Seventy-four drivers made their way to Central Missouri Speedway on Saturday evening for Heartland Waste night at the races. A total of 19 USRA Modifieds, 19 Street Stocks, 19 USRA B-Mods, 9 Pure Stocks, and 8 Allstar Midget Series cars were on hand for a smokin’ hot summer night of racing.
The Pure Stocks began the evening with a pair of heat races as the drivers raced hard to earn the most passing points for the night to claim a spot near the front of the starting grid. Amanda Akers claimed her first-ever heat race win in the the first Pure Stock heat race, she was followed by Jimmy Smith and Dallas Heuser. For the second Pure Stock heat it was a close one with Robert Gard also becoming a first-time winner over Rodger Detherage and Derek Williams.
B-Mods were next to hit the track with a trio of heat races as Cody Brill raced from the outside of row two to claim the opening heat ahead of Doug Wetzel and Bobby Russell. Jacob Ebert bested Blake Pierce and Bill Small in heat two while Troy Carlyle rocketed from fifth on the grid to claim the final heat over Chris Brockway and Russ Niehoff.
As the night progressed, a welcomed cloud bank rolled in and settled the temps back to make for a comfortable night of racing. Next up, the Allstar Midget Series raced in two preliminary events to setup their main-event starting grid. Wesley Smith of Nixa, Missouri crossed the finish line first over Mike Epperson and Luke McGee. For heat two, veteran pilot out of Iola, Kansas Merril Lamb took the checkers ahead of Dustin Gilbert and Robert Bell.
USRA Modifieds took to the track next for their three heat races with point’s leader Kevin Blackburn of Fulton, Missouri claiming his seventh heat win of the year over Lucas Conley and Dean Wille. Nathan Vaughn raced his way to his first heat race win of the year ahead of a returning to action Kyle Westerhold and Dean Bachner. Gunner Martin picked up where he left off the week before and cruised to his seventh heat-race win of the year ahead of Lewis Jackson and Robbie Test at the line.
Last up in preliminary action was the Street Stock class competing in their annual track special event for $1,500 to win. Drivers competed in three heat races to finish off the nights first half of the program. Former
CMS feature winner Jimmy Ngo of Independence started the night off strong with a win in the opening heat race over Brian Eckhoff and Darren Turner. Larry Ferris and Troy Turley led the field to the green flag in the second Street Stock heat but it was Ferris who held on for his first heat win of the year over Marc Carter and Brian Ziegler. In the final prelim before the main event, Brett Wood took the checkers over Dean Wille and point’s leader Clayton Campbell.
Amanda Akers and Robert Gard started on the front row of the Pure Stock main event with Akers showing the way early on for the first two laps. Coming to the line for lap three Rodger Detherage made contact with Akers off turn four as Akers’ car went around causing yellow. Both Akers and Detherage restarted the event from the tail end when on the ensuing restart Nic Pickard experienced a single-car spin in turn two as the field was slowed again.
For the restart, Jimmy Smith of Harrisonville led the field to the green with Gard, Derek Williams and Darrin Christy in hot pursuit. Smith had a strong restart and quickly put distance between himself and Gard. Christy made his move towards the front on the next lap and moved in to second place and closed in quick on the leader.
By lap five, Christy was within one car length of the lead but another yellow slowed the field as the 15h of Dallas Heuser stalled of turn four on lap six. Smith led Christy, Gard, and Detherage when racing resumed. Smith and Christy picked up where they left off when the green flag flew again but Rob Gard, Nick Pickard, and Larry Norris tangled in turn four as the field was slowed once again for a caution period.
For the next restart, just four competitors remained as the race was cut to 10 laps from the originally planned 12. Christy shot to the high side for the restart as Smith ran strong low and held the point. As the laps clicked off Christy continually hounded Smith to wrangle the lead and the pair came to the white flag side-by-side. For the final lap, Christy drove the high line around a spinning Smith to claim his third feature win of the year over Detherage, Akers, Smith, Gard, and Williams.
B-Mods returned for their 15-lap main event with point’s leader Troy Carlyle and Cody Brill showing the way for the drop of the green flag. With Carlyle showing the way early, it didn’t take long for Jacob Ebert to find his way to the front of the field. On lap three, Bill Small’s car left the racing surface off turn two and ended up against the utility tire bringing out the yellow flag, Small was okay but unable to continue the race.
Ebert led the restart with a close battle behind him between Carlyle, Kansas City’s Blake Pierce and Harrisonville’s Cody Brill. Previous week’s winner Chad Staus began his charge to the front by breaking into the top five early in the race. After two more quick cautions Ebert again led Carlyle, Pierce, Brill, Staus, and Chris Brockway as racing resumed once again.
