MSRA Late Models Poplar Bluff Recap

jdearing

Administrator
Staff member
June 11, 2007
Beebe, Arkansas

Twenty five late models made the trip to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, for the second and final scheduled visit for MSRA to the speed plant in 2007. PBS owner Shon Stewart stated, "We are real happy with the car turnout and the quality of the show put on by MSRA. They have had more late models here than any other series I can remember, with the exception of our UMP Summernationals date. That in itself says a lot for the quality of this new series."

The racers were divided into three heats, and in the first heat, Jordan Jones jumped out front of Carl Thomas and led seven of the first ten laps. When the heat experienced its first caution, Jeff Floyd utilized a high line restart from his third position to pass Thomas and Jones, and take the heat win. He was followed by Jones, Thomas, and Jack Sullivan. The second heat saw Poplar Bluff standout Joey Mack jump out to a lead and never look back. He was followed across the line by Enik Sanders, who had an impressive high line charge during his second MSRA start of the year. They were followed by Billy Peden, Jr. and Steve Rushin. The third heat showcased Billy Moyer Jr. in his Moyer prepared entry setting his car up high and letting it dig from lap one all the way to the checkers. Dusty Johnson, Todd Hall, and Charlie Cole rounded out the top four.

The B feature was highlighted by Billy James, Jr. recovering from his heat race performance and winning the B, and by young Kevin Fike of Memphis, Tennessee. Fike, who has just a handful of starts in a late model, drove smooth and consistent to capture the last transfer spot. Series Director Chris Ellis noted, "It is exciting to see teenagers like Moyer, Jr. and Jones running up front. Then you have a young newcomer like Fike show up and run like he did, and it is real encouraging for the future of our sport."

For the feature race, the JFR Pole Award went to Jeff Floyd, who accumulated the most points by coming from the back of his nine car heat and winning. He was joined on the front row by Billy Moyer, Jr., and followed in row two by Joey Mack and Todd Hall. On the start, Floyd jumped out to a lead, and Mack and Moyer, Jr. battled for the second position. They were joined by Jordan Jones, and the three followed Floyd battling for position. The only caution of the thirty five lap feature was on lap eight, when Charlie Cole experienced what he thought was a flat tire but later proved to be mechanical difficulties. After Cole exited, Jones was able to get around Mack for the second spot. Floyd settled in for the lead, and only occasional issues with lap traffic would allow the pack to close in on him. The second and third place cars had an impressive battle for position, as Mack's car continued to improve on the long run, but he was still unable to make the pass on Jones stick. Although the front four were holding their spots, there was plenty of action through the field. Billy James, Jr. started 15th in the feature, and advanced to the seventh position. His passes for position netted him the Larry Shaw Hard Charger award for the night. Jack Sullivan was able to advance to the sixth position in his first MSRA race, and Billy Peden and Carl Thomas, racing nearly identical cars out of the same trailer, put on an impressive side by side battle for several laps as the feature wound down. Race winner Jeff Floyd stated, "I feel like I am getting my program back on track. I want to thank MSRA and Clint Smith again. It was good to go up to Eldora this week, we tried a few things we saw on Clint's car that Jeff Gordon had some success with (Floyd's Body Shop and JFR Graphics painted and lettered Jeff Gordon's Prelude to the Dream GRT). Runner up Jordan Jones stated, "No one had anything for Jeff all night long. I appreciate Joey Mack racing me so clean at the end, his car seemed to get better at the end, and I could see him under me. I'm real happy that Kuntz GRT's finished first, second, and third."

The Weld "Forge Ahead" Hard Luck Award goes to series participant Dewayne Brooks, who blew his motor in his heat race and was unable to continue for the evening. Not making the feature cost Brooks valuable start points, and he currently sits sixteenth in the series points standings.

Poplar Bluff Speedway MSRA Results
June 9, 2007
1. F1 Jeff Floyd
2. 60 Jordan Jones
3. 97M Joey Mack
4. 21Jr Billy Moyer, Jr.
5. 99 Todd Hall
6. 18 Jack Sullivan
7. 5jr Billy James
8. 16 Dusty Johnson
9. 29 Enik Sanders
10. 66 Jim Gibson
11. 94 Scott Tracer
12. 121 Billy Peden, Jr.
13. 187 Carl Thomas
14. 11K Kevin Fike
15. 99A Chuck Adams
16. 7A Justin Alstin
17. 2 Brian Ritchie
18. 14jr Steve Rushin
19. 2c Charlie Cole
20. 00 Jon Gray
DNQ: Billy Hopkins, Kevin Roslen, Jeff Sloan, John Berlin, Dewayne Brooks

MSRA would like to thank series sponsors Hoosier Tire, GRT Race Cars, marComm101.net, Weld Racing Wheels, JFR Graphics, Larry Shaw Race Cars, and Kuntz and Company. For more information on the series, contact Chris Ellis at race@m-s-r-a.com For MSRA marketing and sponsorship opportunities contact Scott Williams at ideas@marcomm101.net, or visit us on the web at www.M-S-R-A.com ###
 
Back
Top