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Allen Miller
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (May 8) - After three attempts to start the 2010 race season, the weather finally cooperated and drivers were thrilled to begin maneuvering their machines on the fastest high banked clay oval in the Midwest. Race fans settled in for some hot racing action on a cool spring evening at the Earl and Susan Walls owned track in Warrensburg on KOKO Radio night at the races. Several special Mothers departed the track with some unexpected prizes including some diamond jewelry.
A superb field of 82 drivers registered for racing in the pits and kicked off the chase for the championship on the high banks at CMS for the Walls' seventeenth year at the Warrensburg track. After a short delay for an electrical problem the program was delayed for a short time until the lights were operational.
The car show was an impressive event a few weeks prior at the Warrensburg, Lowes parking lot and the fan-selected car show awards went to: mighty modified, James McMillin, ULMA late model, Zach Green, street stock, Chad Eickleberry and b-modified, A. J. Tice. Thanks to all who participated during the annual car show.
The ULMA Late Models had 15 drivers registered for racing for their first night using passing points to determine the starting line-up for the feature. In the initial heat race, Steven Clancy takes the win over Brett Wood and in heat number two, Jon Binning captures the top spot just ahead of Shawn Rayfield.
Clancy topped the field with 68 passing points to start on the pole position next to Binning leading 15 drivers on the first lap of the feature. Clancy maintained the top spot for the early part of the race with Binning and Shawn Rayfield battling behind him for the top three positions.
After several yellows for spins, Binning takes the lead on lap nine then Clancy comes back to take the top position on the next lap. In the meantime, Jason Bodenhammer starts to work his way up into fourth place after hitting a tire in his heat race. Binning and Clancy exchanged the lead several times with Rayfield and Bodenhammer lurking just behind them waiting for someone to make a mistake.
At the finish line, Binning crossed in first with the checkers flying to take the initial ULMA late model feature of the season. He received a Waterloo Storage tool box and his first trophy this year for the win. Clancy looked smooth and followed in second, Bodenhammer third from starting in fifteenth place at the tail of the field, Rayfield looked like he could win, but finished fourth and Brett Woods finished strong with a good run into fifth.
ULMA
Heat Race # 1
1st- 12c- Steve Clancy, Odessa
2nd- 7- Brett Wood, Warrensburg
3rd- 9- Dave Meyer, Concordia
Heat Race # 2
1st- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
2nd- 18R- Shawn Rayfield, O'Fallon
3rd- 42- Lane Ehlert, Foristell
Feature
1- 65- Jon Binning, Warrensburg
2- 12c- Steve Clancy, Odessa
3- 88- Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview
4- 18R- Shawn Rayfield, O'Fallon
5- 7- Brett Wood, Warrensburg
6- 42- Lane Ehlert, Foristell
7- 22- Kevin Coyne, Kingsville
8- 28- Brian Pipes, Lone Jack
9- 53- Jeremy Watts, Bates City
10- 68- John Pipes, Oak Grove
11- 54- Jimmy Jobe, Odessa
12- 52- Joe Bartlett, Centerview
13- 00- Zach Green, Higginsville
14- 9- Dave Meyer, Concordia
15- 16- Ashley Lancaster, Sturgeon
In the b-modified division with 20 drivers checked in for racing, the heat races were tight with Jeremy Lile, Ethan Isaacs, the 2009 track champion, and Paul West grabbing the first three heat race wins of the season to set up the top starting spots in the feature event.
Lile and Isaacs led the b-modified drivers into turn one with Lile crossing the line for the early lead. With the lead in hand on lap four, he encountered some mechanical problems and pulled off the track. Issacs then took over with Brad Smith in very close pursuit using the high side of the track. Jacob Ebert made a tight move between cars into turn four to take second, but Smith pulled back into the lead on the next lap. After a side by side battle between the two drivers Smith barely crosses the line just a nose ahead of Issacs for his first CMS feature win of the season and his second feature victory in two nights.
Smith is the first driver to visit the new Waterloo Storage Products Victory Lane receiving a tool box and the first trophy of the year. Issacs was very close in second, Ebert third, Dalton Kirk with a good run in fourth and rounding out the top-five, Lucas Isaacs. Rusty Trimble makes a tremendous run from the tail of the field into sixth at the finish line.
The Street Stocks were a hit with the crowd last night with several new drivers making their first appearance at CMS. The heats were exciting with Chad Eickleberry and Brian Johnson receiving the first heat race checkered flags this year.
Eickleberry and Johnson led the street stock field into turn one with Johnson taking the early lead on the initial lap. Eickleberry then led the second lap with Marc Carter and Michael Mullins close behind for the top spots. Brian Cox and Travis Faulkenberry went high over the track on turn two causing the yellow flag on lap eight.
At the end of the feature, Johnson captures the first win taking his new black and blue colored machine into the Waterloo Storage Products victory lane celebration. Eickleberry ends up with a hard fought second, Carter looked strong in third, Scotty Dukes fourth and Cox back up to fifth after departing the track earlier for a solid top-five finish.
The 'mightly' modified division continues to be a tough division of talented drivers with 34 checked in for the inaugural night of racing. Joe Walker, Jason Thompson, Mark Dotson, and Jim Moody grabbed the initial heat races with some exciting action on the smooth clay oval track. In the b-main the final four positions were contested with Joey Lile, Jamie Ragland, Tim Karrick, and Tyler Schmidt crossing the finish line ahead of the field to gain a coveted starting position for the final feature of the night.
The first modified feature of the year started with 24 cars on the grid with Moody and Thompson leading them to the green flag. Moody gained a quick advantage taking the lead on the low side for lap one until a six car pile-up occurred in turn four. After the second complete re-start, Moody, Thompson, Walker and Dotson held the early top four spots until Ragland had problems in turn two to bring out another caution.
Thompson then goes side by side with Moody and takes the lead on lap eight with Moody hugging the low side of the track. Joe Walker, James McMillin, and Shad Badder were just behind the leaders in a battle for the top spots. By lap 14, Mark Dotson makes a good move around Moody down low to grab the second spot with Moody hanging on to third.
At the finish line, Thompson drives his number 20 machine into Waterloo Products Victory Lane and takes the feature crossing the finish line ahead of Dotson. Moody stays mainly on the low side for third, Walker looks strong in fourth and Dean Wille moves around Badder late in the race for fifth. Tim Karrick makes a nice run from twenty-third into eleventh at the checkered flag out of the b-main.
Join us again next Saturday night at CMS for Armed Forces Appreciation Night at the races with the modifieds, ULMA late models, street stocks and b-modifieds. Service members including Active Duty, Reserve and Guard members at Whiteman AFB can pick-up free kids tickets from the Public Affairs office at the base this week. All Military members with an ID also receive an additional $2 off already discounted admission tickets. Pit gates will open at 4:30, spectator gates open at 5, hot laps start at 7, and heat-race action begins at 7:30. For more information call the Track Report line at (660) 747-2166 or visit the track's official Web site at www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Results, standings, the schedule of events, and John Lee, High Fly-N Photos are all readily available on the Web site.
Race Sponsors at Central Missouri Speedway include, Waterloo Storage Products, KOKO 1450 Radio , Comfort Inn of Warrensburg, KMMO, 1300 Radio, LJS Graphics, Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, 98.5 FM "The Bar" Central Auto racing Boosters, C.A.R.B, Pepsi, RSC Rental, Heartland Waste, KDKD FM 95.3 along with Midwest Coating, Boy Scouts and the Warrensburg Chamber Customer Appreciation Nights.
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