MLRA: Linn County results

Jason Bodenhamer in the Chris Hitchock Motorsports, Buzzard Racing Engine, GRT with the Bodees Bodies, Brookside Lawn Care, Cannon Electric, Lindsey Transmissions, Charley's Race Decals, Real Wheels-Sunoco Fuel started on the second row of the 22 car field going for 40 laps during the running of the A Feature. Through two caution flags -- a flat tire and a handful of lapped traffic, Jason Bodenhamer was able to fly to another win with the O'Reilly MLRA Super Latemodels on the 2004 Thunder Tour Friday night at Linn County's Tornado Alley.

Promoter Tim Schreckler was beginning to think the black clouds in Kansas were becoming a fixture at Tornado Alley. During the pre-race live Radio broadcast with Butler, MO Radio personalities but Cowboy Chancellor of MLRA and the Promoter talked about the luck of the weather.

As the O'Reilly MLRA Super Latemodels began filling the Pits some if not most of these competitors had high hopes of doing well in front of local home town fans as they have all had their share of rained out events in that last couple of months. As word came in that Gary Webb and Tommy Elston of Iowa along with Ace Ihm of Hazle Green Wisconsin were on their way since the WDRL event scheduled for Nebraska had been rained out early enough to make the trip - fans began playing the guess who's coming to the races game. At the close of the Draw, a lite field of cars had signed in. Some speculating that costs and time to get from Race A to Race B may have been the big winner. Both the Promoter and the O'Reilly MLRA had advertised the race with flyers and hand-outs to drivers as well as using Radio Ads as far away as Joplin, MO.

Heat Race Action.....

Heat Race # 1
Blue Grass Iowa's Gary Webb came from the second row and crossed the starting line first on the first lap to take it to the Checkers while Rusty Skaggs held on for second leaving Randy Reynolds and Herb Nagy Gary Billings and Michael Dunn to round out the ten lap heat race.

Heat Race # 2
Freeman MO's Aaron Seabaugh and Jason Bodenhamer set the first row in the second heat, and on the drop of the green it was Bodenhamer in the lead followed by Seabaugh David Turner and Matt Furman. Turner took over the 2nd spot coming down for lap three leaving Seabaugh and Furman to battle while Brett LaFolllette and Larry Clawson round out the mix. As they came to the checkered flag it was Bodenhamer, Turner, Furman Clawson able to get around Seabaugh and La Follette crossing the line for the finish.

Heat Race #3
St. Joe's Dale Eaton would line up on the front row with '04 Rookie contender T.J. Kuykendall. Once more at the drop of Starter Mike's flag it was Eaton in the lead followed by Kuykendall, another Iowa racer Tommy Elston made the long haul next was Kerry Schultz and Charley Reed. The yellow was displayed with Reed going to the pits and Eaton to the tail on the 5th lap. T.J. Kuykendall was able to hold off the moves of Elston and Schultz to take the win.

Heat Race #4
Hazel Green Wisconsin's Ace Ihm started on the front row and jumped to the lead with Alan Vaughn close behind until crossing the line on lap eight Vaughn used the bottom to get by for the lead. Larry Clawson was in third followed by Bob Fennewald and Kenny Shaw.

Main Event Notes.........

Belton Missouri's Alan Vaughn jumped to the lead on Gary Webb with Jason Bodenhamer, TJ Kuykendall and David Turner in fifth at the end of the first lap.

By the 6th lap Vaughn had lapped into traffic. 2nd was Webb and Bodenhamer was still third with Turner up to fourth. Action really began to heat up as Vaughn continued to lap higher in the lapped field of cars and on the eighteenth lap Vaughn and a slew of others found themselves going to the back when the yellow flag came out. Taking the lead on lap 19 was David Turner followed by Tommy Elston Matt Furman David Barker Kerry Schultz Ace Ihm and Rusty Skaggs then to follow were the cars involved. Turner found action on the top as he pulled Elston for the three laps then with a fuel problem dropped back in the field after the 25th lap. Tommy Elston may not be a name your to familiar with but let me tell you this young man from Keokuk, IA is really having a good year - earlier this week he had a win then coming to his second MLRA event he's really having a good showing.

Elston takes over the lead on lap on lap 22 and continues while fellow northerner

Matt Furman reels into the second spot on lap 32 with Ace Ihm Bob Fennewald Alan Vaughn and Joe Nagy in tow. On the 36th lap Vaughn has gotten around Ihm as Furman is closing in on lapped traffic when the yellow comes out. "I knew I was in 5th place on lap 37 and I drove off the top and on lap 38 I got by Elston" stated Bodenhamer on Saturday morning while driving to his Bodee's Race Fab Shop for a day of work. "It was a win it or wear it move but I was pretty sure we could get it done" Bodenhamer concluded. Taking the lead for the ones that counted the White Flag and the Checkered. Elston was second with Rusty Skaggs turning in a great performance followed by Kerry Schultz. Alan Vaughn, Aaron Seabaugh, David Turner, Ace Ihm, Gary Webb and Matt Furman rounded out the top 10 finishers. (see below for results of finish)

Results: July 9 O'Reilly MLRA Super Latemodels

1st Heat Race
56W Gary Webb
21S Rusty Skaggs
55R Randy Reynolds
28N Herb Nagy
10B Gary Billings
14D Michael Dunn

2nd Heat Race
2B Jason Bodenhamer
15T David Turner
51F Matt Furman
88B Daivd Barker
68S Aaron Seabaugh
23L Brett LaFollette

3rd Heat Race
8K T.J. Kuykendall
45E Tommy Elston
1S Kerry Schultz
63E Dale Eaton
R15 Charley Reed

4th Heat Race
22V Alan Vaughn
11I Ace Ihm
L88 Larry Clawson
91 Bob Fennewald
10K Kenny Shaw

Main Event 40 Laps
Line Up
56W 22V
2B 8K
21S 15T
45 51F
11 1$
L88 55R
28N 91
88B 63E
10B 68
R15 10K
14D 23L

Finish Order
2B Jason Bodenhamer
45 Tommy Elston
21 Rusty Skaggs
1$ Kerry Schultz
22V Alan Vaughn
68 Aaron Seabaugh
15T David Turner
11 Ace Ihm
56W Gary Webb
51 Matt Furman
L88 Larry Clawson
23L Brett LaFolletee
88B David Barker
8K TJ Kuykendall
91 Bob Fennewald
63 Dale Eaton
28 Herb Nagy
R15 Charley Reed
55R Randy Reynolds
10K Kenny Shaw
10B Gary Billings
14 Michael Dunn

-mlra-