By lap 12, after another yellow flag, Ebert again distanced himself from the rest of the field as Carlyle did everything he could to stay with the leader. In the waning laps Carlyle regained some grip on the track and drew closer to Ebert but was unable to make a bid for the win by the time the checkers fell. Ebert claimed his fifth main event win of the year ahead of Carlyle, Pierce, a hard-charging Russ Niehoff, Staus, and Brill.
South Dakota’s Morgan Frewaldt, daughter of racer Chad Frewaldt, and veteran driver Merril Lamb led the field of Allstar Midgets to the initial green flag for their 12-lap main event. The race was set at a blistering pace with third-row starting drivers Wesley Smith and Robert Bell quickly making their way to the front.
It didn’t take long for 17-year old Nixa, Missouri’s Wesley Smith to show he was driver to beat on this night as he darted out to a commanding lead. Behind him, Robert Bell and Merril Lamb had a battle for the ages as the pair ran close quarters to sort out the runner-up position. As the laps wound down, Smith checked out over the field and went on to claim his first Allstar Midget main event this year at CMS. Robert Bell held on for the second spot followed by Lamb, Frewaldt, and Mike Epperson in the top five. The Allstar Midget Series will return on Saturday, August 6th for Kid’s Night at the Races.
USRA Modifieds then returned to the track for their 25-lap main event and it was a classic right to the finish as the drivers fought hard for every position they could gain. The two drivers battling for the track championship started the event on the front row as Gunner Martin and Kevin Blackburn set sail for the race distance to settle the event.
Martin pulled out to an early race lead with Blackburn never letting the 75 car get too far out of his sights. Lewis Jackson ran solidly inside the top five throughout the night as he and Robbie Test battled closely along with Dean Wille until a lap seven caution slowed the field for a restart before another quick caution fell two laps later on lap nine. Test’s strong run came to a heart-breaking end early in the event after he make contact with the utility tire forcing him to retire from the event.
Martin was quick on the restarts as Blackburn, Jackson, Wille and Kyle Westerhold all fought for spots near the front of the field. Blackburn began to search around on the high line and found this part of the track to his liking as Martin ran strong down low in a classic battle for the win.
On a lap 16 restart, after Dean Wille’s strong bid for a top-tier run came to an early end in turn two, Blackburn began to put the heat on Martin and found a way around the leader to claim the top spot as Jackson, Westerhold and Nathan Vaughn raced closely among the top five. Lucas Conley also made his presence known as he also raced inside the top five.
The final laps were intense as Blackburn and Martin both searched for the best place to be producing some of the best racing we’ve seen among the USRA Modifieds this year in the late-stages of a main event. Two more late caution periods slowed the field late in the race and each time Martin put the pressure on Blackburn but was unable to regain the lead as the lead duo brought their cars to the finish line with Blackburn claiming his first feature win of the year.
In victory lane, Blackburn stated, “This was Gunner’s track tonight but I’m just glad to finally get the win here, we are leading here and have moved to fourth overall in USRA national points, I am very proud of this team.” Blackburn is the son of two-time CMS Modified champion Gary Blackburn.
Martin crossed the line as runner-up to keep the pressure on for the championship with Jackson turning in a strong performance finishing in third position. Lucas Conley of Spring Hill, Kansas turned in his best CMS performance in many years as he captured fourth position just ahead of Westerhold in fifth. Scotty Martin was the man on the move as he advanced from fifteenth to finish sixth. Danny Scrogham went to a loaned car of Justin Plumb to finish seventh, Vaughn was eighth, Eddie Bray, Jr, ninth and Dwight Niehoff of Neosho, Missouri finished in tenth.
Street Stocks closed out the night with their annual track special $1,500-to-win, 25-lap main event and it was multiple-time winner Brett Wood of Warrensburg and Brian Eckhoff of Higginsville who led the field for the initial start of the race.
Wood grabbed the lead early by holding off a determined Eckhoff at the front of the field with Jimmy Ngo and Dean Wille in tow. By lap five, Ngo was on the move looking for the best line for his setup as he advanced to the second position behind Wood, who had opened up a sizable lead on the field by setting a blistering pace for the race.
The race was clean and green throughout the first 19 laps of the event. With exciting action among the top ten between Clayton Campbell and Marc Carter as both drivers advanced towards the front from seventh and eighth on the starting grid.
Brian Ziegler also moved forward from his ninth-starting position and ran closely with Darren Turner, Troy Turley and Wille. Larry Ferris also was among the front runners until his strong top-three run came to an end as he tangled with Joey Holdren to bring out the caution on lap 19.
