(LEBANON, Missouri, by Sarah Woodhurst) It was a cool night for racing on Saturday, Sept. 3 as the largest crowd of the season came out to enjoy the Lebanon I-44 Speedway ASA-sanctioned ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ show. Ken Dickinson of Springfield led all 50 laps to win the special 50-lap Late Model feature, the ‘Coca-Cola World 50’, Jason Otto claimed the Modified victory, Aaron Douglas grabbed the Sportsman checkers, Josh Ratliff won the Charger race, Ashley Deshenes was victorious in the OMSRA ‘Outlaw Mini Stock’ division, and Dustin Reeves won his third Road Warrior race in a row.

It was a race of attrition for the Late Models as 19 cars started the race and only 11 finished. Dickinson proved he had the fastest car on the track by leading every lap. The race began with a bang, as two caution flags were thrown before the first lap was completed. Conway’s Scott Atkinson made contact with Chrissy Wallace of Concord, NC in the first corner, bringing out the first caution. Wallace headed for the pits for repairs to her #93 car, and Atkinson was forced to the back of the field. On the restart, cars got tangled up on the front stretch after a spinout occurred on the front row. Numerous cars then visited the pits to assess their damage. After this minor delay, 16 cars returned to the track in an attempt to get the race started one more time. Wallace also rejoined the back of the field.

With the race finally underway, Dickinson maintained the lead and Dale Roper Jr of Fair Grove grabbed the second spot. Austin Fullerton of Chelsea, Oklahoma, Brian Brown of Springfield, Conway’s Grant Sharp, and Justin Jennings of LaGrange were right on each other’s heels for the third place position. A spinout on lap 22 brought out the third caution of the night with 13 cars remaining. Young Cole Williams of Sellersburg, Indiana worked his way up from the back to the front impressively as he then fought for fourth place with Sharp. Jennings took the second spot from Roper Jr. on lap 32, which set up a great battle for the lead between Jennings and Dickinson. On the last lap, Dickinson and Jennings were door-to-door fighting for the win until Jennings spun his car out on the low side coming out of turn four. Dickinson was not affected and went on to claim the checkers. Williams finished in second, followed by Roper Jr. in third, Sharp in fourth, and Brown rounding out the top five.

“I’ve got so many people to thank,” Dickinson said in Monster Energy Victory Lane. “It’s just unbelievable how many have helped me this year. Half the Late Model field deserves this as much as I do… If I needed a spring, they were there… If I needed a tire, they were there.”

‘Racin’ Jason’ Otto visited Victory Lane in the Modified event in a dominant fashion. Otto had a big lead over the field for most of the race until the final few laps when Tyler Scott of Nixa worked his way up to the second spot to challenge Otto. Scott made big strides, but finished in second followed by Mike Coryell of Lebanon in third, Fair Grove’s Stephen Counterman in fourth, and Payton Lucas of Fair Grove in fifth. “It’s real competitive,” Otto said. “I just can’t do this without all my sponsors. I also want to thank the other racers too, because they’ve helped me out all year long. Mike Coryell gave me a tire… I mean, how much better can it get than that.”

Lebanon’s own Aaron Douglas put on a great show for the fans during the Sportsman feature event as he made a low side pass by Fair Grove’s Rick Sharp halfway through the race for the lead. Douglas, Sharp, Toby Harden, and JC Newell then raced each other hard and clean for the top four positions. Douglas crossed the finish line first, followed by Sharp in second, Harden in third, Newell in fourth, and Chuck Higdon in fifth. Douglas was one of the most enthused winners of the night as he went on to thank his dad and sponsors after winning. One of the sponsors that he thanked, Ronnie Lewis of Lewis Used Cars, actually sponsored a $100 bonus to the winner before the race started. “There’s nothing more fun than this,” Douglas said.

Dustin Reeves of Camdenton won his third Road Warrior feature in a row after gaining a big lead over the field. Mike Scott and Steve Shaw, both of Rogersville, starred in their own race for second place behind Reeves. The second position went to Steve Shaw followed by Scott in third, Brandon Henderson of Lebanon in fourth, and Sam Shaw of Rogersville in fifth.

Josh Ratliff of Rolla also put on a dominating performance in the Charger division after he took the lead on lap three and never looked back. Belle’s Caston Jones and Nick Cherry of Springfield raced each other for second place, and Ben Kramer of Richland and Laquey’s Larry Hunter put on their own battle for fourth. Ratliff grabbed the win, followed by Jones in second, Kramer in third, Hunter in fourth, and Jimmy Poindexter of Willard in fifth. This was Ratliff’s last race of the season, as former I-44 Speedway announcer Zack ‘Z-Man’ Morgan will be racing Ratliff’s car next week. Ratliff raced nine times this season resulting in six wins, two second place finishes, and one DNF.

The OMSRA ‘Outlaw Mini Stocks’ were last in the racing program, but proved that they were worth sticking around for as they put on another great show for the huge crowd. Ashley Deschenes of Kansas City won the feature event, which also happened to be the final appearance of the division this season. Ashley Deschenes, Joe Bunkers, Kevin Hunt, and Ashley’s husband, Michael Deschenes were the top four cars for the majority of the race, and all proved their desire for the win. Michael Deschenes passed his wife Ashley while taking the white flag, and it looked like it was a done deal. Ashley Deschenes showed everybody that she wasn’t going to back down however, as she passed Michael back coming out of turn four toward the checkered flag. Fans were on their feet cheering Ashley on, as Michael Deschenes finished second, Bunkers in third, Hunt in fourth, and Tyler Berry in fifth.

