Monett Motor Speedway
Jackson grabs MARS Roper Memorial victory
By Brian Garrison
MARS DIRTcar Series
Tony Jackson Jr. shows off his big check in victory lane. (Ron Mitchell)
MONETT, Mo. (May 26) — Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., earned $3,000 on Sunday at Monett Speedway by capturing the 13th annual Tony Roper Memorial for his first MARS DIRTcar Series victory of the season and third of his career. | Video | Slideshow
Jackson took the lead from reigning MARS champion Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., on the 19th lap, then fought off repeated challenges from six-time series champion Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., for the 40-lap victory.
Phillips settled for second with Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., in third. Mark Dotson of Cameron, Mo., and Jeff Floyd of Walnut Ridge, Ark., rounded out the top five.
Stovall, a seven-time MARS winner last season still looking for his first 2013 victory, led the first 18 laps after starting on the pole but faded to a ninth-place finish.
Notes: Jackson’s Rocket Chassis has a Cornett engine and sponsorship from RLB Financial, Lindsay Chevrolet and Club 29. ... Jackson was fresh off an eighth-place finish at Saturday’s 21st annual Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., where he was the top-finishing Missouri driver. ... The race was presented by Andy’s Frozen Custard. ... Drivers failing to crack the feature lineup: Jeff Roth, Mason Oberkramer, Cole Wells, Burl Woods and Randy Roth. ... Next up for MARS is a $5,000-to-win event May 31 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway, a MARS-UMP Challenge event.
Tony Roper Memorial: (1) Tony Jackson Jr., (2) Terry Phillips, (3) Billy Moyer Jr., (4) Mark Dotson, (5) Jeff Floyd, (6) Eric Turner, (7) Justin Wells, (8) Brandon Smith, (9) Jesse Stovall, (10) Shane Essary, (11) Justin Asplin, (12) Ken Essary, (13) Jack Sullivan, (14) Brandon McCormick, (15) Shawn Knuckles, (16) Garrett Essary, (17) Brandon Morton, (18) Jon Driskill, (19) Dustin Mooneyham, (20) Dustin Walker, (21) Rodney Sanders, (22) Leroy Johnson, (23) Glenn Bratti. Heat race winners (among 28 cars): Sanders, Jackson, Moyer, Dotson. Consolation winner: Mooneyham. Provisional starters: G. Essary, Johnson, Turner.
