I-44 Speedway sees McCormick, Picou feature winners Saturday night
by: Andrew McNaughton

LEBANON, MO. (May 20) - Brandon McCormick captured his first victory of the season at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday night in a hard fought battle with Larry Jones and 2006 Track Champion Brad Looney. McCormick was thrilled to capture his first win of the year. He had changed his chasis prior to the beginning of the 2007 season.

"It feels good to get one in this Rayburn racecar," said the race winner.

McCormick was running in third behind Looney and Jones about halfway through the 20-lap feature, when Jones dove to the inside of leader Looney coming off of turn 4, and the two cars got stuck together. McCormick took the outside line and passed the two crashing cars.

"I picked the right line that time," McCormick said about what turned out to be the wining pass, though he would have to hold off a hard charge by Jones in the closing laps before taking the checkered.

Looney's night was one he will likely want to forget, after crashing out in an accident with Jones in the Late Model feature while in the lead, and then later wrecking in the Pro-4 feature.

Meanwhile, it was another week and another feature winner for the Modifieds at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday.

Steve Picou, who travels 130 miles from High Ridge to race at the I-44 Speedway, lead much of the 20-lap feature before yielding the lead to Beckham. Beckham Jr. dropped out of the race due to mechanical problems, and Picou was able to stay ahead of Jackson Jr. and capture his first win of the 2007.

"I'd rather be lucky than good, so it paid off tonight," said the humble Picou about his thrilling win. He and his father build there own engines, and it certainly had plenty of power Saturday night.

Picou says he loves racing at the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway: "There are a lot of tracks a lot closer to home, but i love it here, it's awesome."

The B-Mods proved again Saturday night that this new class was a worthy addition to the Lebanon I-44 Speedway program for the 2007 season.

Jason Otto was leading when Jim Hayes hit him hard from behind, wrecking Otto's car, and opening the door for Shawn Nations to get around the two cars, and capture the victory.

"I've had some bad luck here the past couple of weeks," Nations said after the race. "I just wanted to win. I thought i was going to lose it but i got around them."

Nations had spent the previous night and much of Saturday morning repairing his B-Mod, after a Friday night wreck. In the end, only three cars in the field finished the B-Mod race.

Robert Reeves stayed ahead of a competitive Bomber field, including a late charge by last week's winner Landon Johnson.

"I could see his nose coming in there," Reeves said about racing Johnson. "He drove me clean there, it was good racing."

In other racing action Saturday night, it was a near-case of deja vu as last week's winner Christ Jackson worked to get around leader Jordon Holloway in the Factory Stock feature, but Holloway was not going to let history repeat itself this week. He kept Jackson at bay and took the checkered. The Rookie feature saw Rich Reynolds steal a win from leader Josh Sheppard, who spun on the final lap of the 12-lap feature.

The Pro-4's were back in action at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, and this time, 2006 Track Champion Brad Looney tried his hand at the class. Looney, after having his troubles in the Late Model feature, shot to second place after starting in the rear of the field, but tore up his car after spinning onto the infield off of turn 4. Lonnie Muhlbauer finished first ahead of Don Lacey and Dustin Bass.

Mark your calendars for June 2, when the MARS Outlaw Late Models return to the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway. Coming up this Saturday night, the Lebanon I-44 Speedway hosts their regular weekly show, featuring Late Model, Modified, Factory Stock, B-Mod, Bomber, and Rookie classes. Gates open at 5PM; Hot Laps at 6:45PM; and Racing starts at 7:30PM at the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, off interstate exit 135.

ALL DATES & SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR MORE INFO CONTACT RANDY MOONEYHAM 417.732.2766


Lebanon I-44 Speedway Results 5-19-07 --

Late Model

Feature (20 laps):
1. 42 Brandon McCormick, Lebanon; 2. 99 Larry Jones, Lebanon; 3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham, Aurora; 4. 20 Darrell Mooneyham; 5. 113 Cecil Brown; 6. Y8 Shorty Acker, Windsor; 7. 23L Bill Laffollett, Kansas City; 8. 14L Brad Looney, Republic; 9. 23 Brett Laffollett, Kansas City; 10. 7W Trace Westling, Fulton; 11. 66 Burl Woods.

Heat 1 (10 laps):
1. 14L Brad Looney, Republic; 2. 42 Brandon McCormick, Lebanon; 3. 02 Dustin Mooneyham, Aurora; 4. Y8 Shorty Acker, Windsor; 5. 7W Trace Westling, Fulton; 6. 66 Burl Woods.

Heat 2 (10 laps):
1. 99 Larry Jones, Lebanon; 2. 20 Darrell Mooneyham; 3. 23 Brett Laffollett, Kansas City; 4. 113 Cecil Brown; 5. 23L Bill Laffollett, Kansas City.


A Modified

Feature Results (20 laps):
1. 0 Steve Picou, High Ridge; 2. 56 Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon; 3. 21M Steve Martin, Nixa; 4. 15R Jamie Ragland, Lebanon; 5. 23L Brett Laffollett, Kansas City; 6. 21 Tracy Wolf; 7. 87 Jack Jones, Lebanon; 8. 11 Jimmy Willis, Macks Creek; 9. 11W Don Luna, Lebanon; 10. 118 Terry Beckham, Jr., Joplin; 11. 88 Brandon Linnebur; 12. 99 Rustin Miller; 13. 14 Justin Neuman, Crocker; 14. 23 Mookie Cunningham; 15. 47 Corey Simspon; 16. 79 Kit Gaynor; 17. 54 David Hendrix, Buckhorn.

