HomeMissouriLebanon I-44 SpeedwayAustin Johnson Becomes Youngest Winner in I-44 Speedway History

Austin Johnson Becomes Youngest Winner in I-44 Speedway History

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Lebanon-I-44-Speedway(LEBANON, Missouri, by Sarah Woodhurst) It was a beautiful night of ASA stock car racing at Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday night, with races concluding just before 10 pm. Monster Energy Victory Lane saw drivers just as young as the night was, with 18-year-old Tyler Scott of Nixa picking up his fifth consecutive win in the Modified division and 12-year-old Austin Johnson of Tulsa, Oklahoma taking home the ‘Baby Grand’ win. Chrissy Wallace dominated the ASA Late Model feature event, Rick Sharp of Fair Grove continued his winning streak in the Sportsman division, and Mike Scott won the Road Warrior division

Fans of I-44 Speedway witnessed history being made Saturday night as the pre-teen Johnson became the youngest winner in I-44 Speedway history. Johnson won the Pro National Series ‘Baby Grand’ feature event as the series made their second appearance this season in 2/3-scale stock-appearing racecars powered by 4-cylinder motorcycle engines
Johnson was unable to compete in the heat race due to a fuel leak that caused his car to catch fire in staging. His #22 racing team managed to fix the problem before the feature event where Johnson had to start last. Cole Rouse of Fort Smith, Arkansas was the early-race leader until a lap three caution. On the restart, Johnson took over the lead and never looked back. Johnson won by a large margin over the field. Rouse took home the second place spot, with heat winner Corey Deuser of Georgetown, Indiana finished third. The fourth position went to Jacob Blair of Parkville, Missouri and Kory Welch of Tulsa, Oklahoma finished fifth.
“I’ve been doing this for 4 years and this is just what I love,” Johnson said in Monster Energy Victory Lane. “I’d really like to thank my parents for fulfilling my dreams.” Johnson described the track as a “miniature Talladega” to I-44 announcer, Zack ‘Z-Man’ Morgan.
Mike Coryell of Lebanon took the early lead in the exciting Modified main event, but could not hold off the hard-charging #57 machine driven by Tyler Scott. Scott started last in the feature because of his win the previous week, but worked his way up to second place by lap eight and took the lead from Coryell on lap 16. Scott showed the audience exactly how he has won the last four modified features by taking a large lead in the remaining four laps. Coryell finished second, with Terry Taylor, Riley Sharp, and Payton Lucas, all of Fair Grove, rounding out the top five.
“I just gotta thank God first of all,” Scott said. “He allows me to be here. It’s His will to allow this to happen week in and week out, so this just really is awesome.” Scott went on to thank his family and crew for their hard work.
Chrissy Wallace of Concord, North Carolina led all 30 laps of the ASA Late Model race, claiming her fourth victory of the season. The race was only slowed for one caution, causing the field to be spread out among the track for the majority of the time. Cole Williams of Sellersburg, Indiana ran second for the entire race despite pressure from Camdenton’s Ken Dickinson. The real battle however was for the fourth position. The first qualifying Heat race winner, Joe Ross of Independence, Dale Roper of Fair Grove, and the second Heat race winner, Jim Reeves of Strafford, fought hard for position for the majority of the race. Wallace led the pack across the finish line followed by Williams, Dickinson, Ross, and Roper.
Rick Sharp earned his sixth feature win, second in a row, Saturday in a race featuring five fast Sportsman stock cars. The race started off with cars going three-wide into the corners for multiple laps. Sharp took the lead on lap three, while Aaron Douglas of Lebanon and JC Newell of Stoutland battled for the second position during the remaining nine laps. Douglas finished in the second spot, followed by Newell in third, Toby Harden of Ozark in fourth. Kevin Crider of Rolla retired to the pits halfway through the race.
The Chargers put on another exciting show for fans with the winner, Josh Ratliff of Rolla, taking the lead on the last lap. Cars were four-wide in the early laps of the race with Larry Hunter of Laquey gaining the early lead. As Ratliff worked his way through the field, Gary Davenport of Marshfield and Shawn Jones of Belle fought hard for the second position. By lap ten of 12 laps, Ratliff managed to blast to the front of the pack to the second position. Ratliff made a last-lap pass over Hunter, with Davenport in third, Jones in fourth, and Ben Kramer of Richland finishing fifth.
The full-size, steel-body Road Warrior stock car class came to put on a show Saturday night as the cars finished just about as close as they began the race. The top-three finishers were all of Rogersville, as Mike Scott took the win followed by Steve Shaw in second and Sam Shaw in third. These three cars were on each other’s heels when the checkered flag flew. Gary Ball of Lebanon finished fourth and Heat race winner, Dustin Reeves of Camdenton, rounded out the top five. Scott dedicated his win to I-44 Speedway enthusiast, Stephanie Phillips, who passed away with cancer last year. Scott also donated his award money to the Laclede County Relay for Life.
A lot is on tap for the ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ show at Lebanon I-44 Speedway next Saturday night, July 23, with all five ASA stock car racing classes will be racing, plus another round of ever-popular Outlaw Mini Stock racing. Gates will open at 5 pm, with racing beginning at 7:30. Additional information about upcoming events, racecar construction rules and championship points is available online at the track’s official website, www.i44speedway.net.

