Sunday night it was off to the Randolph County Raceway near Moberly, Missouri as the MLRA late model series stopped by for the second time in 2020. This event would be the Scottie 46, a tribute to the late Albert Scott, the original owner of Quincy, Illinois Raceway and would feature a $5,000 first prize. With Illinois race tracks shuttered early in the season, owner/promoter Jason Goble moved his operation to the high banks of Moberly, mostly keeping in tact his Quincy schedule, including this memorial race. A pair of regular Sunday night classes, B mods and 4 cylinder cars would also be in action. When the MLRA stars visited back in June, Shannon Babb topped a thirty seven car field of late models. A nice group of twenty four super late models checked in this night, supported by twenty three B mods and nineteen four cylinders making for a solid Sunday night gathering. The warm holiday eve also brought a nice sized crowd, and fortunately the stiff southwesterly breeze carried any dust raised away from the grandstands. Following hot laps, late model qualifying kicked off, three cars at a time for two laps. Series point leader Payton Looney set quick time with a lap of 16.811 seconds around the high banked oval. Reid Millard put his crew to work after he dropped his driveshaft during his run. Three heat races were run in each division, with each late model ten lapper won from the front row. Outside pole sitter Chad Simpson topped heat one over Looney, Tony Jackson Jr., and Jeremy Grady. California driver Jason Papich, a two time weekly winner at RCR duplicated the feat, beating Aaron Marrant, Garrett Alberson, and his teammate Tont Toste. Ryan Gustin took off from the pole in heat three, besting Scott Crigler, Justin Duty, and Daniel Hilsabeck.
A fifteen minute intermission allowed the B mods to line up for their eighteen lap feature, with all but two taking the green flag. Chris Spalding grabbed the early lead from the pole position, while fifth starting Terry Wilson powered to second. Spalding opened a comfortable lead as row two starter Jamie Aleshire moved in to challenge Wilson for second. Following a lap two caution, Preston Dawson joined the leaders in third. Spalding hit slower traffic on lap eight just ahead of a caution for a mix up between Derek Goble and Cody Henderson. Back under green, Dawson moved to second as Spalding again stretched his lead. After another caution about lap twelve, Spalding stumbled on the restart, with Wilson grabbing the lead, trailed by Dawson. Spalding retired to the pits on lap fifteen and Michael Goodwin moved in to the runner up spot one lap later. As the white flag waved, the yellow light came on, setting up a one lap dash for the cash. The field was set single file, and after the first start was called back, Wilson held on for his first win of 2020. Goodwin was a close second. Aleshire, who was involved in an early caution, came from the back to run third, with Dawson and Hunter Cuno completing the top five. Wilson, Spalding, and Dawson also picked up heat race wins.
All nineteen 4 cylinders came to the track for a twelve lap feature. Third heat winner Landon Neisen sat on the front row along with Isaiah Penton. The caution waved on lap one as track point champion Alvin Cooney smacked the front stretch wall, ending his night. Penton lined up out front for the restart with Neisen and heat two winner Kyle Burton battling for second. The race stayed clean and green, even though Burton made hard contact with that same front stretch concrete as he fought for position. Neisen saw his strong run end as he slowed on the final lap. Penton remained in control to pick up the win. Anthony Kysar came from row five to claim the runner up spot, while first heat winner Adam Melloway took third. Burton hung around in fourth in front of Jeremy Bell.
It was now late model time, and all two dozen entries made it to the starting grid. The straight up start from the heats put Simpson and Papich on row one, with Chad jumping to the lead. He set a fast pace as the leaders powered around the high line of the quickly blackening oval. Slower traffic came into play on lap six, and one lap later Gustin cleared Papich for second. It took about three more laps for Ryan to run down the leader, as a two car battle developed at the front. The first caution came at lap thirteen as Kayden Clatt spun in turn two and Justin Duty and Brennon Willard ducked to the pits for flat tires. Again Simpson and Gustin put distance on the field, with Papich rejoining the hunt on lap twenty. Gustin used a lapped car to move to the lead in turn three one lap later, but Simpson executed the crossover move to retake the spot. As the lead pack came upon slower cars racing for position, a spate of flat tires began on lap twenty nine, as the caution came out for Mason Oberkramer. During the shutdown, fourth running Looney stopped on the track, smoke trailing his #15, and he then drove to his pit stall, his night over. The field was then restarted single file, with Simpson, Gustin, and Papich pulling away. Two more cautions came at laps thirty one and thirty three, and as Derek Wiss and Jeremy Conaway changed flats, fourth running Crigler, sixth place Marrant, and seventh position Hilsabeck all retired to the trailer. Simpson pulled away on the open track as racing resumed, but with thirty eight laps scored , everything changed dramatically. The caution waved as Papich slowed with a flat, and Jeff Herzog headed to the trailer with a shredded tire, as well. On the restart, it was now Jackson Jr. bringing out the yellow with a flat, and under green one more time Simpson gave up the lead with his own flat tire. Gustin was now out front, and although pushed by Alberson, he was up to the challenge. He picked up his second career win at the Moberly high banks. Alberson and teammate Jeremiah Hurst ran in the next two spots, while Duty and Toste also recorded top fives. Oberkramer rebounded to take sixth, and Papich came back to seventh. Jackson Jr., Simpson, and Conaway completed the top ten.
Despite the spate of cautions, the final checkers waved just before 9:30. Thanks to Jason, Jimmy, and the gang for their hospitality, and a tip of the cap to announcer Doug Mealy for the shout out. The MLRA will make one more visit to RCR this season, and it will be their season championship event on Sunday, October 16. Next up for Racin' Down the Road will be this coming Saturday at the Lee County Speedway, as the IMCA late model Drive for Five finale along with Sprint Invaders top the bill. Enjoy the rest of the Labor Day holiday, and we will see you at the races!
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