Lakeside Speedway
Jackson wraps up MLRA title at Lakeside double
Tony Jackson Jr. celebrates after wrapping up his first MLRA title. (Todd Boyd)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Oct. 5) — Justin Asplin, Chris Simpson and Tony Jackson all closed the Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association’s season on a positive note Saturday night at Lakeside Speedway with Asplin and Simpson splitting victories at the 4/10-mile oval while Jackson wrapped up his first series championship.
Jackson of Lebanon, Mo., finished seventh in the night’s first feature, which was postponed from Friday night, and later used a fourth-place finish in the night’s regularly scheduled season finale to claim the title. | Slideshow
Jackson, who wrapped up his first MARS DIRTcar Series championship on Sept. 21, matched Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., in becoming just the second driver with MLRA and MARS titles on his career resume and became the first driver to top both tour’s points chases in the same season.
After winning his heat race Friday night to earn the outside pole of the weekend’s opening feature, Asplin of Birch Tree, Mo., finished what he started by leading all 35 laps of the conclusion of the event Saturday night, earning $3,000 for the first Super Late Model victory of his career.
Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, kicked off his night with a runner-up finish in the first feature with Jim Sherech of St. Charles, Mo., Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., and Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., rounding out the top five.
The night got even better for Simpson in the second feature as he overtook Phillips with four laps remaining to earn $5,000 for his second MLRA victory of the season. Phillips, who led the first 46 laps from the pole, settled for second at the finish with Vaught, Jackson and Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., filling the remainder of the top five.
Notes: Asplin’s Rocket Chassis is powered by a Hatfield Racing Engine with sponsorship from B&A Pallet. ... Chris Simpson’s MB Customs machine has a Pro Power engine and sponsorship from Five Star Shop Service, GearWrench, Advance Machine & Tool, King Farms and Christner Concrete. ... Simpson also won the tour’s season opener April 5 at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb.
First feature: (1) Justin Asplin, (2) Chris Simpson, (3) Jim Sherech, (4) Brad Looney (5) Will Vaught, (6) Chase Junghans, (7) Tony Jackson Jr., (8) John Anderson, (9) Tommy Weder Jr., (10) Travis Dickes, (11) Terry Phillips, (12) Matt Furman, (13) Jason O'Brien, (14) Kyle Berck, (15) Chance Bishop, (16) Eric Turner, (17) Ryan Gustin, (18) Jason Bodenhamer, (19) Dustin Walker, (20) Al Humphrey, (21) Matt Johnson, (22) Corey Zeitner, (23) Bill Leighton, (24) Bryon Allison. Heat race winners (among 30 cars): Asplin, Looney, Junghans. Consolation winner: Gustin.
Second feature: (1) Chris Simpson, (2) Terry Phillips, (3) Will Vaught, (4) Tony Jackson Jr., (5) Jesse Stovall, (6) Chad Simpson, (7) Tommy Weder Jr., (8) John Anderson, (9) Eric Turner, (10) Jim Sherech, (11) Chase Junghans, (12) Corey Zeitner, (13) Brad Looney, (14) Mark Dotson, (15) Jason O'Brien, (16) Travis Dickes, (17) Dustin Walker, (18) Bill Leighton, (19) Kyle Berck, (20) Justin Asplin, (21) Ryan Gustin, (22) Reid Millard, (23) Brantlee Gotschall, (24) Al Humphrey. Heat race winners (among 30 cars): Phillips, Vaught, Berck. Consolation winner: Dotson.
