Drew County Speedway
Beard overcomes rookie in Drew County opener
By Bryan Wimberley
DirtonDirt.com correspondentMONTICELLO, Ark. (May 15) — Celebrating his 23rd birthday a few days early, third-starting Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., overtook rookie polesitter Michael Murphree of North Little Rock, Ark., in the late stages of a 30-lap O'Reilly Mid-South Racing Association event at Drew County Speedway.
Beard, who notched his series-leading fifth career MSRA victory, earned $2,000 on the first night of a two-race weekend doubleheader at the 3/8-mile oval in southern Arkansas. Ray Moore of Shreveport, La., who started fifth, dropped Murphree to third at the finish while series points leader Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., was fourth. Front-row starter Jeff Chanler of Minden, La., rounded out the top five.
Notes: Beard's GRT Race Car is sponsored by KB Transport and Gary Beard Trucking. ... Beard's fifth career victory was his first since last Aug. 9 at Poinsett County Raceway in Harrisburg, Ark. ... Teenager Gary Scott Christian of Broken Bow, Okla., fell out with mechanical problems after two laps. ... Shane Diamant of North Little Rock was taken out by a mid-race crash. ... Michael Murphree survived a scrape with the backstretch wall in his heat race to get a victory in the prelim. Murphree got into the wall on the second-to-last lap of the prelim, but not only saved the car but made a last-lap pass to win. ... MSRA competitors are scheduled for another $2,000-to-win event Saturday.
O'Reilly MSRA @ Drew County: (1) Kyle Beard, (2) Ray Moore, (3) Michael Murphree, (4) Billy Moyer Jr., (5) Jeff Chanler, (6) Jeff Floyd, (7) Jack Sullivan, (8) Jon Mitchell, (9) Jon Kirby, (10) Allen Tippen, (11) Dewaine Hottinger, (12) Jeff Moss, (13) Joseph Long, (14) Austin Rettig, (15) Ian Samuel, (16) Shane Diamant, (17) Clay Fisher, (18) Randy Mitchell, (19) Bobby Derryberry, (20) Gary Scott Christian.� Heat race winners (among 27 cars): Murphree, Moore, Samuels, Moyer. Consolation race winners: Long, Diamant.
