 Laps):1. Jesse Stovall 2. Eric Turner 3. Rylan Long 4. Bryant Goldsmith 5. David Turner 6. Chris Smyser 7. Shane Essary 8. Dwayne Kiefer
Peterson Fluid Heat 4 (10 Laps):1. Jack Sullivan 2. Steve Johnson 3. Dustin Mooneyham 4. Larry Jones 5. Billy Koons Jr. 6. Brian Schutt 7. Dallas Sales
Fast Track Photos Heat 5 (10 Laps):1.Al Purkey 2. Terry Phillips 3. Leroy Johnson 4. Chris Hawkins 5. Reid Millard 6. Bryon Allison 7. Dustin Walker
Sunoco Race Fuels B Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. Jeremy Payne 2. David Turner 3. Bill Koons 4. Chris Hawkins 5. Shane Essary 6. Leroy Johnson 7. RC Whitwell 8. Kyle Berck 9. Chris Smyser 10. Reid Millard 11. Dustin Walker 12. Dwight Niehoff
Hoosier Racing Tires B Feature 2 (10 Laps): 1. Billy Moyer 2. Dustin Mooneyham 3. Brandon McCormick 4. Jason Pursley 5. Brian Schutt 6. Billy Koons Jr. 7. Dwayne Kiefer 8. Justin Asplin 9. Dallas Sales 10. Bryon Allison 11. Jon Driskill 12. Leroy Johnson
Lucas Cattle Company A Feature (40 Laps): 1. Al Purkey 2. Terry Phillips 3. Billy Moyer 4. Jack Sullivan 5. Jesse Stovall 6. Brad Looney 7. John Anderson 8. Jeremy Payne 9. Alan Vaughn 10. Tony Jackson Jr. 11. Matt Johnson 12. David Turner 13. Dustin Mooneyham 14. Brandon McCormick 15. Kyle Berck 16. Bryant Goldsmith 17. Joe Walkenhorst 18. Bill Koons 19. Rylan Long 20. Eric Turner 21. RC Whitwell 22. Steve Johnson
USRA Modifieds A ft-1)Johnny Scott-Las Cruses,New Mexico 2)Bobby Pearish-Oronogo 3)Jerry Lankton-Lampe 4)Jackie Dalton-Carthage 5)Dariran Hendrix-Joplin 6)Terry Beckham II-Webb City 7)Jody Tillman-Branson 8)Robbie Bryant-Willard 9)Brian Green-Pierce City 10)Jordan McCrimmon-Bolivar 11)Chase Jones-El DoradoSprings 12)Dwight Neihoff-Lockwood 13)Billy Dalton-Reeds 14)Jim Body-Diamond 15)Mickey Burrell-Fair Grove 16)John Yeoman III-Granby 17)John Briggs 18)Kaelie Archer-Bolivar 19)Nathan Cottrell-Nixa 20)Kyle Slagle-Pierce City 21)Mitch Keeter-Webb City 22)Erik Maggard-Brighton DNS-Rusty Weir-Warsaw. Corey Weir-Nixa
SportMods A Ft-1)Bobby Maggard Jr-Republic 2)Kris Jackson-Lebanon 3)Brandon Maggard-Springfield 4)JC Morton-Springfield 5)Wayne Graybeal-Springfield 6)Andrew Smith-Willard 7)Jay Lamons Jr-Humbolt,Kansas 8)Mike Hailman-Reed Springs 9)Kaleb Copher-Webb City 10)Robby Morisset-Springfield 11)Reggie Jackson-Lebanon 12)Bill Schaar-St Robert 13)Steve Steffe- 14)Johnathan Romesburg 15)Gary Rodocker-Wilard 16)Blake Ellis-Joplin 17)Wes long-Springfield 18)Larry Tidle-Springfield 19)Jon Yeoman Jr-Granby 20)Jerry Brown-Prescott,Kansas 21)Jeremy Chambers-Humboldt,Kansas 22)Jared Thulin-Miami,Okla. 23)Terry Beckham Sr-Joplin DNS-Andy Beauchamp-Springfield
Legends A Ft-1)Justin comer-Joplin 2)Jason Rayle-Springfield 3)Chuck Comer-Joplin 4)Tyler Horton-Joplin 5)Park Jones-Joplin 6)Colt Pruente-Aurora 7)David Bauer-Webb City 8)Jay Reynolds-Springfield 9)Billy Cottrill-Joplin 10)James McDugle-Joplin 11)Rick Nichols-Cassville 12)Gary Hockman-Rolla 13)Phil Harris-Joplin 14)Brian Boucher-Joplin 15)Dave Comer-Joplin 16)Charles Gaines-Joplin 17)Jim Hailman-Reed Springs 18)Nichole Cottrill-Joplin 19)Doug Wilson-Joplin 20)Wayne Johnston-Nixa DNS-Rocky Carp
Midwest Moods A Ft-1)JC Newell-Stout land 2)Trevor Drake-Webb City 3)Rusty Forrest-Ozark 4)Sam Petty-Niangua 5)Shane Bias-Springfield 6)Ken Walker-Springfield 7)Jesse Parton-Springfield 8)Adam Lowrance-Lebanon 9)Dakota Maggard-Republic 10)Phil Harris-Joplin 11)Matthew Thulin-Miami,Okla 12)Ryan Hendrix-Joplin 13)Jordan Green-Springfield 14)Jacob Long-Springfield 15)Randy Belk-Joplin 16)Rusty Adams-Joplin 17)Kourtney Stevens-Springfield 18)Gary Krebs-Clever 19)Todd McGregor-Joplin