Lebanon, Mo. / Some information contributed by Ronnie Williams
For Immediate Release 7/08/2015 –
John Hunter Nemechek took advantage on a lap 73 caution to close the gap on leader Sterling Marlin and then showed the patience of a seasoned veteran for over 20 laps before taking the lead and holding off several challenges in capturing the JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance 3rd Annual Mercy Masters of the Pro’s 144 Saturday Night at the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.
Nemechek, who is already known for winning high profile and high paying Pro and Super Late Model Features was all smiles and excited like a kid at Christmas while climbing from his car and capturing the Mercy Masters Green Jacket.
The Star-Studded Field saw the top 20 from Boyne Machine Qualifying separated by less than 3 tenths of a second. The 144 lap feature saw 3 different leaders and was only slowed by 2 cautions with the 1st waving on lap 73 for a single car spin which allowed Nemechek to erase the 5 second plus lead that Sterling Marlin had built-up.
The start of the feature had 2014 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion Ty Majeski grab the opening lead from his pole spot over Marlin as Alabama’s Justin South followed closely. This battle lasted for 13 laps before Marlin shot to the lead. On lap 19 Marlin had opened a quarter-track lead with Majeski, South, Matt Wallace, Chuck Barnes, Nemechek, Cole Williams and fast qualifier Hunter Robbins all nose to tail. With Marlin stretching the lead, Wallace went to 2nd on lap 22 bringing Nemechek with him for position. Majeski making his 1st ever JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour event came back to 2nd with Nemechek in tow as Marlin began to hit lapped traffic. Nemechek got around Majeski for 2nd spot as Marlin was setting a quick pace even in lapped traffic. With the action for 3rd place involving 10 different drivers, Marlin’s big lead was gone as Steve Holt spun on the front stretch with only 16 cars remaining on the lead lap after 73 circuits. As Marlin picked the high lane, he shot ahead of Nemechek as John Hunter remained very calm knowing the 100 lap pit break was coming-up.
After 10 laps on the restart, Marlin’s car had a slight push coming off the corners. Nemechek closed-up and took control on lap 93 coming of turn 2 and would become the 3rd different leader. As the yellow waved at lap 100, strategy was being talked about during the break. Nemechek’s team just add fuel to the leader while Marlin would adjust the car as several others made small adjustments. The top 6 cars elected to keep the same rubber on the car for the final 44 laps. The restart had Nemechek get the quick jump over Marlin as Robbins and Wallace were coming with Wallace making a strong run to secure 3rd place with tight packed action behind them.
On lap 104 the 2nd and final caution waved for Quinton Bear as damage ended his night while Cody Coughlin and Jake Griffin escaped the incident with no damage. On the final restart, Nemechek was picture perfect as he quickly pulled away while Wallace got a great restart moving from 4th to 2nd place as Majeski and Robbins went to battle for 4th while Chuck Barnes fell back a couple of spots. Nemechek would cross the stripe with a 1.495 second victory as Wallace, Marlin, Robbins, and Barnes completed the top 5. Fifteen cars finished on the lead lap with 23 of the 30 starters running at the end. Nemechek turned the fastest lap of the feature stopping the clock with a 14.952 while Marlin was 2nd quick with a 14.977.
Majeski, who started P1 and led the first 11 laps in his first career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour start, finished in sixth while veteran Jack Smith, in his first race of the 2015 season picked up the Five Star Racecar Bodies Hard-Charger award as well as the second Great Lakes Tire/Hoosier Racing Tire Performance award with his impressive 25th to seventh place run. Justin South, a former JEGS/CRA winner in 2013 at Memphis International Raceway (TN), finished in eighth as 18-year-old Bret Holmes was ninth over two-time Defending ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Travis Braden who completed the top 10.
Earlier in the day in Boyne Machine Company Qualifying, Hunter Robbins out-qualified the 39 teams on hand with a lap measured at a 14.548 which equals out to 92.796mph. The JEGS/CRA Track Record in Lebanon, Missouri remains a 14.318 set by 2014 race winner, Anderson Bowen back on May 17th, 2014. The 15-Lap Last Chance Race would see the top four transfer into the main event. Veteran Jack Smith in his #28 Urbine Machine / Ford took the win ahead of Brennon Willard, Dakota Stroup and 18-year-old Trey Craig would also transfer.
