Humboldt Speedway
Stovall ends drought with MLRA win at Humboldt
Jesse Stovall celebrates his first 2013 victory. (cbracephotos.com)
HUMBOLDT, Kan. (June 21) — Outside front-row starter Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., repeated at Humboldt Speedway on Friday, winning in Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association action at the track for the second straight season. | Video | Slideshow
Notching his first special event victory of 2013, Stovall pocketed $3,000 for his fourth career victory with Missouri-based MLRA, leading all 30 laps to take the checkers ahead of Brad Looney of Republic, Mo.
"It's a lot harder to stand on top of that hill than it is to stand at the bottom and look up,” said Stovall, who had 16 overall victories last season. "I was getting awful frustrated. It's been along hard fought battle with (engine builder and crew member) Scott Bailey helping me.
“This is kind of a new deal here, JSR Victory Circle has been a little bit or a pain. I just can't thank (Bailey) enough for all of the hard work. It's pretty amazing to come here tonight, and be as bad as we were, and now be in victory lane.”
Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., who briefly got into the frontstretch wall late while battling with Looney, was third across the line while Mark Dotson of Cameron, Mo., and Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, rounded out the top five. Pole-starting Travis Dickes of Madison, Neb., slipped back to a sixth-place finish in the first of two weekend race for the MLRA circuit.
Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., entered the race with a two-point lead on Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., in the title chase but slipped behind Phillips by two points after an 11th-place finish.
The race was slowed twice, including for Corey Zeitner’s rollover accident in turn four that drew a red flag. He wasn’t injured.
Notes: Stovall’s Victory Circle Race Car has a Scott Bailey Racing Engine and sponsorship from Hendrick Buick-GMC-Cadillac, Al Humphrey Racing and Joyce Agronomics. ... Stovall’s previous victory came Oct. 21 at Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kan. ... Eighteen of 24 starters were running at the finish. ... John Anderson earned Casey’s General Stores Hard Charger honors for his 14th-to-seventh run. ... Drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Mike Stadel, Gary Gorby, Josh Most, Matthew Sosebee and Zac Simmons. ... MLRA competitors head to Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., on Saturday; gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m. General admission is $15.
MLRA @ Humboldt: (1) Jesse Stovall, (2) Brad Looney, (3) Tony Jackson Jr., (4) Mark Dotson, (5) Ryan Gustin, (6) Travis Dickes, (7) John Anderson, (8) Justin Zeitner, (9) Terry Phillips, (10) Eric Turner, (11) Will Vaught, (12) Jason Bodenhamer, (13) Brandon McCormick, (14) Jacob Magee, (15) Chase Junghans, (16) Alan Vaughn, (17) Justin Asplin, (18) Dave Eckrich, (19) Brantlee Gotschall, (20) Dustin Walker, (21) Larry Jones, (22) Corey Zeitner, (23) Chance Bishop, (24) Bryant Goldsmith. Heat race winners (among 29 cars): Stovall, Looney, Jackson, Dickes. Consolation winner: Bodenhamer. Provisional starters: Walker, Goldsmith.
