BY Jack Pugh
The MARA Midgets came to Belle Clair Speedway for the first of four shows on Sunday night. There were 24 cars on habd with 43 600cc Mini Sprints. Several bigger named drivers were on hand as Pancho Carter’s son, Cole Carter, Bobby East from the Beast chassic fame, and Justin Allgaier, the 17 year old all around driver from Riverton, IL came from the Dream racing in Ohio.
The heat races were won by Bobby East, Cole Carter, and Justin Allgaier, The semi went to Chad Branson.
In the 25-lap feature, the front row consisted of Allgaier and Steve Knepper. Knepper took the lead at the beginning using the top of the track. Allgaier and Craig Carey followed Knepper around the top and put on a good show.
The race went green for 12 laps with the majority of the cars running on the top with only a few cars running the bottom. On lap 12, the first caution appeared for Kenny Brown’s spin in turn two. The running order was Knepper, Allgaier, Carey, East and Greg Lueckert.
The action would start on the next green run. The lead cars would try some lead swapping as Knepper and Allgaier were using the slide job in the turns to past one another and the crowd loved it.
The race slowed again on lap 17 for Wally McDuffy in turn two. The first four cars were still the same, but Mike Hess entered the top five at this point.
On the next green run the lead would swap and the slide jobs continued. This really had the crowd watching the up front action. First, Allgaier would move in front in one set of turns. Then Knepper would return the slide in the next set of turns. But, the fun stopped on lap 19 as Allgaier got too far outside coming out of turn two and hit the outside wall and flipped. He was not hurt, but he was done for the race and finished 15th. Also, flipping in turn three was third running Carey, who also was done for the night. The race was red flagged at this point while the drivers were checked out and the track cleared.
When the race was re-lined up, the top five was Knepper, Hess, East, Carter and Lueckert. When the race resumed, Hess used the middle and low lines to take the lead for a few laps. However, Knepper powered on the top to retake the lead with two laps to go.
Knepper went on to win the race followed by Hess, Don Lehmann, East and Carter to complete the top five.
There were 43 600 cc Mini Sprint cars on hand for the event. There were cars from at least three states – Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.
The heat races were won by Cameron Dodson, Dereck King, Casey Barnhouse, and Ryan Langston. The semis went to Kent Buckley and Josh Agans.
The front row of the 20 lap feature started with Dereck King and Casey Barnhouse on the front row. The first lead went to King. The first caution came out on lap 10 for Dustin Barks stopping. The running order was King, Langston, Altig, Loyet and Hickey,
When the racing continued, King continued to lead. The next caution came out on lap 14 when Richardson spun in turn two. The running order was now King, Langston, Kendall, Hickey and R. King.
Over the final six laps, the lead changed twice. First, Kendell got the lead on lap 15 and held it until lap 19 when Langston took the lead and the win.
Langston took the checkered flag followed by Kendall, D. King, R. King and Agans to complete the top five.
The MARA Midgets came to Belle Clair Speedway for the first of four shows on Sunday night. There were 24 cars on habd with 43 600cc Mini Sprints. Several bigger named drivers were on hand as Pancho Carter’s son, Cole Carter, Bobby East from the Beast chassic fame, and Justin Allgaier, the 17 year old all around driver from Riverton, IL came from the Dream racing in Ohio.
The heat races were won by Bobby East, Cole Carter, and Justin Allgaier, The semi went to Chad Branson.
In the 25-lap feature, the front row consisted of Allgaier and Steve Knepper. Knepper took the lead at the beginning using the top of the track. Allgaier and Craig Carey followed Knepper around the top and put on a good show.
The race went green for 12 laps with the majority of the cars running on the top with only a few cars running the bottom. On lap 12, the first caution appeared for Kenny Brown’s spin in turn two. The running order was Knepper, Allgaier, Carey, East and Greg Lueckert.
The action would start on the next green run. The lead cars would try some lead swapping as Knepper and Allgaier were using the slide job in the turns to past one another and the crowd loved it.
The race slowed again on lap 17 for Wally McDuffy in turn two. The first four cars were still the same, but Mike Hess entered the top five at this point.
On the next green run the lead would swap and the slide jobs continued. This really had the crowd watching the up front action. First, Allgaier would move in front in one set of turns. Then Knepper would return the slide in the next set of turns. But, the fun stopped on lap 19 as Allgaier got too far outside coming out of turn two and hit the outside wall and flipped. He was not hurt, but he was done for the race and finished 15th. Also, flipping in turn three was third running Carey, who also was done for the night. The race was red flagged at this point while the drivers were checked out and the track cleared.
When the race was re-lined up, the top five was Knepper, Hess, East, Carter and Lueckert. When the race resumed, Hess used the middle and low lines to take the lead for a few laps. However, Knepper powered on the top to retake the lead with two laps to go.
Knepper went on to win the race followed by Hess, Don Lehmann, East and Carter to complete the top five.
There were 43 600 cc Mini Sprint cars on hand for the event. There were cars from at least three states – Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.
The heat races were won by Cameron Dodson, Dereck King, Casey Barnhouse, and Ryan Langston. The semis went to Kent Buckley and Josh Agans.
The front row of the 20 lap feature started with Dereck King and Casey Barnhouse on the front row. The first lead went to King. The first caution came out on lap 10 for Dustin Barks stopping. The running order was King, Langston, Altig, Loyet and Hickey,
When the racing continued, King continued to lead. The next caution came out on lap 14 when Richardson spun in turn two. The running order was now King, Langston, Kendall, Hickey and R. King.
Over the final six laps, the lead changed twice. First, Kendell got the lead on lap 15 and held it until lap 19 when Langston took the lead and the win.
Langston took the checkered flag followed by Kendall, D. King, R. King and Agans to complete the top five.
