The
wet weather this week was another challenge for
Central Missouri Speedway on 98.5 The Bar radio race
night, but Saturday evening turned into a fabulous
night of good weather and exciting racing for local
dirt track fans. With several local tracks
cancelled due to weather this weekend, 88 drivers
made the trek to Warrensburg to enjoy the smooth
racing surface along with a crowd of eager race fans
ready to watch their favorite’s race for the
checkered flag. The drivers registered in the
pits produced a great show during the four weekly
division feature and heat races on the CMS
-Kenny’s Tile sponsored track. In the
first feature of the night Scotty Martin of
Independence takes home his sixth checkered flag this
year in the b-modified division.
Next up was the ULMA late model class with several
new drivers visiting for the first time at the track
preparing for the June 21 CMS late model
special. Jason Bodenhamer of Centerview won his
100th career feature win showing some emotion in
victory lane while remembering his father who owned
the Warrensburg track over 15 years ago. In the
Street Stock feature for his fourth CMS feature
victory this year it was Brian Johnson from
Independence. Then the fans cheered on their favorite
drivers in the “mighty” modified feature
event when once again Jason Bodenhamer claimed his
second feature of the night for his 101st career win
celebrating his double win in victory lane.
22
b-modified drivers registered in the pits to race and
battled in three heats to fill out the 21-car
starting lineup with only Mark Evinger not making the
call for the feature event. Bobby Raybourn of
Odessa, Scotty Martin and D.J. DeMotte of Basehor, KS
taking the three heat race victories.
Raybourn
and Martin led the field into turn one and early in
the race Raybourn passed Martin on lap two for the
lead, but Martin returned back to the front with
another of his signature low side passes. Raybourn
was fortunate when the caution flag came out and
returned to the front until Martin passed him again
after the re-start. Cliff Owings caused some
excitement when it appeared his car caught fire when
he stopped on the back side of the track, but he
re-started his car with no apparent problems.
Several cautions caused several drivers to leave the
track with various problems including Rusty Trimble,
Chris Brockway, Chris Martin, Gary Akers and Brad
Smith who hooked his front bumper with
Raybourn’s back bumper before leaving the
track. At the end of the race, Martin hangs on
for his sixth CMS feature win this year.
Raybourn looks strong in second, D. J. DeMotte for
his first visit this year in third, Jeremy Lile
fourth, Brian Ziegler fifth, rookie driver, Jacob
Ebert for his best-ever finish in sixth, Lucas Isaacs
seventh, Brian Montgomery, the feature winner last
week in eighth, Steve Evans ninth and rookie driver,
A. J. Tice in tenth.
The
ULMA late models then showed the crowd just a peak of
what to expect next Saturday when they race for their
$800 to win, $120 to start CMS late model special
event. Another strong field of 18 ULMA late models
signed into the pits for the evening with Mike Ryun
of Pleasant Valley, Jason Bodenhamer and Shad Badder
of Oak Grove winning the three heat races.
Bodenhamer
and Ryun led the field into turn one with Bodenhamer
taking the early lead. Ryun, the ULMA rookie
point’s leader stayed on his tail attempting to
find a line around Bodenhamer. Meanwhile, Danny
Monroe of California and Badder had mechanical
problems and had to exit the track on lap
three. Bodenhamer remained out front during
several re-starts after caution flags, but then was
challenged by Ryun late in the race when he found
some bite on the low side. Ryun could not pass him
for the lead. Bodenhamer, the ULMA point’s
leader takes the feature for his seventh ULMA win
this season and his fourth CMS victory. Ryun
has a great run finishing second, Gary Billings of
Prarie Village, KS was third, Kevin Kaiser of Cole
Camp for his first visit in fourth, David Barker
fifth, Steven Clancy sixth, James Rutledge seventh,
Brett Wood eighth, Jon Binning, the CMS point’s
leader ninth and Jake Williams with a solid tenth.
The street stocks ran another tight feature
race which produced some exciting racing on the high
banks. 16 drivers registered to race with Herb
Danner of Holden and Brian Johnson taking the
checkers for their two heat-race victories.
Danner
and Johnson led the field to the green flag starting
the race with Danner looking for the early lead, but
Brain Johnson worked his way to the front of the
pack. Jerry Schmidt had a problem with his car
on lap nine and moved into the infield to keep the
race moving. Johnson held onto the lead
throughout the race after three weeks of mechanical
problems with early departures in the feature
events. Johnson had what he said was his best
set-up of the season and stayed out front to win his
fourth CMS feature of the year. Danner hangs on
for second, Jake Conley returns with his best CMS
finish in third, Dale Atkinson of Warrensburg looks
solid and moves up into fourth, Brett Nail fifth,
Nick Bennet sixth, Darrin Christy seventh, Tammy
Korff eighth, Michael Mullins ninth and Terry Moss
tenth.
The
32 drivers signed in for the ‘mighty’
modified division feature was a showcase of
talented modified drivers from around the area and
they put on quite a show during the four heat races
to round out the 24 car feature event. The
drivers continued their preparation for the 4th of
July weekend $5,000 to win and $1000 to start special
during the evening racing events. Don Danner,
Bodenhamer, Aaron Marrant, and Don Crnkovich of
Lenexa, KS won their respective heat events to set
the front rows of the feature field. In the
B-main feature, Josh Stevens, Terry Schnakenberg,
Dennis Walrath, and Austin Siebert finished in the
top four and transferred into the A-main feature.
At the start Bodenhamer seemed to have his
line figured out early with Danner just behind
him. Jimmy Dowell of Marshall had to leave the
track with a flat tire after some contact in turn
three on lap number eight. Jake Richards had a
solid run after some tough luck this season at
CMS. He passed Marrant on lap 12 to move up
into fourth place where he finished the
feature. Allen Lawrence from Gardner, KS hit a
tire on turn four and had to leave the track late in
the race with some damage to his car.
Bodenhamer easily held on for the double checkers for
his second victory of the night with Danner second,
Crnkovich third, Richards fourth, Marrant fifth,
Lucas Conley of Spring Hill, KS sixth, Curt Potter
seventh, Tom Charles eighth, Tim Karrick ninth and
Terry Schultz rounding out the top ten. 22
drivers finished the feature on the smooth racing
surface producing some exciting side-by-side racing
action throughout the field.
Next
Saturday night will be the CMS-ULMA Late Model
special feature event in Warrensburg. Be sure
to watch all four regular divisions which will be
racing for the checkers on the CMS high banks.
Pit gates open at 4:30 with admission gates opening
at 5. Hot laps start at 7 and racing hits the
track at 7:30. For track information and up to the
minute race status call the track report line at
(660) 747-2166. For complete race results,
photos from John Lee of Highflyn Photos, point
standings, admission information and much more, be
sure to visit the track’s Website at
www.centralmissourispeedway.net.
