Junction Motor Speedway
Red-hot Jackson claims King of the Hill finale
Tony Jackson Jr. celebrates his $3,000 victory at McCool Junction. (Ron Mitchell)
MCCOOL JUNCTION, Neb. (Aug. 10) — Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., continued his dominant summer with his ninth victory since Memorial Day in Saturday’s King of the Hill finale at Junction Motor Speedway.
Jackson earned a $3,000 payday in claiming a victory tri-sanctioned by the MARS DIRTcar Series, the Lucas Oil MLRA and the National Championship Racing Association. | Slideshow
Improving one spot from his runner-up finish in Friday’s King of the Hill opener Jackson, the points leader on both the MARS and MLRA tours, took the lead from Friday’s winner Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., with 12 laps remaining in the 40-lap race and led the remaining distance to deny Vaught a sweep of the 3/8-mile oval’s doubleheader weekend.
"We got took off there pretty good," said Jackson. "We had a good race there with Jesse (Stovall) and Will for a while. We just kept working Will over and finally he made a mistake and I got past him. I knew it was a long race and I didn't want to get my right rear tire too hot. I just lucked out and had a great night."
Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., was third at the finish in a top five rundown that included the same five drivers from Friday’s finish, only in a different order. Kyle Berck of Manhattan, Kan., was fourth while early leader Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., slide back to fifth at the finish.
Notes: Jackson's Rocket Chassis has a Cornett engine and sponsorship from RLB Financial, Lindsay Chevrolet and Club 29. ... The track’s weekly Late Model points leader, Jase Kaser was the night's KRC Top Qualifier; he finished eighth after starting from the pole. ... Stovall led the opening 10 laps. ... Travis Dickes drove Al Humphrey's No. 6 machine on Saturday, after blowing an engine in his own machine while leading Friday’s feature. ... Steve Kempt rolled after catching the turn-two wall during the second heat. ... John Anderson drove Justin Walker's backup car. ... The next Lucas Oil MLRA event will be held Saturday, August 31st at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.; MARS competitors return to action with a Aug. 23-24 doubleheader at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and Federated Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo.; the NCRA’s next event is at Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., on Aug. 24.
King of the Hill: (1) Tony Jackson Jr., (2) Will Vaught, (3) Terry Phillips, (4) Kyle Berck, (5) Jesse Stovall, (6) Travis Dickes, (7) Justin Asplin, (8) Chase Junghans, (9) Bill Leighton Jr., (10) Tad Pospisil, (11) Jase Kaser, (12) Justin Gregg, (13) Dustin Walker, (14) Robbie Andersen, (15) Jacob Magee, (16) Mike Wiarda, (17) Kyle Dumpert, (18) Scott Phillips, (19) Brad Wagoner, (20) Dean Moore, (21) John Anderson, (22) Jimmy Segraves, (23) Mike Collins, (24) Brad Looney. Heat winners (among 32 cars): Jackson, Dickes, Wiarda, Asplin. Consolation winners: Leighton, Collins.
Correction: Fixes feature finish.
