Area
track promoters were faced with another repeat of
weekend weather challenges and Warrensburg’s
Central Missouri Speedway came out on the fortunate
side for Comfort INN Race Night on Saturday
evening. The high banked CMS-Kenny’s Tile
track prep crew worked long hours throughout the week
to prepare another smooth racetrack surface with 83
drivers checked into the pits looking forward to the
fast paced fan friendly CMS racing program.
Drivers in the Street Stock and Modified divisions
used the Comfort INN races as their final tune up
session for the 4th of July weekend Tom Wilson
Memorial Modified Special features sponsored by
Kenny’s Tile. The Independence Day weekend
begins with a $1500 Street Stock special event on
Friday, July 4 along with modified qualifying for 12
starting positions determined by passing points, heat
races and a scramble to set the inside row
slate. The Browning Brothers Fireworks
spectacular will be included during the Friday night
show. Then on Saturday, July 5 final
modified qualifying will be on the card for the
remaining 12 outside row starting spots along with
the ULMA Late Models, B-Modifieds features finishing
with the $5,000 to win, $1,000 at start Modified
feature. This Saturday night’s racing was
a treat for local fans with many new drivers testing
the track for next weekend.
The
modified division had thirty drivers signed in for
three heat races to determine the feature
lineup. Each heat produced some amazing
side-by-side racing action with the early
multi-grooved racing surface which pleased the race
fans cheering on their local favorites. Orrick
driver Aaron Marrant beat Dean Wille and
Topeka’s Dean Bowers to the finish line in heat
race one. Dave Meyer wins his first CMS heat
this year in heat number two with Josh Stevens and
Chad Staus just behind. In heat three it was
first time visitor from Hermitage, MO Eric Turner
with the victory over Joe Walker and Jim Moody.
Heat race four had Tim Karrick ahead of Terry Schultz
and Jake Richards for the heat race checkers.
In the B-Main after intermission four drivers
transferred into the A-Main event with Odessa driver
Don Dannar for the win followed by Kyle Covert of
Topeka in second, Jimmy Dowell third and Ed Griggs in
the fourth and final transfer position.
Twenty-four
drivers made their way onto the track for the 20-lap
feature as the crowd jumped to their feet throughout
the races when their drivers made a move towards the
front of the pack. CMS modified point’s
leader Marrant and Meyer on the front row started
side-by-side out of turn one and two with Turner
stalking in the third position on the low side.
Marrant eventually led several laps until Turner
picked his spot and passed Marrant on the low side
and never looked back. Warrensburg driver Dean
Wille broke an oil line with smoke trailing off the
engine and he joined Terry Schultz who pulled off
with mechanical problems early in the feature.
Most of the drivers stayed down low for some added
traction, but several including Justin Boney and Tim
Karrick tried the high side with limited
success. Finally, the GRT - Terry Phillips
Racing Team’s, Eric Turner takes the double
checkers for his first victory at CMS with Marrant in
second followed by Meyer in third. Moody moves
up from a eleventh place start into fourth and Tim
Karrick rounds out the top five. Turner
revealed in his victory lane interview he had raced
multiple late model and modified races beginning last
Saturday night with limited time off last week due to
visits on several dirt tracks around Missouri.
14
late model drivers from the ULMA division registered
for the night’s main event. This class of
cars continues to grow steadily at CMS with improved
skills for local drivers in the weekly late model
division. The Heat winners were Jason Bodenhamer of
Centerview for his fourth heat race win this season
and Odessa driver Steven Clancy with his first CMS
heat race win this year. In the main event, it
was a caution filled feature with a tough break for
Derrick Nevels of Higginsville when he was caught in
a tangle of cars in turn four at the start of the
race ending his night. Bodenhamer led lap one
from the start and for the remainder of the feature
with some tight racing behind him. Kevin Coyne
back out on the track after fixing his motor battled
with Brett Wood and David Angel for several laps for
top five positions. Mike Ryan the ULMA rookie
point’s leader also made it as high as third
early on in the race. On lap eight a big pile
up of seven cars in turn four caused a red flag
stoppage with Coyne and Jamie Wineland pulling off
the track for mechanical problems. In the end,
Bodenhamer drove into victory lane for his fifth CMS
late model feature win of the season. Clancy
had a solid run into second with James Rutledge
moving up into third with several tight passes on the
high and low side. Jake Williams hung on for
fourth by passing Ryun late in the race for the spot
with Ryun finishing in fifth.
In
the street stock division, eighteen cars battled in
two heat races during the evening events with action
throughout the field. Tammy Korff of Fulton
grabbed her first heat race victory in heat number
one. Brett Nail looked strong tonight with his
first heat race victory in heat two. For the
fifteen-lap feature event, Korff and Nail battled for
the early lead with Nail taking it around the back
side. Meanwhile, Brian Johnson starts his move
to the front with a move into second place by lap
nine. Korff holds onto third and Herb Danner
starts using the high side lane to pick up spots into
the top ten. Dale Atkinson of Warrensburg
looked strong on the low side and stayed in the top
five the entire race battling John Brooks. The
veteran and former many time CMS street stock
champion Brooks made his second appearance this
season looking to find a way around Korff, but
ultimately could not make the pass. Johnson
then made his move around Nail with a lap 12 inside
move and hangs on for his fifth feature victory this
season. Nail has his best finish this year at
CMS with a second place followed by Korff in
third. Atkinson stays ahead of Brooks for a
fourth and Brooks finishes in fifth. Next week
it will be fun to watch this class of talented
drivers battle it out for the Friday night’s
$1500 to win special feature.
The
B-modified division showed some tight driving during
the evening races as several drivers showed that
it’s a battle for every position.
The twenty-one drivers that were confident in their
skills to make a run for the checkered flags competed
in three heat races. A new driver from Nixa,
MO, Wayne Johnston won heat number one past Lucas
Isaacs and Chris Brockway. Six-time feature
winner Scotty Martin won heat race two over proud new
Dad, Bobby Raybourn and Bryan Montgomery. Young
driver Jeremy Lile earned his third heat-race win of
the year by beating Rusty Trimble and Ethan Isaacs to
the line. Johnston and Martin led the field
into turn one with Lile and Lucas Isaacs close behind
for the feature race start. Martin uses his
usual low side pass for the early lead until Lucas
Isaacs spins out for the first caution. Trimble
has to leave the track early into the infield with
mechanical problems. Then Lile makes a side-by
side move with some contact in turn four and moves
under Martin for a rare low side pass around him for
the lead. Michael King and Bob Dumit spin out
later on in the race bringing out the yellow flag
again. Lile hangs onto the lead by protecting
the low side of the track for his first CMS B-
Modified feature win this year. Lucas three
wheels his machine into a second place around Martin
who finishes in third, Raybourn the proud new father
finishes in fourth and Bryan Montgomery finishes
fifth with another solid top five.
The
CMS racing action gets underway next Friday, July 4
and Saturday night, July 5 for the Tom Wilson
Memorial Modified and Street Stock Specials beginning
with earlier than normal start times for the races.
Grandstand admission gates open early at 4, hot laps
at 6:30 and racing on the track at 7:00.
General admission prices for each night are listed on
the track web site at
www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Drivers, be
sure to check the Web page for modified and street
stock special race entry forms for the Independence
Day weekend events. For track information
and up-to-the-minute race status call the track
report line at (660) 747-2166. The track Web
site includes race results, photos from John Lee of
High Fly’N Photos, point standings, admission
information and more. See you at the
‘Burg!
