5/5/2019
Late passes propel Schudy, Seavey and Hanks to Open Wheel Showdown feature wins at Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, Missouri - Kory Schudy passed Korey Weyant on a restart with two laps remaining to capture the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint Car feature victory in Saturday night's 8th annual Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps Open Wheel Showdown at Lucas Oil Speedway.
It was something of a home-track triumph for Schudy, as he pulled off the win just an hour from home in Springfield, Missouri.
"All I can say is God is good," an excited Schudy said in victory lane. "I have to thank everybody that helps out."
Also earning feature wins, as 107 cars checked into the pits, were Logan Seavey (POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League) and Brandon Hanks (RacinBoys ASCS Warrior Region Winged Sprint Cars Presented by Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps/American Bank of Oklahoma Sooner Region Presented by Smiley's Racing Products).
Weyant passed Schudy at the start-finish line to complete lap 18 after Schudy had opened as much as a 2.5-second lead while leading laps 5-through-17.
Drama ensued just as Weyant was about to take the white flag with a two-second lead. A three-car tangle in turn one brought out a red flag and set up a green-white-checkered sprint to the finish with Weyant leading Schudy and Mitchell Davis.
Schudy, who drives for Sawyer Racing, made the most of the opportunity. He got a tremendous restart and made the pass in turn one and Weyant was no match from there. Schudy, 34, scored his first POWRi WAR Sprint victory.
"We definitely needed the restart," said Schudy, who started sixth in the main event. "To be honest, I was wore out and kind of got lazy and Korey got by me there. I was able to regroup there and go back at him."
Weyant, of Springfield, Illinois, said the red flag essentially took away the win from him.
"We would have won it if not for that," Weyant said. "But he did a good job on the restart."
Mitchell Davis finished third and Slater Helt was fourth.
Seavey takes control late: Logan Seavey made the decisive pass with six laps remaining and went on to win the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League feature. Driving for the famed Keith Kunz Motorsports team, Seavey beat Cannon McIntosh and Jesse Colwell to the finish for his third POWRi Midget win of the season in five events.
Colwell started on the front row and had opened a half-straightaway lead over McIntosh and Seavey when a caution flag waved on lap 12 to bunch the field. After the restart, Seavey moved past McIntosh into second and put pressure on Colwell as the duo broke away from the field.
Tyler Thomas slowed for a flat tire, while running in the top five, to bring out a caution on lap 23. After the restart, Seavey made an inside pass of Colwell in turn two to take over the lead. But just one lap later, Hank Davis found the wall in turn two to bring out the race's fifth caution.
Seavey, of Sutter, California, dominated as the race remained green the rest of the way. McIntosh was second and Colwell third. Zach Daum finished fourth and Jake Neuman, the race's biggest mover, wound up fifth after starting 19th.
"That was tough for sure," the fifth-starting Seavey said of the hard-earned win. He said the track surface had some holes that made it challenging - but he didn't really mind.
"I like the holes; it kind of gives the race track character," Seavey said after his third win of the season and ninth of his POWRi National Midget League career.
"That's pretty cool," Seavey said of his growing win total. "That shows how good Keith's cars are. I'm so happy to be driving them. My crew believes in me a lot.
Sixteen-year-old McIntosh, of Bixby, Oklahoma, said it was a satisfying result and described it as a physically demanding race.
"Logan did a great job. He drove away at the end," McIntosh said. "I drove my butt off and we'll take second."
Hanks captures ASCS win: Brandon Hanks grabbed control over the final portion of the feature and prevailed in the ASCS Winged Sprint headliner.
"I need to go to the gym," a tired-but-happy Hanks said afterward. "Shoot, I run 65 miles a week. I'll tell you, anybody who thinks race-car drivers ain't athletes, they're crazy."
Hanks, who started fourth, caught and passed pole-starting Bergman with 10 laps remaining in the 30-lap feature. He was leading by half a straightaway when a caution on lap 25 bunched the field with Bergman in second.
But that proved no problems for Hanks as the Burlison, Tennessee driver dominated the rest of the way and finished 2.37 seconds clear of Bergman, of Snohomish, Washington. Alex Sewell of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, wound up third.
Weekly Racing Series returns next week: NMI/VMG Marketing Group and Wild Animal Safari team up to present Round 4 of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series next Saturday with all mothers admitted FREE for Mother's Day. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing at 7:05.
The Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, the Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods will be in action with the USRA Modifieds running a special 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event.
To inquire about tickets, VIP suites or camping, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and 2019 schedule can be found by visiting LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the ninth season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series as well as a host of other regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro-Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.
In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series features the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
Article Credit: Lyndal Scranton
