Pierce Doubles Up on the MLRA Tour

 Saturday afternoon, Fred Peters took over driving duties and we headed back north to the West Liberty Raceway to resume our four race weekend. After the Friday cancellation at Davenport, this would now be stop number two for the MLRA late models for the weekend, and it would mark their first appearance on the big 1/2 mile since 2016.
 This would also be the first race promoted at West Liberty by DrtTrak Racing, headed up by Bob Wagener and Carrie Rouse, who will be staging several events at the fairgrounds half mile in 2019.
  Upon our arrival, the sun was shiny brightly, and the pits were filling up nicely. With the modifieds, sport mods, and stock cars running non sanctioned, we were curious to see how the car counts would be, but each delivered a solid turnout. A mix of the open engine MLRA competitors and several IMCA cars swelled the headline class to twenty seven entrants. Twenty sport mods, eighteen modifieds, and thirteen stock cars also signed in  In addition, the American Iron Racing Series turned out eleven of the vintage machines.
  The track was in decent shape, especially when you consider that only one race was held here in 2018, and like most of us, the West Liberty area has been deluged with rain over the past weeks. On my tour through what would normally be a crowded infield pit area, I could see why cars were pitted in the spectator parking area, as much of the infield was close to swampy conditions. Still, following heat race action, the grader came out to try and smooth down a treacherous area in turns three and four.
 The stock car main event was up first, thirteen cars for twelve laps. Veteran driver David Brandies, no stranger to West Liberty Raceway, redrew the pole position. He quickly opened a big lead. By lap two, row three starter John Oliver Jr. had climbed to second, but there was a lot of real estate between him and the leader. While also separating himself from the pack, Oliver slowly began to close the gap on Brandies, and by lap nine, he was in position to challenge for the lead. With the race staying green, the front pair came upon a slower car down the backstretch on lap eleven. Brandies took the high line with Oliver down low as they split the lapped car, and they came to the white flag side by side. The final lap was again a  side by side battle, but Brandies held a half car length advantage as the checkers flew.
  With late model pilots Jesse Stovall, Terry Phillips, Joel Callahan, and Andy Eckrich all scratches, the B main was scrapped and the remaining twenty three cars all made the feature lineup. As a result, the late model headliner was moved to second in the feature running order, while also being cut from thirty to twenty five laps.
  Passing points from the heat races were used to determine the starting grid, so when Chad Simpson came from eighth to capture heat three, he earned the pole position. Heats one and two were won from the pole, giving Bobby Pierce the outside row one slot, while Billy Moyer lined up in row two with heat one runner up Will Vaught to his right. Pierce shot to the lead at the drop of the green, followed by Simpson, Vaught, and Moyer. Sixth starting Hudson Oneal, a refugee from the rained out Lucas Oil late model series weekend, joined the lead pack on lap two. Pierce found himself having to negotiate slower traffic by lap six, but two circuits later the yellow waved for a slowing Jeremy Grady. Following the restart, Jordon Yaggy and Dave Wada got together on the front stretch, sending Yaggy into a series of violent flips, with his #77 ending up near the turn one fence. The Minnesota driver was not injured, but his car suffered very heavy damage, and the resulting clean up created a lengthy delay. (Fortunately for me, I was sitting one row behind late model legend Rollie Frink, who entertained me with some colorful stories from his racing career!) Also during the delay, several drivers headed to the trailers, including the  fourth running Moyer. Back under green, Oneal powered to third and began to work on Simpson for second, while Pierce used the clear track to build a comfortable lead. After falling back slightly, Oneal charged ahead, taking the second spot on lap seventeen just ahead of the caution for Dave Eckrich, who rolled to a stop with a flat tire. When action resumed, it was now Oneal who slowed with a flat, bringing out a final caution. Will Vaught took up the chase as we returned to green, and he mounted a brief challenge for the lead even as Jake Neal and Simpson swapped the third spot. In the closing laps, however, Pierce was able to extend his lead, and he cruised to the win and the $5,000 payday.Vaught took runner up honors with Simpson also scoring a podium finish. Jason Rauen drove a steady race, getting around Neal late for fourth. Surprise entrant Rich Bell led the second five, besting Logan Martin, Oneal, Chad Holladay, and Mitch McGrath. Dave Eckrich and Joe Gorby were the final two still running at the checkers.
 The A.I.R.S. ten lap feature was up next. While this is a group made for " older " folks like me to really enjoy - who could root against a 1958 Edsel! - ex modified hot shoe Ronnie Barker clearly has the car to beat, as he easily bested the field.
  With the clock now at the 10:30 mark and a pair of late nights beginning to catch up with us, we decided to beat the rush to the parking lot by what was a huge crowd. It was good to be back at West Liberty, thanks to Bob and Carrie for a fun night.
  The MLRA northern tour and our four race weekend will wrap up tonight close to home at Quincy Raceways. Bobby Pierce will go for three in a row, and his fourth series win of the young season on a track where he cut his teeth as an up and coming star, first appearing with the KIDZ MODZ as a preteen. Hot laps at Quincy are set for 5:15, with IMCA sport mods and open stock cars also on the card. The MLRA main event will pay a cool $3,000 to the winner. If you see me sitting in the top row towards turn one, stop and say " Hi!"