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Record Crowd at Logger Appreciation Night at Legit Speedway

By Scott Williamson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Following what has become the customary pre-race shower a record crowd of over 5000 watched some excellent racing Saturday night at Legit Speedway in West Plains.

It was “Logger Appreciation Night”, the 2nd free grandstand event at the park this summer. Aaron Hovis representing Three Rivers College in Willow Springs put on a lumberjack demonstration and set a personal best time in the one-man cross-cut and the standing chop. Aaron used this exhibition as a training event for his bid next weekend in New York at the STIHL TIMBERWORKS National Collegiate Competition as he competes for the national championship.

After an hour and a half rain delay and hot laps, the Hobby Stock drivers took to the track for the heat races to set the order for the main event. It was Richard Smith (#E4) of Mammoth Spring, Ar winning the pole position for the twenty lap Hobby Stock Feature. Immediately at the green flag, Jessie Shearin driving #23 jumped out in front. In some of the best head-to-head driving of the season, Shearin, Darren Fox (#88 – Mountain Grove), and Kevin Collins (#2 – West Plains) battled it out. At the checkered flag it was Jessie Shearin taking home the trophy, 100 points and the $250 check.

In the USRA B-Mod class, fans again were not disappointed, after Heat Races that were filled with great driving and competition, they watched Logan Martin #36M of West Plains battle it out with #44 Rustin Miller of Houston, Mo and #2M Carl Murphy of Caulfield. Rustin Miller led the first 14 laps of the feature but got a little loose in one of the turns giving Martin the opening he had been looking for to take the lead. Martin gained that advantage on lap 14 and led the rest of the way to the checkered flag in the 20 lap feature.

On Thursday, Donnie Miller, who is the West Plains Elementary Principal, brought a group of several hundred students for a behind-the-scenes look at racing. Almost all the students, when asked on camera, “who is your favorite driver”, said “Mr. Miller!” One of the two exceptions being his son, who said “Scott Bloomquist”. On Saturday night, “Mr. Miller” was at the wheel of the #26M car in the Super Stock feature event. Miller shot out of turn four to start the race and gained the lead and drove hard for 20 laps to ward off the challenge from Chris Piper #13P of West Plains the #13 of Curt Cotter from Mtn. Home, Ar. Miller, who had “junk” for a transmission was thankful the car held together.
“I just want to thank the Lord the transmission held together. We’ve had all kinds of issues and it was a miracle it lasted the race” said Miller, after taking the checkered flag in the Super Stock Main Event.

In the IMCA Modified division it was #32N Mark Norris of Searcy, Ar taking home the trophy. Again, in a race filled with superb side-by-side racing action, Norris had to battle for 20 laps against D97 Daryl Hay of Doniphan and 27B Matt Barry of West Plains to take home the winners trophy and the $450 check.

To close out the night, the crowd of over 5000 fans were prepared for a Late Model Feature that was sure not to disappoint. The track was really tied down and drivers in previous events had driven their cars hard. Things got off to an exciting but shaky start, as the leader hesitated to start in turn 4 creating a major pileup of half the field. After a lengthy delay to get cars back in operation they lined up the restart only to see another false start at the front of the pack. The drivers were anxious to race and fans finally saw a clean start. It was #14 Brad Looney, who won last week’s Late Model feature at Legit, who rocketed out to an early lead. He and #13 Joey Smith of Pomona and #12 Scott Crigler of Alton battled it out for nearly 2/3rds of the race. At Lap 15 there was an extended caution and Brad Looney lost his pole position when he had to leave the track with a flat. When he returned he had to take his place at the back of the drivers on the lead lap. With 5 laps to go on the restart a new leader emerged in #186 Jeremy Payne. Payne would jump out after racing resumed and would take the checkered flag. However, when he went to post race tech inspection it was found that he was running tires not allowed at Legit Speedway and was disqualified, giving the trophy and the $1000 check to #12 Scott Crigler of Alton.

“Well, its not the way we would have preferred to win. I would have preferred to cross the line first, but we’ll take it” said Crigler, who was also featured in a driver spotlight video this week on the Legit Speedway website, www.legitspeedway.com.

Brad Looney of Republic, who had to start near the back of the pack after the caution battled his way through the traffic in those five laps to ultimately take 2nd in the Late Model feature, with teammate #15A Payton Looney taking third.

Fans were entertained during intermission by Aaron Hovis, a recent Three Rivers College graduate, and Midwest Region Champion in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS competition. Aaron, who graduated from the Forestry Program at Three Rivers demonstrated three of the competition events that he will be performing June 20th in New York when competing for the National Championship in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS competition. Other intermission entertainment included a “Picker Race” as local loggers went head-to-head to load a deck of logs onto their trucks. It was Dusty Clinton coming away with the victory and the $200 prize in the picker race.

There will not be racing this weekend at Legit Speedway but racing will resume on June 27th. Gates will open at 5pm with hot laps at 6:30 and races at 7. Legit owner Gary Stolba, said he hopes to have the new “Tail gaiting section” open for the next event as an added feature to the park.

Tickets at the gate are $10 for adults. You can always check out the latest results, point standings and videos at www.legitspeedway.com or like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/legitspeedwaypark.