May 4, 2002; Lebanon, MO. - When there rains finally subsided from the ozarks, Midway Speedway took on the task that it set out three weeks ago, RACING! Tim Swearengin took the checkered flag in the Late Models, Chris Nichols got his first ever win in the Late Model Sportsman and David bates took his #91 modified to the front and never looked back for the win. In the Pure Street, it was Jason Otto the winner along with Steve Maddux returning to the O'Reilly's winner circle in the Super Streets. Also on the schedule was the Legend cars from Oklahoma and Texas and Canada, Cain from Edmond Oklahoma brought home the trophy. In the beginning of the Late Model feature, Springfield's Jerry Kelly took the lead and challenge from drivers for most of the 30 laps. But when he came out on turn two late in the race, he got loose and that let Ken Dickinson and Tim Swearengin make the pass that they had been attempting all night. Watching a battle that the fans had seen earlier in heat race action, and will see for most of the season was Dickinson and Swearengin. When the #6 Monte Carlo of Rick Peden took a spin with only two laps to go it was a green, white checkered finish. Dickinson held off Swearengin until the final lap when Swearengin came along side Dickinson and going into turn 2, Dickinson had to give Swearengin room as he made his way inside and for the pass and the lead. Swearengin finished first, Dickinson second and Steve Holt third. Rounding out the top five was Mike Hoover fourth and Jerry Kelly fifth. The grounder pounders of the Ozarks brought seventeen cars to the high banks of the Midway Speedway. Flagman Leo Morgan dropped the green flag and Jerry Bossen took the first five laps. Bossen was hounded by five time track champion David Bates, who had his car on a rail. Bates looked to the inside on the fifth lap and down the backstretch pushed his Core Supply machine to the front. But his night was not to be that easy. Bates had to hold off a charge from 2001 track
champion Jim Hayes and another former champion Dale Roper.Hayes and Roper was battling for
the second position for most of the race, but experience paid off for Roper as he selected
his move and around Hayes he went. But there was not to be enough laps left, as Bates had
made his way through lapped traffic. Bates took his machine to the winner circle, with
Roper finishing second and Hayes third. The young gun from Oklahoma made an impressive
fourth and Cuba's Jerry Bossen finished fifth.In comments to The #52 red machine of Greg Maddux had missed most of the season last year, but
returned with a vengeance in his first 2002 start. Maddux was able to take his MJ Kelly
machine to the front when Rolla's John Carrigan blew a right front tire that sent
him to the pits before the green ever came out. Carrigan in earlier practices seem to have
a very fast machine. Carrigan would come home third after starting from the rear of the
field, Steve Shaw would challenge for the lead but managed It looked to be a dominated Late Model Stock race by Scott Atkinson as he pulled
away with the drop of the green flag. The battles were in the rest of the field. It was
Sam Payne and Chris Nichols along with Gary Klossner and Robert Reeves working each other.
In a late race caution due to a stalled car on the apron, Atkinson was unsure if he
welcomed the yellow flag. When the green flag fell once again, Atkinson seemed to not have
the same grip in his tires as before and that opened Another big field of cars took the payment in the Pure Street Division. It was Ron Stokes taking the early lead. As he looked in his mirror it was the #92 machine of Jason Woods and the #8 machine of Jason Otto that would keep his foot into the floorboard. Woods and Otto had their own battle going on, but in a little slip between Woods and Stokes, Otto saw and opening and made the dash around to take the lead and the win. Woods would come home second, and Stokes third. Crocker's Trent Harison had fourth place honors and Waynesville's Mark Eagleburger was fifth. In the first of 2 appearances this year at the Midway Speedway grounds, it was Cam Case from Edmonds Oklahoma taking his legend car to the front for the win. Case would lead from green to checkered, but Wally Shields and Travis Ashwood would attempt to spoil Case's night, but the finished second and third respectively. This coming Saturday night Midway Speedway would like to honor all the mothers for Mother's Day with a FREE entry into the grandstands and tier parking. Also feature on this special night will be powder puff racing along with all five regular divisions and the Baby Grands. Late Models |
