7/9/2017
RacinBoys
Bryant prevails after early three-way battle with Strong, Jackson for USRA B-Mod win at Lucas Oil Speedway
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Andy Bryant took command after an exciting three-way battle and went on to grab the featured Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod main event victory Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kenny Shaw
Also posting feature wins on Veterans and Military Appreciation Night Presented by the Springfield News-Leader Media Group were Todd Shute (Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models), Brian Schutt (Big O Tires Street Stocks) and Tyler Wolff (Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds).
A total of 94 checked into the pits including 36 in the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
Bryant, Shawn Strong and Kris Jackson engaged in a back-and-forth duel early, with each taking turns leading during the first 10 laps. The first caution flew on lap 11, just after Bryant had gone back in front with a pass of Strong in turn two.
"Strong, Jackson and I were having a three-way battle for those first 10 laps," Bryant said in Andy's Frozen Custard Victory Lane. "We got three-wide at one point and I didn't know who was going to end up where."
It was all Bryant after the restart as he pulled away to win by a comfortable margin, leaving Strong and Jackson to battle for the runner-up position as the Fort Scott, Kan., 17-year-old captured his second Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod win of the season.
The win solidified Bryant's hold on the season points lead in the division. Bryant also has three runner-up finishes and one third-place finish this season at the speedway.
"We all raced clean for the most part. I like to race with those guys," Bryant said of Strong and Jackson, who also have feature wins in 2017.
Bryant took home $500 for the 25-lap triumph. He dedicated the win to Dave Hill, one of his loyal supporters, who died earlier this week at the age of 37 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Strong took second with Jackson third and Steven Clancy in fourth.
Shute takes Late Model win: Todd Shute took the lead with four laps remaining and held off Aaron Marrant for his first feature win of the season in the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models.
Marrant, the reigning track champion from Richmond, Mo., started from the pole and led the first 15 laps. Shute, from Des Moines, Iowa, stuck his nose in front coming out of turn two, diving to the low side, and completed the pass coming to the start-finish line coming to the start-finish line to finish lap 16.
"Aaron got real loose there in (turn) one and two the lap before I passed him," Shute said. "I didn't know if he was breaking or something was going on with him. So I went low and did a slide job. That's not how I like to pass people, but sometimes that's how it goes."
Shute pulled away the rest of the way with Marrant hanging on for second.
Johnny Fennewald of Appleton City settled for third, his two-race winning streak broken. Jon Sheets of Nevada was fourth.
Schutt prevails in Street Stocks: Brian Schutt put away runner-up James Flood after the two traded the lead five times over the first half of the race to win the Big O Tires Street Stocks feature.
Schutt, of Lebanon, Mo., started on the pole and led until Flood passed him on lap five. Schutt needed just one lap before going back in front, but Flood passed him again three laps later.
Again, Schutt quickly responded. He took the lead, this time for good, coming to the flag stand on lap 10. He pulled away from there for his first feature win of the season.
"It's always fun to race with James. He races hard and he races clean," Schutt said. "I have to thank my Dad. I couldn't do it without him. We make a pretty good team right now."
Flood held on for second with Johnny Coats third and season points leader Toby Ott in fourth after starting the feature 11th.
Wolff all the way: Tyler Wolff led all 20 laps for the Pitts Homes USRA Modified feature win, but it wasn't total domination as the flag-to-flag leadership might suggest.
Wolff, of Fayetteville, Ark., held off a challenge from Arizona's R.C. Whitwell - leading by inches at the start-finish line to complete lap 13. But after that, Wolff was able to establish command the rest of the way.
"I knew it was going to be tough," Wolff said of his win in a rare visit to Lucas Oil Speedway. "This is a great place to race, a good crowd and great competition. This track was perfect. I couldn't ask for any better."
Whitwell, a frequent national competitor on the Modified and Late Model scene, held on for second with Eric Turner of Hermitage in third and Mitch Keeter of Webb City, Mo., in fourth.
CMH Diamond Nationals next: The stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series return to Lucas Oil Speedway next Saturday, July 15, for the 11th annual CMH Diamond Nationals.
