Vaught Doubles Up at the Lake

 It had been several years since my last visit to Lake Ozark Speedway near Eldon, Missouri, so Saturday night we made the three hour drive south for night number two of the MLRA late model weekend special. Checking the results for the Friday night $3,000 to win event, it was a bit disappointing to see only 19 cars were on hand. Our hope was that a $5,000 top prize on Saturday night might bring in a few more cars, but it soon became obvious that for whatever reason the count would again be a bit low. Still it was a talent filled field of 21, and with only the local street stocks running in support, and only twelve strong, we looked for an early evening.
  Apparently the track owner/promoter decided to try and beef up the offering, announcing that the street stocks would run double features, the first for points and money and the second for cash only, with the lineup inverted from the finish of the first feature. It was also decided that both features would run ahead of the late models.
  Things got rolling about 40 minutes late, with a pair of street stock heat races. Then the late models took on the high banked 1/3 mile oval for three ten lap qualifiers. Friday night feature winner Will Vaught drew the inside row three slot for the first heat, but powered his way to the win. With the MLRA using a passing points system, Vaught looked like a good bet to start on the pole for the feature. Austin Siebert started second and finished there, while local ULMA racer Jason Russell held off Kolby Vandenbergh for third. It was announced that Russells #2J machine did not meet all MLRA specs, but his fellow racers jumped in to help get him race ready. Rookie of the year contender Mitch McGrath made the long tow from Waukesha, Wisconsin and captured heat two, besting Jesse Stovall, series point leader Chad Simpson, and Cole Wells. Veteran Terry Phillips has concentrated on USMTS modified racing in 2018, but with that series having a weekend off, he rolled out his #75 late model for the first time this weekend, capturing the final heat race from the pole position. Payton Looney ran second ahead of Tony Jackson Jr. and Mason Oberkramer.
   The first street stock main event rolled off next for 15 laps. All but one of the dozen cars took the feature green, with Dale Berry done for the night. Derek Henson led lap one, with Jimmy Meyers taking over on lap two. Lap six saw David Hendricks move to the runner up spot, and he began to pressure the leader following a lap seven caution. Henson suffered a flat on the white flag lap, falling to seventh, while Meyers held on for the win over Hendricks.
   A lengthy intermission followed before the street stocks were again called to the speedway for their second feature, with several on track interviews offered to keep the locals entertained.
  Henson started in row three in the second 15 lapper, vaulting to the first lap lead. As he stretched his advantage, Hendricks charged from the back to second, closing in on the leader ahead of a lap six yellow. A final caution for debris came one lap later. As the laps wound down, Henson held the preferred inside line, while Hendricks ran one line higher. He could pull alongside in the corners, but Henson was able to pull ahead down the straights. At the checkers it was Henson, Hendricks, and Meyers.
   Finally twenty late models came to the front stretch. The #14G of Joe Godsey was listed in the starting grid for both a heat and the feature, but the car was never unloaded, I am not sure what that was about. With the cars lined up, the drivers exited their rides for driver introductions. 
  At last it was main event time. The scheduled distance was 41 laps, a tribute to fallen racer Jason Johnson who was honored several times throughout the night, including missing man formations during the four wide parade laps.
  Vaught had indeed earned the pole starting spot with McGrath alongside. But it was Vaught leading as lap one was scored, followed by McGrath,Stovall, Looney, and Phillips. Vaught had a nearly straightaway lead and was approaching the back of the field when the caution came out on lap eight for a spin by Reid Millard. Stovall took advantage of the Delaware restart to move to second, and Phillips nabbed fourth. Phillips and Simpson were working the top side of the track as a cushion began to form, meanwhile Stovall was using a high line in turns one and two but following Vaught on the inside of turns three and four. Jeremy Grady brought out a lap twelve caution, collecting Millard as well. Back under green, it was Simpson on the move, advancing from ninth to sixth. As Vaught again built a near straightaway lead, Simpson entered the top five on lap 14. Three more rounds and Simpson was fourth, and it was lap 23 when the leader again found himself in traffic. Although Vaught was forced to change his line to lap a couple of slower cars, he was able to maintain his healthy margin. As Vaught took the white flag, Simpson had moved to third and tried to stick his nose under Stovall in turn three. In a cloud of dust, Simpson disappeared into the infield as the caution came out. As the field reformed, Chad showed his considerable displeasure with Stovall before exiting the track. Fifth running Looney also went to the pits under caution, shuffling the field for the final lap restart. The green and white waved together, giving us a one lap shootout. Vaught was up to the task, holding on for a flag to flag win, sweeping the weekend and collecting a cool $8,000. Stovall came home second, ahead of Phillips. Oberkramer grabbed the fourth spot, with McGrath completing the top five. Siebert ran sixth, ahead of Jackson Jr., row seven starter Logan Martin, Wells, and Rickey Frankel.
 As the post race fireworks display began, we headed for the car, rolling out of the speedway at about 10:15.
  It had been about six or seven years since I had been to LOS and it seemed there had been several amenities added, although my memory is not what it once was. Certainly though, it is a top notch fan friendly facility, with an accommodating staff. Special thanks to the Trimble family for their hospitality and to announcer Doug Mealy for the shout out for Positively Racing!
  Today, Sunday, I will soon be off to Quincy Raceways for another installment of the UMP Summernationals. The late models will be after a $5,000 check, while the Summit modifieds will be vying for a $1,000 prize. Meanwhile, thanks to several local sponsors, the sport mod winner will collect a whopping $2,000! The weather is prefect, so if you are close, hot laps will be at 6:30 with racing to follow. This is the biggest event of 2018 at QR, hopefully I will see you there!