July 4
Salina Highbanks Speedway,
Salina, OK
Sanction: MARS DIRTcar Series West (Freedom Classic) - $3,000
Information provided by: Ron Mitchell, Kyle Bean and series reports (last updated July 5, 10:56 am)
Red-hot Phillips wins Salina's weekend opener
Freedom Classic
- Terry Phillips
- Chad Simpson
- Tony Jackson Jr.
- Jeremy Payne
- Jack Sullivan
- Ryan Gustin
- Justin Asplin
- Brantlee Gotschall
- Tommy Weder Jr.
- Dave Eckrich
- Jason Hughes
- Brandon McCormick
- Scott Lewis
- Brandon Morton
- Mark Dotson
- Travis Dickes
- Leroy Johnson
- Brad Looney
- Jeff Roth
- Bill Koons
- Randy Roth
- Jon Driskill
- Brett Hansen
- Wendell Wallace
Terry Phillips takes the checkers in Salina, Okla.
What won the race: Jumping into the lead on the first lap from his third starting spot, double-series dominating Terry Phillips led all 30 laps of the MARS-MLRA event at the high-speed oval. The winningest driver on both tours stretched a recent hot streak with his fourth Late Model victory in his last seven starts (a stretch that includes two runner-up finishes). He survived a mid-race bobble that nearly cost him the lead when he got too high entering turn three, nearly collecting runner-up Chad Simpson.
Quotable: "I went in there a little too hard and about went off the end," Phillips said. "I finally figured this corner (turns three and four) out. I finally settled down a little bit and got comfortable with the line I was running."
Key notes: Phillips won the previous night in MARS action at Monett, Mo. ... A single caution slowed the action on the 10th lap for Travis Dickes. ... Third-place Tony Jackson Jr. briefly went ahead of Phillips on the second lap, but a crossover move exiting turn four put Phillips back ahead at the line. ... Polesitter Justin Asplin ended up seventh. ... Josh Hughes lost a transfer spot to Wendell Wallace on the last lap of the first consy. ... Jesse Stovall blew a motor with two laps remaining while leading fourth heat from the pole; fifth-starting Tony Jackson Jr. went on to win over tail-starting Terry Phillips; Stovall loaded up. ... Bobby Maggard Jr. rolled his car in turn two in the third heat, ending up on his lid; he was OK, but less than a month ago, Maggard was injured injured when his race car fell on him while he was climbing from underneath it. ... The two-race Freedom Classic is co-sanctioned by the MARS DIRTcar Series and the Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association.
On the move: Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, came from 15th to sixth.
Winner's sponsors: Phillips drives a Hatfield-powered Rocket Chassis sponsored by Andy's Frozen Custard, Champion Brands, Don Babb Motorsports, Integra Shocks, Keyser Mfg., Mesilla Valley Transportation and New Vision Graphics.
Points chase: Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., leads MARS standings while Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, leads the MLRA chase.
Car count: 31
Polesitter: Justin Asplin
Heat race winners: Jeremy Payne, Chad Simpson, Justin Asplin, Tony Jackson Jr.
Consolation race winners: Brad Looney, Brandon Morton
Next series race: July 5, Salina Highbanks Speedway (Salina, OK) $5,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.