Shirley takes coveted Larry Phillips Memorial race win
By Dusty Luthy - PR Director, I-44 Speedway

LEBANON, MO. (Sept. 23, 2006) - Brian Shirley looked like a regular at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway this weekend. He cruised to a Late Model heat race victory and a trophy-dash feature win on Friday. Then he capped off his strong runs by taking the trophy home from the Larry Phillips Memorial race on Saturday night.

But Shirley's car isn't a familiar number at the track and he hasn't even been so much as a visitor. Shirley came to Lebanon for the first time in his career and went back to his home in Chatham, Ill. $10,000 richer.

Shirley is perfect on the MARS circuit, winning three features this season. Two of those features, including Saturday night, were MARS-UMP Challenge races.

Shirley started the Late Model MARS-UMP Challenge feature of the 4th Annual Fall Shootout on the pole. Terry Phillips started in the second position, but finished the feature a disappointing third.

Phillips, of Springfield, was undoubtedly the crowd favorite and one of the top contenders of the evening. Phillips has several amazing finishes and wins under his career belt, but winning the race named in honor of his father is a title he has yet to grasp.

"We just weren't very good," Phillips said. "We missed it. We always seem to be a little tight here, and we worked on freeing it up, and I got it too loose. I'll figure it out one of these days I guess."

Rounding out the starting five in the 24-car field were Billy James, of Sikeston, Bill Frye, of Greenbrier, Ark. and Jeff Floyd, of Walnut Ridge, Ark.

Shirley held the lead flag to flag, stretching out his lead on Phillips and by lap 20 of the 50-lap feature, had nearly a straightaway lead on him.

Steve Rushin, of Poplar Bluff, started the feature ninth and by lap 10, had taken the fourth place spot. Three laps later, James, after fading three spots from his start, went high on the track around Rushin. James finished fifth after Wendell Wallace, of Batesville, passed him for a fourth place finish.

Lapped traffic played havoc on Phillips, allowing Frye to close the gap after biding his time patiently in the third position. On the 28th lap, Frye began his run, choosing the inside to go side by side with Phillips in turns one and two and the back stretch.

Phillips, who was still strong in turns three and four, was able to hold Frye off for a few more laps, but it wasn't enough. Frye took second on lap 32 where he finished 18 laps later.

Only three drivers currently hold Late Model titles in the four years of the Fall Shootout: Frye holds two, Wallace holds another and Shirley can now write his name in the record book.

Late Model notes: Phillips lapped teammate Jeremy Payne, of Springfield, on the inside on lap 24. Payne, a Tucson, Ariz. native, has two victories in 10 Late Model starts this season, including the weekend's two features...Jack Sullivan, of Greenbrier, Ark., had secured a 17th position starting spot, but was unable to fire during parade laps and missed the feature...the 50-lap main feature was run without a single caution.

Terry Beckham Jr. knows how to win when it counts. Beckham won the $1,500 Modified feature Saturday night, his second at the track of the season. Beckham previously won the $1,500 purse for the Modified Fall Nationals race.

Beckham's luck seems to be changing after coming up short in several features this season.

"It was a good night," Beckham said. "We've run several big shows here lately and I've tried some different suspensions and I've finally got back to something I'm familiar with and I like."

Beckham won first in his heat race, passing four cars to sit on the pole for the feature. Starting to his outside was heat race one winner Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon. Steve Martin, of Ozark, started third and Erik Maggard, out of Republic, won heat race two and started fourth.

Cutshaw, who was the Modified season win-leader with 11 victories, drove his new Allen Autosports car for the first time, bringing home a second-place finish. The car had been driven in two previous races by crew member Brent Greenstreet, but Cutshaw needed to work some kinks out of the car himself.

"The race was good," Cutshaw said. "We got the car finally dialed in a little closer, the car worked good. We'd been fighting it a little bit, but it worked pretty good tonight. We worked on it all day long."

Starting sixth, Cutshaw initially drove the inside groove of the track where he is normally very smooth and comfortable. But after seeing positions weren't to be gained on the bottom, he took his car to the top and came charging.

Cutshaw was able to get close to race-leader Beckham, but just didn't have enough time to make it to first.

"It's kind of odd to see Terry on the bottom and me running up the middle or on the top," Cutshaw said. "The lap cars kind of cost us a little bit, but that's a part of racing. We'll take second and be happy with it."

