Malden Speedway
Malden, MO
April 11, 2003
By David Darnell
After suffering a one week set back due to weather, the Malden Speedway celebrated its 2003 Season Opener with a 105 car night. Highlighted by a 29 car field in the Modified Division, it was a spectacular start to the year.
In the Modified Feature, Larry Hull of Old Appleton, grabbed the lead from the outside front row and officially led all 20 laps, although Greg King was able to nose ahead for a short time near the end of the race. Hull found a fast track at the very top of the track and was able to give up distance to his foes for momentum throughout the race. King and Robert Powers waged a pitched battle for second before King took the spot for good on the 11th lap. On lap 18, King briefly grabbed the lead and he went under the white flag side by side with Hull. Hull took over for good coming out of turn 2 on the final lap to pick up the first feature of the season.
Powers held on for third, with Claudie Cook edging out Ronnie Vernon for fourth.
Heat winners were King, Hull, Cook, and Powers. Chris Hall won the B feature.
MODIFIEDS
29 Entries – 20 Start A-Main
Pos # Name Hometown
1. 78 Larry Hull Old Appleton
2. 1 Greg King Sikeston
3. 02 Robert Powers Campbell
4. C5 Claudie Cook Portageville
5. G3 Ronnie Vernon Friendship, TN
6. 45 Jeremy Conner Essex
7. 21 Todd Clifford Paragould, AR
8. 10 Jared Wagster Portageville
9. P3 Mike Powers
10. 84 Randy Martin Puxico
********************
In the Late Model Division, Cary Conaway was dominating in leading from start to finish. Conaway grabbed the lead from pole-sitter Billy James coming out of turn two on the opening lap and never looked back. Conaway had built a 4-second lead by lap 19 when caution brought him back to the pack. Conaway was up to the task as he flew through the 2-lap dash to pick up the win. James took second on the restart from Jeff Moss and held on for the runner-up spot. Moss, Charles LaPlant, and Chris Jones rounded out the top 5. James and Conaway won the heat races
LATE MODELS
11 Entries – 10 Start Feature
1. 14 Cary Conaway Jonesboro, AR
2. 5Jr Billy James Sikeston
3. J2 Jeff Moss Harrisburg, AR
4. 3C Charles LaPlant East Prairie
5. 91 Chris Jones Poplar Bluff
6. 94T Scott Tracer Rector, AR
7. 9 Kent Bailey Puxico
8. K9 Gary Owens Chaffee
9. 15 Dewayne Brooks Finley, TN
10. 51 Junior Cornell Broseley
********************
Dietrich Bollinger of Benton, MO picked up the victory in the Hobby Stock Feature. Bollinger started on the inside of the second row and found an opening coming out of turn two down low and took the lead from pole-sitter Jamie Robards. Daniel Bassett and Tony Anglin were soon challenging for the lead, but Bollinger found a clearer path through lapped cars and opened up some breathing room. Bollinger was never challenged late for the win. Bassett and Anglin put on quite a show for the second spot as they swapped it back and forth over the final 3 laps before Bassett took over. Robards took fourth with Paul Keena right on his tail for fifth. Heat winners were Robards, Anglin, and Bollinger.
HOBBY STOCK
22 Entries – 21 Start Feature
1. 8 Dietrich Bollinger Benton
2. 21 Daniel Bassett Paragould, AR
3. 54 Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
4. 69R Jamie Robards Broseley
5. 11SR Paul Keena Dexter
6. 50 Gregg Layne Senath
7 75 Chuck Tilley Essex
8. 72 David Tilley Essex
9. 007 Doug Moore Dexter
10. 94 Scott Tracer Rector, AR
**************************
Johnny Houart moved up from his third row starting position to win the Pure Street Feature. Houart had moved to second by lap 5 and had his sites set on early leader, Billy Hopkins. Houart and Hopkins went side by side through the 7th and 8th laps before Houart took over coming out of turn two. A lap 10 caution bunched the field, but Houart held on for his win. Gene Fowler took advantage of the restart to grab second place from Hopkins. Doug Neuhalfer and Red Rice rounded out the top five.
Heat winners were Jared Wagster, Aaron Darby, and Hopkins.
PURE STREET
25 Entries – 19 Start feature.
1. 34 Johnny Houart Gideon
2. 4 Gene Fowler Portageville
3. C23 Billy Hopkins Caruthersville
4. R38 Doug Neuhalfer
5. 43R Red Rice Malden
6. 42 Greg Casey
7. 12Jr. Jimmy Burr
8. 04 Chris Williams Portageville
9. 34 Michael Carver Manilla, AR
10. L74 Lowell Calder Clarkton
******************************
Steve McChristian and Terry Magouirk won a back forth battle with Gene and Chris Kelley to take the Cruiser Feature. Clark & Lance in the #65 car won the B-Main Feature.
CRUISERS
18 Entries – 9 Start A-Main
1. 23S McChristian & Magourik Pollard, AR
2. 38K Kelley & Kelley Portageville
3. 545 Doublin & Stevenson
4. 357 Simpson & Simpson Piggott, AR
5. 57 Malone & Rice Malden
***************************************************
Upcoming Events
April 18, 2003 Regular Racing in Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Street
Hobby Stocks and Cruisers
April 25, 2003 MARS touring Late Model Series – 1st of 2 Malden shows
410 Sprint Cars
Modifieds
May 2, 2003 Opening of Point Season - Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Street Hobby Stocks and Cruisers
Malden, MO
April 11, 2003
By David Darnell
After suffering a one week set back due to weather, the Malden Speedway celebrated its 2003 Season Opener with a 105 car night. Highlighted by a 29 car field in the Modified Division, it was a spectacular start to the year.
