Billy Moyer captures his 30th career win and a first time appearance at Mid-America Motor Speedway in South Coffeyville OK.
By Pattie Frost
Mr.Smooth, Billy Moyer of Batesville Arkansas took his Rayburn and recorded his 30th win with the O'Reilly's MLRA touring group. Moyer's last win was in the early 90's under the original MLRA banner prior to O'Reilly's Auto Part series sponsorship. Arriving on Thursday for a day of practice along with 35 other latemodel drivers Moyer unloaded the Rayburn racer and soon took to the track behind Al Purkey who until last fall had won 5 out of the last seven races at Mid-America.
With strong winds on Friday and an overcast sky the track held water so it was up to the Latemodels to iron in the track and set the pace for the nights action. As the Heats took to the track we saw 3 and 4 cars coming out of turn two and taking to the back straight-away.
By Saturday night the action was still continuing. At the drop of the green in the Semi's the drivers soon found the groove to be tight down low with most taking to the middle or outside
for the passing.
Two hot lap sessions for the top 16 cars who had qualified from their heats got underway when Al Purkey found that he had a fuel pump quick. So it was a quick change in the pits
and he was able to make it to the line for the drivers introduction. As the cars took to their now famous four abreast formation Purkey once more found that his car wouldn't start and a push was necessary to the pits. Later it was discovered that the oil pump and spit the belt.
As the cars took the green flag for the 50 lap event it was Bemidji Minnesota's John Seitz in the lead with Moyer and Essary right on his tail. Followed by Deadwood South Dakota's John Bey John Anderson and Gary Gorby.
With a the first yellow coming out on lap four for Lawton Oklahoma's Joe Conway. Several drivers ducked to the pits for added adjustments and tagged the field. As they round the restart again it was Seitz in the lead with Essary, Moyer Gorby and Anderson. Not wanting to push the issue with 40 to go it was still Seitz Moyer Anderson and Essary Gorby Bey and Phillips. Lap eighteen and it was the big one, close tight racing action had taken it's toll on Seitz, and Phillips as they came out of four onto the front chute. Anderson had his right front fender and hood wrinkled and headed to the pits but was able to make the restart.
Phillips and Seitz were done for the night along with Marine IL driver Mark Voight who was in the chain reaction of things. At the restart we had 19 of 24 cars taking the green on lap 19.
Moyer back out in front now with Gorby, Essary and Mike Brown then Bey, Bodenhamer and Kuykendall Charlie Randolph, Brandon McCormick and Rusty Skaggs in the top ten.
At the half way point Moyer still had the lead -- the racing traffic had two definite lines. Slow on the bottom or working the high side and diamonding off the turns to keep the distance short. Charlie's Chicken driven by Charlie Randolph began to pick his way around
and found himself moving up. Vaughn found some magic on the low side and advance a few spots but it was truly not one of his better outings. By the five to go they were dicing as Anderson had made his move since the crash on lap 18 and found himself up to 8th.
Moyer continued his winning streak from the week before. Gorby held off Essary and Brown
in a strong performance. John Bey who was making his first appearance at Mid-America really did good with MLRA drivers Bodenhamer and McCormick on his heels.
At the checkered it was Moyer, Gorby, Leslie Essary in the new Shaw and Mike Brown aboard the new 5 Star GRT followed by Charlie Randolph, John Bey, Jason Bodenhamer, Brandon McCormick John Anderson and Rusty Skaggs for the top ten.
Next O'Reilly MLRA 2004 Tour event will be April 2 at Outlaw Motor Speedway in Muskogee OK.
