5/8/2017
RacinBoys
Cole Williams tops I-44 Speedway NASCAR Pro Late Model season opener
By Ronnie Williams (Lebanon, MO) -- 2013 NASCAR Missouri State and I-44 Speedway Champion Cole Williams lived up to his nickname "The Hurrying Hoosier" as he took the lead from leader Tim Swearengin on the 11th lap and then had to withstand 2 late race caution and Kaleb Allison to capture the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Season opener in the Coca-Cola Spring Sizzler 50 capturing $1300 for the victory.
Williams, who topped The Dickey''s Barbaque qualifying redrew a 7 inverting placing him inside of row 4 for the 50 lap feature. Williams was offered a $200 bonus if he would go to the tail of the field and could capture the win declined the offer after some hard thinking.
The start of the feature saw Kansas City veteran Joe Ross jump to the opening lead from his pole position with defending Modified Champion Swearengin quickly following along with defending track and NASCAR Missouri State Champion Brian Brown. St. Louis Pro Late Model Rookie Contender Jake Peil fell back after starting on the outside of the front row. Swearengin shot around Ross on lap 2 and began to set a steady pace for the field as Brown took over 2nd place on lap 3 with Ross, Rolla's Mike Slone and Williamd in a tight pack for the top 5. Williams then began his move to the front as he picked-off Ross and was glued to Brown's bumper. Caution was on lap 7 as Brown slowed going into turn 1 with an oil line coming loose ending his night early. On the restart, Williams began to pressure Swearengin, but the 5-time I-44 Track Champion held back the early challanges as area verteran ace Steve Holt was slicing from his 8th starting spot and moved into 3rd place while gining on the leaders. After a spirited side by side battle, Williams shot by Swearengin on lap 11 to take the top spot with Swearengin staying close while Holt , 2014 Champion Kaleb Allison, Joe Ross, Slone and 14 year old Texas Rookie Gabriel Fogg along with Ronnie Hartford swapping positions. On lap 15, Holt spun rolling out of turn 4 slowing the pace and sending him to the rear of the pack. Williams vaulted on the restart as Swearengin had to fend back Allison, Slone, Ross, Fogg, Hartford and a quick moving Piel for positions. On the 22nd circuit, Allison moved around Swearengin and was trying to reel-in Williams. A caution on lap 33 allowed Allison to get to Williams back bumper on the restart while Swearengin nd Slone were swapping the spot back and forth as Ross was looking for running room. Ronnie Hartford's night ended on lap 39 as the Kansas City hard charger heded to the pits and the war between Swearengin and Slone saw Slone a former 2-time track champion take the spot. A late race caution gave Allison a shot on Williams staying close to the race leader, but the worst incident of the night collected-up Joe Ross ending his night with front nose damage on the 47th lap as a chain reaction involved Swearengin, Holt, along with Fogg. All excpet Ross would continue on the restart as Williams knew Allison was quick on the short run and hit his marks perfect getting the advantage as Allison was fending back Slone and a fast moving Piel. At the line, Williams took home the win, his first at I-44 in over 2 seasons followed by Allison, Slone, Piel and Swearengin rallied to complete the top 5 with Texas driver Steve Buchanan, Kansas City Late Model Rookie David Strode, Fogg, Holt and Texas driver David Lewis completing the top 10.
" We have a busy schedule and used tonight for a testing session for Speedway's Master Of The Pro 144 event on June 3rd." quoted Williams." It was difficult to turndown that extra bonus money to start at the rear, but we needed the track time, it has been awhile since we got a win here and are glad to be back." Williams topped Qualifying with a lap of 14.590 while Allison was 2nd on the charts at 14.741.
Modified ace Ricky Icenhower of Fair Grove had to overcome several possible issues to take the opening night with in the 25 lap Modified feature. After topping Dickey's Barbaque Qualifying by just nipping Tim Swearengin, Icenhower had a fuel pick-up problem in the short hot lap session before The Speedway's RCW Wrestling main event match as the car couldn't get fuel through. After working to get the issuecresolved, icenhower's car wouldn't fire as they rolled out for the feature. Once going and starting on the front row with Swearengin, Icenhower had gotten crossed-up after contact on the start and almost ended in the frontstretch wall, but gathered it back-up. On the restart, Icenhower and Swearengin stayed nip and tuck with Richard Lewis staying in their tire tracks as the top 3 pulled away. Swearengin would pull even several times early but Icenhower would hold him back as Lewis was looking for a place around. 4th place running Chris Johnson spun on lap 8 slowing the pace and sending him to the rear. On the restart, Icenhower got the jump and never looked back in taking the victory as Swearengin, Richard Lewis in his father Brian's car after problems placed his on the trailer after setting 3rd quick time, Mark Riddle and Johnson completed the top 5.
Lebanon's Michael Juergensen repeated his opening night win from last season, but had to work hard for it as several contenders were hounding the 00 new car. Juergensen gae way to pole setter Steve Shaw on the opening lap of the 20 lap feature with Aaron Wilke of Bridgeton and Lebanon drivers Aaron Douglas and former champion Jordan Nisbett following. A very close battle saw Juergensen take the lead with Shaw along side as hard charger Les Mallard fell out with problems. Great side by side racing saw Juergensen having a mirrow full contenders as Aaron Douglas moved around Shaw on lap 5 and glued himself to Juergensen's back bumper as Shaw, Wilke, Nisbett and Nic Cherry were in tow. Douglas would fall by the wayside on lap 11 with the power steering until going out as caution waved. On the restart, Nisbett moved around Shaw and began to run down the leader while Shaw, Wilke and Cherry battled. In the final 3 laps Juergensens was able to pull away to take the win as Nisbett, Wilke, early leader Shaw and Cherry completed the top 5.
