Riverside Int'l Speedway
Moyer Jr. tops Willis on final lap at Riverside
By Ben Shelton
O'Reilly MSRA
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr) overtakes Howard Willis (23) on the last lap. (Woody Hampton)
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (April 11) — Taking the lead on the final lap, eighth-starting Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., became the fifth and final leader to dramatically capture the first Late Model special at Riverside International Speedway in more than 20 years. | Slideshow
The 21-year-old son of Hall of Famer Billy Moyer notched just the second victory of his career by slipping past Howard Willis of Dayton, Texas, in turn four to lead the last circuit at the gumbo clay oval in a race co-sanctioned by two O'Reilly Auto Parts-sponsored tours, Southern United Professional Racing and Mid-South Racing Association. Moyer pocketed $2,000.
Michael Murphree of Little Rock, Ark., finished third in the race slowed by five cautions at the 60-year-old track. Former SUPR champion Ray Moore of Shreveport, La., was fourth and Allen Tippen of Minden, La., rounded out the top five at the east Arkansas oval, which runs sprint cars weekly.
Besides Willis, who led laps 26-39, other frontrunners weren't in the mix at the finish. Lee Davis of Greenwood, La., led the first two laps and ended up 20th with suspension problems while Larry Potter of Alexander, Ark., leading laps 3-22, was 13th after losing control while leading just past the midway point. Terry Henson of North Little Rock, Ark., led three laps midway through the race before a flat tire knocked him from contention; he was 16th in the final rundown.
Notes: Moyer drives a Victory Circle Chassis sponsored by Banner Valley Hauling. ... Jeff Floyd of Walnut Ridge, Ark., was running fourth late in the race when mechanical problems forced him out. ... Two-time MSRA champion Joey Mack of Benton, Mo., won the Larry Shaw Race Cars Hard Charger award with his 19th-to-ninth run. ... Drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Kyle Beard, Dalton Alexander, Dewaine Hottinger, Jamie Dacus, Joseph Long, Jeff Wells Jr., Richie Kirkman, Mike Downing, Bo Gordon, Jeff Sloan and Clay Fisher. ... Next up for MSRA competitors are April 17-18 events at Beebe (Ark.) Speedway and West Plains (Mo.) Motor Speedway. ... SUPR drivers run their first-ever event on a paved surface on April 18 on the concrete at Monroe (La.) Motor Speedway.
SUPR-MSRA @ Riverside: (1) Billy Moyer Jr., (2) Howard Willis, (3) Michael Murphree, (4) Ray Moore, (5) Allen Tippen, (6) David Ashley, (7) Ross Camponovo, (8) Gary Scott Christian, (9) Joey Mack, (10) Robbie Stuart, (11) Jon Mitchell, (12) Jon Kirby, (13) Larry Potter, (14) Mike Bilbro, (15) Jeff Floyd, (16) Terry Henson, (17) Kevin Sitton, (18) Eric Neal, (19) Ricky Vandergriff, (20) Lee Davis, (21) Randy Mitchell, (22) Mike Carr. Heat race winners (among 33 cars): Davis, Mitchell, Murphree, Moore, Henson. Consolation winners: Ashley, Carr. Provisional starters: Kirby, Neal.
