Lebanon,Mo.-Despite soaring temps,racing action Friday Ngiht at the LebanonMidwayspeedway was just as hot as drivers were treated to a smooth racing surface while the list of winners continues to add as drivers prepare for Hot Summer Nights.
The Central Bank FactoryStocks started the feature action with James Flood and Ben Solberg on the front row.Solberg celebrating a birthday this weekend decided to get behind the wheel of Burl Woods car.Flood took the opening lead with Mark Simon following closely along with Solberg.Close racing action up front keep everyone wondering as Flood was withstanding Simon’s challanges.On lap 6,Simon and Flood made contact sending both drivers to the rear of the field as Ben Solberg last seasons points runner-up took over the lead.Last weeks winner Donnie Miller and point leader Tyson Troutman were battling for the second place spot.Miller made a surge at leader Solberg,put during the long green run,Solberg was able to pull away and take his first win of the season while Miller,Flood,Troutman and Simon completed the top 5. Solberg making only his second start this season was able to celebrate a birthday present early in victory lane.”Flood had the car to beat tonight. I just happened to be in the rgiht place at the right time.”
Energy Company PureStock action saw Chad Hufft grab the opening lead from his front row pole spot only to see Kolt Barker make the pass at the start finish line to lead lap 1.Defending champion kory Barker moved quickly into second as the brothers raced side by side while Shorty Doublin in his new car charged into third place.With Kolt Barker running the low side and Kory on the top groove battling,point leader Matt young quietly moved into third place on lap 4 as Doublin went to the pits.During the middle stages of the feature,Kolt pulled away from Koey’s challanges to stretch his lead out as last weeks winner Justin Allen was coming quickly.Young moved along side Kory Barker to challange for second place but fell back in the last part of the race.Kolt Barker recorded his third feature win of the season while Kory Barker,Young,Allen and Hufft completed the top 5.
The Aaron’s Modified rolled out for another action packed feature with Ted Ballinger and Charlie Gentile on the front row.Gentile grabbed the opening lead as Tyler Brown followed closely while point leader Michael Stake,Shawn Strong,Kris Jackson and Ballinger raced hard.On lap 3 the yellow flew for first year driver Terry Phillips bunching the field-up.Gentile looking for his first ever Midway featrue win had a strong car early as third row starters Strong and Jackson applied pressure.Last weeks winner Colt Cheevers had moved to challange from his 11th starting spot tonight as 3 wide racing was the call.On lap 6,Shawn Strong moved around Gentile to take the lead as Jackson and Cheevers followed.On lap 8,contender Tyler Brown pulled into the pits with problems ending his bid for a top run.The caution waved on lap 9 as the field doubled-up for the restart,Strong pulled away but Kris Jackson made a high-side move and pulled even with the leader only to see the yellow fly again.Strong made the most of this second restart and pulled away leaving the battle for second place between Jackson,Cheevers and point leader Michael Stake.Strong went on to grab his 5th featrue win at Midway this season and is in position for a great payday with Hot Summer Nights Racing Format nxt week.Jackson,Cheevers,Stake and early leader Gentile completed the top 5 in another action packed Modified feature.
The Transport Graphics StreetStocks provided plenty of action as former track champion Brandon Knudtson grabbed the opening lead from point leader Joe Francis while Brandon Waters and Trevor Ellingson were following.All eyes were on Mark Simon who was going for another win coming from the back of the pack.Knudtson lead until lap 8 when Francis grabbed the lead as Simon was on the move.The battle up front between Simon and Francis went hot and fast until lap 11 when Simon’s car headed to the pits following a yellow flag.The final 4 laps saw Knudtson challange Francis,but Francis grabbed the win with Knudtson,Ellingson,Waters and Ricky Brashears completing the top 5.
The Rocky Ridge Construction Midwest Modz was looking like another new winner was going to record his first win as Jamie Petty jumped to the opening lead with Bill Joiner,Earl Muilenburg,Rich Reynolds all battling.With Jamie Petty setting a fast pace,the action behind was 2 wide racing.A lap 4 caution closed-up the field as Sam Petty got a great jump on the restart and closed-up the gap on his brother.THis side by side battle between brothers lasted until lap 7 when Sam drove to the middle groove to take the lead leaving everyone fighting for second place.On lap 9 point leader JC Newell moved into second place around Jamie Petty but never got close to Sam Petty as Sam grabbed his second win of the season.Following the winner to the line was Newell,Rich Reynolds,Earl Muilenburg and early leader J Petty.