For the restart, Dean Wille’s car had a flat tire as the caution flag quickly flew again with Wille’s crew going to work on the flat tire to get him back out on the track. Another quick caution for Eckhoff and Devin Irvin forced another restart as Ngo began to put heavy pressure on Wood for the lead.
Inside of five laps to go, one more quick caution flag flew for Darren Phillips in turn two. On the next restart, Ngo found a low-lane opening off of turn two and made the pass for the lead down the back straightaway to grab the point from race-long leader Wood. For the final few laps Wood tried hard to regain the lead but Ngo was able to maintain his lead out front.
In the end, Ngo drove to his first CMS win of the year while Wood finished in second position. In victory lane, Ngo thanked his team and the fans for coming out on a hot night to wat the events. Point’s leader Clayton Campbell advanced from eighth to come away in third place followed by Ziegler and Carter inside the top five. Darren Turner of Hartsburg, Missouri finished sixth ahead of Troy Turley, Wille, Ray Smith, and Johnny Wyman of Fulton, Missouri to finish out the top ten.
Next week is KMZU 100.7 FM Night at the races featuring weekly racing and the return of the Mod-Lites as they begin a two-week stint at CMS. Pit gates open at 4:30 with admission gates opening at 5. Driver pill draw cutoff is 6:15 (no passing points awarded to late-arriving drivers). Pit Meeting takes place at 6:30, followed by hot laps at 7, and racing at 7:30.
For complete weekend details head over to www.centralmissourispeedway.net and click on the Independence Day Weekend Special Event Info! CMS is located 3.5-miles north of Warrensburg, MO from the junction of Highways 50 and 13 in Warrensburg just north of the new Hwy 13 by-pass round-a-bout, or from the Higginsville exit off I-70, head south on Highway 13 for twelve and half miles.
Admission prices for this weekend are: $12 adult general mission, $10 military with I.D., seniors 65 to 74 $10, kids aged 6 to 12 $5. Children 5 and under and seniors 75 and over free. Pit passes $30.
Keep up with CMS on Twitter @CMSgoing_green. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Missouri-Speedway. Join our email group by emailing info@centralmissourispeedway.net. Keep up with CMS news and information by pointing your browser to www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Don’t forget about the all-new CMS Going Green YouTube video page!
CMS wishes to thank its 2016 primary sponsors for their support this season! Cliff Harris Warrensburg Ford, Budweiser, KMZU 100.7 FM, Sunoco Race Fuels, KMMO FM 102.9, Midwest Coatings, Better Country KIX 105.7, KSDL, and KSIS FM, Comfort Inn Warrensburg Station, KRLI FM 103.9 & KAOL 101.3 FM The Grenade, Pepsi, 610 Sports Radio Kansas City, Heartland Waste, and ‘Today’s New Hit Country’ 95.3 FM KDKD.
This list of 2016 outstanding business partners includes: Victory Trophies & Plaques, Joslins Jewelry, Batliner Recycling, DQ Grill & Chill of Warrensburg, Economy Lumber, Kleinschmidt’s Western Store, OK Tire Stores, Eickleberry Concrete & Construction, LJS Graphics, Finish Line Performance, Wolf Tire Service, JA Performance and Outdoor Services, RockAuto.com, and Seeburg Mufflers.