Saturday night's race was the last time fans could see Beckham run locally this season - he said his next races will include runs in Kansas City and USMTS races before the end of the season.

Beckham said these larger wins are a great way to begin winding down a season.

"Going into the winter with a couple of victories," he said. "It kind of gives you a leg up on the beginning of next year."

Jim Reaves, of Springfield, won the Factory Stock feature after starting on the pole. Burl Woods started to his outside, but finished third after Kevin Brown passed him for second. Brown started 15th in the feature after qualifying through the B feature.

Lake Mooneyham and Bobby Maggard Jr. encountered contact on the first lap, sending Maggard to the pits and Mooneyham tailback for the feature. Mooneyham was able to make it back up to a 7th place finish.

David Hendrix was unable to get his car running after heat race problems from Friday, but still raced and finished fifth. Good friend and fellow Factory Stock driver Lonnie Henderson gave up his car to Hendrix to allow him to race.

Jordan Holloway had a stellar finish as well. Holloway started the feature 17th after qualifying through the B feature to take fourth place.

James Flood won the Super Stock feature, his first at I-44 Speedway this season. Flood battled for second with Mike Joplin and Steve Morton for the majority of the race, before race-leader Josh Woody was spun in turn two, allowing room for Flood to run for the lead.

Twenty DLRA All-State Legends raced for the $1,000 top prize. Eric Barth, out of Sauk City, Wisconsin, won the feature, leading it flag to flag.

The Bomber class saw another driver win for the first time in his class for the season. Dean Hensler, out of Springfield, won the feature after starting third. Hensler began the season in the Rookie division, but won 10 races during the season and was automatically bumped up to the Bomber class.

Notes:

A four-wheeler was given away after the Legends feature. Fans had the opportunity to purchase a chance to win the four-wheeler, with all proceeds going to the Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome foundation to promote awareness of sudden death-related illnesses. The four-wheeler was sponsored in part by Lebanon Suzuki-Kawasaki.

Driver banquet

The 2006 racing season driver's banquet is scheduled for Nov. 5 at the Mills Center in Lebanon. All fans and drivers are invited to attend. Drivers must be present to receive their points funds.

Lebanon I-44 Speedway wishes to thank all fans, drivers, staff and sponsors for the dedication and support for the 2006 racing season. Special thanks go to points fund sponsor Central Bank of Lebanon.


Results

( * indicates raced Saturday night only, qualifying through a B feature or a draw-in)

MARS/UMP Late Model

Heat 1

1. Billy James
2. Jeff Taylor
3. Jesse Stovall
4. Christian Rayburn
5. Dustin Mooneyham
6. Matt Miller
7. Tony Jackson Jr.
8. Jason Bodenhamer
9. Darrin Barton



Heat 2

1. Scott Drake
2. Tim Manville
3. Dennis Erb
4. Denny Woodworth
5. Al Purkey
6. Justin Wells
7. Shane Essary
8. Jack Sullivan
9. Dane Dacus



Heat 3

1. Randy Korte
2. Bill Frye
3. Terry Phillips
4. Joey Mack
5. Will Vaught
6. Michael Kloos
7. Bryan Collins
8. Chris Smyser
9. Larry Jones



Heat 4

1. Brian Shirley
2. Jeremy Payne
3. Jeff Floyd
4. Wendell Wallace
5. Steve Rushin
6. Jordan Jones
7. Mark Voigt
8. Reid Millard
9. Brandon McCormick



Qualifying feature (top 10 are locked in at those positions for the 50-lap main feature, the second 10 start the B features)

1. Brian Shirley
2. Terry Phillips
3. Billy James
4. Bill Frye
5. Jeff Floyd
6. Dennis Erb
7. Wendell Wallace
8. Randy Korte
9. Steve Rushin
10. Joey Mack
11. Jesse Stovall
12. Scott Drake
13. Jeremy Payne
14. Jeff Taylor
15. Tim Manville
16. Al Purkey
17. Dustin Mooneyham
18. Christian Rayburn
19. Denny Woodworth
20. Will Vaught



