Weekend results 97-09-22

DirtNews Digest Your Online News Source for Late Model Dirt Track Racing "Get Some Dirt On Your Computer!" Todd Turner, editor

Email address: DirtNews@aol.com Web site: http://members.aol.com/dirtnews/digest =================================== CONTENTS: Sept. 19-20 results (published Sept. 21) MISSOURI: Wallace wins Little Bear's 100 at State Fair Speedway CAPSULES: UMP, Wissota, and NASCAR weekend race recaps =================================== UNSANCTIONED Missouri Dirt Late Model Championship: Little Bear's 100

SEDALIA, Mo. (Saturday) Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., sprinted away from the field after a lap-91 caution for a Missouri Dirt Late Model Championship victory worth $10,750 in the Little Bear's 100 at State Fair Speedway.

Bill Frye finished second followed by Billy Moyer and Johnny Virden as Arkansas drivers swept the top four finishing positions on the flat half-mile in central Missouri. Robbie Starnes was fifth while Terry Phillips, Al Purkey, Alan Vaughn, Brandon Ball and Scott Drake rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Only lapped traffic could slow Wallace's progress as he drove out to leads of as much as half a straightaway. He was also helped by Moyer's misfortune. Moyer, who won $5,500 in Friday's preliminary feature, had ignition trouble while leading the first heat and was forced to start in the 13th row of the feature rather than a potential front-row spot.

Polesitter Terry Phillips grabbed the early lead followed by Donnie Barnhart, Frye, Starnes and Virden early in the race. While Phillips and Barnhart moved out to a 20-length lead, an on-the-move Wallace got by Frye for third in Turn 2 on the fifth lap.

While the leaders entered lapped traffic, Wallace caught the lead duo by the ninth lap, driving past Barnhart in Turn 1 on lap 11 then moving past Phillips into the lead on the backstretch of the 12th lap. Barnhart's race came to an end on the 22nd lap, leaving Wallace, Phillips and Frye up front.

Moyer, however, was on the move, and grabbed the fifth spot from Starnes on the 32nd lap. Four laps later, Frye found room under Phillips to grab the second spot coming out of Turn 4.

By the time Moyer moved past Virden into fourth on the 42nd lap, Wallace had a half straightaway cushion over Frye. A caution appeared on the 47th lap when Phillips' right-rear tire expired, and with clean racetrack ahead of him, Wallace burst out to a 20-length lead and was back to lapping cars by the 62nd lap.

Frye closed in on lap 65 when the lapped cars slowed Wallace, but once Wallace cleared the traffic, he drove back away from Frye. Wallace drove away again after a lap-73 restart, but Frye again pulled closer when Wallace was held up by slower cars on the 84th lap. But another caution when Randy McGraw stopped in Turn 1 decided the issue on lap 91, as Wallace pulled away easily on the restart and went on to victory.

CAR COUNT: 38 late models.

FAST QUALIFIER: 20.996 seconds (flat half-mile oval).

FIRST HEAT (10 laps): Terry Phillips, Robbie Starnes, Chris Smyser, Ken Essary, Randy McGraw, Tom Volkert, Brandon Ball, Richard Foster, Billy Moyer, Keith Mellen.

SECOND HEAT: Donnie Barnhart, Johnny Virden, Scott Drake, Al Purkey, Jack Simmons, Chad Clark, Jason Snodgrass, Dave Meyer, Dale Moon (Leslie Essary scratched).

THIRD HEAT: Bill Frye, Wendell Wallace, Alan Vaughn, Jason Bodenhammer, Gary Gorby, Chad Lyle, Shorty Acker, David Turner (Eddie Martin scratched).

FAST DASH: Wendell Wallace, Johnny Virden, Bill Frye, Scott Drake, Terry Phillips, Donnie Barnhart, Robbie Starnes, Alan Vaughn, Chris Smyser.

