An Outsider Wins at Our Town

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2013 NASCAR Missouri State Division One and Lebanon I-44 Speedway Track Champion Cole Williams lived up to his nickname “The Hurrying Hoosier” by taking the lead from Kevin Donahue on lap three and dominated the O’Reilly Auto Parts Pro Late Model feature Saturday Night at The “High-Banks” of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway to collect his second feature win of the season at Missouri’s only NASCAR active and sanctioned asphalt oval.
 
Before the large crowd on the Lebanon Chamber Of Commerce Our Town Your Town Celebration Night, it took three attempts to get the first lap recorded as the tightly competitive field took the green. On the first start it was quickly 3 wide with the action taking veteran competitor Terry Limberopolous going for a wild ride over turn 1 and rode the wall around ending his night early with severe damage to his car. On the second start there was contact to the #67 of Jimmy Vanzandt ending his night with front-end damage while others tried to get around. Scotty Allen also suffered damage and pitted to repair before returning to action. As the field took the green again, it was Josh Woody and Payton Lucas leading early as Kevin Donahue quickly made a strong move to get around both to lead the opening lap while Williams followed quickly. This spirited battle lasted 2 laps until Williams took the lead on lap 3 as the feature went caution free the rest of the night. With Williams and Donahue breaking away from the pack, the race for third place featured many different changes as Brian Brown, Kyle Donahue, Kaleb Allison, point leader JC Newell and Steve Holt were bunched tight. By lap 10, Kyle Donahue and Newell had broken away in the race for third and began to close on Kevin Donahue for the runner-up spot as Williams had opened-up a 12 car length advantage. While Williams had things well in hand, there was 2 different packs battling as Donahue and Newell were closing quickly and the race for fifth involved Allison, Holt and Tony Jackson Jr. coming from the rear while making his first start of the season. On lap 27, Kyle Donahue made the pass around older brother Kevin to secure the runner-up spot. Following Williams and Kyle Donahue to the line were Kevin Donahue, Newell and Allison as 12 of the 16 starters finished on the lead lap.
 
Budweiser Modified driver Ricky Icenhower with stood a lap 21 caution to capture his 6th win of the season in tuning-up for Thursday nights Roper Family Classic. Lebanon’s Chris Johnson jumped to the opening lead as Icenhower followed quickly. After a spirited 4 lap battle, Icenhower was finally able to get around Johnson as point leader Tim Swearengin and last week’s winner Stephen Counterman were moving forward quickly. Counterman was able to get by Johnson on lap 10 and was slowly closing the gap on the leader Icenhower. The only caution of the feature flew on lap 21 as 4th place running Richard Lewis had a tire go flat causing him to collide with his father Brian Lewis sending both off turn 1. Richard changed the tire and returned to action as Brian’s night was finished. The restart helped Ricky as during the long green run he was starting to lose forward bite as the right rear tire was getting over-heated and the caution allowed that tire to cool back down. Counterman couldn’t do anything for the lad as Icenhower takes the win with Counterman, early leader Johnson, Todd Lauvray and Swearengin completing the top 5. Swearengin still has not had a finish in 2015 out of the top 5.  
 
For 2012 Sportsman Champion Little JC Newell a very tight battle with Grandfather JC Newell Sr. for 5 hard laps netted the third generation driver his forth Sportsman feature of the season in a feature which saw 3 different leaders and tight action. Jim Fohn grabbed the opening lead with Jake Piel close behind. By lap 3, point leader Big JC Newell moved into the runner-up spot and closed-up the gap. After a spirited battle which took the younger Newell onto the exit road off of turn two twice, Newell Sr. finally took the lead on lap 8 as little Newell had quietly moved into the back of the battle. This race up front went back and forth until lap 13 when the younger Newell took over. Two laps later Newell Sr. started to again close the gap but began to run out of laps. Following the Newell 1-2 finish were Aaron Douglas, early leader Fohn and Ben Newell completing the top 5.
 
Current Hoosier Street Stock point leader Jordan Nisbett took advantage of a lap three caution to get around leader Chris Johnson to take his 4th win of the season in another action packed feature. Chris Johnson took the opening lead from the outside front row as Nisbett started outside of row three. By lap two Nisbett broke away from a tight pack of cars. On the restart following the lap three caution, Nisbett shot to the high groove as he and Johnson went door to door while Zack Morgan, Steve Shaw and Rick Sharp were swapping spots directly behind them. While Nisbett took the lead, Morgan began to put pressure on Johnson as Shaw and Sharp and last week’s winner David Douglas were in tow. On lap six Morgan moved into second place but on lap 8 the car got loose as Johnson regained second while Shaw who had started 11th tonight moved into third spot. Nisbett would go untouched the last half of the feature leaving a great race for second place. In the final five laps the race for second involved 5 cars as Morgan charged back to take the position on lap thirteen as Shaw moved around Johnson the following lap. Nisbett grabbed the win, Morgan, Shaw early leader Johnson and Douglas completed the top 5.
 
Another exciting finish for the Coca-Cola Chargers as current point’s runner-up Jimmy Poindexter ran down early leader Jason Walls and then held back point leader Ben White to take his third feature of the season. Walls the 2014 Champion quickly jumped to the lead from his pole position spot as Poindexter quickly moved from fifth to second as White followed through the pack. The caution free feature was fast paced as Walls saw the quick lead begin to close. On lap three Poindexter shot to the high-side leaving Walls and White to battle. For the next 5 laps Walls and White ran bumper to bumper and then door to door before White moved into second place on lap eight and started to close on Poindexter. In the closing laps, White tried to get around the leader but Poindexter was to strong tonight as White, Walls, Nik Taylor and last week’s winner Jesse Poindexter completed the top five.
 
Up next at I-44 will be a special Thursday night Aug. 13th event as The 2nd Annual Roper Family Classic featuring NASCAR’s Kenny Wallace and all 5 NASCAR classes with the Budweiser Modifieds competing in a 54 lap feature.

I-44 Speedway PR

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