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From Trenton Berry
*Story contributed by Sam Stoecklin
(July 27, 2013) LAMONTE, MO – Saturday night at Mike and Carolyn White’s LA Raceway featured exciting action in four divisions headlined by the Lucas Oil MLRA travelers. It was an unusually clear and cool late July evening in which 26 late models competed in three heat races, a b-main event, and the 30-lap Lucas Cattle Company main event.
At the end of the night, a familiar face returned to victory lane as Lebanon, Missouri’s Tony Jackson, Jr. bested the field in a dominating performance on the 3/8th mile semi-banked, smooth and fast surface. It was his third MLRA win of the year and first since late June at Adams County Speedway in Iowa. Jackson’s latest victory was his eighth of the year since Memorial Day weekend.
Jackson sat on the pole alongside fellow front-row starter Will Vaught of Crane, Missouri when the field took the initial green flag. A few early race cautions for minor spins on the track slowed the field but once racing ensued it was clear Jackson had things covered. Vaught’s night came to a heart-breaking in when he suffered mechanical woes at the start of lap two, ultimately ending his night.
Jesse Stovall charged to the front in the early stages of the race after starting from the outside of row four. It didn’t take long for the Billings, Missouri driver to make his way to the front of the field but he never really was able to mount a serious charge on eventual winner Jackson in his new Pierce car.
Jackson said of his win, “The car was great, this is a new Rocket car from Lanigan, and I tried to race it there in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at Lakeside last Tuesday but had power steering problems. Jesse’s a real-good racer; we race with him a lot and he’s definitely the one to beat when you come to an MLRA race. I don’t like to set my goals to high but to win eight races when you race with a group of guys like this … we’re having a really good season.”
Jason Bodenhamer had one of his stronger runs of the season going until a lap 17 caution flew as he spun in turn three trying to avoid a stalled car, unfortunately, Bodenhamer was unable to continue and relinquished fourth position on the restart.
With just two laps remaining, then fourth-running Brad Looney of Republic, Missouri, had a heartbreaking end to his night as he left the speedway to give up his strong run for the night. Fourth place was not the place to be as drivers in that position continued to suffer problems when Birch Tree, Missouri’s Justin Asplin, having his strongest run of the year, lost a motor down the front-stretch on the white flag lap.
Jackson ultimately cruised to the win over Stovall. Chase Junghans recorded his best-ever MLRA finish with a strong third, followed by the Hard Charger of the Race, John Anderson. On back, David Turner had a successful return to MLRA racing with a solid fifth-place run. Behind Turner were, Brandon McCormick, Travis Dickes, Matt Johnson, Sonny Findling, and Mark Dotson in the top ten.
Next up for the Lucas Oil MLRA competitors is a two-night jaunt at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska, on August 9th and 10th.
7/27/13 Contingency Awards
Casey’s General Stores Hard Charger – John Anderson
Sunoco Rookie of the Race – Chase Junghans
KRC Hard Luck – Justin Asplin
KRC Top Qualifier – Tony Jackson, Jr.
JRi Shocks 5th Place Finisher – David Turner
Performance Bodies Move of the Race – Tony Jackson, Jr.
Eibach Springs Race Winner – Brad Looney
Powertrain Industries – Travis Dickes
BSB Manufacturing – Brandon McCormick/Sonny Findling
Keizer Wheels – Chase Junghans
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Mark Dotson
Weld Wheels – Will Vaught
Race Summary
Saturday Night, July 27th, 2013
LA Raceway – LaMonte, MO
Lucas Cattle Company A Feature (30 Laps): 1. Tony Jackson, Jr (Lebanon, MO), 2. Jesse Stovall (Billings, MO), 3. Chase Junghans (Manhattan, KS), 4. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 5. David Turner (Creighton, MO), 6. Brandon McCormick (Lebanon, MO), 7. Travis Dickes (Madison, NE), 8. Matt Johnson (Archie, MO), 9. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO), 10. Mark Dotson (Cameron, MO), 11. Justin Asplin (Birch Tree, MO), 12. Reid Millard (Jefferson City, MO), 13. Richard Weber (Kirksville, MO), 14. Brad Looney (Republic, MO), 15. Jason Bodenhamer (Centerview, MO), 16. Ethan Young (Harrisonville, MO), 17. Bryant Goldsmith (Corning, IA), 18. Josh Most (Red Oak, IA), 19. Jason Sivils (Bolivar, MO), 20. Chris Cox (Jefferson City, MO), 21. Bob Cummings (Sedalia, MO), 22. Will Vaught (Crane, MO), 23. Don Dannar (Oak Grove, MO), 24. Dustin Walker (Peculiar, MO),
Casey’s General Stores B Feature (12 laps): 1. Dustin Walker (Peculiar, MO), 2. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO), 3. Don Dannar (Oak Grove, MO), 4. Chris Cox (Jefferson City, MO), 5. Richard Weber (Kirksville, MO), 6. Bob Cummings (Sedalia, MO), 7. Jason Sivils (Bolivar, MO), 8. Ethan Young (Harrisonville, MO), 9. Patrick Johnson (Ash Grove, Mo), 10. Jon Binning (Warrensburg, MO),
Lucas Oil Products Heat 1 (10 laps): 1. Justin Asplin (Birch Tree, MO), 2. Tony Jackson, Jr (Lebanon, MO), 3. Will Vaught (Crane, MO), 4. Brandon McCormick (Lebanon, MO), 5. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 6. Jon Binning (Warrensburg, MO), 7. Don Dannar (Oak Grove, MO), 8. Richard Weber (Kirksville, MO), 9. Jason Sivils (Bolivar, MO),
ProtectTheHarvest.com Heat 2 (10 laps): 1. David Turner (Creighton, MO), 2. Brad Looney (Republic, MO), 3. Jason Bodenhamer (Centerview, MO), 4. Matt Johnson (Archie, MO), 5. Travis Dickes (Madison, NE), 6. Reid Millard (Jefferson City, MO), 7. Ethan Young (Harrisonville, MO), 8. Bob Cummings (Sedalia, MO), 9. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO),
MAV TV American Real Heat 3 (10 laps): 1. Bryant Goldsmith (Corning, IA), 2. Jesse Stovall (Billings, MO), 3. Mark Dotson (Cameron, MO), 4. Chase Junghans (Manhattan, KS), 5. Josh Most (Red Oak, IA), 6. Dustin Walker (Peculiar, MO), 7. Patrick Johnson (Ash Grove, Mo), 8. Chris Cox (Jefferson City, MO).
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The Lucas Oil MLRA (Midwest Latemodel Racing Association) sanctions regional Super Dirt Late Model touring series events in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa.
For all the latest news and information on the Lucas Oil MLRA please visit us on the web at MLRARacing.com or by calling the series office at (417) 282 5984.
The Lucas Oil MLRA would like to thank their marketing partners; Lucas Oil Products, MAV TV, Protect the Harvest, Lucas Cattle Company, Hoosier Racing Tires, Geico, iON Cameras, E3 Spark Plugs, CANIDAE, Optima Batteries, Speedco, Sunoco Race Fuels, Marriott Properties, Impact Signs, Awnings, and Wraps, Casey’s General Stores, JRi Shocks, Bodee’s Race Bodies, Peterson Fluid Systems, KRC, Midwest Sheet Metal, Fast Track Photos, RacinDirt.com, BSB Manufacturing, Racing Optics, Eibach Springs, Bell Helmets, Outpace Racing Products, ATL Fuel Cells, Schoenfeld Headers, Weld Wheels, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Powertrain Industries, Performance Bodies, Intercomp Scales, Keizer Wheels.