Pierce and Precipitation Top Moberly

  Sunday night was the first ever visit to the Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Missouri by the UMP Summernationals - the Hell Tour -  along with the UMP Summit Modified Tour. The local B mod class was also on the card. The predicted scorching temperature was replaced by cloudy skies, and while a large crowd turned out, the pit area was short on cars. The rescheduled Lucas Oil series Diamond Nationals just a couple hours down the road no doubt affected the late model turnout, but the low count of modifieds was a bit of a surprise.
   The action kicked off with hot laps just after the advertised time of 6:00 PM, and the wide, high banked oval ( 3/8, 4/10, 1/2 mile ?) was fast, smooth, and dust free.The modifieds qualified during their hot lap session with Michael Long pacing the nine cars checked in at 19.045 seconds. One of the top contenders, Dave Weitholder, appeared to blow his engine in the hot lap session, ending his night.
   The fourteen late models on hand qualified for two laps one at a time. Frank Heckenast Jr. topped the first group with a lap of 17.158 seconds, while Bobby Pierce set overall quick time with a lap of 16.845 ticks of the clock.
   Heat race action clicked off in quick fashion. The B mods were up first with the eighteen entrants split into three ten lap heat races. Quincy, Illinois driver Bobby Anders climbed in the #63G normally wheeled by Michael Goodwin and captured heat one ahead of Cole Campbell. Austen Becerra followed his Friday night win at Lee County with a heat two victory over Preston Dawson, and Dakota Girard topped Barry Taft in heat three.
   Long then cruised to the eight lap modified heat race win in front of Zeke McKenzie, Will Krup, and Brandon Ryan.
   The first late model ten lapper was a flag to flag win for Heckenast Jr., besting Dylan Hoover, with the pair of #99s followed by St.Louis area veterans Mark Voigt and Rusty Griffaw. Pierce nabbed the final heat, holding off Brian Shirley. Saturday night Tour winner Jason Feger was third in front of Trevor Gundaker.
    It was now time for a brief intermission, and the B mods were called to staging as I stood in the concession line awaiting a tasty tenderloin. Before getting back to my seat, however, the announcement was made that rain was headed our way, and the late model forty lap main event would now run first. Of course it was a few minutes before the field was lined up and ready to go, but soon we were racing!
   There was plenty of action up front, but this night clearly belonged to Pierce. By lap five, he had a sizable lead as Heckenast Jr. and Shirley waged war for second while Feger looked for racing room in fourth. Pierce caught the back of the pack on lap six, but the first caution came one lap later as Tim Lance Jr. slowed on the backstretch, his run over. The caution wiped out Pierces' big lead , but he quickly charged ahead as the green flag was again displayed. A second yellow came on lap ten as Brandon Queen spun at the exit of turn four, but again Pierce stretched his margin under green. A final caution came at lap twenty one as Feger ducked to the pits with a flat left rear tire. He rejoined the pack and quickly powered back into the top five as raindrops began to fall. With twenty five of the scheduled forty laps scored, the decision was made to throw the white flag before conditions worsened. The $5,000 top prize went to Pierce, with Heckenast a distant second. Shirley took third, while Feger rebounded to fourth. Griffaw completed the top five. Voigt came home sixth in front of Bob Gardner, Time Lance Sr., Queen, and eleven year old Kayden Clatt, the final car running at the checkers. Trevor Gundaker was credited with eleventh, retiring with overheating, Hoover gave up a top five run and was scored in twelfth. Lance Jr. was thirteenth, while Gordy Gundaker retired early with a broken driveshaft.
   Although the modified feature was ready to go, Mother Nature had other ideas, and the remainder of the show was washed out.
   A big thanks goes out to Promoter Jason Goble and his staff as well as UMP DirtCar officials for doing yeoman work to get in as much of the program as possible, and for their hospitality, as well.
   The tour will take Monday off, then move back to Peoria, Il. Speedway on Tuesday for a make up of a rained out feature from earlier this month. Meanwhile, Randolph County Raceway will be back in action next Sunday with five classes of cars, check the website or Facebook for details.
   See you at the races!