“We knew we had to be patient, but at the same time we needed to grab spots whenever we could. We knew we just needed to race smart. It was a bit of a small crew. We made the decision to come out and run this pretty late. So it was just three guys and I this weekend.” Said the smiling 2014 Snowball Derby winner and son of NASCAR veteran, Joe Nemechek while celebrating his latest victory. His win in Missouri also made him a perfect five for five in JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour races in his career. “There are still a couple big races coming up this fall we want to win. The Winchester 400 is the big one we haven’t gotten yet. Plus I want the Snowflake 100 and of course the Snowball Derby again.” He added.
In support action, Budweiser Modified driver Ricky Icenhower wasted no in grabbing the lead from younger brother Roderick on lap 2 and then had to fend off challenges from 3 time champion David Bates for the entire distance from lap 5 through 25 to capture his 4th win out of 6 features this season. Bates threw everything except the kitchen sink at Icenhower, but the hard charger from Fair Grove kept cool and focused claiming that Bates probably had a faster car, but his crew worked hard on making the car roll through the corners to help on the handling of the car. Following the lead duo to the line were point leader Tim Swearengin, opening lap leader Roderick Icenhower and David Strode completing the top 5.
Lebanon’s Chris Nichols last visited I-44’s Winner circle in 2002 in a Sportsman car. That changed Saturday night as the former 3-time Hoosier Street Stock Champion started in the 5th row in Zack Morgan’s car and powered to the lead on lap 5 after a great battle with leader Chris Johnson and drove to the win becoming the 4th different winner in the class this season. Early leader Shawn Schmidt drove the station-wagon to grab the opening 3 circuits as Johnson was applying pressure the entire time in the caution free 15 lap feature. On lap 4, Johnson grabbed the lead as Nichols was streaking through the pack. Once in front Nichols let the pack battle for 2nd place as point’s runner-up Jordan Nisbett was applying pressure to Johnson while Lauren Buhr was coming quickly. The race for second place between Johnson and Nisbett was as good as it gets with the spot being swapped back and forth side by side for 8 laps before Nisbett was able to secure the position as Chris Johnson, Buhr and Tony Johnson completed the top 5 with great racing by all.
I-44 will not be in action on Saturday July 11th due to the Laclede County Fair, but will resume racing action on Saturday July 18th with a full program in The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series featuring all 5 classes with racing to start at 6:30PM.
For more information visit the website at www.i44speedway.net and be sure to like Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Facebook for daily updated information on Missouri’s only NASCAR sanction facility and the only weekly asphalt track within 300 miles.
Results
Mercy Masters of the Pros 144
Pos. / St / Car # / Hometown / Sponsor / Laps / Status
1 8 8N John Hunter Nemechek Mooresville, NC S.W.M. Gun Runners/D.A.B. Constructors 144 Running
2 5 6 Matt Wallace Concord, NC Lucas Oil Products/Dan Althoff Trucking 144 Running
3 2 114 Sterling Marlin Columbia, TN Tootsie’s World Famous Orchid Lounge/W.A.R. Shocks 144 Running
4 9 18 Hunter Robbins Montgomery, AL PitBoxes.com/Sanders Rental Properties 144 Running