Main feature

1. Brian Shirley
2. Bill Frye
3. Terry Phillips
4. Wendell Wallace
5. Billy James
6. Dennis Erb
7. Steve Rushin
8. Will Vaught
9. Joey Mack
10. Jeff Taylor
11. Randy Korte
12. Dane Dacus
13. Jeff Floyd
14. Jesse Stovall
15. Justin Wells
16. Al Purkey
17. Jeremy Payne
18. Scott Drake
19. Bryan Collins
20. Tim Manville
21. Michael Kloos
22. Brandon McCormick
23. Denny Woodworth

DNS Jack Sullivan



Modified

Heat 1

1. Tony Jackson Jr.
2. Justin Neuman
3. Jimmy Willis
4. Rick Brown
5. Tony Fatino
6. Sam Petty
7. Michael Jones



Heat 2

1. Erik Maggard
2. Steve Martin
3. Christopher Moon
4. Keith Branson
5. Justin Moon
6. Craig Rush

DNS Jesse Stovall



Heat 3

1. Terry Beckham Jr.
2. Jeff Cutshaw
3. Brent Greenstreet
4. David Holder
5. Marvin Forrest
6. Bob Hopkins
7. Fred Liles
8. Brian Brown



Feature

1. Terry Beckham
2. Jeff Cutshaw
3. Steve Martin
4. Tony Jackson Jr.
5. Justin Neuman
6. Rick Brown
7. David Holder
8. Tony Fatino
9. Marvin Forrest
10. Erik Maggard
11. Brent Greenstreet
12. Jimmy Willis
13. Christopher Moon
14. Keith Branson
15. Larry Tindle*
16. Justin Moon
17. Fred Liles
18. Brian Brown
19. Bob Hopkins
20. Sam Petty
21. Michael Jones



Legends results unavailable at this time



Factory Stock

Heat 1

1. Burl Woods
2. Bobby Maggard Jr.
3. Derek Brown
4. Chad Smith
5. Kevin Crider
6. Justin Grindstaff
7. Keith Cheever



Heat 2

1. Lake Mooneyham
2. Jim Reaves
3. John Coats
4. Brian Monnahan
5. Lonnie Henderson
6. Tim Ellis
7. David Hendrix
8. Bud Pursley



Feature

1. Jim Reaves
2. Kevin Brown*
3. Burl Woods
4. Jordan Holloway*
5. David Hendrix
6. Rick Lebow*
7. Lake Mooneyham
8. Derrick Peterson*
9. Derek Brown
10. Dave Bentlage*
11. James Ellis*
12. Jesse Shearin*
13. Chad Smith
14. Kevin Crider
15. Tim Ellis
16. Brian Monnahan
17. John Coats
18. Justin Grindstaff
19. Bobby Maggard Jr.



Super Stock

Heat 1

1. Mike Joplin
2. James Flood
3. Steve Morton
4. Jeff Scroggins
5. Bill Schaar

DNS Ted Ballinger



Heat 2

1. Josh Woody
2. Tim Ballinger
3. Mike Mitchell
4. Jamie Petty
5. Sam Petty



Feature

1. James Flood
2. Steve Morton
3. Mike Joplin
4. Jeff Scroggins
5. Ben Newell*
6. J.C. Newell*
7. Travis Hill*
8. Clinton Betts*
9. Josh Woody
10. Trent Harrison*
11. Bill Schaar
12. Tim Ballinger
13. Jamie Petty
14. Mike Mitchell
15. Ferrill Moore*
16. Sam Petty
17. Ted Ballinger



Bomber

Heat 1

1. Landen Johnson
2. Robert White
3. Tyler Brown
4. J.C. Morton
5. Dennis Harmon
6. Josh Lewis

DNS Tony Schmitt



Heat 2

1. Jason Huey
2. Matt Cates
3. Joe Francis
4. John West
5. Donnie Jackson
6. Pat Lubbock



Heat 3

1. Dean Hensler
2. Brandon Pister
3. Kevin Morrison
4. James Scroggins
5. Richard Talley
6. Jason Goring



Feature

1. Dean Hensler
2. Landen Johnson
3. Tyler Brown
4. J.C. Morton
5. Matt Cates
6. Joe Francis
7. Brandon Pister
8. Donnie Jackson
9. Jason Huey
10. Michael Merritt*
11. Pat Lubbock
12. Corey Pope*
13. Kevin Morrison
14. Richard Talley
15. James Scroggins
16. Dennis Harmon
17. Larry Andrus*
18. Josh Lewis
19. Kelly Bremer*
20. John West