Champions crowned at I-49 Speedway

Friday, September 25, 2015
Jerry Davis/Daily Mail/ Dustin Walker of Peculiar, bagged the late model feature race at Nevada I-49 Speedway.

Nevada Daily Mail

Championship night at Nevada I-49 Speedway took place Sept. 19 and started off with a bang after a great field of cars signed-in, hitting the track to battle it out for the season championship finale.

---- Mini Stocks ----

Brian McGowen of Pittsburg, Kan., took the B-Mod feature event.

In the feature race, John Willard and last weekends's winner Grayson McKinney were paired on the front row. Current points leader, James Barker, started nearby on the second row. Willard of St. Joseph, pulled away from the field early as McKinney of Springfield, attempted to track him down.

Willard however, took the top prize as he led all 20 laps, collecting his second big win of the season. McKinney finished second, while Butch Burdick of Lamar, made a hard charge toward the front finishing in third. Burdick began the race in the ninth position.

Jerry Wheeler of Nevada, recorded another strong finish, moving up from 11th to fourth place. The track champion in the Mini Stock division, James Barker of Nevada, rounded out the top five finish after starting third.

John Willard of St. Joseph, was crowned champion of the mini-stock feature event.

---- Pure Stocks ----

It was family-fun moment at the beginning of the pure stock feature race as Tyler Schoen and Bill Schoen, both of Brighton, started on the front row. In the early-going, Bill Schoen grabbed an early lead, but a few laps into the race, he was pressured by Norman Mackley of Fort Scott, and by Mackley's son, Mitchell Coulter also of Fort Scott.

After a few more laps and caution flags, Schoen zoomed in front to fly the checkers, capturing his first win of the season. Mackley fell short and finished in a strong second place, after starting third. Coulter, who started sixth, cruised into third place.

Pure stock winner Bill Schoen.

After starting eighth, Jaren Powrie of Nevada, zipped into the fourth spot, while Josh Parcell of Joplin, rounding out the top five finish.

Despite not placing in the top five Saturday night, Jason Agee of Fort Scott, was still crowned the 2015 Pure Stock champion.

---- Street Stocks ----

Street stock winner Larry Ferris.

Many I-49 Speedway fans might tell you that the street stock feature was the best race of the evening ---- as all seven participants kept each other in sight the entire race. Adding intrigue, both drivers who started in the front failed to win the race.

The winner, Larry Ferris of Kansas City, started third. Not only did this make his trip from Kansas City worthwhile, this was also Ferris' first win ever at any track.

After starting fourth, weekly competitor Scott Johnson of Nevada, moved up to a second place finish. Matt Cornett of St. Paul, Kan., started sixth and placed finished in third.

After beginning second, track champion Mike Bitner of Frontenac, Kan., coasted into fourth Even with a fourth place finish, Bitner was able to capture the points title. Thomas McManis finish fifth, the same position he started in.

---- B-Mods ----

Brian McGowen of Pittsburg, Kan., and track champion Rusty Skaggs were favorites going into the B-Mod feature, as they started on the front row.

As predicted, it was a side-by-side battle for the lead the entire race between those starting on the first few rows. In the end, McGowen held of Skaggs to capture his second speedway feature event, while Skaggs finished a solid second.

Russell Niehoff attempted to get around Skaggs a few times, but eventually fell into third place. Cody Frazon of Lamont, Kan., who started third, placed fourth. Matt Rose of Liberal settled for a fifth place finish.

---- A-Mods ----

Not only was Jackie Dalton crowned the track championship, but the driver from Carthage also finished with a bang by winning the feature event after starting on the second row. The victory was a hard earned one for Dalton.

Jessy Willard of Pleasanton, Kan., battled it out for many laps with Dalton. Willard took a back seat to Dalton, finishing runner-up.

Pole-setter Matt Johnson of Archie, finished third. Last weekend's feature winner, Jeremy Chambers of Parsons, Kan., placed fourth, while Lucas Dobbs of El Dorado Springs claimed fifth

---- Late Models ----

This being only his second trip to the speedway this year, it paid off as Dustin Walker of Peculiar bagged the feature win, after starting on the second row-inside.

Weekly competitor Billy Humble of Rich Hill, finished the season strong with a second place finish, after starting first.

Lance Town of Louisburg, Kan., racing in a late model at the speedway for the first time, finished third. The track champion Shannon Phillips of Joplin, jetted to a fourth place finish.

Phillips had enough of a point lead to still bag the championship, aided by his fourth place finish. Making his debut in a late model, traveling all the way to West Virginia to pick up the car ---- Craig Wood of El Dorado Springs finished fifth, after starting second.

The I-49 Speedway staff wants to thank everyone involved in making the first season a memorable one ---- this being the Anders' family first year operating the speedway.

There is still one more special event slated for the I-49 Speedway this season.

Mark your calendars, the fourth Annual Shootout will take place Oct. 23-24. Please check the track's website for continuous news releases regarding this special event at /www.nevadaspeedway1.com

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