Next Saturday night will be ‘ United Insurors Season Championship’ night at Lebanon I-44 Speedway. All five ASA-sanctioned stock car racing classes will be racing, with the Late Models competing in two 25-lap feature races, the ‘Lindsay Auto Group Twin 25’s’. Complete information about the ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ show, remaining 2011 racing schedule, racecar construction specifications and general rules may be found on the track’s official website, www.i44speedway.com.
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RESULTS

LATE MODELS
HEAT 1
1) 67 Jimmy Vanzandt
2) 22 Scott Atkinson
3) 46 Cole Williams
4) 25 Zach Zeugin
5) 3 Tucker Cory
6) 45 Cris Beaver

HEAT 2
1) 93 Chrissy Wallace
2) 10 Dale Roper Jr
3) 21 Ken Dickinson
4) 35 Steve Holt
5) 27 Joe Ross
6) 9 Robert Baltzell

HEAT 3
1) 56 Justin Jennings
2) O2 Brian Brown
3) 20 Austin Fullerton
4) 18 Jim Reeves
5) 12 Eric Turner
6) 98 Terry Smith

FEATURE
1) 21 Ken Dickinson Springfield
2) 46 Cole Williams Sellersburg, IN
3) 10 Dale Roper Jr Fair Grove
4) 2 Grant Sharp Conway
5) O2 Brian Brown Springfield
6) 93 Chrissy Wallace Concord, NC
7) 20 Austin Fullerton Chelsea, OK
8) 12 Eric Turner
9) 98 Terry Smith
10) 56 Justin Jennings LaGrange
11) 18 Jim Reaves Strafford
12) 3 DNF Tucker Cory Quincy, IL
13) 35 DNF Steve Holt Marshfield
14) 45 DNF George Buhr II Neosho
15) 27 DNF Joe Ross Independence
16) 25 DNF Zach Zeugin
17) 2X DNF Scott Atkinson Conway
18) 9 DNF Robert Baltzell Nixa
19) 67 DNF Jim Vanzandt Springfield

MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1
1) 25 Stephen Counterman
2) 26 Payton Lucas
3) 1 Rocky Rash
4) 8 Jason Otto
5) 66 Terry Taylor

HEAT 2
1) 57 Tyler Scott
2) 5 Mike Coryell
3) 33 Riley Sharp
4) 9 Phil Harris

FEATURE
1) 8 Jason Otto Richland
2) 57 Tyler Scott Nixa
3) 5 Mike Coryell Lebanon
4) 25 Stephen Counterman Fair Grove
5) 26 Payton Lucas Fair Grove
6) 9 Phil Harris Nixa
7) 33 Riley Sharp Fair Grove
8) 1 Rocky Rash Elkland
9) 66 DNF Terry Taylor Fair Grove

SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1
1) 1 Toby Harden
2) 7 Aaron Douglas
3) 83 JC Newell
4) 77 Blake Sanford
5) 10 Rick Sharp
6) 63 Chuck Higdon

FEATURE
1) 7 Aaron Douglas Lebanon
2) 10 Rick Sharp Fair Grove
3) 1 Toby Harden Marshfield
4) 83 JC Newell Stoutland
5) 63 Chuck Higdon Strafford
6) 77 Blake Sanford St Charles

ROAD WARRIOR
HEAT 1
1) 6 Dustin Reeves
2) 7 Adam Lowrance
3) 76 Brandon Henderson
4) 35 DNS Dusty Ball

HEAT 2
1) 90 Steve Shaw
2) 33 Mike Scott
3) 98 Sam Shaw
4) 7X Josh Lewis

FEATURE
1) 6 Dustin Reeves Camdenton
2) 90 Steve Shaw Rogersville
3) 33 Mike Scott Rogersville
4) 76 Brandon Henderson Lebanon
5) 98 Sam Shaw Rogersville
6) 7 Adam Lowrance Lebanon

CHARGERS
HEAT 1
1) 27 Nick Cherry
2) 14 Ben Kramer
3) 17 John Sims
4) 34 Caston Jones
5) 0 Austin Hunter

HEAT 2
1) 21 Josh Ratliff
2) 7 Shawn Jones
3) 74 Larry Hunter
4) 10 Gary Davenport
5) 5 Jimmy Poindexter

FEATURE
1) 21 Josh Ratliff Rolla
2) 34 Caston Jones Belle
3) 14 Ben Kramer Richland
4) 74 Larry Hunter Laquey
5) 5 Jimmy Poindexter Willard
6) 10 Gary Davenport Marshfield
7) 7 Shawn Jones Belle
8) 17 John Sims
9) 27 DNF Nick Cherry Springfield
10) 0 DNF Austin Hunter Laquey

OMSRA MINI STOCKS
HEAT 1
1) 86 Michael Deschenes
2) 12 Ashley Deschenes
3) 4 Joe Bunkers
4) 26 Kevin Hunt
5) 27 Tyler Berry
6) 80 JW Blankenship

FEATURE
1) 12 Ashley Deschenes Kansas City
2) 86 Michael Deschenes Kansas City
3) 4 Joe Bunkers
4) 26 Kevin Hunt
5) 27 Tyler Berry
6) 80 JW Blankenship