FEATURE (Pos., driver, hometown, laps, winnings) 1. Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark., 100, $10,750 2. Bill Frye, Greenbrier, Ark., 100, $5,000 3. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark., 100, $3,250 4. Johnny Virden, Russellville, Ark., 100, $2,250 5. Robbie Starnes, Houston, Texas, 100, $1,800 6. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., 100, $1,600 7. Al Purkey, Coffeyville, Kan., 99, $1,500 8. Alan Vaughn, Belton, Mo., 99, $1,400 9. Brandon Ball, West Plains, Mo., 99, $1,200 10. Scott Drake, Joplin, Mo., 99, $1,000 11. Jason Bodenhammer, Centerview, Mo., 98, $900 12. Gary Gorby, Caney, Kan., 98, $850 13. Chris Smyser, Lancaster, Mo., 98, $750 14. Jason Snodgrass, Mountain Home, Ark., 97, $700 15. Jack Simmons, Erie, Kan., 97, $640 16. Chad Clark, Marshall, Mo., 97, $600 17. Tom Volkert, California, Mo., 94, $550 18. Richard Foster, Holts Summit, Mo., 94, $550 19. Randy McGraw, Marshall, Mo., 91, $500 20. Dave Meyer, Concordia, Mo., 84, $500 21. Ken Essary, Galena, Mo., 75, $500 22. Dale Moon, Sedalia, Mo., 69, $500 23. Shorty Acker, Windsor, Mo., 67, $500 24. Donnie Barnhart, North Little Rock, Ark., 22, $750 25. Keith Mellen, Cole Camp, Mo., 16, $450 26. Chad Lyle, Grandview, Mo., 12, $400 27. David Turner, Creighton, Mo., 4, $400

NOTES: xxx

CREDIT: Larry Olson <lwolson@mtnhome.com>. ------------------------------------------------------------- FRIDAY'S RACE CAPSULES

BILLY DRAKE CAPTURES KENTUCKY KLASSIC: Billy Drake of Bloomington, Ill., took the lead when Steve Barnett slowed on the 46th lap and went on to a 50-lap victory worth $5,000 in the 16th annual Kentucky Klassic at Barren County Speedway in Glasgow, Ky. Jeff Wilson finished second while Barnett limped home fifth with a broken right-front spindle assembly. Barnett had outdueled Bob Pierce for the lead on the 25th lap as the drivers made contact in Turn 1, then again in Turn 3 as Pierce was sent spinning. The right-front suspension damage ended Pierce's race. In a vicious accident before the race official got under way, Jeff Mounce's car went into an end-over-end flip that brought out the red flag. Mounce was uninjured. Barnett (14.21 seconds) was the fast qualifier among 30 cars representing seven states. FEATURE (50 laps): (1) Billy Drake, (2) Jeff Wilson, (3) Jerry Inmon, (4) Dan Schlieper, (5) Steve Barnett, (6) Jeff Harrod, (7) Steve Russell, (8) Danny Hatcher, (9) Todd Rust, (10) Butch Barber, (11) Kevin Claycomb, (12) Donnie Tudor, (13) Josh Tarter, (14) Don O'Neal, (15) Bob Pierce, (16) Cale Kern, (17) Johnny Wheeler, (18) Rod Reed, (19) David Gibson, (20) Tim Tungate, (21) Jeff Mounce.

MOYER WINS 50-LAP TUNEUP ON MISSOURI HALF-MILE: Billy Moyer made an outside pass on Bill Frye coming out of Turn 4 on the 13th lap and pulled away for an easy $5,500 victory in the Hoosier Tire 50 at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. Frye settled for second while Al Purkey nipped Johnny Virden for third after a furious late-race battle. Moyer (21.231 seconds) was the fast qualifier among 30 late models on the first night of the Missouri Dirt Late Model Championships. FEATURE (50 laps): (1) Billy Moyer, (2) Bill Frye, (3) Al Purkey, (4) Johnny Virden, (5) Terry Phillips, (6) Donnie Barnhart, (7) Eddie Martin, (8) Wendell Wallace, (9) Darin Walker, (10) Gary Gorby, (11) Scott Drake, (12) Shorty Acker, (13) David Turner, (14) Jack Simmons, (15) Jason Snodgrass, (16) Chad Lyle, (17) Robbie Starnes, (18) Richard Foster, (19) Leslie Essary, (20) Ken Essary, (21) Jason Bodenhammer, (22) Davey Meyer, (23) Terry Muskrat, (24) Chad Clark, (25) Keith Mellen (Tom Volkert, Alan Vaughn, Dale Moon, Randy McGraw and Bill Todd scratched).

