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Sam Stoecklin
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (May 23) - The first round of three big-money summer holiday weekend races at Central Missouri Speedway (CMS) took place last night as 24 modifieds were on hand gunning for the $3,000 payout put up by track promoters Earl and Susan Walls. There were also 18 Late Models and 25 B-Modifieds present competing in a total of 13 races. All total there were 67 drivers on hand in three divisions. The Street Stocks were off on Saturday after running their special event on Friday night. Terry Schultz of Sedalia took home the $1,500-to-win Street Stock special. Late Model driver Kevin Coyne began the night remembering his young grandson who recently passed away, by honoring him on Memorial weekend by carrying the flag around the speedway. During intermission, fellow late model drivers raised over $1,000 for the Coyne family to help with funeral arrangements for the toddler. The Coyne family wished to thank everyone for their generosity during their time of grief. The American Legion riders were also present at the track and adorned the speedway grounds with American Flags to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom.
The night began with two modified heat races as James McMillin led the way over Steve Muilenburg and Tim Karrick in race number one. Heat race number two was a scorcher between Justin Boney and defending track champion Aaron Marrant, the two ran hard for the win with Boney ultimately coming out on top ahead of Marrant in second and Ed Griggs third. In the a-main scramble event, it was a two-man show with Tim Karrick and Justin Boney battling for the win, in the end, Boney made the pass on Karrick late in the race and won over Karrick and Aaron Marrant. The field was now set for the special $3,000 feature event.
By virtue of their Friday night scramble finishes, Dean Wille and Don Crnkovich led the 24-car starting field to the green flag for the 40-lap main. Once the green flag waved drivers drove hard for their positions all throughout the field. A caution flag flew early in the event on lap seven but after the caution period, the race ran straight through for the remaining 33 laps! The feature event will likely be remembered as one of the most exciting a-mod races ever contested at the track. Wille led early, until Crnkovich muscled his way to the front by lap five. By lap 14, Crnkovich held his lead over Wille and Jim Moody. Just past midway, James McMillin took his ride to the pit area, joining Justin Johnson as the lone retirees from the race. Twenty-two cars finished from the original 24 cars starting the event. On lap 24, Jim Moody reeled in Crnkovich and began pressuring the leader for several laps. Moody never could find his way around Crnkovich for the lead but stayed fairly close to the leader for the remaining laps. Meanwhile, a little farther back, Meyer battled with Dustin Boney for third position. Dustin Boney originally started ninth and was one of a handful of drivers trying out different race lines. Racing inside the top 10 was highly competitive as Johnny Fennewald also ran a higher line than most other drivers and battled with drivers such as Meyer, Wille, and Chad Lyle for position. As the laps wound down, Crnkovich maintained his lead. On the white flag lap, Moody again closed in on the leader's bumper as the pair raced toward the checkered flag. In the end, Crnkovich held off Moody for his biggest ever win and first at Central Missouri Speedway. Dustin Boney mastered the track to gain six positions to secure third, Dave Meyer ran solid all night with a valiant fourth-place run. Johnny Fennewald again finished in the top five with a fifth-place finish just ahead of Dean Wille in sixth. Chad Lyle finished seventh, Jason Thompson eighth, Justin Boney ninth as Dennis Walrath rounded out the top ten.
For the always competitive B-Modified division, three heat races were contested to sort out the feature race line-up. Heat race number one saw a close three-way battle with Chris Brockway, Jacob Ebert and Dean Wille, who was driving in both the b-mods and a-mods for the night. Brockway wound up with the win as Wille edged out Ebert in a hard-fought battle for second. Steven Muilenburg competed at CMS for the first time this year and grabbed a win in heat number two over Bryan Montgomery and Randy Grimmett. In heat race number three, Belton driver Brad Smith ran away from the field and easily won ahead of Mark Evinger and Jeremy Lile. In the b-mod, b-main race Lucas Isaacs took the win over Troy Carlyle and Willie Snowden. Chris Brockway and Dean Wille brought the field to the green flag for the feature race start. An early caution flag flew on lap two and again on lap four as drivers tried to get into their race rhythm. After the second caution period, Wille led the way over Brad Smith. Another caution flew on the restart for Brockway, whose car spun in turn one. Wille and Smith put on a great run for the lead with Ebert trying to close in just ahead of Bryan Montgomery. Once Smith made the pass for the lead he pulled away from the field and was able to hang on for his second win of the year. Wille held on for second with Ebert and Montgomery third and fourth. Brian Ziegler finished fifth, just ahead of Jeremy Lile in sixth.
