State Fair Speedway
Anderson grabs victory at Missouri State Fair
A large crowd filled the Sedalia grandstand. (Mike Musslin)
SEDALIA, Mo. (Aug. 23) — Reigning series champion John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., solidified his new points lead on the O'Reilly Midwest Late Model Racing Association with a victory in the Missouri State Fair Championships at State Fair Speedway. Anderson, who started eighth, earned $3,000 for the victory. | Video | Slideshow
"I didn't know if we'd be a factor or not," said Anderson, who took the MLRA points lead with his second-place finish the previous night in Wheatland, Mo. "We were way too tight in the first 10 laps, and then the track kind of came back to us. It's always a great thing to beat (Billy) Moyer, though, especially after he snookered me with a couple of laps to go last night."
Polesitter Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., who rebounded from missing the previous MLRA feature in Wheatland, was second with 14th-starting Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., in third. Al Humphrey of Giltner, Neb., and Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., rounded out the top five on a day when 44 Late Models entered action at the half-mile oval.
Vaught led the early laps with Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and Humphrey in pursuit. Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan., moved up to third after a lap-14 caution for Evan Hubert, but a broken axle forced Purkey out, and Moyer gave up his second spot shortly thereafter with a flat right-rear tire.
The departures of Purkey and Moyer moved Anderson into second behind Vaught, and Anderson made his winning move on the backstretch with 12 laps remaining. Phillips moved up to challenge and set up a three-car showdown following a lap-26 caution with four laps remaining. Anderson held on to the lead while a battling Phillips and Vaught made contact on the final lap with Vaught holding on to second.
Notes: Anderson's MasterSbilt Race Car has a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsorship from Shop Quik Convenience Stores, Turbo Car Wash and MarCorp Electric. ... Anderson notched his third MLRA victory of 2009 and 18th of his career. ... Anderson leads MLRA standings by 66 points over Al Purkey. ... Fifth-place finisher Tony Jackson Jr. was making his second start in a new MasterSbilt Race Car. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature: Rickey Frankel, Scott Koskovich, Brandon McCormick and Brantlee Gotschall. ... Next up for MLRA competitors is a $3,000-to-win event on Sept. 5 at Heartland Park Topeka (Kan.).
O'Reilly MLRA @ State Fair Speedway: (1) John Anderson, (2) Will Vaught, (3) Terry Phillips, (4) Al Humphrey, (5) Tony Jackson Jr., (6) Joe Kosiski, (7) Bryant Goldsmith, (8) Billy Moyer, (9) Jeremy Payne, (10) Pat Doar, (11) Matt Johnson, (12) Chris Smyser, (13) Alan Vaughn, (14) Jason Bodenhamer, (15) David Turner, (16) Eric Turner, (17) Larry Clawson, (18) Evan Hubert, (19) Mike Collins, (20) Mark Voigt, (21) Andrew McKay, (22) Al Purkey, (23) Dave Eckrich, (24) Brad Looney. Heat race winners (among 44 cars): Anderson, Purkey, McKay, Jackson, Vaught. Consolation winners: Smyser, Bodenhamer. Provisional starters: Collins, Clawson.
