$3,000 payday goes to Moody during CMS Memorial Day special
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- A hearty crowd came out to show their support for the recently reopened Central Missouri Speedway as the staff and crew continued to work hard into the weekend to bring racing to the drivers and fans who showed up on Memorial Day for the first big-money modified special of the year with 61 cars on hand among USRA Modifieds, ULMA Late Models, USRA B-Mods and Street Stocks.
The previous night a full crowd witnessed Jim Moody of Odessa claim the poll for the finale of the 40-lap main event for the USRA ‘Mighty’ Modifieds. A total of 27 cars competed throughout the weekend for the win. Two drivers, Terry Schultz and Trevor Hunt forfeited their top 12 starting positions Sunday night and tried to requalify their way into the main event on Monday.
Three USRA B-Mod heat races were contested among 16 competitors with James McMillin of Warrensburg crossing the line ahead of Dakota Foster and Troy Carlyle in heat one. The second heat race went to Cody Brill, who had an earlier spin but recovered nicely for the victory over Mike Striegel and Curtis Berry of Raymore, Missouri. For the final heat race, Edwardsville, Kansas driver Jake Richards powered his way to a win over Jordan Clemons and Luke Nieman.
The 20-lap USRA B-Mod main event was up next with James McMillin and Jake Richards up front, ahead of Cody brill and Mike Striegel. The opening four laps were intense with McMillin, Richards, and Striegel battling hard for the top spot. Caution flew on lap four for the single-car spin of Curtis Berry as the field quickly went back to green.
For the restart, Brill experienced problems in turn one as he went too high over the embankment, ending his night. The second restart still had McMillin leading Richards, Striegel, Carlyle and Spencer Stephens. By lap six, McMillin began pulling away with Richards left to run close with Striegel for the runner-up position while Carlyle and Luke Nieman ran inside the top five. Another spin by Jordan Clemons on lap seven closed the field together again on a third restart.
Drivers went back to work but on lap 8 but Richards spun in between turns three and four to draw the fourth caution of the event, ultimately Striegel was sent to the tale of the field after the incident. McMillin led Carlyle and Nieman on the restart inside the top three with Darrin Claxton and Stephens inside the top five.
McMillin got back after it with Carlyle, Nieman, Stephens, Claxton, Striegel and Richards running close. Striegel and Richards found themselves close together again for sixth position with Striegel making his way to fifth by lap 15. With a handful of laps remaining, McMillin had a near full straightaway lead over Carlyle in second with Nieman close behind. On lap 17, Claxton and Dallas White brought out the next caution with Claxton’s night coming to an end on the infield.
For the final restart, Striegel was strong as he fought his way back to the third position with Richards close behind in fourth, but in the end, McMillin was the fastest as he claimed the win over Carlyle, Striegel, Richards, Nieman and Spencer inside the top six.
USRA Modifieds competed in a pair of heat races to sort out the night two 20-lap scramble event to position the cars for the outside row of the 40-lap main event. Terry Schultz, Darron Fuqua, and Josh Everhart crossed the line as the front three cars in the first heat race while Matt Dotson, Curt Rackers, and Isaac Dotson finished in the top three for the second heat race.
For the scramble event, a redraw determined the starting lineup for the field. Early on, Matt Dotson and Darron Fuqua ran strong with Trevor Hunt and Isaac Dotson and Terry Schultz ran inside the top five. On lap three, Walker experienced trouble as the caution flag flew. The race order was Fuqua, Dotson and Hunt inside the top three. Walker’s woes continued as he experienced another spin in the event. Fuqua and Dotson continued to run strong right through the checkers as Matt Dotson claimed the win and the outside row starting position. Fuqua was second, Hunt third, Isaac Dotson fourth and Terry Schultz fifth.
The first of three big-money events for modifieds concluded the night with a 40-lap featured race with Jim Moody and Matt Dotson up front, Jon Sheets and Darron Fuqua in row two and Jason Thompson and Trevor Hunt in row three as the front six starters.
Moody quickly shot out to an early race lead in search of his first modified special event at CMS. Isaac Dotson spun in turn four to draw the first caution of the event. Moody led Dotson, Fuqua and Thompson on the ensuing restart. A couple laps later Walker and Nick Pence got together off of turn four as Tyler Shaw’s night ended early with a flat on lap three. For the next restart, Moody, Fuqua, and Dotson were top three.
Terry Schultz and Trevor Hunt fought hard for positions five and six over the next few laps with Schultz high and Hunt low. By lap ten, Moody then led Dotson and Thompson as Hunt climbed to fourth with Fuqua slipping to fifth with Zach Sanders in sixth.
Moody experienced his first lapped cars by lap 13 as Jon Sheet’s night came to an end with mechanical woes. Halfway through the race Moody still led Dotson, Thompson, Hunt, Fuqua and Sanders. Pence’s night ended on lap 20 as he pulled to the infield. The next restart saw no change inside the top five but the racing was just as furious throughout the field with drivers trying to advance.
