6/12/2019
Jackson's USRA B-Mod sweep highlights Lucas Oil Speedway's return to racing action
WHEATLAND, Missouri - As Lucas Oil Speedway roared back into action after a 28-day break, Kris Jackson made it a memorable evening with a doubleheader sweep.
Jackson won a pair of Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod features on Saturday night, holding off Andy Bryant both in the headliner of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program and a makeup feature from a rainout on May 11.
A total of 107 cars, including 52 B-Mods, checked into the pits. Other feature winners on a program presented by TA-Petro and KY3 Digital were Kaeden Cornell (Warsaw Marine & RV ULMA Late Models), Toby Ott (O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks) and Tyler Wolff (Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds).
It was the first racing at the speedway since May 11. A major storm on May 20 forced cancellation of the 27th annual Show-Me 100.
"I have to thank all my guys and the Lucas Oil staff for working their butts off to get this place race ready again," Jackson said to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd after climbing out of the car.
After winning the makeup feature at the start of the night, the Lebanon, Missouri driver set out to make it a sweep. He led the first 12 laps before relinquishing the lead to Bryant on the next circuit - but a caution flag turned the running order back to the previous lap.
"He just passed me. He was fast tonight," Jackson said of Bryant. "When the caution flew, I knew the top five hadn't gone underneath the flag stand and I thought, 'Man, I'm gonna get that spot back.'
"He was fast. He might have even had a faster car tonight, but we just got lucky."
Those two had dueled throughout the night and that continued on the restart as they two pulled away from the others, setting the state for a side-by-side battle over the final few laps.
Jackson weaved through lapped traffic to hold off Bryant for the second 1-2 finish of the night. Clint Johnson was third and JC Morton finished fourth.
The makeup B-Mod feature kicked off the action and Jackson, starting from the pole, set a blazing pace in opening up a sizable lead until a lap-11 caution bunched the field. Jackson had nearly a straightaway-margin command over Bryant and was working his way through lapped traffic.
Jackson reclaimed command after the restart and was three laps from the win when another caution wiped out his comfortable lead. It proven no problem for Jackson, who went on to claim the win with Bryant second and Tim Van Gotten in third.
Jackson's win was his first of the season at Lucas Oil Speedway after runner-up and third-place finishes. He had to wait only a couple of hours before winning No. 2.
"I don't know what my reputation is, but when I run second or third and people assume something is wrong," Jackson said in victory lane. "The competition is tough here. This is my first win of the season here, but we're pretty well on point."
Jackson added that his long-time engine builder, Jim Ruble, recently had a stroke and he asked everyone to keep Ruble in their thoughts and prayers.
"Racing without him gets harder and harder by the day," Jackson said.
Cornell pulls away for ULMA Late Model win: Kaeden Cornell led the final 12 laps in cruising to a dominating win in the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA feature.
"I have to thank God. I'm a blessed young man," said Cornell, a recent graduate of Willard High School. "Thanks to you guys for being here."
Cole Henson started on the front row and led the first eight laps, setting a fast pace before hitting the wall while in lapped traffic to bring out a yellow flag and giving the lead to Essary.
On the restart, Cornell slid past Essary and into the lead but just one lap later another caution slowed the action with Shane Essary in second.
The final 11 laps clicked off caution-free and Cornell pulled away for a 2.88-second victory margin over Johnny Fennewald with Essary fishing third and Aaron Marrant fourth. It was Cornell's second straight feature win.
"That lapped traffic, I was just hoping they would stay where they were at," Cornell said. "They stayed where they were and I can't thank them enough."
Ott wires Street Stocks field: Season points leader Toby Ott of Wheatland went wire-to-wire, leading all 20 laps to grab the O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks feature.
Ott set a blistering pace, opening up nearly a four-second lead over Jame Flood and Johnny Coats when a caution waved on lap 14. Sticking to an effective line around the bottom groove, Ott quickly regained command and went on to prevail by 1.57 seconds.
It was Ott's second win of the season and fifth top-four finish in five feature starts.
"Everything was working really good out there. The track came to my liking," Ott said. "The best thing I could find out there was to keep it right on the bottom."
Flood finished second with Coats third and Aaron Poe in fourth.
Wolff becomes two-time USRA Modified winner: Third-starting Tyler Wolff took over the lead on lap four and paced the remainder of the 20-lap Pitts Homes USRA Modified feature.
Wolff, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, made it two straight wins in his only two appearances at Lucas Oil Speedway this season. Nic Bidinger was second and Robbie Reed came home in third.
"I was just trying to hit my marks," Wolff said of the second half of the race, as he protected a comfortable lead. "We re-did the car this week, trying to kind of get it back to where we were at last year.
"What a better place to come than here. We've had good luck here."
Jason Pursley and season points leader Chase Domer were battling for third when they spun to bring out a caution on lap eight. Domer pulled off a couple of laps lat
Next up: The Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series is back in action next Saturday night as the Bolivar Herald-Free Press along with Lamar Advertising Presents the Mid-Season Championships. Look for discount coupons in The Bolivar Herald-Free Press. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks
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