The nation's top Late Model drivers will be battling for a $12,000 winner's check and the prestigious diamond ring that goes with the victory. Jared Landers captured the Diamond Nationals in 2016. Earlier this year as the series visited Wheatland, Bobby Pierce won the Show-Me 100 after Earl Pearson Jr. took the Cowboy Classic and Tim McCreadie captured the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson.
The Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds run in support of the Late Models and will be in action gunning for a top prize of $750 to win courtesy of Clearlight Inn. The Modified winner will also receive an additional $500 bonus in memory of Ron Jenkins, the original builder of Wheatland Raceway.
Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:35.
For ticket information on all all events at Lucas Oil Speedway, contact admission director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or by email at Nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.
LUCAS OIL SPEEDWAY RESULTS (July 8, 2017)
Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods
A Feature - 1, Andy Bryant, Fort Scott, Kan. 2, Shawn Strong, Republic, Mo. 3, Kris Jackson, Lebanon, Mo. 4, Steven Clancy Odessa, Mo. 5, Mike Hailman, Reeds Spring, Mo. 6, Taylor Moore, Bois D Arc, Mo. 7, Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo. 8, Rodney Cordon, Independence, Mo. 9, James McMillin, Warrensburg, Mo. 10, Kanayn Methvin, Yelleville, Ark. 11, Mike Striegel, Hermitage, Mo. 12, Kameron Grindstaff, Independence, MO. 13, Robbe Ewing, Stockton, Mo. 14, Bobby Williams, Hermitage, Mo. 15, Gary Fain, Lone Jack, Mo. 16, Curtis Dreasher, Hoyt, Kan. 17, Chris Brockway, Warrensburg, MO. 18, Andy Chrisenberry, Chilhowee, Mo. 19, Kevin Guinn, Fayetteville, Ark. 20, Kenny Shaw, Fort Scott, Kan. 21, Rick Watkins, Brookline, Mo. 22, Randy Gilmore, Flemington, Mo. 23, Cody Admire, Eldon, Mo. 24, Kaeden Cornell, Willard, Mo.
B Main 1 - 1, Bobby Williams. 2, Andy Chrisenberry. 3, Cody Admire. 4, Kenny Shaw. 5, Kurt Sledd. 6, Cody Acklin. 7, Austin Crane. 8, Jake Hereford. 8, Russell Niehoff.
B Main 2 - 1, Kaeden Cornell. 2, Robbe Ewing. 3, Kanyan Methwin. 4, Gary Fain. 5, Quentin Tayor. 6, Robert Heydenreich. 7, Thomas Yount. 8, Lexy Vanzandt. 9, Evan McQuitty.
Heat 1 - 1, Kris Jackson. 2, Rex Merritt. 3, Rodney Cordon. 4, Chris Brockway. 5, Justin Mitchell. 6, Cody Admire. 7, Lexi Vanzandt. 8, Robert Heydenreich. 9, Jake Hereford.
Heat 2 - 1, Steven Clancy. 2, Randy Gilmore. 3, Curtis Dreasher. 4, Ricky Watkins. 5, Kameron Grindstaff. 6, Kenny Shaw. 7, Austin Crane. 8, Thomas Yount.
Heat 3 - 1, Andy Bryant. 2, James McMillin. 3, Taylor Moore. 4, Kevin Guinn. 5, Gary Fain. 6, Bobby Williams. 7, Russell Niehoff. 8, Evan McQuitty. 9, Kanyan Methvin.
Heat 4 - 1, Shawn Strong. 2, Mike Hailman. 3, Mike Striegel. 4, Kaeden Cornell. 5, Andy Chrisenberry. 6, Robbe Ewing. 7, Quentin Taylor. 8, Cody Acklin.
Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models
A Feature - 1, Todd Shute, Des Moines, Iowa. 2, Aaron Marrant, Richmond, Mo. 3, Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo. 4, Jon Sheets, Liberal, Mo. 5, Dylan Hoover, Mexico, Mo. 6, Aaron Poe, Warrensburg, Mo. 7, Lane Ehlert, Republic, Mo. 8, Daniel Jessen, Joplin, Mo. 9, Chris Cox, Jefferson City, Mo. 10, Tommy Cordray, Browning, Mo. 11, Joe Walkenhorst, Flemington, Mo. 12, Jon Binning, Warrensburg, Mo. 13, Cody Holtkamp, Holts Summit, Mo. 14, Larry Jones, El Dorado Springs, Mo. 15, Cody Peck, Lincoln, Mo. 16, Bob Cummings, Sedalia, Mo. DNF Kaeden Cornell, Willard, Mo. DNF Jason Sivils, Bolivar, Mo. DNF Ashlee Lancaster, Sturgeon, Mo. DNF Garrett Essary, Crane, Mo. DNS Jimmy Jobe, Odessa, Mo. DQ Larry Ferris, Nevada, Mo.