" Things are gonig great right now and all the hard work in the shop this off season is paying off." quoted a very happy winner." We had a new baby this winter and he is getting healthier every day, my family and myself have pulled alot of time in the shop getting all 5-6 cars ready. This is a new car for us and right off the trailer it felt good. We know next week we start back in the pack farther, but this is a great class and some really good drivers in it. I want to thank my family, friends and the fans for being here."
Defending Charger Champion Ronnie Taylor took advantage of his front row pole spot and made it look easy in leading all 15 laps of the Charger feature. Taylor would find former Street Stock Champion Justin Blake glued to his bumper and looking for the lead until lap 4 when he had a hub break loose and spun him into the turn 4 wall ending his night. Taylor then found Justin Gantt in 2nd on the restart, but Richland's Jerry Ellis put on the drivee of the night as last season's runner-up in the points came from 8th starting spot and was charging to challange Gantt for 2nd place for the next 6 laps before finally overtaking the position but would run out of time trying to chase down Taylor as Gantt, Nik Taylor and Luke Oster completed the top 5. " Next Sat will be fun when we start a bit farther back. Tonight we got the luck of the redrew on the pole and really the thrill is coming through the pack, it is a blast."
Action continues Saturday night May 13th with Waynesville Snack In A Pack Night in an effort to keep that popular program rolling for a good cause as The Waynesville was recently hit hard with the area flooding.
Action will feature The High-Speed NASCAR Pro Late Models, NASCAR Ground Pounding Modifieds, NASCAR Street Stocks and NASCAR Chargers as gates open at 6PM with Dickey''s Barbaque Qualifying for the Pro Late Models and Modifieds at 6:15 and racing at 7:30. The Waynesville Band is scheduled to perform throughout the eveing.
For more information visit the website at WWW.I44Speedway.Net and keep updated on The Facebook Page.
Results-Coca-Cola Spring Sizzler
NASCAR Pro-Late Model Feature-1) Cole Williams-Sellersburg, Indiana 2) Kaleb Allison-Mexico 3) Mike Slone-Rolla 4) Jake Piel-St. Louis 5) Tim Swearengin-Springfield 6) Steve Buchanan- Corpus Chrisy, Texas 7) David Strode-Independance 8) Gabriel Fogg-Floresville, Texas 9) Steve Holt Strafford 10) David Lewis-Spring, Texas 11) Joe Ross-Accident 12) Jimmy Fohn-Eldrige-Brakes 13) Ronnie Hartford-Raytown-Handling 14) Brian Brown-Strafford-Oil Line DNS-Terry Limberopolous-Cuba-Motor
Dickey''s Barbaque Time Trials-Top 10-1) Williams 14.590 2) Allison 14.741 3) Slone 14.777 4) Brown 14.954 5) Swearengin 15.008 6) Piel 15.004 7) Ross 15.181 8) Holt 15.223 9) Fogg 15.358 10) Hartford 15.481
NASCAR Modified A Ft.1) Ricky Icenhower-Fair Grove 2) Tim Swearengin-Springfield 3) Richard Lewis-Willard 4) Mark Riddle-Springfield 5) Chris Johnson-Lebanon 6) Wayne Lewis-Springfield 7) Phil Harris-Nixa 8) Chris Kerperien-Lebanon 9) Scotty Stricklin DNS-Brian Lewis-Willard, Tery Taylor-Fair Grove
Dickey's Barbaque Time Trials-Top 5 1) Icenhower 15.420 2) Swearengin 15.549 3) R. Lewis 15.571 4) Johnson 15.793 5) Riddle 16.067
NASCAR Street Stocks Ft. 1) Michael Juergensen-Lebanon 2) Jordan Nisbett-Lebanon 3) Aaron Wilke-Bridgeton 4) Steve Shaw-Rogersville 5) Nick Cherry-Springfield 6) Robert Douglas-Camdenton 7) Rocky Teske-Lebanon 8) James Ellis-Richland 9) Aaron Douglas-Lebanon 10) Les Mallard-Fair Grove
1st Ht.-1) Wilke 2) Shaw 3) Cherry 4) Ellis 5) R. Douglas
2nd Ht.-1) A. Douglas 2) Juergensen 3) Nisbett 4) Teske 5) Mallard
NASCAR Chargers Ft-1) Ronnie Taylor-Springfield 2) Jerry Ellis-Richland 3) Justin Gantt-highlandville 4) Nik Taylor-Bolivar 5) Luke Oster-Osage Beach 6) Breken Johnson-Lebanon 7) Kent Cruzan-Springfield 8) Parker-Ellis-Richland 9) Justin Blake-Camdenton DNS-Travis Watson-Lebanon
1st Ht.-1) Blake 2) R.Taylor 3) Oster 4) Cruzan 5) N. Taylor
2nd Ht.-1) Gantt 2) Johnson 3) P. Ellis 4) J. Ellis 5) Watson
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott