I-80 Speedway
Phillips leads all the way at I-80's Spring Meltdown
By Trenton Berry
racingdirt.com
Terry Phillips (75) turns back Chad Simpson on his way to victory. (Todd Boyd)
GREENWOOD, Neb. (April 6) — Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., started on the pole and led all 35 of laps of Saturday’s Spring Meltdown main event at I-80 Speedway on his way to claiming a $3,000 victory co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association and Corn Belt Clash Super Late Model Series.
"We tried some new stuff, it worked pretty good," said Phillips, a two-time MLRA champion who earned the 105th MLRA victory of his career and second on the Corn Belt Clash tour. "We got a little closer. I'm never satisfied I guess. The car was pretty good and the motor ran real good. It kind of went our way tonight." | Slideshow | Video
The race was wasn’t all smooth sailing for Phillips, as three-time and defending Corn Belt Clash champion Chad Simpson moved by Friday's Spring Meltdown opener winner Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, for third early in the 35-lapper and took second from Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., on a lap-five restart.
Chad Simpson looked to continue his run all the way into the lead, but Phillips never bobbled and pulled away on the race’s final restart with 13 laps remaining.
"I just got to driving to hard," Phillips said. "I finally settled down and got in a rhythm, and I think I got a way just a little bit. (Simpson) is a good racer. That's good competition to race against, so I was on my toes."
Chad Simpson settled for second at the finish while his younger brother Chris also moved by Looney to finish third in a race slowed by two cautions.
The younger Simpson was fortunate to finish among the front-runners after a block was mistakenly left in his race car from when his crew worked on the car before the race. Simpson told the I-80 Speedway crowd that he was surprised to run as well as he did, but he was happy with his solid weekend as he continues to fine tune his new MB Customs Race Car.
There was a close battle for fourth through seventh during the race’s closing stages with Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., topping two-time defending series champion John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., and Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo.
Notes: Phillips drives a Hatfield-powered Bloomquist Race Car sponsored by Andy’s Frozen Custard, Don Babb Motorsports, New Vision Graphics and Integra Racing Shocks. ... Phillips claimed his second Late Model victory of the season with the first coming during Tucson (Ariz.) International Raceway’s Winter Extreme miniseries in January. ... Phillips also has a $10,000 open-wheel modified victory this season. ... The MLRA tour’s next event pays $3,000 to win at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., April 13, while Corn Belt Clash competitors return to action April 12 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway.
Spring Meltdown: (1) Terry Phillips, (2) Chad Simpson, (3) Chris Simpson, (4) Brad Looney, (5) John Anderson, (6) Will Vaught, (7) Jesse Stovall, (8) Dave Eckrich, (9) Kyle Berck, (10) Chase Junghans, (11) Tommy Weder Jr., (12) Justin Asplin, (13) Jason Bodenhamer, (14) Justin Zeitner, (15) Tony Jackson Jr., (16) Travis Dickes, (17) Tyson Turnbull, (18) Bryant Goldsmith, (19) Bill Leighton, (20) Dustin Walker, (21) Junior Coover, (22) Justin Mitchell, (23) Doug Herrick, (24) Andrew Kosiski, (25) Kevin Sather, (26) Jake Meier. Heat winners (among 38 cars): Chad Simpson, Chris Simpson, Looney, Phillips. Consolation winners: Zeitner, Kosiski.
