Springfield Raceway
Engine ailing, Looney hangs on at Springfield
Winner Brad Looney (14) battles Terry Phillips (75). (Mike Musslin)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Sept. 14) — Brad Looney’s powerplant was faltering at Springfield Raceway’s Larry Phillips Memorial on Saturday night, but the Republic, Mo., driver didn’t let that slow his march toward a checkered flag in the MARS DIRTcar Series event.
Looney, his No. 14 showing sparks and smoke midway through the 75-lapper, held on for a $5,500 victory — including $2,500 in lap money — to continue his resurgence after a late-season switch to a Capital Race Car. | Slideshow | Video
“Probably 20 laps into the race I cracked a header, and then it just got worse and worse and finally broke. But probably the last 20 laps, I could tell it starting to maybe lean a piston out,” said Looney, who notched his third overall victory of 2013. “I felt like this race owed me one. I should’ve won it before. I thought, 'Well, I’ll buy a few pistons.' I think that’s all the damage. I’d just like to thank Hatfield Racing Engines. When it started to go down, it stayed together and finished the race.”
In his fourth start in his new car from Woodstock, Ga.-based Capital Race Cars and Marshall Green, Looney posted his second victory. He was second and seventh in the other two starts.
“We went home (after Friday’s race in Muskogee, Okla.) and did a little homework and tried to make some changes to fit my driving, and you know, it all paid off tonight,” said Looney, who started outside the front row but slipped back to fourth in the early laps.
Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., going for his second MARS victory of the weekend, got rolling on the high side and drew within one length of Looney at the checkers while Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, was third.
Polesitter and MARS points leader Tony Jackson Jr. was fourth and fellow Lebanon, Mo., driver Brandon McCormick rounded out the top five.
Six-time MARS champion Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., briefly led twice, but he slipped over the turn-three banking late in the race while running second behind Looney. He settled for seventh in trying to win the race honoring his father, a National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer and five-time NASCAR Weekly Series champion.
Jackson led early with Looney slipping behind Justin Asplin and Phillips while Stovall ran up high further back.
The low-running Looney used a restart before the race’s halfway point to take the second spot from Phillips, then edged ahead of Jackson to take the lead after a lengthy side-by-side duel with Jackson.
Phillips twice edged ahead of Looney on the high side in the ensuing laps, including when Looney was hampered by low-running traffic, but Looney was in control when smoke, and then sparks, began signaling his engine woes.
Notes: Looney’s Capital Race Car has a Hatfield Racing Engine and sponsorship from Client One Securities, Looney Underground, Federal Protection, Family Pharmacy, A&E Kitchen Service, JJ Propane and Midwest Sheet Metal. ... Looney’s previous victory came in Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association action Aug. 31 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. ... Rick Wallis and Dave Ware failed to make the feature lineup. ... The final weekend of the MARS campaign is Sept. 20-21 at Salina (Okla.) Highbanks Speedway.
Larry Phillips Memorial: (1) Brad Looney, (2) Jesse Stovall, (3) Ryan Gustin, (4) Tony Jackson Jr., (5) Brandon McCormick, (6) Justin Asplin, (7) Terry Phillips, (8) Dustin Mooneyham, (9) Justin Wells, (10) Patrick Johnson, (11) Dustin Walker, (12) Cole Wells, (13) Steve Johnson, (14) Mark Daye, (15) Don Cloyd, (16) Garrett Essary, (17) Kevin Patrick, (18) Shane Essary, (19) Ken Essary, (20) Leroy Johnson, (21) Michael Maggard, (22) Brantlee Gotschall. Heat race winners (among 24 cars): Looney, Jackson, Phillips. Consolation winner: Gustin. Provisional starters: G. Essary, Patrick.
Correction: Fixes lap count and adds lap money to earnings.