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 0 Steve Picou, High Ridge; 2. 23L Brett Laffollett, Kansas City; 3. 23 Mookie Cunningham; 4. 21W Tracy Wolf; 5. 11 Jimmy Willis, Macks Creek; 6. 88 Brandon Linnebur; 7. 99 Rustin Miller; 8. 54 David Hendrix, Buckhorn; 9. 47 Corey Simspon.

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 118 Terry Beckham, Jr., Joplin; 2. 56 Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon; 3. 21M Steve Martin, Nixa; 4. 14 Justin Neuman, Crocker; 5. 15R Jamie Ragland, Lebanon; 6. 87 Jack Jones, Lebanon; 7. 11W Don Luna, Lebanon; 8. 79 Kit Gaynor.


Factory Stock

Feature Results (15 laps):
1. 21 Jordan Holloway, Monett; 2. 65 Chris Jackson, Lebanon; 3. 1 Tim Brown, Stoutland; 4. 11B Derrick Brown, Stoutland; 5. 27 Devon Wollansky, Ozark; 6. M18 Farrell Mansfield; 7. 11S Steve Schultz, Lebanon; 8. 76 Lonnie Henderson, Lebanon.

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. Devon Wollansky, Ozark; 2. 11B Derrick Brown, Stoutland; 3. 11S Steve Schultz, Lebanon; 4. 1 Tim Brown, Stoutland.

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 21 Jordan Holloway, Monett; 2. 65 Chris Jackson, Lebanon; 3. M18 Farrell Mansfield; 4. 63 Pat Lubbock, Lebanon.


B Modified

Feature Results (12 laps):
1. 14 Shawn Nations, Macks Creek; 2. 37 Derrick Peterson, Lebanon; 3. 001 Rich Webber; 4. 19P Corey Pritchard; 5. 14H Jim Hayes, Crocker; 6. 00 Matt Brookshire, Jerome; 7. 8 Jason Otto, Richland; 8. 21 Josh Woody, Buckhorn; 9. T10 Tyler Brown, Richland; 10. 18 Trent Harrison, Crocker.

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 00 Matt Brookshire, Jerome; 2. 14 Shawn Nations, Macks Creek; 3. 37 Derrick Peterson, Lebanon; 4. 19P Corey Pritchard; 5. 21 Josh Woody, Buckhorn.

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 18 Trent Harrison, Crocker; 2. 8 Jason Otto, Richland; 3. T10 Tyler Brown, Richland; 4. 001 Rich Webber.


Bomber

Feature Results (12 laps):
1. 6 Robert Reeves, Camdenton; 2. 21 Landon Johnson, Lynchburg; 3. 32 Joe Francis, Lebanon; 4. 64 Shawn Winfrey, Lebanon; 5. 14 Shawn Strong; 6. T10 Tyler Brown; 7. 70 Patrick West; 8. 7P Brandon Pister, Rogersville; 9. 77 Lance Bahnmiller; 10. 67 David Wade; 11. 11 Brandon Bennett; 12. 8 Cody Harmon.

Heat 1 (6 laps):
1. 14 Shawn Strong; 2. T10 Tyler Brown; 3. 77 Lance Bahnmiller; 4. 67 David Wade; 5. 70 Patrick West; 6. 8 Cody Harmon.

Heat 2 (6 laps):
1. 21 Landon Johnson, Lynchburg; 2. 6 Robert Reeves, Camdenton; 3. 32 Joe Francis, Lebanon; 4. 64 Shawn Winfrey, Lebanon; 5. 7P Brandon Pister, Rogersville; 6. 11 Brandon Bennett.

Pro-4

Feature Results (12 laps):
1. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer; 2. 20 Don Lacey; 3. 23 Dustin Bass; 4. 11 Darrin Widener; 5. 50 Theresa Widener; 6. 11H Robert Hamblin; 7. 35 Bob Widener; 8. 77 Ryan Hilt; 9. 89 Brad Looney, Republic; 10. 711 Rick Kissinger; 11. 7S Pat Schudy.

Heat 1 (6 laps):
1. 7S Pat Schudy; 2. 11 Darrin Widener; 3. 50 Theresa Widener; 4. 77 Ryan Hilt; 5. 35 Bob Widener.

Heat 2 (6 laps):
1. 88 Lonnie Muhlbauer; 2. 23 Dustin Bass; 3. 20 Don Lacey; 4. 11H Robert Hamblin; 5. 89 Brad Looney, Republic.


Rookie

Feature Results (12 laps):
1. 7R Rich Reynolds; 2. 7L Josh Lewis; 3. 07 Tim Hall; 4. 113 Shawna Brown; 5. 17 Jeff Brown; 6. 10A Nick Author; 7. 81 Josh Sheppard; 8. 27A Jeremy Bay; 9. 43 Trent Wagy.

Heat 1 (6 laps):
1. 81 Josh Sheppard; 2. 07 Tim Hall; 3. 27A Jeremy Bay; 4. 113 Shawna Brown; 5. 10A Nick Author.

Heat 2 (6 laps):
1. 7L Josh Lewis; 2. 7R Rich Reynolds; 3. 17 Jeff Brown; 4. 10B Adam Brown; 5. 43 Trent Wagy.