5 4 55 Chuck Barnes Jr. Louisville, KY Kevin Crider Motorsports/McGunegill Engine Performance 144 Running
6 1 71X Ty Majeski Seymour, WI LisaThomasSalon.com/Alan Kulwicki Driver Development 144 Running
7 25 28 Jack Smith Clyde, OH Urbine Machine/T.B.M. Brakes 144 Running
8 3 43 Justin South Leeds, AL Alabama Brick Delivery/Dubz Thermal Products 144 Running
9 13 2 Bret Holmes Munford, AL Holmes II Excavation/Wellborn Musclecar Museum 144 Running
10 7 26 Travis Braden Wheeling, WV Platinum Express/West Virginia University 144 Running
11 19 08 Jake Griffin Quincy, IL Racing Air Products/Willard Motorsports 144 Running
12 20 1 Cody Coughlin Delaware, OH JEGS.com/Team JEGS Racing 144 Running
13 18 14 Ryan Luza Cypress, TX Octane Energy Drink/Aero Car Care 144 Running
14 28 15 Trey Craig Louisville, KY D.C.I. General Contractors/Superb I.P.C. Powder Coating 144 Running
15 6 46 Cole Williams Sellersburg, IN Jim Butner Auto Sales/Alan Kulwicki Driver Development 144 Running
16 22 04 Phil Bozell Portage, MI R.C. Sales & Leasing/Sweet Manufacturing 143 Running
17 10 47 Kaleb Allison Mexico, MO Carquest Auto Parts/Joe Machens Dealerships 143 Running
18 27 47S Dakota Stroup Owensboro, KY D.C. Chassis/Time D.C. 143 Running
19 12 05 Bayley Currey Driftwood, TX Chasco Constructors/Premier Minerals 143 Running
20 24 5 Matt Mills ® New Philadelphia, OH Thompson Electric/Rick Turner Racing 143 Running
21 21 4 Dalton Armstrong New Castle, IN WinField Solutions/Baker Crop Insurance 143 Running
22 11 71 Josh Nelms Lockport, IL LisaThomasSalon.com/VanDoorn Racing Development 142 Running
23 23 29 Austin Kunert ® Batavia, IL Blue Demon Welding/Kings Express 140 Running
24 30 35 Steve Holt Strafford, MO Central State Core Supply/Calhoun Trucking 132 Vibration
25 14 94 Quinnton Bear ® Avon, IN Buzze Racing/Bear’s Lawn Care 105 Accident
26 17 20 Cole Rouse Fort Smith, AR Rouse Custom Homes/Kevin Crider Motorsports 103 Suspension
27 16 77 Mike Slone Rolla, MO Kevin Crider Motorsports/AR Bodies 103 Shock
28 15 4G Kody Evans Camden, OH DuroByte Incorporated/Performance Transport 97 Wheel
29 26 3 Brennon Willard Lebanon, MO Willard Asphalt/W.A.R. Shocks 63 Overheating
30 29 27 Joe Ross Kansas City, MO R&S Automotive/D&D Entertainment 37 Overheating
#7 Ricky Icenhower & #14 Chris Nichols
Budweiser NASCAR Modifieds
A-Feature – 1) Ricky Icenhower-Fair Grove 2) David Bates-Fair Grove 3) Tim Swearengin-Springfield 4) Roderick Icenhower-Fair Grove 5) David Strode-Independence 6) Richard Lewis-Willard 7) Todd Lauvray-Waynesville 8) Brian Lewis-Willard 9) Mark Riddle-Springfield 10) Chris Johnson-Lebanon 11) Terry Taylor-Fair Grove 12) Joe Bunkers-Harrisonville DNS-Stephen Counterman-Fair Grove
1st Heat – 1) Counterman 2) Roderick Icenhower 3) Ricky Icenhower 4) Bunkers 5) B. Lewis 6) Lauvray DNS-Riddle
2nd Heat – 1) Swearengin 2) Bates 3) Strode 4) B. Lewis 5) Taylor 6) Johnson
Hoosier Tire NASCAR Street Stocks
A Feature – 1) Chris Nichols-Lebanon 2) Jordan Nesbitt-Lebanon 3) Chris Johnson-Lebanon 4) Lauren Buhr-Neosho 5) Tony Johnson-Lebanon 6) Jimmy Poindexter-Willard 7) David Jennings-Springfield 8) Shawn Schmidt-Springfield 9) Aaron Wilke-Bridgeton 10) Nick Cherry-Springfield DNS-David Douglas-Lebanon, Riley Sharp-Fair Grove
1st Heat – 1) Schmidt 2) T. Johnson 3) Jennings 4) Cherry DNS-Douglas, Sharp
2nd Heat – 1) Nichols 2) Buhr 3) Nesbitt 4) C. Johnson 5) Wilke 6) Poindexter
More information on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance is available at www.cra-racing.com.