By Sam Stoecklin
CMS Announcer/PR
July 23, 2011
(Warrensburg, MO) – Oppressive and excessive heat has made more headlines lately than just about everything else put together in the Greater Kansas City metro but even still, life soldiers on and that meant drivers and fans were in attendance at Warrensburg’s Central Missouri Speedway for another night of racing action for KMMO Radio Race Night Saturday night. Despite promoter Earl Walls and the track staff’s best efforts to keep moisture in the track throughout the day, it was simply not to be as dry slick conditions settled in for the night’s competition. Some drivers had challenges throughout the night while others had their best performances of the year after the night was through. There were 63 drivers on hand for racing Saturday night in the four divisions.
Terry Schultz of Sedalia came away with his first win of the season in the modified division, where he is also the championship point’s leader. Schultz has posted several strong runs this season and for the 51st time in his career at CMS, he visited the Waterloo Storage Products Victory lane with his first win at CMS in 2011. The first ten laps of the modified main event were all green flag action laps with Schultz leading three-time champion Aaron Marrant throughout the entire race. The two seasoned drivers raced hard and clean for the win with Schultz coming out on top in this race. Caution waived over the field on lap 11 for a three-car incident in turns one and two as Schultz led Marrant, Jason Bodenhamer, and Jason Thompson. Thompson tried to capture the third spot from Bodenhamer three fourths of the way through the race but Bodenhamer battled back to regain third. David Barker and Tom Charles raced just outside of the top four in a classic battle for fifth position. Another caution slowed the field on lap 21 to setup a four-lap dash to the checkered flag with Barker having the best restart in the field as he challenged for fourth. In the end, Schultz kept his ride out front with Marrant coming back to take second after a slow restart. Bodenhamer finished third with Thompson fourth, Barker fifth and Charles sixth at the line.
For the second time this season, ULMA late model drivers put their underrated driving skills on display by going the entire 20-lap distance with green flag to checkered flag racing. This was good for one driver but left others scratching their heads wondering what they can do to defeat Steve Clancy, who captured his fourth straight victory at the track and fifth overall this season. Clancy was in a class of his own as he powered his way to a half-track advantage at the finish line. Dustin Vance made his first CMS appearance of the year a good one by coming away second at the line one spot ahead of Jason Bodenhamer, who extended his track point’s lead with a third-place run. Trace Westling, from Fulton, Missouri has had some terrible luck this season but he looked as good as ever by coming away with a very strong fourth place run, one spot ahead of Kevin Coyne in fifth as he advanced from the eleventh starting position. Another driver having a great finish was Kansas City driver Jeremy Watts, like Westling, Watts has had some rough luck this year and it was good to see him move from eighth position to sixth at the end of the main event.
Looking at the starting lineup of the Street Stock main event, there were high hopes for an entertaining 15-lap main event as multiple-time CMS winner John Brooks and 2011 feature winner Don Dannar started from the pole position for the main event with Dean Wille and point leader Brian Ziegler just behind. The initial green-flag laps were somewhat disappointing after contact between seasoned drivers put a damper on what should have been a classic battle for the win. Don Dannar led early but by lap three Scott Dukes grabbed the point as the race turned out to be an attrition race as cars dropped out for various reasons. Ziegler was an early race spinner and looked to lose ground trying to hold on to the points lead only to battle back for a solid finish. A multiple car incident just before lap ten left Herb Dannar and Larry Ferris off of the top finishing order as Steve Littrell and Devin Irvin were able to continue. Late in the event, Don Dannar’s car suffered a mechanical issue as he brought his car to the infield for the night. With nowhere to go as Dannar’s car slowed, Dukes had to get on the breaks only to see Mullins fly by on the outside. Mullins went on to pick up his first win of the year at with Dukes holding on for a solid second-place performance. Ziegler rebounded through the field for a third place finish with Littrell having his best-ever finish in fourth. Irvin also was able to rebound to a fifth-place showing with Brooks in sixth.
Jacob Ebert is quite possibly the driver with the most feature wins in any class at any track in the local area this season. The young driver now has nine feature wins and there are still several nights of competition remaining! A large group of 23 cars made their way to the track for the 15-lap feature event in which Ethan Isaacs and Dalton Kirk started up front. Unfortunately, an incident with a slower car caused big problems for the pair as they were involved in a grinding crash in turn four. Both drivers suffered major damage to their cars but were not hurt. Meanwhile, Ebert didn’t take long to gain the top position after Kirk led the race after three attempted starts to the race. On lap five, with Ebert showing the way, Kirk and Isaacs had their problems as one lap later Lucas Isaacs also left the track unable to finish. Nic Bennett looked strong throughout the night and at times appeared as if he could hang with the leader exiting the turns but was unable to put up a serious challenge for the lead. A total of four cautions waived over the field, with one of the incidents coming late in the race to setup a dash to the finish. With Ebert clearly in command, the battle was for second and it was Bennett recording yet another strong finish as Jason Billups and Chris Whalen raced hard for third and fourth. Gary Fain had a great night in coming away in the fifth position with Troy Carlyle advancing all the way from 14th to sixth at the conclusion of the race.