Brian Troxel drew a caution at lap 22 in turns three and four as the field prepared for another restart. Moody continued to lead Dotson while Fuqua rebounded to third, with Hunt Thompson and Sanders in tow. Lap 24 saw Isaac Dotson’s crew busy changing a tire as they successfully returned him to the race. Sanders and Wille experienced a run-in with both cars going to the tail for a late race restart just shy of lap 30.
One-third of the way through the race Moody continued his dominance as he consistently pulled away from the remaining competitors on every restart. With ten laps remaining Moody led Dotson, Thompson and a hard-charging Tyler Schmidt, who started fifteenth in the event to advance into the top five!
As the race came to a close, Moody went unchallenged with Dotson left to battle Thompson and Schmidt inside the top five with Aaron Marrant making his way to the top five late in the race. Tim Karrick’s top ten-run came to an end by lap 37 as he pulled out of the race. In the end, Moody claimed his first-ever special-event victory. Matt Dotson finished second, Thompson was third, Schmidt had an impressive drive to fourth, Aaron Marrant was fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Fuqua, Shad Badder, Schultz, Josh Everhart, and Hunt.
Next week CMS returns to regular racing on Saturday, May 32 for Better Country Kix 105.7 Radio Rac Night featuring USRA Modifieds, Street Stocks, B-Modifieds, Pure Stocks, and guest class Midwest Lightning Sprints. Pits open at 4:30, grandstands at 5, drivers meeting 6:30, hot laps at 7, racing at 7:30. General admission adults $12, Military w/I.D. and Seniors 65+ $10, kids ages six to twelve $5, five years and under FREE!
Check out CMS online at www.centralmissourispeedway.net for all the latest schedule updates, news, and information! On race day, be sure to call the Track Report Line for general information at (660) 747-2166. Follow us on Twitter @CMSgoing_green. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Missouri-Speedway. CMS may also be found on Instagram.
Primary sponsors for CMS this season include Cliff Harris Warrensburg Ford, Budweiser, Sunoco Race Fuels, Good Time Oldies 1450 KOKO/98.5 FM The Bar, Pepsi, KMMO FM 102.9, Midwest Coatings, Better Country KIX 105.7 FM, Comfort Inn Warrensburg Station, 610 Sports Radio Kansas City, KRLI Country 103.9 FM, Heartland Waste, and 'Today's New Hit Country' 95.3 FM KDKD.
This year’s list of outstanding business partners includes: Victory Trophies & Plaques, Roundabout Café, Batliner Recycling, Blue Springs Chiropractic, OK Tire Stores, Rick Darling Performance, Reece Nichols Realty LLC, Bodee's Racers Auction, Finish Line Performance, Economy Lumber and Hardware, Brooks Automotive LLC, Eickleberry Concrete & Construction, JA Performance, Kleinschmidt's Western Store, Rod End Supply, Quality Home Improvements, Wolf Tire Service, Miller Lite, Goody’s Steakburgers, The Cornerstone Agency, Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps, Lek-Tro-Mek Service Co., Seeburg Mufflers, and RacinDirt.com.
CMS is located 3.5-miles north of Warrensburg, MO from the junction of Highways 50 and 13 in Warrensburg just north of the new Hwy 13 by-pass round-a-bout, or from the Higginsville exit off I-70, head south on Highway 13 for twelve and half miles.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
USRA Weekly Racing Series
Central Missouri Speedway, Warrensburg, Mo.
Monday, May 26, 2014
USRA B-MODS
Feature:
1. (1) 68 James McMillin
2. (7) 44 Troy Carlyle
3. (4) 19 Mike Striegel
4. (2) 7J Jake Richards
5. (12) 181 Luke Nieman
6. (9) 09JR Spencer Stephens
7. (6) 27C Jordan Clemons
8. (11) 53 Dallas White
9. (14) 12 Olen Stephens
10. (16) 03 Chris Brockway
11. (13) 18 Darin Claxton
12. (8) 23B Curtis Berry
13. (3) 96 Cody Brill
14. (15) 13K Chris Kitch
15. (5) 5X Dakota Foster
16. (10) 60S James Morris
USRA MODIFIEDS
Feature:
1. (1) 00 Jim Moody
2. (2) 88D Matt Dotson
3. (5) 73J Jason Thompson
4. (15) 66T Tyler Schmidt
5. (12) 34A Aaron Marrant
6. (4) 87 Darron Fuqua
7. (9) 73B Shad Badder
8. (10) 90 Terry Schultz
9. (18) 21J Josh Everhart
10. (6) 99H Trevor Hunt
11. (19) 56 Brian Troxel
12. (13) 03 Jason Bodenhamer
13. (14) 68 Dean Willie
14. (7) 69 Zach Sanders
15. (17) 3 Lewis Jackson
16. (8) 67D Isaac Dotson
17. (20) 0 Richard Layne
18. (16) 40 Jesse Willard
19. (11) 1K Tim Karrick
20. (21) 32P Nick Pence
21. (22) 22 Curt Rackers
22. (24) 14W Dustin Walker
23. (3) 14S Jon Sheets
24. (23) 85S Tyler Shaw
DNS - 4 Josh Poe