Looney takes Late Models, Picou wins Modifieds
By Dusty Luthy

LEBANON, Mo. (May 20, 2006) - The Lebanon I-44 Speedway escaped the darkening rain clouds in the area, giving out six more trophies for the weekly points races Saturday night.

Brad Looney of Republic won the Late Model feature after starting the $1,000 to-win event on the pole. Looney's season may be back on its way up after having motor problems.

"We just never give up," Looney said. "We got down, had a little bit of motor trouble. My team, we're all winners. We don't want to give up. We don't want to give this to the guys that race here every week, so we just keep working hard and when you got as good a ride as this, we need to be up front."

Following Looney in the feature, Kyle Steffens of St. Charles ran second and Christian Rayburn of Camdenton picked up third.

The two seem to have a good working relationship: Steffens drives Rayburn's second car and in turn, Steffens helps out with a little experience.

"He's been kind of showing me the ropes on things that I haven't been able to click right on my racing," Rayburn said.

In only his third time out in Rayburn's car, Steffens is moving up in finishes after finishing the previous week's Late Model race in 16th place.

"I had one of the best car builders set my car up," Steffens said. "We had a good motor and all-out good combination - a good team of guys. I was on tonight; I had good confidence and everything kind of set in place."

That car builder Steffens is talking about is famous Late Model car builder C.J. Rayburn of Indiana. C.J. Rayburn came to Missouri to see his son, Christian, graduate from Camdenton High School.

"Everything went real good," C.J. Rayburn said. "I guess we're about as good as we could be. We had a good race; I felt like we won."

Rayburn's name was honored well as three of 14 Late Models bore his stamp - all three finishing in the top five for the evening. Larry Jones drove the third Rayburn car and finished fifth.

Dave Ware of Springfield finished fourth.

After the race, C.J. Rayburn was at Looney's hauler talking things over.

"I'm just picking his brain," Looney said. "And he's giving me an education and I'm all ears. He's educated me about race cars and it's just nice to talk to him. It's a privilege to have him at the races when you win."

Steve Picou of High Ridge won his first Modified victory at I-44 Speedway. After racing at the track for three seasons, he said the win has been a long time in coming

"It feels awesome," Picou said. "We've been so close so many times and so many top threes. It's just been frustrating. We had a really good car last week for USMTS, got in a fender bender wreck and tore it up pretty good, so it feels really good to come back the week after and win."

Picou started the feature on the pole, followed by Rex Merritt of Billings, Jeff Cutshaw of Cross Timbers, Steve Martin of Willard and Justin Neuman of Crocker. The top five starters kept their positions until Cutshaw was able to use the lap traffic on lap six to get past Merritt.

Cutshaw then has his sights set on the leader, going several laps side by side, but Picou was able to fend him off for the win. Merritt, Neuman and Jamie Ragland of Lebanon filled out the top five.

The Factory Stock feature was stacked with talent, as always. David Hendrix of Buckhorn won the feature, starting on the pole with Lake Mooneyham of Republic on his outside.

Hendrix and Mooneyham battled door to door with Mooneyham taking the lead on lap five after a dash to the inside off of turns three and four. On the very next lap, Mooneyham got too high into the cushion, allowing Hendrix to take back the lead. Mooneyham then spun on lap seven and was sent tailback.

"It was a good race," Hendrix said. "You can't get any better than that. I don't really like starting on the pole, I feel like you're a sitting duck up there."

Hendrix said his only complaint was the tight set-up on his car.

"It was so loose last week that I just knew I was going to spin out every lap," Hendrix said, "and I about did and hit the wall, and everything else so we tightened it up this week and the track didn't get as slick as it did last week."

Burl Woods of Springfield came in second in the Factory Stock feature, followed by Lonnie Henderson of Lebanon, Kenny Carroll of Osage Beach and Chad Smith of Lebanon.

In the Super Stocks, Josh Woody of Waynesville hit the wall, ending his night. Ben Newell of Stoutland was able to secure the win, and the Super Stock points lead.

Brian Monnahan won the Bomber feature and Dean Hensler won the Rookie class.


