An Exciting And Emotion Packed Night Of Racing At I-35 Speedway During Metcalf Carstar / Cletus Mudcat Murray Night At The Races
By Mark Merrell, Track Announcer I-35 Speedway
(Winston, Missouri)
Under a beautiful star lit sky, fans and drivers came together to provide an exciting night of racing, and an emotional one. Friends and family members of the late I-35 Speedway Track Champion, Cletus Mudcat Murray celebrated his life and passing, in a ceremony during intermission, led by his mother, Cathy. Drivers also circled the track slowly, as his favorite song played, followed by a montage of victory lane interviews with Mudcat over the loudspeakers, echoing into the night sky, as the fans stood, leaving no dry eyes at the track.
The features began with the E-Mods. Last week’s feature winner, Jessie Mulich ran to the front from the pole position, followed closely by Buz Kaster. As the race wound down, Mulich suddenly lost power coming down the backstretch, with the field scattering around Mulich hoping to avoid a crash. Kaster had no where to go, and went over the turn three banking, ending his night. Doug Brisbin ran to the lead, capturing the win, with Shaunie Lanning second, Jeremy Curless third, Matt Dorssom fourth, and Steven Makar fifth. The victory was the first of the year for Brisbin.
The Pure Stock class was next out of the gate. Ron Hill, with two feature wins so far this year, was looking for his third. Hill had pressure from Matthew Matsukevich, Krew Walburn, Beau Wells, Jason Carney, and Cody King. Hill held off the field for what looked like a convincing win, but was unfortunately, Hill was disqualified after post race inspection, providing Matsukevich with the trip to McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle.
The Midwest Limited Late Models faced off against the Midwest Outlaw Vintage Racers. Tommy Cordray, who has amassed three feature wins, stated from inside row one, with Mike Taylor to his outside. Gregg Truelove has bested Cordray once, and was hungry for his second win. Cordray kept Taylor in his rear view mirror, and a hard charging Truelove, making it four wins for Cordray. Truelove got by for second, with Taylor third, Michael Leal fourth, and Chad Fuller fifth.
Andy Wiles drove four hours to get I-35 Speedway just to compete, placed an engine that was sitting on a garage floor for the past three years into his Midwest Outlaw Vintage race car before loading the car on the trailer, but made it worth his time, capturing first place, with Charlie Kaus second, and Steve Tanner third.
Richard McCaulley, who hails from, Oak Grove, Missouri, has shown a lot of speed the past few weeks, but victory has eluded him. McCaulley started on the pole, and had to fend off several competitors, including, Joesph Mick, and David Miller III. McCaulley managed to keep them all at bey, scoring his first win of the season At I-35 Speedway, with Miller second, John Willard third, Joseph Mick fourth, and James Lemke fifth.
Summit USRA Racing Series Sees One Repeat Winner, And Two New Faces, As Chase Galvin, Tim Shields, And Paden Phillips Run To Victory Lane At I-35 Speedway
Danan Knott always seems to find his way to the front of the pack each week in the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods. This night would prove no different. Knott began the feature inside row one, and was quickly the front runner heading down the front straightaway into turn one. Knott had an amazing battle behind him, between Blake Pierce, and Chase Galvin, last week’s feature winner. Shane Patch was also fighting among the front runners of the pack, as was Randy Ainsworth, Austin Charles, and Tyler Cadwallader. Galvin and Pierce put on perhaps, one of the most exciting epic battles of the night, exchanging slide jobs, and cross-over moves between the pair, putting fans the fans on their feet lap after lap.
Knott raced under the checkered flag first, with Pierce second, and Galvin third. However, during post race inspection, both Knott and Pierce were disqualified. Galvin thus was awarded his second win of the season At I-35 Speedway, with Charles second, Ainsworth third, Jayden Bears fourth, and Sturgis Streeter, who started the event inside row ten, finishing fifth.
The American Racer USRA Stock Cars lined up for their feature, with Jeff Dixon inside row one. Tim Shields has been so fast, especially the week prior, when he had a side-by-side battle for the win, with Derek Green edging Shields out by inches. Shields was on a mission, starting outside row one, next to Dixon. Thomas Ground, who flipped on his lid week one, then, in the subsequent week, met with the turn four wall. The third time, or week, was the charm for Ground, as he gathered a feature win. Ground was racing into turn one, but a mishap sent his race car tumbling high into the air, as the fans held their collective breath. Fortunately, Ground was uninjured in the incident. Shields found his way to the front, and drove into McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle, scoring his first victory at I-35 Speedway of the year, with Gary Donaldson second, Dixon third, Gerald Wahwahsuck fourth, and Mike Bergan fifth.
Paden Phillips had a clear view of the 3/8 mile high banks I-35 Speedway, starting inside row one for the USRA A-Mod feature. Tyler Hibner, just to Paden’s right, had other ideas, as did the rest of the pack of hungry drivers. One of those was Chase Domer, who began his quest for a win inside row two. Paden ran to the front, with Domer and Hibner in hot pursuit. Austin Johnson, Chris Mercer, Ed Noll, and Houston Johnson were all locked just a car length behind the lead group. Lee Hibner, with a feature win to his credit, was diving toward the front like a hot knife through butter.
Paden kept everyone behind him, as he raced into McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle for the first time this season, with Tyler Hibner second, Houston Johnson third, Austin Johnson fourth, and Ed Noll fifth, and Lee Hibner sixth.
Next Week, I-35 Speedway Will Host, Rick Bebee Heating And Air-conditioning Night At The Races, With The Show Me Vintage Racers On Hand, As Well As The Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series Out-Pace B-Mods, American Racer Stock Cars, A-Mods, as well as the E-Mods, Pure Stocks, Sport Compacts, And MIdwest Limited Late Models.
Entry To The Grandstands Will Be Free For Everyone, So Don’t Miss Out!