Heat Race Results:
1st Heat
92s John Seitz, Bemidji MN Mastersbilt
98c Joe Conway, Lawton OK Shaw
22c Dave Conkwright, Manhattan KS American Made
24jl Jasen Landers, Cairo NE Shaw
2nd Heat
71m Jason Meadors, Fordland MO American Made
2b Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview MO GRT
8k T J Kuykendall, Warsaw MO GRT
21r Rusty Skaggs, Ft.Scott KS Hoffman
3rd Heat
5e Leslie Essary, Crane MO Shaw
33p Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS Shaw
7c Ted Martin, Bennington KS Rocket
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
4th Heat
21m Billy Moyer, Batesville AR Rayburn
82 John Bey, Deadwood SD Ziffel
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
5r Randy Timms, Oklahoma City, OK Mastersbilt
5th Heat
99 Gary Gorby, Caney KS Shaw
1k John Anderson, Omaha NE Rocket
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
30 Mark Voight, Marine IL Rocket
1st B Semi Main
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
9r Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK GRT
1s Kerry Schulze, Moundville MO GRT
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
2nd B Semi Main
T1T Earl Kinderknecht, Salina KS GRT
5 Mike Brown, Ft.Gibson OK GRT
22v Alan Vaughn, Belton MO Rocket
9k Ed Kosiski, Ralston NE, Rayburn
3rd B Semi Main
42 Brandon McCormick, Lebanon MO GRT
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
88b David Barker, Kingsville, MO Rocket
15t David Turner, Adrian MO Rocket
Main Event
21 Billy Moyer, Batesville AR Rayburn
99 Gary Gorby, Caney KS Shaw
5e Leslie Essary, Crane MO Shaw
5 Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson GRT
9c Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK GRT
82 John Bey, Deadwood SD Ziffel
2b Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview MO GRT
42 Brandon McCormick Lebanon MO GRT
1k John Anderson, Omaha NE Rocket
21 Rusty Skaggs Ft.Scott, KS Hoffman
71 Jason Meadors, Fordland MO American Made
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
22v Alan Vaughn Belton MO Rocket
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
8k TJ Kuykendall Warsaw MO GRT
5r Randy Timms Oklahoma City,OK Mastersbilt
22c David Conkwright Manhattan KS American Made
1T Earl Kinderknecht, Salina KS GRT
24jl Jasen Landers Cario NE Shaw
92 John Seitz Bemidji, MO Mastersbilt
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
30 Mark Voight, Marine IL Rocket
98c Joe Conway, Lawton OK Shaw
33 Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS Shaw
By Pattie Frost
Mr.Smooth, Billy Moyer of Batesville Arkansas took his Rayburn and recorded his 30th win with the O'Reilly's MLRA touring group. Moyer's last win was in the early 90's under the original MLRA banner prior to O'Reilly's Auto Part series sponsorship. Arriving on Thursday for a day of practice along with 35 other latemodel drivers Moyer unloaded the Rayburn racer and soon took to the track behind Al Purkey who until last fall had won 5 out of the last seven races at Mid-America.
With strong winds on Friday and an overcast sky the track held water so it was up to the Latemodels to iron in the track and set the pace for the nights action. As the Heats took to the track we saw 3 and 4 cars coming out of turn two and taking to the back straight-away.
By Saturday night the action was still continuing. At the drop of the green in the Semi's the drivers soon found the groove to be tight down low with most taking to the middle or outside
for the passing.
Two hot lap sessions for the top 16 cars who had qualified from their heats got underway when Al Purkey found that he had a fuel pump quick. So it was a quick change in the pits
and he was able to make it to the line for the drivers introduction. As the cars took to their now famous four abreast formation Purkey once more found that his car wouldn't start and a push was necessary to the pits. Later it was discovered that the oil pump and spit the belt.
As the cars took the green flag for the 50 lap event it was Bemidji Minnesota's John Seitz in the lead with Moyer and Essary right on his tail. Followed by Deadwood South Dakota's John Bey John Anderson and Gary Gorby.
With a the first yellow coming out on lap four for Lawton Oklahoma's Joe Conway. Several drivers ducked to the pits for added adjustments and tagged the field. As they round the restart again it was Seitz in the lead with Essary, Moyer Gorby and Anderson. Not wanting to push the issue with 40 to go it was still Seitz Moyer Anderson and Essary Gorby Bey and Phillips. Lap eighteen and it was the big one, close tight racing action had taken it's toll on Seitz, and Phillips as they came out of four onto the front chute. Anderson had his right front fender and hood wrinkled and headed to the pits but was able to make the restart.
