West Plains, MO (Aug. 4) Brandon Smith of Floral, AR, scored a good payday with the win of the 15th Annual Dirt Works Show-Me Championship at West Plains Motor Speedway Saturday night. Smith qualified into the Championship event by finishing third in the first night's qualifiying feature event.
Thursday 57 drivers registered representing five states. On a super fast track they ran in six heats with four from each heat advancing to the nightly qualifier and the top eight from that event transferred to the Saturday night main event. Friday night four more drivers checked in and on Saturday night two more were added for a total of 63.
Thursday's top qualifier was Jesse Stovall of Galena, MO, followed by Peyton Taylor of Batesville, AR, Brandon Smith, Rusty Dukes of Fair Grove, MO, Robby Arnold of Paragould, AR, Shawn Walsh of Ash Flat, AR, Scott Crigler of Alton, MO, and Rustin Miller of Houston, MO.
Friday night qualifiers included: Jared Landers of Benton, AR, Mike Bowers of North Little Rock, AR, Johnny Virden of Russellville, AR, Johnny Bone, Jr, of Pea Ridge, AR, R.C. Whitwell of Sahuarita, AZ, Brandon Ball of West Plains, Jeremy Conner of Essex, MO, and Robert Powers of Campbell, MO.
Saturday night's qualifying feature produced the last eight including: Brad Buck of Paragould, AR, Kevin Salter of Batesville, AR, Jeff Taylor of Cave City, AR, Mark Stephens and Shane Stephens, both of Arlington, TN, Marlin Shehorn of Russellville, AR, Scooter Scruggs of Little Rock, AR, and Chuck McGinty of Conway, AR.
The 25th starting spot was reserved for the highest weekly points driver who had not already qualified into the feature event, and that spot went to Chris Piper of West Plains.
In a lap 1 melee Brad Buck, who started inside row 2, brought out a caution and the incident resulted in him being sidelined. Polesitter, Jesse Stovall held the lead until lap 10 as Brandon Smith manuvered his #23 from the inside fourth row to the lead. At that point it appeared he had the field covered as he maintained that spot throughout.
On lap 5, Scott Crigler pulled up indicating a flat and he was given time to change it and rejoin the field at the rear. A restart was recorded on lap 5, but no other cautions slowed the field throughout the events 40 laps.
Full Feature Results include (start position):
1. (7) Brandon Smith $6,500
2. (1) Jesse Stovall $3,000
3. (2) Jared Landers $2,000
4. (4) Peyton Taylor $1,700
5. (9) Jeff Taylor $1,600
6. (13) Robby Arnold $1,500
7. (6) Kevin Salter $1,400
8. (5) Mike Bowers $1,300
9. (8) Johnny Virden $1,200
10. (10) Rusty Dukes $1,100
11. (14) R.C. Whitwell $1,050
12. (23) Robert Powers $1,000
13. (11) Johnny Bone, Jr. $950
14. (12) Mark Stephens $900
15. (18) Marlin Shehorn $850
16. (15) Shane Stephens $800
17. (21) Scooter Scruggs $750
18. (16) Shawn Walsh $700
19. (22) Rustin Miller $650
20. (17) Brandon Ball $650
21. (19) Scott Crigler $650
22. (25) Chris Piper $650
23. (24) Chuck McGinty $650
24. (20) Jeremy Conner $650
25. (3) Brad Buck $650
Support class feature winners were Jerry Buck of Paragould, AR, in the Super Stock class, and Chuck Russell of West Plains, in the Hobby Stock. The Cruiser feature win went to Clifford Collins, II, of West Plains and the Youth Hobby Stock feature went to Austin White of Willow Springs, MO.
Next week will be the Mr. Dent sponsored weekly racing program on Saturday, August 11. Gates will open at 5 p.m., hotlaps at 6:30 p.m., and racing at 7 p.m. Adult admission will be $8, senior citizens $5, kids 7-11 $2 and those 6 and under are free.
