By Richard Day
PEVELY, MO (July 12) – Tyler Walker sure knows how to help his ailing car owner feel better.
Wallace Ledford, owner of the #35 C&W Motorsports Maxim, had been suffering from kidney stones for a week when Walker presented him with his second O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series “A” Feature victory of the year Saturday at I-55 Raceway. Walker was lucky to start the race at all – his crew worked quickly to replace his engine between the First Dash Race and the main event.
“I owe this one to my crew,” Walker said after turning his signature back flip on the front straightaway. “The worked hard getting that engine changed. I didn’t think we were going to make it, and I kept telling them ‘hurry up, we’ve got to go.’ Some guys from some other teams came over, and even (NASCAR Winston Cup champion) Tony Stewart helped us out during that (38th-lap) red when our wheel was packed (with mud), and that was pretty cool.
“I’m just glad to be here in Missouri and racing at this track. This place is one of my favorite places we run. I was pretty tight getting into the corners, and getting in on the cushion helped me to loosen it up, and then I could turn and drive off the bottom getting out. I just have to thank Ricky Warner, my guys, John (Simanovich) and Eric (Manfrass), my girlfriend Sterling, and everyone.”
Walker, the seventh-fastest qualifier in the 37-car field, started the First Dash Race on the pole but followed Joey Saldana and fast-qualifier Paul McMahan across the finish line in the seven-lap race. Walker’s crew, with help from others, changed the engine in time for him to start the “A” Feature inside the third row.
Saldana drove his familyÂ’s #17 Eagle Raceway Maxim into the lead as the green flag fell in the 38th main event of the OÂ’Reilly World of Outlaws SeriesÂ’ 25th Anniversary Season. Jason Sides, who didnÂ’t let a blown engine keep him from winning the Second Dash Race, battled Saldana through turns one and two, but was unable to surge ahead. Brian Paulus collided with First Heat Race winner Jeremy Campbell and spun early in the second lap.
Saldana controlled the ensuing restart, and was three car-lengths ahead of Sides when he entered lapped traffic two laps later. Walker, who passed McMahan during the second lap, used a slide move in turns three and four to pass OÂ’Reilly World of Outlaws Series points leader Danny Lasoski for fourth place late in lap five.
Daryn Pittman steered the #21 Hop & Sack J&J into the low groove between the first and second corners to pass Sides for second place five laps later. Steve Kinser, who won the April 12th race at I-55 Raceway, surrendered eighth place the next time around when he stopped on the back straightaway with his right rear wheel packed with mud.
Lasoski, who challenged Walker for fourth place as the green flag replaced the yellow, lost fifth place to the rim-riding McMahan in turn two early in the 12th lap.
Saldana was seven car-lengths ahead of Pittman when he caught the back-markers a second time three laps later. Donny Schatz lost eighth place late in lap 17 when he stopped on the back stretch with a packed right rear wheel. Kraig KinserÂ’s #11K Delco-Remy Maxim was unable to continue after hitting the outside retaining wall in the fourth corner as the race resumed.
Walker made his way to the front during the race’s middle stages. He collided with Sides as he passed the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year candidate for third place deep in the second corner, then raced around Pittman high in turn two early in lap 26. Walker took the low line through turn three to pass Saldana, then slid in front of him in the fourth corner to maintain the lead 3 ½ laps later.
Jason Meyers, who started inside the seventh row, drove the #7 VMAC Maxim past nine cars in the first 30 laps, then exchanged fourth place with Pittman during lap 30.
McMahan and Lasoski took turns passing each other for sixth place during the final seven laps before Sides jumped the cushion, hit the retaining wall and flipped in turn two, setting up a three-lap dash to the checkered flag.
With four lapped cars restarting between him and Saldana as the race resumed, Walker controlled the final restart and claim the $10,000 first prize with a straightaway to spare. Pittman used an inside move between turns three and four to pass Saldana for the runner-up spot late in the final lap.
Meyers finished in fourth place, ahead of “The Dude,” Schatz, Tim Shaffer, Kelly Kinser, Fourth Heat Race winner Johnny Herrera and McMahan. Lasoski’s 30th top-five finish of the year gave him a 50-point lead over Steve Kinser in their battle for the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series championship.
Danny Smith won the Third Heat Race, then raced into 13th place from outside the ninth row in the “A” Feature. Craig Keel won the “B” Feature and passed eight cars to finish 15th in the main event.
The OÂ’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will sanction the Eldora Clash Friday and the 20th Annual Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway Saturday. WoO
2003 OÂ’Reilly World of Outlaws Series
I-55 Raceway, Pevely, MO
Saturday, July 12, Feature Program #38
Qualifying: 1. Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 10.494; 2. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 10.530; 3. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 10.612; 4. Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 10.652; 5. Joey Saldana, Saldana 17, 10.686; 6. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 10.690; 7. Tyler Walker, C&W Motorsports 35, 10.716; 8. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 10.720; 9. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 10.755; 10. Kelly Kinser, Kinser 4K, 10.813; 11. Tim Shaffer, Roth 83, 10.817; 12. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 10.852; 13. Jason Meyers, Karavan Motorsports 7, 10.866; 14. Randy Anderson, Stroud 1S, 10.872; 15. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 10.905; 16. Tommy Worley, Jr., Worley 97, 10.937; 17. Jeremy Campbell, Campbell 10C, 10.950; 18. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18, 11.091; 19. Danny Smith, Smith 4, 11.106; 20. Tom Busch, Busch 4B, 11.148; 21. Curt Trainer, Trainer 36, 11.153; 22. Steve Short, Short 8, 11.176; 23. Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 11.208; 24. Bob Bennett, Acme Trailers 3, 11.228; 25. Craig Keel, Pottorff 9, 11.256; 26. Paul May, May 71M, 11.280; 27. Kaley Gharst, Gharst 44, 11.432; 28. Robert Huisken, Shelly Racing 46, 11.503; 29. Derek Rossio, Rossio 10, 11.582; 30. Korey Weyant, Stinebaker 21S, 11.632; 31. Mike Deavers, Deavers 72, 11.720; 32. Paul Patterson, Patterson 87, 11.803; 33. Todd Rowland, Rowland 14R, 11.843; 34. Ron Standridge, Standridge 10S, 12.108; 35. Dave McKay, McKay 3M, 13.980; 36. Jay Landolt, Claybourn 4C, no time; 37. Jim Moughan, Moughan 1M, no time.
First Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Jeremy Campbell, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Paul McMahan, 4. Daryn Pittman, 5. Tommy Worley, Jr., 6. Bob Bennett, 7. Craig Keel, 8. Todd Rowland, 9. Derek Rossio. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)
Second Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Brandon Wimmer, 2. Tyler Walker, 3. Kelly Kinser, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Brian Paulus, 6. Brian Carlson, 7. Ron Standridge, 8. Paul May, 9. Korey Weyant. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)
Third Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Danny Smith, 2. Tim Shaffer, 3. Kraig Kinser, 4. Jason Sides, 5. Steve Short, 6. Randy Anderson, 7. Mike Deavers, 8. Kaley Gharst, 9. Dave McKay. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)
Fourth Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Johnny Herrera, 2. Jason Meyers, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Tom Busch, 6. Jim Moughan, 7. Curt Trainer, 8. Robert Huisken, 9. Paul Patterson. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)
First Dash Race (seven laps): 1. Joey Saldana, 2. Paul McMahan, 3. Tyler Walker, 4. Donny Schatz, 5. Tim Shaffer, 6. Kraig Kinser, 7. Jason Meyers, 8. Tommy Worley, Jr. (finish determined the inside starting positions in the first eight rows in the “A” Feature lineup)
Second Dash Race (seven laps): 1. Jason Sides, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Johnny Herrera, 6. Kelly Kinser, 7. Jeremy Campbell, 8. Brian Paulus. (finish determined the outside starting positions in the first eight rows in the “A” Feature lineup)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Craig Keel, 2. Randy Anderson, 3. Bob Bennett, 4. Jim Moughan, 5. Ron Standridge ($200); 6. Brian Carlson ($180); 7. Todd Rowland ($150); 8. Mike Deavers ($120); 9. Paul May ($100); 10. Dave McKay ($90); 11. Curt Trainer ($70); 12. Derek Rossio ($60); 13. Paul Patterson ($60); 14. Robert Huisken ($50). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
A Feature (40 laps): 1. Tyler Walker [5] ($10,000); 2. Daryn Pittman [4] ($5,500); 3. Joey Saldana [1] ($3,200); 4. Jason Meyers [13] ($2,800); 5. Danny Lasoski [6] ($2,500); 6. Donny Schatz [7] ($2,300); 7. Tim Shaffer [9] ($2,200); 8. Kelly Kinser [12] ($2,100); 9. Johnny Herrera [10] ($2,050); 10. Paul McMahan [3] ($2,000); 11. Steve Kinser [8] ($1,500); 12. Brian Paulus [16] ($1,200); 13. Danny Smith [18] ($1,100); 14. Jeremy Campbell [14] ($1,050); 15. Craig Keel [23] ($1,020); 16. Tommy Worley, Jr. [15] ($900); 17. Brandon Wimmer [21] ($800); 18. Jason Sides [2] ($800); 19. Randy Anderson [17] ($820); 20. Kraig Kinser [11] ($800); 21. Tom Busch [19] ($800); 22. Bob Bennett [22] ($820); 23. Steve Short [20] ($800); 24. Jim Moughan [24] ($820).
Lap leaders: Joey Saldana 1-28, Tyler Walker 29-40
UMP Modified RESULTS
Pevely, MO (July 12, 2003) Rich Whaley had the broom out and completed a clean sweep in the UMP Modified division. Whaley started on the front row of the main event with Scott Weber along side him. Weber took the lead on the opening lap and led the first sixteen laps before suffering mechanical problems and dropping out of the event. Whaley, who had been glued to Weber's back bumper for the first sixteen laps took over the lead on the restart and held off a hard charging Bobby Bittle for the win. Bittle, who started fifteenth in the main event, charged through the field to take second. Modified track point leader Ray Walsh came home third. Jim Shereck fought through some mechanical problems and finished fourth. Brent Thompson was fifth.
UMP Modifieds – 22 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 45M Eric Mabery
2. 88 Joe Puricelli
3. 8X James Reed
4. 41 Larry Hull
Heat 2:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 17 Jim Shereck
3. 51 John Hoffman
4. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
Heat 3:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 18 Brent Thompson
3. 1W Ray Walsh
4. 3R Leon Rakers
Dash:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 45M Eric Mabery
4. 17 Jim Shereck
Feature:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 89 Bobby Bittle
3. 1W Ray Walsh
4. 17 Jim Shereck
5. 18 Brent Thompson
6. 45M Eric Mabery
7. X1 Dave Sandage
8. 88 Joe Puricelli
9. 51 John Hoffman
10. 41 Larry Hull
11. 3R Leon Rakers
12. 56 Kevin Epperson
13. 23 Dylan Sharp
14. 15 Danny Resinger
15. 159 Ryan Gegg
16. 4J Scott Weber
17. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
18. 21 Dennis Richards
19. 9W Doug Wood
20. 16J Danny Haynes
21. 8X James Reed
22. 95B Jim Beishir