Up next came the Late Model division, in which cars compete under the ULMA rules package, ULMA awards points to its member drivers for competing at Central Missouri Speedway. A strong field of 18 cars signed in for competition in two hard fought heat races and a 15-lap main event. In heat race number one, Jefferson City driver Robbie Test grabbed the win over Allen Perryman of Belton and Randy Ainsworth of Excelsior Springs. The second heat race saw Larry Clawson, Jr. take the win over Jon Binning and Kevin Coyne. With the line-up set for the main event, Robbie Test and Clawson brought the field to green but trouble on the start resulted in new driver Bob Cummings unable to finish the event. The field ran strong on the restart for seven laps with Robbie Test showing the way over Clawson in a fierce battle for the lead. On lap eight, Perryman's car went around in turn two to bring out the second caution period. With Clawson now the new leader on the next restart, the yellow flag quickly came out for David Hartsell's spinning car off of turn four. Once things calmed down the drivers again found a rhythm and raced for the win. David Barker was the man on the move by using the high side to race his way from eighth spot to third. Kevin Coyne and Bob Test also gained positions to run inside the top five. By race end, it was Clawson, Jr. who bagged his first-ever CMS win over Robbie Test, Barker, Coyne, Bob Test and defending track champion Jon Binning.
Next Saturday CMS returns to normal start times and regular action with the Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, and B-Modifieds for L J S Graphics race night. CMS is located approximately 4 miles north of Warrensburg from the junction of Highways 50 and 13 or coming from the I-70 area, exit at the Higginsville exit and travel south on Highway 13 for about 14 miles. There is plenty of parking on either side of the speedway and there are two grandstands for the fans; the back straightaway stands are alcohol-free for the enjoyment of families attending the races. For more information call the Track Report line at (660) 747-2166. General admission for adults is $10, Seniors 65+ and Military and College Students w/I.D. are $8, kids ages 6 to 12 are $6, children 5 and under are free. Race fans permanently confined to wheelchairs get in absolutely free at CMS every week! Pit gates will open at 4:30 PM with Grandstands admission beginning at 5, Hot Laps will begin at 6:30 and racing gets underway at 7:00. We look forward to seeing all the great fans and drivers next Saturday! For additional results and information be sure to visit www.centralmissourispeedway.net.
LATE MODELS
Heat Race # 1
1st- 1- Robbie Test, Jefferson City
2nd- 3p- Allen Perryman, Belton
3rd- 57A- Randy Ainsworth, Excelsior Springs
Heat Race # 2
1st- 21d- Larry Clawson Jr., Pleasant Valley
2nd- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
3rd- 22- Kevin Coyne, Kingsville
Feature
1- 21d- Larry Clawson Jr., Pleasant Valley
2- 1- Robbie Test, Jefferson City
3- 88b- David Barker, Kingsville
4- 22- Kevin Coyne, Kingsville
5- 27t- Bob Test, Jefferson City
6- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
7- 57A- Randy Ainsworth, Excelsior Springs
8- 69- Walt Imhoff, Jamestown
9- 75- A.L. Barbour, California
10- 3p- Allen Perryman, Belton
11- 12c- Steve Clancy, Odessa
12- 88- Derek Nevels, Higginsville
13- 99- Ed Martin, California
14- 29g- David Hartsell, Pleasant Hill
15- 6- Bob Cummings, Sedalia
DNS- 27L- Danny Lorton, Moberly
DNS- 0x- Jason Sivils, Bolivar
DNS- 00- Zach Green, Higginsville
MODIFIEDS
Scramble
1- 18- Justin Boney, Leavenworth, KS
2- 1k- Tim Karrick, Basehor KS
3- 66T- Tyler Schmidt, Easton, KS
4- 70- Aaron Marrant, Orrick
5- 03- James McMillin, Warrensburg
6- 22x- Luke Feeback, Harrisonville
7- 29- Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, IA
8- 3- Bubba Harvey, Kansas City KS
9- 47- Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill
10- 33- Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta
11- 7z- Tommy Summers, Weston
12- 84- Justin Johnson, Olathe KS
Feature
1- 5c- Don Crnkovich, Lenexa, KS
2- 00- Jim Moody, Odessa
3- 22- Dustin Boney, Basehor KS
4- 9- Dave Meyer, Concordia
5- 21- Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City
6- 68- Dean Wille, Warrensburg
7- 96- Chad Lyle, Lone Jack
8- 20- Jason Thompson, Concordia
9- 18- Justin Boney, Leavenworth, KS
10- 99w- Dennis Walrath, Clinton
11- 1k- Tim Karrick, Basehor KS
12- 70- Aaron Marrant, Orrick
13- 42- Gene Claxton, Kansas City
14- 17- Luke Conley, Spring Hill, KS
15- 22x- Luke Feeback, Harrisonville
16- 66T- Tyler Schmidt, Easton, KS
17- 29- Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, IA
18- 47- Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill
19- 3- Bubba Harvey, Kansas City KS
20- 9L- Joey Lile, Higginsville
21- 33- Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta
22- 7z- Tommy Summers, Weston
23- 03- James McMillin, Warrensburg
24- 84- Justin Johnson, Olathe KS
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