RESULTS

Late Model
Heat 1
1. 14 Brad Looney
2. 1 Christian Rayburn
3. 42 Brandon McCormick
4. 71 Jason Meadors
5. 112 Dairan Hendricks
6. 20 Darrell Mooneyham

Heat 2
1. 55 Dave Ware
2. 1s Kyle Steffens
3. 99 Larry Jones
4. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
5. 4a Danny Atkinson
6. 75 Shannon Anastosopolis
7. 60 Darrin Barton
8. 51 Donnie Gemes

Feature
1. 14 Brad Looney
2. 1s Kyle Steffens
3. 1 Christian Rayburn
4. 55 Dave Ware
5. 99 Larry Jones
6. 42 Brandon McCormick
7. 112 Dairan Hendricks
8. 51 Donnie Gemes
9. 02 Dustin Mooneyham
10. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
11. 75 Shannon Anastosopolis
12. 4a Danny Atkinson
DNS 71 Jason Meadors, 60 Darrin Barton

Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 00z Steve Picou
2. 21m Steve Martin
3. 14n Justin Neuman
4. 15r Jamie Ragland
5. 47 Corey Simpson

Heat 2
1. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
2. 25 Rex Merritt
3. 11 Jimmy Willis
4. 59 Jimmy Bellamy
5. 23 Mookie Cunningham
6. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.

Feature
1. 00z Steve Picou
2. 98 Jeff Cutshaw
3. 25 Rex Merritt
4. 14n Justin Neuman
5. 15r Jamie Ragland
6. 59 Jimmy Bellamy
7. 11 Jimmy Willis
8. 21m Steve Martin
9. 47 Corey Simpson
10. 23 Mookie Cunningham
DNS 118 Terry Beckham Jr.


Factory Stock
Heat 1
1. 54h David Hendrix
2. 76 Lonnie Henderson
3. 37 Derrick Peterson
4. 26 Burl Woods
5. 54r Doug Rich
6. 5a Rich Allen
7. 87 Justin Stoufer
8. 94 Kenny Carroll

Heat 2
1. 5 Lake Mooneyham
2. 42 Robert Rydeen
3. 25 Chad Smith
4. 117 Shawn Danuser
5. 83 Tim Riffle
6. 03 Tim Ellis

Feature
1. 54h David Hendrix
2. 26 Burl Woods
3. 76 Lonnie Henderson
4. 94 Kenny Carroll
5. 25 Chad Smith
6. 83 Tim Riffle
7. 54r Doug Rich
8. 5 Lake Mooneyham
9. 117 Shawn Danuser
10. 42 Robert Rydeen
11. 37 Derrick Peterson
12. 03 Tim Ellis
13. 5a Rich Allen
DNS 87 Justin Stoufer

Super Stock
Heat 1
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 8 Jeff Scroggins
3. 83 Ben Newell
4. h77 Randy Hill
5. 29 Jeff Kinsley
6. 10 Brent Bartgis
7. t10 Rick Brown
8. 14 Tim Ballinger
9. 17t Ted Ballinger

Feature
1. 83 Ben Newell
2. 8 Jeff Scroggins
3. 17t Ted Ballinger
4. 14 Tim Ballinger
5. h77 Randy Hill
6. 29 Jeff Kinsley
7. 10 Brent Bartgis
8. 21 Josh Woody
DNS t10 Rick Brown

Bomber
Heat 1
1. 23 Jason Huey
2. 7 Brandon Pister
3. 9 Darrin Crisler
4. 43s Jeff Soper
5. 12 Lance Shenberger
6. 244 Richard Talley
DNS t10 Tyler Brown

Heat 2
1. 68 Brian Monnahan
2. 8s Josh Soper
3. 32 Joe Francis
4. 3 Michael St. Clair
5. 4 Dusty Rhoads
6. 15 Sheldon Stoufer
DNS 42 Donnie Jackson

Feature
1. 68 Brian Monnahan
2. 23 Jason Huey
3. 4 Dusty Rhoads
4. 9 Darrin Crisler
5. 32 Joe Francis
6. 43s Jeff Soper
7. t10 Tyler Brown
8. 7 Brandon Pister
9. 8s Josh Soper
10. 3 Michael St. Clair
11. 13 Lance Shenberger
12. 15 Sheldon Stoufer
DNS 244 Richard Talley, 42 Donnie Jackson


Rookie
Heat 1
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 15 Colby McClain
3. 22g Grant Sharp
4. 7 Bob Anthony
5. 17b James Grindstaff

Heat 2
1. 7r Rich Reynolds
2. 6 J.C. Morton
3. 7L Josh Lewis
4. 14 Tim Ballinger
5. 45 Lee Quick

Feature
1. 9 Dean Hensler
2. 7L Josh Lewis
3. 7r Rich Reynolds
4. 14 Tim Ballinger
5. 6 J.C. Morton
6. 15 Colby McClain
7. 7 Bob Anthony
8. 17b James Grindstaff
9. 45 Lee Quick
10. 22g Grant Sharp