Phillips and Seitz were done for the night along with Marine IL driver Mark Voight who was in the chain reaction of things. At the restart we had 19 of 24 cars taking the green on lap 19.
Moyer back out in front now with Gorby, Essary and Mike Brown then Bey, Bodenhamer and Kuykendall Charlie Randolph, Brandon McCormick and Rusty Skaggs in the top ten.
At the half way point Moyer still had the lead -- the racing traffic had two definite lines. Slow on the bottom or working the high side and diamonding off the turns to keep the distance short. Charlie's Chicken driven by Charlie Randolph began to pick his way around
and found himself moving up. Vaughn found some magic on the low side and advance a few spots but it was truly not one of his better outings. By the five to go they were dicing as Anderson had made his move since the crash on lap 18 and found himself up to 8th.
Moyer continued his winning streak from the week before. Gorby held off Essary and Brown
in a strong performance. John Bey who was making his first appearance at Mid-America really did good with MLRA drivers Bodenhamer and McCormick on his heels.
At the checkered it was Moyer, Gorby, Leslie Essary in the new Shaw and Mike Brown aboard the new 5 Star GRT followed by Charlie Randolph, John Bey, Jason Bodenhamer, Brandon McCormick John Anderson and Rusty Skaggs for the top ten.
Next O'Reilly MLRA 2004 Tour event will be April 2 at Outlaw Motor Speedway in Muskogee OK.
Heat Race Results:
1st Heat
92s John Seitz, Bemidji MN Mastersbilt
98c Joe Conway, Lawton OK Shaw
22c Dave Conkwright, Manhattan KS American Made
24jl Jasen Landers, Cairo NE Shaw
2nd Heat
71m Jason Meadors, Fordland MO American Made
2b Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview MO GRT
8k T J Kuykendall, Warsaw MO GRT
21r Rusty Skaggs, Ft.Scott KS Hoffman
3rd Heat
5e Leslie Essary, Crane MO Shaw
33p Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS Shaw
7c Ted Martin, Bennington KS Rocket
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
4th Heat
21m Billy Moyer, Batesville AR Rayburn
82 John Bey, Deadwood SD Ziffel
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
5r Randy Timms, Oklahoma City, OK Mastersbilt
5th Heat
99 Gary Gorby, Caney KS Shaw
1k John Anderson, Omaha NE Rocket
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
30 Mark Voight, Marine IL Rocket
1st B Semi Main
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
9r Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK GRT
1s Kerry Schulze, Moundville MO GRT
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
2nd B Semi Main
T1T Earl Kinderknecht, Salina KS GRT
5 Mike Brown, Ft.Gibson OK GRT
22v Alan Vaughn, Belton MO Rocket
9k Ed Kosiski, Ralston NE, Rayburn
3rd B Semi Main
42 Brandon McCormick, Lebanon MO GRT
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
88b David Barker, Kingsville, MO Rocket
15t David Turner, Adrian MO Rocket
Main Event
21 Billy Moyer, Batesville AR Rayburn
99 Gary Gorby, Caney KS Shaw
5e Leslie Essary, Crane MO Shaw
5 Mike Brown, Ft. Gibson GRT
9c Charlie Randolph, Muskogee OK GRT
82 John Bey, Deadwood SD Ziffel
2b Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview MO GRT
42 Brandon McCormick Lebanon MO GRT
1k John Anderson, Omaha NE Rocket
21 Rusty Skaggs Ft.Scott, KS Hoffman
71 Jason Meadors, Fordland MO American Made
51 Matt Furman, Coralville IA Rocket
22v Alan Vaughn Belton MO Rocket
1r Russell Portwood, Coffeyville KS Shaw
8k TJ Kuykendall Warsaw MO GRT
5r Randy Timms Oklahoma City,OK Mastersbilt
22c David Conkwright Manhattan KS American Made
1T Earl Kinderknecht, Salina KS GRT
24jl Jasen Landers Cario NE Shaw
92 John Seitz Bemidji, MO Mastersbilt
75 Terry Phillips, Springfield MO GRT
30 Mark Voight, Marine IL Rocket
98c Joe Conway, Lawton OK Shaw
33 Al Purkey, Coffeyville KS Shaw