MAIN EVENT RESULTS FOR 7/23/16
PURE STOCKS – PURE STOCK FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 7 3B Darrin Christy Kansas City, Ks
2 4 25X Rodger Detherage Windsor , Mo
3 1 13 Amanda Akers Independence , Mo
4 3 03 Jimmy Smith Harrisonville , Mo
5 2 51 Robert Gard Warrensburg , Mo
6 5 3W Derek Williams Higginsville , Mo
7 9 53K Larry Norris Lone Jack, Mo
8 8 25XX Nick Pickard Leeton , Mo
9 6 15H Dallas Heuser Corder , Mo
B MODIFIEDS – B MODIFIEDS FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 3 94 Jacob Ebert Oak Grove, Mo
2 1 44 Troy Carlyle Kearney , Mo
3 4 16 Blake Pierce Kansas City, Mo
4 6 10R Russell Niehoff Lockwood , Mo
5 10 C3 Chad Staus Otterville , Mo
6 2 96 Cody Brill Harrisonville , Mo
7 8 7B Bobby Russell Smithville , Mo
8 5 03 Chris Brockway Warrensburg , Mo
9 13 30 Rex Harris Urbana , Mo
10 7 10W Doug Wetzel Leeton , Mo
11 19 1B Kaleb Bray Archie , Mo
12 14 49 Patrick Royalty Kansas City, Ks
13 16 68MM Robert Brown Iii Hume , Mo
14 17 10 Johnny McGinnis Hardin , Mo
15 12 12 Olen Stephens Warrensburg , Mo
16 18 50JR Leroy Morrison Raymore , Mo
17 11 53M Monty Mitchell Manhattan , Ks
18 15 2 Rick Anderson Marshall , Mo
19 9 28S Bill Small Holden , Mo
USRA B MODIFIEDS – USRA B MODS FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 3 94 Jacob Ebert Oak Grove, Mo
2 1 44 Troy Carlyle Kearney , Mo
3 4 16 Blake Pierce Kansas City, Mo
4 6 10R Russell Niehoff Lockwood , Mo
5 10 C3 Chad Staus Otterville , Mo
6 2 96 Cody Brill Harrisonville , Mo
7 8 7B Bobby Russell Smithville , Mo
8 5 03 Chris Brockway Warrensburg , Mo
9 13 30 Rex Harris Urbana , Mo
10 7 10W Doug Wetzel Leeton , Mo
11 19 1B Kaleb Bray Archie , Mo
12 14 49 Patrick Royalty Kansas City, Ks
13 16 68MM Robert Brown Iii Hume , Mo
14 17 10 Johnny McGinnis Hardin , Mo
15 12 12 Olen Stephens Warrensburg , Mo
16 18 50JR Leroy Morrison Raymore , Mo
17 11 53 Monty Mitchell Manhattan , Ks
18 15 2 Rick Anderson Marshall , Mo
19 9 28S Bill Small Holden , Mo
STREET STOCKS – STREET STOCKS FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 4 GO Jimmy Ngo Independence , Mo
2 1 7 Brett Wood Warrensburg , Mo
3 8 30C Clayton Campbell Otterville , Mo
4 9 65Z Brian Ziegler Bates City, Mo
5 7 10 Marc Carter Warrensburg , Mo
6 6 8 Darren Turner Hartsburg , Mo
7 11 2 Troy Turley Knob Noster, M0
8 3 68M Dean Wille Warrensburg , Mo
9 12 12ZZ Ray Smith Centertown , Mo
10 14 95JR Johnny Wyman Fulton , Mo
11 17 67 Devin Irvin Cleveland , Mo
12 2 25 Brian Eckhoff Higginsville , Mo
13 13 21P Darren Phillips Clinton , Mo
14 5 14 Larry Ferris Ii Kansas City, Ks
15 16 22 Joey Holdren Lees Summit, Mo
16 15 2B Chad Eickleberry Warrensburg , Mo
17 18 04 Michael Woods Kansas City, Ks
18 10 7X Robert Brown Warrensburg , Mo DNS
19 19 31 Gary Akers Independence , Mo DNS
USRA MODIFIEDS – USRA MODIFIEDS FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 26K Kevin Blackburn Fulton , Mo
2 1 75 Gunner Martin Independence , Mo
3 5 3J Lewis Jackson Wellsville , Ks
4 6 17 Lucas Conley Spring Hill, Ks
5 4 17KK Kyle Westerhold Blue Springs, Mo
6 15 75RPM Scotty Martin Independence , Mo
7 17 92 Danny Scrogham Peculiar , Mo
8 3 12V Nathan Vaughn Sedalia , Mo
9 12 19K Eddie Bray Jr. Archie , Mo
10 13 9D Dwight Niehoff Neosho , Mo
11 19 32P Nick Pence Raymore , Mo
12 9 2D Dean Bachner Olathe , Ks
13 10 X25 Travis Ruff Belton , Mo
14 8 68 Dean Wille Warrensburg , Mo
15 11 97K Brian Johnson Independence , Mo
16 16 54 Will Johns Osawatomie , Ks
17 7 27T Robbie Test Jr Jefferson City, Mo
18 14 42 Sam Florence Kansas City, Mo DNS
19 18 00 Justin Plumb Peculiar , Mo DNS
ALL STAR MIDGETS – ALL STAR MIDGETS FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 7 44 Wesley Smith Nixa , Mo
2 6 711/2 Robert Bell Colfax , Ia
3 2 7RS Merril Lamb Iola , Ks
4 1 926 Morgan Frewaldt Brandon , Sd
5 3 08 Mike Epperson Independence , Mo
6 4 2 Dustin Gilbert Lawrence , Ks DNS
7 5 13 Luke McGee Eldorado Springs, Mo DNS
8 8 4FF Chad Frewaldt Kansas City, Ks DNS