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THE RESULTS (July 16, 2011)

LATE MODEL

HEAT 1 1) 27 Joe Ross
2) 21 Ken Dickinson
3) 16 Robert Baltzell
4) 10 Dale Roper
5) 93 Chrissy Wallace
6) 98 Terry Smith
7) 9 Phil Harris

HEAT 2 1) 18 Jim Reeves
2) 45 Chris Beaver
3) 66 Brian Woods
4) 46 Cole Williams
5) 20 Austin Fullerton
6) 67 Jimmy Vanzandt
7) 02 Brian Brown

FEATURE 1) 93 Chrissy Wallace Concord, NC
2) 46 Cole Williams Sellersburg, IN
3) 21 Ken Dickinson Camdenton
4) 27 Joe Ross Independence
5) 10 Dale Roper Fair Grove
6) 18 Jim Reeves Strafford
7) 98 Terry Smith Belton
8) 45 Chris Beaver Joplin
9) 9 Phil Harris Springfield
10) 02 Brian Brown Springfield
11) 20 Austin Fullerton Claremore, OK
12) 67 Jimmy Vanzandt Springfield
13) 66 Brian Woods Leawood, KS
14) 16 Robert Balltzell Nixa

MODIFIEDS

HEAT 1 1) 57 Tyler Scott
2) 25 Stephen Counterman
3) 33 Riley Sharp
4) 45-DNS Matthew Winfrey

HEAT 2 1) 8 Jason Otto
2) 26 Payton Lucas
3) 66 Terry Taylor
4) 5 Mike Coryell

FEATURE 1) 57 Tyler Scott Nixa
2) 5 Mike Coryell Lebanon
3) 66 Terry Taylor Fair Grove
4) 33 Riley Sharp Fair Grove
5) 26 Payton Lucas Fair Grove
6) 8 Jason Otto Richland
7) 25 Stephen Counterman Fair Grove

SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1 1) 7 Aaron Douglas
2) 10 Rick Sharp
3) 83 JC Newell
4) 1 Toby Harden
5) 77 Kevin Crider

FEATURE 1) 10 Rick Sharp Fair Grove
2) 7 Aaron Douglas Lebanon
3) 83 JC Newell Stoutland
4) 1 Toby Harden Ozark
5) 77 Kevin Crider Rolla

ROAD WARRIOR

HEAT 1 1) 6 Dustin Reeves
2) 34 Mike Scott
3) 90 Steve Shaw
4) 35 Gary Ball
5) 98 Sam Shaw

FEATURE 1) 34 Mike Scott
2) 90 Steve Shaw
3) 98 Sam Shaw
4) 35 Gary Ball
5) 6 Dustin Reeves

CHARGERS

HEAT 1 1) 10 Gary Davenport
2) 34 Caston Jones
3) 74 Larry Hunter
4) 27 Nick Cherry
5) 19 Allan Branson

HEAT 2 1) 21 Josh Ratliff
2) 14 Ben Kramer
3) 5 Jimmy Poindexter
4) 7 Shawn Jones
5) 1 Amanda Page

FEATURE 1) 21 Josh Ratliff Rolla
2) 74 Larry Hunter Laquey
3) 10 Gary Davenport Marshfield
4) 7 Shawn Jones Belle
5) 14 Ben Kramer Richland
6) 27 Nick Cherry Springfield
7) 34 Caston Jones Belle
8) 5 Jimmy Poindexter Williard
9) 1 Amanda Page Springfield
10) 19 Allan Branson

PRO NATIONAL SERIES ‘BABY GRANDS’ CARS

HEAT 1 1) 14 Cory Deuser
2) 81 Jacob Blair
3) 2 Cole Rouse
4) 5 Kory Welch
5) 22-DNS Austin Johnson

FEATURE 1) 22 Austin Johnson Tulsa, OK
2) 2 Cole Rouse Fort Smith, AR
3) 14 Cory Deuser Georgetown, IN
4) 81 Jacob Blair Parkville, MO
5) 5 Kory Welch Tulsa, OK

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