JEWELL WINS TUNEUP AT PONDEROSA: Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, Ind., took the lead on the 44th of 50 laps for an exciting $2,000 win at Ponderosa Speedway in a tuneup for next weekend's $8,000-to-win Fall Classic. Jewell ran second to C.J. Rayburn for 26 laps until he was dropped into fourth place after being sandwiched by Delane Browning and Audie McWilliams. Browning took the lead on the 29th lap when a deflating tire slowed Rayburn and eventually sent him pitside, and McWilliams took a turn up front on the 35th lap. Jewell rallied with an outside pass of Browning on the next circuit, then went up against the guardrail with six laps remaining to pass McWilliams for the lead and eventual win. Bobby Carrier Jr. made a late-race charge to finish second. Paul Feistritzer (15.56 seconds) was fast among 30 qualifiers. FEATURE: (1) Mike Jewell, (2) Bobby Carrier Jr., (3) Audie McWilliams, (4) Delane Browning, (5) Paul Feistritzer, (6) Eddie Carrier Sr., (7) Randy Boggs, (8) Troy Green, (9) Finn Watson, (10) Dustin Neat, (11) Steve Casebolt Jr., (12) Tory Collins, (13) Rob Carter Jr., (14) Jeff Coulter, (15) Gary Green, (16) C.J. Rayburn, (17) Tommy Hundley, (18) Scott James. ------------------------------------------------------------- SATURDAY'S RACE CAPSULES

BOLEY GETS THIRD BUSCH ALL-STAR TOUR WIN: Steve Boley of Oxford, Iowa, took the lead from Ray Guss Jr. on the 62nd lap to win the inaugural Liberty 100 at West Liberty (Iowa) Raceway, his third NASCAR Busch All-Star Tour victory of the year. Steve Kosiski worked past Guss with 12 laps remaining the claim the runner-up spot. Front-row starters Jeff Aikey and Ryan Dolan each took turns leading the race, but both had problems. Just before the halfway point, Aikey bounced off the concrete wall and damaged the rear spoiler, handing the lead to Dolan. But Dolan collided with a slower car a few laps later, and was forced to restart on the tail after a caution, returning the lead to Aikey. Guss passed Aikey's ailing car on lap 50 and led until Boley took the point 12 laps later on his way to the $4,000 winner's purse. In the series points race, Joe Kosiski leads brother Steve by 13 with a single series event remaining. FEATURE (100 laps): (1) Steve Boley, (2) Steve Kosiski, (3) Ray Guss Jr., (4) Denny Eckrich, (5) Bob Dominacki, (6) Joe Kosiski, (7) Jay Johnson, (8) Brian Birkhofer, (9) Ryan Dolan, (10) Jeff Aikey, (11) Sonny Findling, (12) Terry Ryan, (13) Denny Petersen, (14) Denny Osborn, (15) Dave Eckrich, (16) Tom Cannon, (17) Ron Boyce, (18) Wayne Drau, (19) Brian Morgan, (20) Terry Schlipman, (21) Rick Wendling, (22) Todd Davis, (23) Tom Hearst, (24) Johnny Johnson, (25) Scott Koskovich, (26) Bob Helm, (27) Curt Martin, (28) Rob Kirchner, (29) Skip Frey, (30) Steve Johnson, (31) John Hampel, (32) Gary Webb.

