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By: Ron Lueck
The B-modified Championship lured almost 40
racecars into Moberly this last weekend to try their luck at the 2005 Shootout.
These B-mods came from the three-state area of Iowa and Illinois, along with
Missouri with each trying for a shot at winning that first place prize of $1000.
And 64 other race teams from the A-mods, Sportsman, Hobby Stock and Hornet
classes came to run on the well-groomed dry/slick track for this season's
second-to-last racing event for 2005. And for the second year, MHC Kenworth of
Columbia sponsored this B-modified race and brought a shiny and fully-loaded
2005 W900L KW truck tractor to the racetrack for display purposes to show off
some of their new merchandise.
Four heats were used for getting the starting lineups for the B-mod's
main feature. Individual heat winners were: Kirksville's Kelly Smith in the
familiar #82; John Baker's white #30 with the glo green lettering; Macon's Chris
Leather's with his #17; and coming out of the second row - outside position, was
Bob Woodrow in the green machine with the #3 on the side. The top four positions
of each heat all qualified for the big race with these front 16 cars being
followed by the top four from each of the two previous consy races. This filled
out the field of 24 cars for the big race. The first segment was set to run 20
laps, with the top ten moving on for the ten lap shootout.
As they started the parade lap, fireworks went up from behind turn 3 to
set the B-mods off properly. From previous racing, the track surface was as
smooth and dark with as much tire black on it as most race fans had ever seen.
Smith got his #82 into the lead over that of Leathers' and led every lap
impressively from beginning to end of the first 20. Woodrow took over 2nd by lap
8 and was equally fast, running out front with Smith for much of this part of
the Shootout.
When the fastest ten transferred into the second part of this set-up, a
re-draw of the starting order took place. Race-leader Smith got the worst of the
draw when he picked the number 9 starting position and had to fall back 9 whole
places. And the racer getting the best that the luck-of-the-draw could offer was
Kevin Propst from Holts Summit in his #24. Actually, Kevin Embree, Brad Pfeiffer
and Propst all got to move up three places for the restart, but Propst got to
move into the front row on the outside. Bob Woodrow took the pole position with
his lucky pick.
And when the racing resumed after this ten minute pre-determined pit stop
and re-draw, Woodrow was up to the challenge. This group of B-mods started out
and ran together as a pack in this dash, and it was an impressive site. Woodrow
went to the front at the drop of the green flag with Leathers right behind. By
lap 3, Embree had moved into 3rd, but no one could touch Woodrow in that green
car. He led all the laps to take the trophy and the cash with Leathers holding
off Embree for 2nd place. Smith managed to get his car back up to 5th before the
race ended, and came in just behind the 4th place car of Gary Wilson's. So
Woodrow got not only the 2005 season championship in the B-mods, but also the
prestigious 2005 B-modified championship in the Shootout. Congratulations are in
order to this native of Perry, Missouri on a job well-done here at 24 Raceway.
The A-modified class had 23 cars of their own to run an earlier feature
and saw a front row of David Holder in the borrowed 14-car, along with Joe
Bradshaw in the #8y, his first visit to 24 Raceway this season. Vance Wilson was
always challenging Holder for the lead, but came in 2nd after Holder went out
front from the start and led all the laps for yet another win to cap off his
season championship in the A's.
Jeff Creed started from row 1 for the Sportsman class, outside in the
#01. The pole position went to the 8-car of Darin Boling, but he fell in behind
Creed at the start of the race. The top four positions went unchanged the entire
race with Creed winning over Boling. Pete Agee and Randy Rindom finished 3rd and
4th, respectively, in this one.
In the Hobby Stock class, Dustin Boling had the pole with his 36-car, and
the #9x of Steve Carlin sharing the row 1 start. These two got into each other
more than once in this caution-filled race, with Boling getting disqualified for
that last hit. Kevin Renzenlmann took over the lead with his #41 on lap 2 and
outlasted the rest of the field for the win. Casey Walter pulled off a last lap
pass of season champ Clinton Dale to come in 2nd for this race, and got his best
finish of his career with his #23c.
And in the Hornet class, Rob Chase returned to his winning ways from
earlier in the year, by moving his #3 past the pole winner, John Brown, on lap
9. Chase went on to win the event, followed by 2005 track champ, David Lorton in
the 24/7 car.
There were two winners of 24 Raceway's Jr. Fan Club with bicycles given
away this week, courtesy of both Holder Racing and Perkins Racing. Both winners
of the bikes were from Kirksville, with Clay Vice receiving the 1st one and
Jerrod Williams getting the 2nd bike. And thanks again for MHC Kenworth for
coming on board for the 3rd annual B-Modified Championship Shootout at 24
Raceway.
Coming up next on September 24th, will be the last race night of the 2005
season at 24 Raceway, with an All-Star format to finish out the night after the
regular racing is finished up. The five classes of A- and B-Modifieds,
Sportsman, Hobby Stock and 4 cylinder Hornets will run their regular series once
more for the year, with the winners of each of the classes of the evening also
making the qualifying for the added features later in the night. Then, after the
1st five features have concluded, each class will have a chance to put their
car's image on the 24 Raceway website banner for the coming 2006 season, each in
an additional ten-lap event.
This is by invitation and drivers who have won a race in the 2005 season
are already qualified for this special season-ending race. In addition, the top
five finishers in the Season Points are invited to participate in this race,
sponsored by
SSAutoSport.com. So there are still
two ways to get invited to the Invitational: By winning the last weekly
series race this Saturday night, or simply winning a heat race prior to that
feature will also get the driver and car invited into the format. Five classes -
ten laps, and that's it for the 2005 season! Trophies will also be awarded for
this event, but the big thing to win is the car's picture on the banner at the
top of the website of
www.24racewayinmoberly.com for the
entire next year. And this should be a fun way to wrap it up!!
Dirt Track Racing at its Best begins at 7pm with a driver's meeting,
followed by hot laps, starting at 6pm. Kids ticket prices are $3 for ages 6 to
12, and adults are $9 for the grandstands. Pit passes are still only $20. Please
see the website of www.24racewayinmoberly.com for additional info and drivers
having already qualified for the All-Star event. Watch for info on the 2005
Season Banquet, too.
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