Heat 1 - 1, Aaron Marrant. 2, Johnny Fennewald. 3, Lane Ehlert. 4, Larry Ferris. 5, Jon Binning. 6, Larry Jones. 7, Jason Sivils. 8, Bob Cummings.
Heat 2 - 1, Todd Shute. 2, Daniel Jessen. 3, Aaron Poe. 4, Cody Holtkamp. 5, Garrett Essary. 6, Cody Peck. DNS Jimmy Jobe.
Heat 3 - 1, Jon Sheets. 2, Dylan Hoover. 3, Ashlee Lancaster. 4, Kaeden Cornell. 5, Chris Cox. 6, Joe Walkenhorst. 7, Tommy Cordray.
Big O Tires Street Stocks
A Feature - 1, Brian Schutt, Lebanon, Mo. 2, James Flood, Crane, Mo. 3, Johnny Coats, Joplin, Mo. 4, Toby Ott, Wheatland, Mo. 5, Kenny Carroll, Camdenton, Mo. 6, Darrin Crisler, Clever, Mo. 7, David Hendrix, Waynesville, Mo. 8, Bobby Barnett, Republic, Mo. 9, Clayton Campbell, Otterville, MO. 10, Ted Welschmeyer, Tebbetts, Mo. 11, Bradley Gideon, Ozark, Mo. 12, Scott Chism, Bolivar, Mo. 13, Chris Tonoli, Hermitage, Mo. 14, Josh Halbrook, Springfield, Mo. DNF Daniel Harris, Bolivar, Mo. DNS Dewayne Applegate, Jr., Dunnegan, Mo. DNS Larry Ferris, Kansas City, Kan. DNS Kenny Carter, Fair Grove, Mo.
Heat 1 - Brian Schutt. 2, James Flood. 3, Johnny Coats. 4, Kenny Carroll. 5, Clayton Campbell. 6, Toby Ott. 7, Scott Chism. 8, Josh Halbrook. 9, David Hendrix.
Heat 2 - 1, Bobby Barnett. 2, Darrin Crisler. 3, Ted Welschmeyer. 4, Bradley Gideon. 5, Chris Tonoli. 6, Dewayne Applegate. 7, Daniel Harris. 8, Larry Ferris. 9, Kenny Carter.
Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds
A Feature - 1, Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark. 2, R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz. 3, Eric Turner, Hermitage, Mo. 4, Mitch Keeter, Webb City, Mo. 5, Jeff Cutshaw, Bolivar, Mo. 6, Terry Schultz, Sedalia, Mo. 7, Chase Domer, Nevada, Mo. 8, Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark. 9, Dalton Kirk, Wellsville, Kan. 10, Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo. 11, Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan. 12, Daniel Wosoba, El Dorado Springs, Mo. 13, Dwight Niehoff, Lockwood, Mo. 14, Tracy Wolf, Buffalo, Mo. 15, Donnie Fellers, Wheatland, Mo. 16, Dean Wille, Warresnburg, Mo. 17, Justin Moon, Sedalia. 18, Lucas Gibbs, Udall, Kan.
Heat 1 - Tyler Wolf. 2, Eric Turner. 3, Lucas Gibbs. 4, Dean Wille. 5, Daniel Wosoba. 6, Donnie Fellers. 7, Tracy Wolff. 8, Lance Town. 9, Justin Moon.
Heat 2 - 1, Mitch Keeter. 2, R.C. Whitwell. 3, Jason Pursley. 4, Brian Williams. 5, Chase Domer. 6, Jeff Cutshaw. 7, Dalton Kirk. 8, Terry Schultz. 9, Dwight Niehoff.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and the 2017 racing schedule, visit LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Please visit www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
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Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