Action next at Midway will see the 2nd annual Hot Summer Nights 2 night event as drivers in the FactoryStocks,StreetStocks,B-Mods,PureStocks and Midwest Modz will compete Thursday Night in a double elimination bracket tournament to set the starting line-up for Next Friday nights feature events.Thursday Nights tournament prices in the grandstands is only 10 for Adults in this once a year qualifying format.Friday Night will have features along with the return of the A-Mods and a special go-kart feature race at intermission.Friday night grandstand prices is only 15 as a large purse is set for the competing classes as the Factory and B-Mod feature winners recieve $750 while the StreetStocks compete for $300,Midwest Modz 250 and PureStocks 200.
Results
Central Bank FactoryStocks
A Ft-1)Ben Solberg-Springfield 2)Donnie Miller-Houston 3)James Flood-Billlings 4)Tyson Troutman-Houston 5)Mark Simon-Buffalo 6)Shawn Whitman-Strafford 7)Jed Rogers-Lebanon 8)Mark Davis-Grovesprings
1st Ht-1)Flood 2)Simon 3)Whitman 4)Davis
2nd Ht-1)Solberg 2)Troutman 3)Miller 4)Rogers
Aaron’s Sales And Rentals Modifieds
A Ft-1)Shawn Strong-Republic 2)Kris Jackson-Lebanon 3)Colt Cheevers-Macks Creek 4)Michael Stake-Phillipsburg 5)Charlie Gentile-Ozark 6)JC Newell-Decaturville 7)Ted Ballinger-Halfway 8)Bill Schaar-St Robert 9)Tim Ballinger-Fair Grove 10)Greg Strong-Nixa 11)Brian Myers-Lebanon 12)Tony Moore-Lebanon 13)Terry Phillips-Nixa 14)Tyler Brown-Stoutland 15)Andrew Koontz
1st Ht-1)Jackson 2)Brown 3)Ted Ballinger 4)Newell 5)Moore 6)Cheevers 7)G Strong 8)Koontz
2nd Ht-1)S Strong 2)Stake 3)Gentile 4)Schaar 5)Myers 6)Phillips 7)Tim Ballinger
Energy Company PureStocks
A Ft-1)Kolt Barker-Lebanon 2)Kory Barker-Lebanon 3)Matt Young-Lebanon 4)Justin Allen-Urbana 5)Chad Hufft-Lebanon 6)Robert Doublin-Lebanon 7)Kim Barker-Lebanon 8)Russ Witt-Lebanon 9)Monk Barker-Lebanon 10)Shorty Doublin-Lebanon DNS-Brandon Henderson-Lebanon
1st Ht-1)Kory Barker 2)Kolt Barker 3)Hufft 4)R Doublin 5)Witt
2nd Ht-1)Young 2)K Barker 3)Henderson 4)S Doublin 5)M Barker
Transport Graphics StreetStocks
A Ft-1)Joe Francis-Lebanon 2)Brandon Knudtson-Lebanon 3)Trevor Ellingson-Lebanon 4)Brandon Waters-Lynchburg 5)Ricky Brashears-Richland 6)Andrew Neil-Springfield 7)Mark Simon-Buffalo 8)Josh Lewis-Lebanon DNS-Rodney Yost-Squires
1st Ht-1)Ellingson 2)Knudtson 3)Brashears 4)Simon 5)Yost
2nd Ht-1)Waters 2)Francis 3)Neil 4)Lewis
Rocky Ridge Construction Midwest Modz
A Ft-1)Sam Petty-Niangua 2)JC Newell-Stoutland 3)Rich Reynolds-Halltown 4)Earl Muileburg-Sparta 5)Jamie Petty-Niangua 6)Bill Joiner-Lebanon 7)Brian Warner-Phillipsburg
1st Ht-1)Newell 2)Reynolds 3)Joiner 4)J Petty
2nd Ht-1)S Petty 2)Muilenburg 3)Warner