Additional information is available at the track website at www.westplains-speedway.com. The track is located six miles south of West Plains, MO, on US Hwy. 63.
Thursday 57 drivers registered representing five states. On a super fast track they ran in six heats with four from each heat advancing to the nightly qualifier and the top eight from that event transferred to the Saturday night main event. Friday night four more drivers checked in and on Saturday night two more were added for a total of 63.
Thursday's top qualifier was Jesse Stovall of Galena, MO, followed by Peyton Taylor of Batesville, AR, Brandon Smith, Rusty Dukes of Fair Grove, MO, Robby Arnold of Paragould, AR, Shawn Walsh of Ash Flat, AR, Scott Crigler of Alton, MO, and Rustin Miller of Houston, MO.
Friday night qualifiers included: Jared Landers of Benton, AR, Mike Bowers of North Little Rock, AR, Johnny Virden of Russellville, AR, Johnny Bone, Jr, of Pea Ridge, AR, R.C. Whitwell of Sahuarita, AZ, Brandon Ball of West Plains, Jeremy Conner of Essex, MO, and Robert Powers of Campbell, MO.
Saturday night's qualifying feature produced the last eight including: Brad Buck of Paragould, AR, Kevin Salter of Batesville, AR, Jeff Taylor of Cave City, AR, Mark Stephens and Shane Stephens, both of Arlington, TN, Marlin Shehorn of Russellville, AR, Scooter Scruggs of Little Rock, AR, and Chuck McGinty of Conway, AR.
The 25th starting spot was reserved for the highest weekly points driver who had not already qualified into the feature event, and that spot went to Chris Piper of West Plains.
In a lap 1 melee Brad Buck, who started inside row 2, brought out a caution and the incident resulted in him being sidelined. Polesitter, Jesse Stovall held the lead until lap 10 as Brandon Smith manuvered his #23 from the inside fourth row to the lead. At that point it appeared he had the field covered as he maintained that spot throughout.
On lap 5, Scott Crigler pulled up indicating a flat and he was given time to change it and rejoin the field at the rear. A restart was recorded on lap 5, but no other cautions slowed the field throughout the events 40 laps.
Full Feature Results include (start position):
1. (7) Brandon Smith $6,500
2. (1) Jesse Stovall $3,000
3. (2) Jared Landers $2,000
4. (4) Peyton Taylor $1,700
5. (9) Jeff Taylor $1,600
6. (13) Robby Arnold $1,500
7. (6) Kevin Salter $1,400
8. (5) Mike Bowers $1,300
9. (8) Johnny Virden $1,200
10. (10) Rusty Dukes $1,100
11. (14) R.C. Whitwell $1,050
12. (23) Robert Powers $1,000
13. (11) Johnny Bone, Jr. $950
14. (12) Mark Stephens $900
15. (18) Marlin Shehorn $850
16. (15) Shane Stephens $800
17. (21) Scooter Scruggs $750
18. (16) Shawn Walsh $700
19. (22) Rustin Miller $650
20. (17) Brandon Ball $650
21. (19) Scott Crigler $650
22. (25) Chris Piper $650
23. (24) Chuck McGinty $650
24. (20) Jeremy Conner $650
25. (3) Brad Buck $650
Support class feature winners were Jerry Buck of Paragould, AR, in the Super Stock class, and Chuck Russell of West Plains, in the Hobby Stock. The Cruiser feature win went to Clifford Collins, II, of West Plains and the Youth Hobby Stock feature went to Austin White of Willow Springs, MO.
Next week will be the Mr. Dent sponsored weekly racing program on Saturday, August 11. Gates will open at 5 p.m., hotlaps at 6:30 p.m., and racing at 7 p.m. Adult admission will be $8, senior citizens $5, kids 7-11 $2 and those 6 and under are free.
Additional information is available at the track website at www.westplains-speedway.com. The track is located six miles south of West Plains, MO, on US Hwy. 63.
