FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Shelton (901) 335-3037
July 18th, 2009
Michael Murphree Rockets To First Career O’Reilly MSRA Win At DCS
Michael Muphree in Victory Lane at Monticello
Beebe, Arkansas (7/18/09) – Mark this weekend down in the history books as a weekend of firsts for the O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Model Series as less than 24 hours after Jon Kirby picked up his first ever tour win, Michael Murphree from Little Rock, Arkansas rocketed his way to his first ever tour triumph on Saturday night at Drew County Speedway in Monticello, Arkansas in the Commercial Bank Topless 30 Presented By Ryburn Automotive Superstore.
Twenty-two Super Late Models, representing five states, signed in for battle at the lightning fast 3/8 mile oval. Michael Murphree was the JFR Graphics Pole Qualifier and brought the field to the green flag for the 30 lap event with Stacy Taylor alongside him. Murphree would take the whole shot into turn one as the green flag waived with Taylor, Dewaine Hottinger, and Billy Moyer Jr. in tow.
During the first half of the race as the drivers at the front of the field battled for position, the man on the move was ninth starting, Jeff Floyd, who was up to the second position by the race’s midway point as he began his pursuit of Murphree. Floyd would catch Murphree late in the race and attempted a pass only to have the caution flag negate the move. On the ensuing restart Floyd had his own hands full as Stacy Taylor and Billy Moyer Jr. applied pressure for the second spot.
Michael Murphree would go on to lead all thirty laps en route to his first ever O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Model victory. Jeff Floyd, Billy Moyer Jr., Stacey Taylor, and Dewaine Hottinger rounded out the top five finishers at the checkered flag.
The $2,000 win, which was the first Super Late Model victory of Michael Murphree’s career, made him the eighth different winner in the first eleven events on the O’Reilly MSRA tour in 2009.
Gary Christian from Broken Bow, Oklahoma received the Quartermaster Hard Luck Award after having his power plant expire early in the feature.
Michael Murphree was the COMP Cams Top Performer
Jeff Floyd was the Larry Shaw Race Cars Hard Charger after advancing from the ninth starting spot to a second place finish.
Heat races for the 22 car field were won by Dewaine Hottinger, Stacy Taylor, and Michael Murphree.
The O’Reilly MSRA tour will be back in action next weekend with a double header at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Arkansas. The tour will be going head-to-head with the O’Reilly MARS Late Model Series in two huge shows on Friday and Saturday, July 24th-25th. For more information, please visit www.BatesvilleMotorSpeedway.net and www.MSRADirt.com .
The O'Reilly MSRA is sponsored by and would like to thank primary sponsor O'Reilly Auto Parts, their Associate Sponsors- GRT Race Cars, Hoosier Racing Tires, COMP Cams, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Quarter Master, Kuntz & Company, Mark Martin Auto Group, JFR Graphics, RiceTec, ASI Racewear, ROCKHARD Powdercoat, Inc., Boomland, NEA Supergas, and MSR Mafia.com Marketing Services; and their contingency sponsors - Suspension Spring Specialists, BSB Manufacturing, Boston's Restaurant and Sports Bar Pizza, Five Star Bodies, Joe Gibbs Racing Oil, Schaeffer Oil, & FSR Products.
For the latest information on the O'Reilly MSRA Super Late Model Series, please visit www.MSRADirt.com
O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Models – July 18th, 2009
Drew County Speedway (Monticello, AR)
Feature Results
1. Michael Murphree (Little Rock, AR)
2. Jeff Floyd (Walnut Ridge, AR)
3. Billy Moyer Jr. (Batesville, AR)
4. Stacy Taylor (Jacksonville, AR)
5. Dewaine Hottinger (Russellville, AR)
6. Jon Mitchell (Texarkana, TX)
7. Allen Tippen (Minden, LA)
8. Shane Diamant (Maumelle, AR)
9. Robbie Stuart (Deridder, LA)
10. Kyle Beard (Trumann, AR)
11. Justin Asplin (Birch Tree, MO)
12. Ray Moore (Shreveport, LA)
13. Jon Kirby (Russellville, AR)
14. Mark Andrews (Marion, LA)
15. Austin Rettig (Sikeston, MO)
16. Terry Henson (Little Rock, AR)
17. Stormy Derryberry (Monticello, AR)
18. David Dunn (Russellville, AR)
19. Wesley Crutchfield (Prattsville, AR)
20. Randy Mitchell (Muldrow, OK)
21. Gary Christian (Broken Bow, OK)
22. Shane Stephens (Arlington, TN)
Entries: 22 (Representing Five States)
Heat Winners: Gary Christian, Jon Kirby, Dewaine Hottinger, Shane Stephens
JFR Graphics Pole Sitter: Michael Murphree
Quarter Master Hard Luck Award: Gary Christian
Provisionals: None
Larry Shaw Race Cars Hard Charger: Jeff Floyd (9th-2nd)
COMP Cams Top Performer: Michael Murphree
Cautions: 2
Red Flag: 0
Leaders: Michael Murphree (1-30)
O’Reilly MSRA Point Standings As Of July 19th, 2009
1. Billy Moyer Jr. – 1296
2. Kyle Beard – 1257
3. Jeff Floyd – 1227
4. Jon Mitchell – 1173
5. Jon Kirby – 1149
6. Dewaine Hottinger - 1144
7. Ray Moore - 1103
8. Randy Mitchell - 1061
9. Gary Christian – 1023
10. Austin Rettig – 1004
11. Michael Murphree - 820
12. Bill Frye – 676
13. Joey Mack - 566
14. Jack Sullivan - 561
15. Clay Fisher - 488