NASCAR Championship at I-44 This Weekend

By:
On:
In: Speedway News

The chase for a NASCAR Missouri State and Track Championship as well as a Lebanon I-44 Speedway Track Championship will come to an end Saturday Night as we enter the final event of the 2014 Monster Energy Chase for the Cup at the “The High-Banks” of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

 

Action will feature an exciting night of NASCAR Whelen All American Series Short-Track Racing on the 3/8ths mile Asphalt oval as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Pro Late Models will end the season competing in a 50 Lap feature event. The Monster Energy Sportsman go long distance with a Special 40 lap affair, The Budweiser “Ground-Pounding” Modifieds will be letting it all hang-out to become the 1st ever victor of the “Roper Family Classic” in a 54 lap event as the drivers will honor Fair Grove’s 1st family of area Racing. The always exciting Coca-Cola Chargers will decide their 2014 title chase with a feature event and then take to the “High-Banks” in the 1st ever Barrel race at I-44. Drivers will have to slow it down while going around an obstacle barrel in a complete circle with a special Trophy and some extra money compliments of the Bumblebee Racing team of Rogersville while the Keyser Manufacturing Road Warriors settle their 2014 season and title chase.

 

The special 54 lap distance for the Budweiser Modifieds will crown the 2014 Champion as Fair Grove’s Stephen Counterman holds a slim 28 point margin over veteran and 3 time Late Model Champion Tim Swearengin of Springfield. Counterman, coming off a rough 2013 season has rebounded strong this year and has lead the points since week 3 while Swearengin has made a return to the racing scene after an absence of over 10 seasons. Willard’s Richard Lewis is trying to hold on to the 3rd place spot as 6-time feature winner Ricky Icenhower is hot on his bumper. Defending Champion Tyler Scott ran a very limited schedule this season as the competition level for the “Ground-Pounders” was at a high in 2014.  

 

The Coca-Cola Charger Championship is still very much up in the air as St. James driver Jason Walls is hanging on to a 17 point lead over 2013 Champion Jimmy Poindexter of Willard with all of the drivers inside the top 6 close enough to either move-up a spot or hang on to their positions. The Chargers have delighted the fans all season long as 6 different drivers have grabbed feature wins.

 

For the O’Reilly Auto Parts Pro Late Models, Mexico’s” Special K” Kaleb Allison has steadily improved on his 2013 rookie season. Allison will be crowned as the youngest Pro Late Model Champion in Lebanon I-44 Speedway history replacing 2013 Champion Cole Williams who won at the age of 18. Allison at 15 years of age has yet to be out of the top 4 in the Championship Chase this entire 2014 season. Allison has followed William’s record to date by completing every lap offered to the Pro Late Models in 2014. The battle for 3rd place is tight as Wildwood’s 14 year old Speedster Kyle Donahue holds the spot, but Brennon Willard of Sleeper, Terry Limberopoulos of Cuba and veteran Steve Holt of Springfield all have one last chance to take that position away. The Pro Late Models have featured 8 different winners this season as Stoutland’s JC Newell leads the win column with 4 wins. A crash in the heat race last week cost “The Stoutland Rocket” a shot at the 2014 Championship. With 50 laps on the agenda, several teams will be gearing-up for the season finale.

 

Monster Energy Sportsman 2014 Champion Paul Jepsen of Rolla will attempt to be the only driver to win in double digits as the 9 time winner has rebounded from a tough 2013 season in the Modifieds. The latter part of the season, Jepsen has had the 2013 Road Warrior Champion, Justin Blake show great improvement to climb into third in points while points runner-up JC Newell hopes to have his new car ready for the long distance event. Jake Piel will be ready to challenge along with Kansas City veteran Ronnie Hartford, Aaron Douglas and others as the car count is expected to be strong.

 

Exeter’s Carl Harlow will lead a strong field of Keyser Manufacturing Road Warriors to their final event of the season as Geoff Ledford will look for his 4th win of the season and points runner-up Les Mallard will be attempting for win number his second feature of 2014. The real battle is for 3rd place through 6th spot with Michael Juergensen, Tony Johnson, Nick Cherry and Ledford are all within a few points of each other. Adding to the mix are former champion Mike Scott along with the recent strong performance of Riley Sharp and others that will provide for an interesting final feature.

 

The Baby Grands will also make their final appearance of 2014 and there are several rumors of some area legend cars joining in to make for a great event.  

 

Monster Energy Grandstand and Budweiser Party Deck gates along with the Budweiser “Wildside” Tier parking will open at 5PM while cars will already be on the track practicing. Racing begins at 6PM Sharp with Qualifying for the Modifieds for the Inaugural Roper Family Classic and heats to follow.

 

Admission is only $10 for Adults in the Grandstand with discounts for Military and Senior’s while kids 11-15 are only $4 with kids 10 and under FREE. Tier parking admission is only $15 for Adults with discounts for Military and Seniors while kids 11-15 are $7 and 10 and under FREE. Take advantage of the 6-pack special which is $75 for 6 Adults in the same vehicle.

 

I-44 Speedway PR

Speedway Digest Staff
Follow Me
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)
Post Views: 58