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Skaggs, Crisler collect first victories of season
A strong field of cars checked in at the historic Nevada Speedway dirt oval on Saturday night for some thrilling racing action — as a pair of drivers found victory lane for the first time in 2017.
Street Stocks
Racing action quickly heated up in the Street Stock division as a three-car battle for the checkers went wire-to-wire, with Springfield’s Darrin Crisler picking up his first victory of the season. Crisler, who started with pole position, slipped back to third before eventually regaining the lead from Nevada’s Karl Lehman en route to the checkered flag.
Lehman, who began in the fourth position, netted the runner-up spot. Fellow Nevada competitor Shawn Hendren ascended a half-dozen spots to capture third-place, keyed by a late pass of Cleveland, Mo., native Devin Smith, who was forced to settle for fourth. The fifth-place finisher was Mound City’s Jeremy Willard, who fell back two spots from his original starting position.
Mini Stocks
No stranger to victory lane this season, St. Joe’s Steven Bunton swiped away his fifth victory of the season after starting on the pole, while fending off a strong challenge from Grandview’s James Witt.
After Witt in the runner-spot, was Osceola’s William Self in third, who made a late pass on Sheldon’s Mike Baxter. Baxter, who placed fourth, was followed by Joplin’s Ken Leverich, who moved up three spots from his original starting position to round out the top five finish.
Pure Stocks
After close-shave runner-up finishes the past two weeks, hometown kid Jaren Powrie emerged in victory lane in the Pure Stock division, checking off his division-leading fourth victory of the season.
Powrie was sitting in second-place for much of the 15-lap feature, before a yellow flag flew. Powrie then pounced, taking over the lead for the remaining laps of the race. Fellow Nevadan Zachary Hendren held onto his original starting position to nab the runner-up spot for his top finish of the season.
Aided by a late pass of Fort Scott’s Norman Mackley — Carl Junction’s Thomas Dunham advanced three sports to finish in third. Mackley managed fourth, while Osceola’s James Leiber of collected fifth, after starting back in the 12th spot.
Midwest Mods
Extremely familiar with victory lane, Rob Muilenburg locked up his track-leading eighth speedway victory of the season on Saturday night. The Sparta native dominated from start-to-finish, parlaying pole position into a wire-to-wire 15-lap victory.
Lamar’s Devin Crockett, who started on the outside pole, nailed down a second-place finish. El Do’s Kelby Keith flew took home third, scoring his best finish of the season — while Larry Drake weaved his way up four spots to take home fourth. Prescott, Kan., native Bryan Conner, cruised into a fifth place finish after starting 11th.
B-Mods
After rolling his car at the track last week, Rusty Skaggs spent most of the past week working relentlessly to get his car ready for Saturday night’s racing marquee. Skaggs perseverance paid dividends, as the Fort Scott native parked his B-Mod in victory lane for the first time in 2017.
Skaggs, who started on the outside pole, seized control of the race early, holding off Moran’s Curt Drake, who settled for second. Liberal’s Matt Rose notched a third-place finish; Fort Scott’s Tim Phillips, fourth; while Skaggs son, Brayton, moved up two spots to grab fifth.
A-Mods
Action picked up in the A-Modified division after smoke was spotted under the hood of Chanute’s Paden Phillips. At the time, Phillips had a huge lead on the rest of the field. Phillips’ engine woes brought his night to an early conclusion.
Chase Sigg capitalized on Phillips early departure, as the Iola, Kan., native went on take home his third victory of the season. Meanwhile, pole-sitter Lewis Jackson of Wellsville, coasted into second. It took some major effort for Jackson to get there, as he drifted into the rear of the field early on in the race.
A pair of El Do drivers battled it out for third, with Lucas Dobbs coming out on top over Craig Wood. Fifth-place went to William Graham Jr.
Late Models
Verona’s Dustin Mooneyham flexed his racing muscle, collecting his second Late Model win in as many weeks, and third overall for the season. Mooneyham was in top form, as he flipped pole position into a wire-to-wire victory.
Joplin driver Steve Johnson edged out Webb City’ Mark Daye for the runner-up spot, while John Willard placed fourth; and Prescott’s Jerry Brown, fifth.
— UP NEXT —
Racing returns to Nevada Speedway this weekend, with a full program of racing on tap, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday night.