Join us again next week at CMS for another exciting night of weekly racing action. Stay tuned to CMS official press releases for start times and event details. Labor Day special events information is now posted at www.centralmissourispeedway.net with details for the Hog Roast Modified Nationals to follow by Monday. On Saturday, October 1st, modifieds will compete for the big $3,500-to-win payday in a 50-lap main event for the hog roast race. Stay tuned to future CMS press releases for complete details.
Central Missouri Speedway partners include, Cliff Harris’ Warrensburg Ford/Warrensburg Chrysler, Waterloo Storage Products, KOKO AM 1450 Radio, 98.5 FM The Bar Radio, Bad Boy Mowers, Pepsi, Comfort Inn – Warrensburg Station, KMMO FM 102.9 Radio, LJS Graphics, RSC Equipment Rental, and Midwest Coating. Visit Cliff Harris Warrensburg Ford and Warrensburg Chrysler at 330 East Young Street or call (888) 829-7859.
Feature Results from 7/23/2011
Modifieds
1- 90- Terry Schultz, Sedalia
2- 70- Aaron Marrant, Orrick
3- 34a- Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview
4- 20- Jason Thompson, Concordia
5- 88b- David Barker, Kingsville
6- 81- Tom Charles, Bonner Springs, KS
7- 0- Joe Cobb, Kansas City, KS
8- 4- Josh Poe, Drexel
9- 13- Joe Walker, Harrisonville
10- 9i- Dave McVey, Greenwood
11- 23- Steve Twenter, Sedalia
12- 55- Sean Foster, Smithville
13- 24jr- Jimmy Eaton, Bates Ctiy
14- 7- Jason Park, Kansas City, KS
15- 53- Dallas White, Urich
ULMA Late Models
1- 12c- Steve Clancy, Odessa
2- 2- Dustin Vance, Cleveland
3- 88- Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview
4- 7w- Trace Westling, Fulton
5- 22- Kevin Coyne, Kingsville
6- 53- Jeremy Watts, Bates City
7- 42- Lane Ehlert, Foristell
8- 04- Chad Clancy, Smithville
9- 7- Brett Wood, Warrensburg
10- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
11- 10- Dave Mosley, Sedalia
DNS- 54- Jimmy Jobe, Odessa
Street Stocks
1- 01- Michael Mullins, Kingsville
2- 9d- Scott Dukes, Odessa
3- 65- Brian Ziegler, Bates City
4- 25- Steven Littrell, Independence
5- 67- Devin Irvin, Cleveland
6- 49sr- John Brooks, Warrensburg
7- 174- Donnie Dannar, Oak Grove
8- 85- Chris Culbertson, Warrensburg
9- 2b- Brian Cox, Concordia
10- 74- Herb Dannar, Holden
11- 14F- Larry Ferris II, Kansas City, KS
12- 49- Dean Wille, Warrensburg
DNS- 09- Chad Eickleberry, Warrensburg
DNS- 15- T.J. Faulkenberry, Urich
B-Modifieds
1- 94- Jacob Ebert, Oak Grove
2- 38- Nic Bennett, Grain Valley
3- 33j- Jason Billups, Holt
4- 00- Chris Whalen, Kansas City KS
5- 07- Gary Fain, Lone Jack
6- 44- Troy Carlyle, Kearney
7- c3- Chad Staus, Otterville
8- 10- Johnny McGinnis, Hardin
9- 80- Jimmy Ngo, Independence
10- 41- Bob Russell, Lee’s Summit
11- 4- A.J. Tice, Piper
12- w00- Nick Whalen, Kansas City KS
13- 90nn- Steven Neal, Odessa
14- 18j- Ross Olson, Richmond
15- 73- Ernie Walker, Sedalia
16- 6- Lucas Isaacs, Bonner Springs KS
17- e76- Ethan Mullins, Green Ridge
18- 30- Dalton Kirk, Edgerton, KS
19- 66- Ethan Isaacs, Bonner Springs, KS
20- 57- Bobby Raybourn, Odessa
21- 51- Danny Iiams, Warrensburg
22- c8- Cameron Cooper, Holden
23- 03b- Chris Brockway, Warrensburg