Last week’s Lucas Cattle Company ULMA action found drivers competing at two of the three planned events for the weekend with Randolph County Raceway (RCR) and Lucas Oil Speedway both in action. Racing at Callaway Raceway was once again rained out last week.
Chris Smyser, of Lancaster, Missouri, a long-time veteran of super late model action found his way back to victory lane ULMA style by capturing the win at Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Missouri, last Saturday evening while title contender Payton Looney drove to victory lane at Lucas Oil Speedway in dominating fashion becoming the first driver this season to hit the three-win mark.
Saturday at RCR, a total of 16 drivers competed throughout the night with Smyser capturing a heat race win over Terry Wilson while Kenny Mudd bested David Melloway in heat race number two. By virtue of their strong heat race performances, Smyser and Mudd sat on the front row for the main event.
Smyser’s red #25 machine was not to be denied as he kept Mudd at bay the entire race distance. Many time RCR winner and former champion Vance Wilson advanced from 11th on the field to finish 3rd just in front of Brother Terry Wilson in 4th. David Melloway rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were Darren Turner, Trent Everhart, Larry Winn, John Ketterer and George Wilson.
RCR hosts the Lucas Oil MLRA series this weekend while ULMA drivers have the weekend off at the track. ULMA action resumes at RCR on Saturday, June 20th, RCR is located at 4081 US-24 in Moberly, Missouri. The Track Phone number is 660-833-1727. Be sure to visit RCR online at www.randolphcountyraceway.com.
Racing at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Missouri fell to wet weather once again last Friday but the track is hopeful of getting a program in this Friday when ULMA and the rest of the regular weekly classes return to the track. For complete information and track details visit www.callawayraceways.com. The track is located at 7419 County Road 405 in Fulton, Missouri. Call 573-592-7795 or 573-642-6580 for race day information.
At Lucas Oil Speedway last Saturday, 21 of the best late model drivers signed in for competition in three preliminary heat races and a 20-lap main event. Payton Looney finished ahead of Lawson, Missouri driver Bobby Penney for victory in heat race one while Lockwood, Missouri’s Dwight Niehoff crossed the line in front of R.D. Peterson in heat race two. For the final heat race, previous Lucas Oil Speedway feature winner Jon Binning captured the win ahead of Harlen Kennedy.
Looney and Niehoff sat on the front row for the initial drop of the green flag but it was Looney who quickly shot out to an early race lead with Niehoff and Binning close behind. Looney kept both drivers behind him through the early stages and ever so slightly began to pull away as green flag laps clicked off the counter. Meanwhile, twentieth-starting J.D. Hubert of Cross Timbers, Missouri and former champion Tommy Cordray of Browning, Missouri moved forward into the top ten by mid-race.
With Looney well in control of the event as he started putting some of the field a lap down, Niehoff and Binning waged a classic battle for the runner-up position. Although Binning was close on a few attempts to overtake Niehoff, Binning was never able to make the pass. Looney sailed on to victory while his pursuers raced each other for second and went on to capture his ninth-career ULMA win. Niehoff came away with a strong second while Binning completed the podium.
Eldorado Springs driver Larry Jones moved into the top five with a fourth-place finish while Penney turned in his best-ever showing at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks with a solid run to fifth. Hubert, Cordray, fourteenth-starting Ethan Young, Todd McCoin, and Chris Cox completed the top ten.
Lucas Oil Speedway located in Wheatland, Missouri hosts another weekly racing program again this Saturday as drivers make their way back to the track in search of valuable championship points. For complete race program information visit www.lucasoilspeedway.com. Gates open at 5 with hot Laps at 7 and racing at 7:30.
Jon Melloway maintains his spot at the top of the standings again this week with Chris Cox holding down second. Former leader McCoin sits third while Niehoff and Looney round out the top five. This has by far been the best battle for the ULMA title this early in any of the last 8 years of the association’s existence. Once drivers hit 15 starts for the year they will discard their lower finishes in hopes of better points-earning nights.
Current Lucas Cattle Company Point Standings.
| POS | CAR # | NAME | STARTS | POINTS |
| 1st | 74 | Jon Melloway | 8 | 748 |
| 2nd | 1T | Chris Cox | 8 | 718 |
| 3rd | 7X | Todd McCoin | 7 | 678 |
| 4th | 9D | Dwight Niehoff | 7 | 674 |
| 5th | 15 | Payton Looney | 6 | 594 |
| 6th | 0X | Justin Russell | 6 | 558 |
| 7th | B1 | Vance Wilson | 6 | 518 |
| 8th | 12G | Gage Wineland | 5 | 460 |
| 9th | 65 | Jon Binning | 5 | 432 |
| 10th | O7 | Kenny Mudd | 5 | 425 |
Upcoming ULMA Points-Earning Events
Friday, June 12 – Callaway Raceway
Sat, June 13 – Lucas Oil Speedway
Friday, June 19 – Callaway Raceway
Sat, June 20 – Randolph County Raceway
Friday, June 26 – Callaway Raceway
Sat, June 27 – Lucas Oil Speedway
Sat, June 27 – Randolph County Raceway
TRIPLE CROWN SHOOTOUT
Thur, July 2 – Lucas Oil Speedway
Friday, July 3 – Central Missouri Speedway
Sat, July 4 – Randolph County Raceway
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