I-80 Speedway
Vaught rallies from 12th for victory in I-80 debut
Will Vaught heads to victory after starting 12th at I-80. (fasttrackphotos.net)
GREENWOOD, Neb. (April 7) — Will Vaught made his first racing trip to Nebraska a successful one with a victory Saturday at I-80 Speedway. The 25-year-old driver from Crane, Mo., led the final seven laps for a $3,000 victory co-sanctioned by Lucas Oil MLRA and the Dart Corn Belt Clash.
"I knew in the first couple laps we had a good car," said Vaught, who started outside the sixth row at the 4/10-mile oval between Omaha and Lincoln. "This track, it's a racy sucker. You can't ask for much more."
Vaught overtook Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, on the 24th lap after a restart. Simpson held on to finish second with Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., in third. Polesitter John Anderson of Omaha was fourth and Tim Isenberg of Marshfield, Wis., rounded out the top five.
Notes: Vaught's Warrior Race Car is powered by a Clements engine and sponsored by Circle M Auto Sales, GW Performance, Transport Graphics, Peterson Fluid Systems and Warrior. ... Vaught notched his second career MLRA victory; his first came in 2007 at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. ... The victory was his first with the Dart Corn Belt Clash. ... The victory gives Vaught a guaranteed starting spot in July's $25,000-to-win Silver Dollar Nationals, a race co-sanctioned by MLRA and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Josh Krug, Chris Spieker, Pat Doar, Tad Pospisil, Tom Thompson, Mike Wiarda, Mike Wallace, Al Humphrey, New Mexico's Garrett Alberson and Jason O'Brien, the winner of the previous night at I-80 on the Nebraska-based Super Late Model Racing Series. ... Next up for MLRA is an April 14 event at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.; Corn Belt Clash competitors race April 13-14 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway and Peoria (Ill.) Speedway.
Spring Meltdown: (1) Will Vaught, (2) Chris Simpson, (3) Terry Phillips, (4) John Anderson, (5) Tim Isenberg, (6) Jesse Stovall, (7) Denny Eckrich, (8) Chad Simpson, (9) Dylan Smith, (10) David Turner, (11) Mike Collins, (12) Matt Aukland, (13) Jake Meier, (14) Mark Dotson, (15) Bill Leighton Jr., (16) Andrew Kosiski, (17) Bryon Allison, (18) Kevin Sather, (19) Scott Koskovich, (20) Rob Moss, (21) Bill Koons, (22) Jason Rauen, (23) Travis Dickes, (24) Justin Mitchell, (25) Leon Zeitner, (26) Dave Eckrich, (27) Jim Rychtik, (28) Jill George. Heat race winners (among 45 cars): Dave Eckrich, Turner, Stovall, Chris Simpson. Consolation winners: Denny Eckrich, Chad Simpson.