RAYBURN WINS KENNY SIMPSON MEMORIAL: C.J. Rayburn ended the year at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway like he started it, winning a big UMP-sanctioned feature. Rayburn, who won the season-opening Hoosier Dirt Classic in March, captured $4,000 and his first Kenny Simpson Memorial title in Saturday's season-ender. Rayburn took the lead with an outside pass of Delane Browning on the sixth lap and held off a hard-charging Jim Curry down the stretch for a caution-free 50-lap victory at the quarter-mile oval. Terry English, returning to racing after suffering serious injuries in an accident at Barren County Speedway in Glasgow, Ky., in May, ran among the leaders most of the race and finished sixth. With James Huff out the rest of the season with a broken wrist, Doug Ault drove Huff's No. 5 to a 13th-place finish. Kevin Weaver (15.561 seconds) was the fast qualifier, while English, John Gill, Don O'Neal and Delane Browning won heat races. FEATURE (50 laps): (1) C.J. Rayburn, (2) Jim Curry, (3) Bob Pierce, (4) John Gill, (5) Steve Barnett, (6) Terry English, (7) Don O'Neal, (8) Kevin Weaver, (9) Mike Jewell, (10) Ronnie Fisher Jr., (11) Delane Browning, (12) Dion Deason, (13) Doug Ault, (14) Marty O'Neal, (15) Mark Barber, (16) Shawn Toczek, (17) Steve Godsey, (18) Jeff Wilson, (19) Dan Sturgeon, (20) Ray Godsey.

RUSSELL GETS ANOTHER COAKLEY MEMORIAL TITLE: Steve Russell of Pontotoc, Miss. won his second Wayne Coakley Memorial race of the season at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway after he inherited the lead from local favorite Randy Sellars. Sellars passed Russell for the lead on lap 18 of the 33-lap UMP-sanctioned event, but Sellars pulled to the infield with mechanical problems on lap 23. Russell, who won Central Park Raceway's version of the Coakley tribute in late August, regained the point and held off Ed Dixon to win the $5,000 winner's purse. Shannon Babb came from his 10th starting spot to finish third. Doug McCammon (16.153 seconds) was the fastest of 46 qualifiers, while McCammon, Russell, Brian Wolfmeier and Kevin Claycomb won heats. FEATURE (33 laps): (1) Steve Russell, (2) Ed Dixon, (3) Shannon Babb, (4) Billy Drake, (5) John Tindal, (6) Kevin Claycomb, (7) Doug McCammon, (8) Brian Wolfmeier, (9) Greg Williams, (10) Gary Keeling, (11) Tim Brown, (12) Larry Hurn, (13) Jerry Inmon, (14) Cale Kern, (15) Steve Ross, (16) Dan Schlieper, (17) Randy Sellars, (18) Steve Ryan, (19) David Gibson, (20) Alan Rettig.

MITCH JOHNSON OUTDUELS WILDUNG IN JAMESTOWN: Mitch Johnson swapped the lead several times with Jeff Wildung before capturing the checkered flag in the Wissota-sanctioned Stock Car Stampede at Jamestown (N.D.) Speedway. Johnson, running mostly the high side, and Wildung, running mostly the low side, waged a spectacular battle before Johnson settled it to win the $2,500 winner's purse. There were 40 late models and 220 cars overall in five classes. FEATURE (40 laps): (1) Mitch Johnson, (2) Jeff Wildung, (3) Hank Berry, (4) John Corell, (5) Curt Gelling, (6) Tim McMahan, (7) Jessie Klug, (8) Steve Vessel, (9) Harry Hanson, (10) John Hinklemeyer.

MARS TRIUMPHS AT RED CEDAR: Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, Wis., jumped into the early lead and was never challenged in winning the Wissota-sanctioned Punky Manor Challenge of Champions at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis. Mars pocketed $3,000 for the victory. FEATURE: (1) Jimmy Mars, (2) Ashley Anderson, (3) Rick Egersdorf, (4) Steve Laursen, (5) Mark Chamernick. ------------------------------------------------------------- IN AN UPCOMING DIRTNEWS DIGEST EDITION: Rick Aukland stays hot with $22,000 victory in Pittsburgher 100, winning over Scott Bloomquist and Gary Stuhler. ------------------------------------------------------------- CAPSULE CREDITS: Greg Stark <gstar17@sunsix.infi.net>, Larry Olson <lwolson@mtnhome.com>, Terry Mynhier <TA4UK@aol.com>, Phil Roberts of NASCAR, Dale Ziebarth <dziebarth@prga.com> and Michael Despain. -------------------------------------------------------------