In the Modified Feature, Larry Hull of Old Appleton, grabbed the lead from the outside front row and officially led all 20 laps, although Greg King was able to nose ahead for a short time near the end of the race. Hull found a fast track at the very top of the track and was able to give up distance to his foes for momentum throughout the race. King and Robert Powers waged a pitched battle for second before King took the spot for good on the 11th lap. On lap 18, King briefly grabbed the lead and he went under the white flag side by side with Hull. Hull took over for good coming out of turn 2 on the final lap to pick up the first feature of the season.
Powers held on for third, with Claudie Cook edging out Ronnie Vernon for fourth.
Heat winners were King, Hull, Cook, and Powers. Chris Hall won the B feature.
MODIFIEDS
29 Entries – 20 Start A-Main
Pos # Name Hometown
1. 78 Larry Hull Old Appleton
2. 1 Greg King Sikeston
3. 02 Robert Powers Campbell
4. C5 Claudie Cook Portageville
5. G3 Ronnie Vernon Friendship, TN
6. 45 Jeremy Conner Essex
7. 21 Todd Clifford Paragould, AR
8. 10 Jared Wagster Portageville
9. P3 Mike Powers
10. 84 Randy Martin Puxico
********************
In the Late Model Division, Cary Conaway was dominating in leading from start to finish. Conaway grabbed the lead from pole-sitter Billy James coming out of turn two on the opening lap and never looked back. Conaway had built a 4-second lead by lap 19 when caution brought him back to the pack. Conaway was up to the task as he flew through the 2-lap dash to pick up the win. James took second on the restart from Jeff Moss and held on for the runner-up spot. Moss, Charles LaPlant, and Chris Jones rounded out the top 5. James and Conaway won the heat races
LATE MODELS
11 Entries – 10 Start Feature
1. 14 Cary Conaway Jonesboro, AR
2. 5Jr Billy James Sikeston
3. J2 Jeff Moss Harrisburg, AR
4. 3C Charles LaPlant East Prairie
5. 91 Chris Jones Poplar Bluff
6. 94T Scott Tracer Rector, AR
7. 9 Kent Bailey Puxico
8. K9 Gary Owens Chaffee
9. 15 Dewayne Brooks Finley, TN
10. 51 Junior Cornell Broseley
********************
Dietrich Bollinger of Benton, MO picked up the victory in the Hobby Stock Feature. Bollinger started on the inside of the second row and found an opening coming out of turn two down low and took the lead from pole-sitter Jamie Robards. Daniel Bassett and Tony Anglin were soon challenging for the lead, but Bollinger found a clearer path through lapped cars and opened up some breathing room. Bollinger was never challenged late for the win. Bassett and Anglin put on quite a show for the second spot as they swapped it back and forth over the final 3 laps before Bassett took over. Robards took fourth with Paul Keena right on his tail for fifth. Heat winners were Robards, Anglin, and Bollinger.
HOBBY STOCK
22 Entries – 21 Start Feature
1. 8 Dietrich Bollinger Benton
2. 21 Daniel Bassett Paragould, AR
3. 54 Tony Anglin Hoxie, AR
4. 69R Jamie Robards Broseley
5. 11SR Paul Keena Dexter
6. 50 Gregg Layne Senath
7 75 Chuck Tilley Essex
8. 72 David Tilley Essex
9. 007 Doug Moore Dexter
10. 94 Scott Tracer Rector, AR
**************************
Johnny Houart moved up from his third row starting position to win the Pure Street Feature. Houart had moved to second by lap 5 and had his sites set on early leader, Billy Hopkins. Houart and Hopkins went side by side through the 7th and 8th laps before Houart took over coming out of turn two. A lap 10 caution bunched the field, but Houart held on for his win. Gene Fowler took advantage of the restart to grab second place from Hopkins. Doug Neuhalfer and Red Rice rounded out the top five.
Heat winners were Jared Wagster, Aaron Darby, and Hopkins.
PURE STREET
25 Entries – 19 Start feature.
1. 34 Johnny Houart Gideon
2. 4 Gene Fowler Portageville
3. C23 Billy Hopkins Caruthersville
4. R38 Doug Neuhalfer
5. 43R Red Rice Malden
6. 42 Greg Casey
7. 12Jr. Jimmy Burr
8. 04 Chris Williams Portageville
9. 34 Michael Carver Manilla, AR
10. L74 Lowell Calder Clarkton
******************************
Steve McChristian and Terry Magouirk won a back forth battle with Gene and Chris Kelley to take the Cruiser Feature. Clark & Lance in the #65 car won the B-Main Feature.
CRUISERS
18 Entries – 9 Start A-Main
1. 23S McChristian & Magourik Pollard, AR
2. 38K Kelley & Kelley Portageville
3. 545 Doublin & Stevenson
4. 357 Simpson & Simpson Piggott, AR
5. 57 Malone & Rice Malden
***************************************************
Upcoming Events
April 18, 2003 Regular Racing in Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Street
Hobby Stocks and Cruisers
April 25, 2003 MARS touring Late Model Series – 1st of 2 Malden shows
410 Sprint Cars
Modifieds
May 2, 2003 Opening of Point Season - Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Street Hobby Stocks and Cruisers
