After being postponed earlier in the summer due to rain, the second annual Weiner Nationals was held Sunday at the Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Missouri. Area businessman and super late model driver Reid Millard was the driving force behind the 2021 inaugural event, and with his purchase of the speedway this season, it promised to be bigger and better. This event would be a non profit, with all proceeds going to area first responders in memory of Gary Evans, a longtime worker at the speedway.
As far as racing was concerned, while being an unsanctioned event last season, Millard was able to secure the MLRA as a sanctioning body this time around. The forty lap headline feature paid a cool $10,000 to win and a healthy $750 to start, while the companion B mods boasted a $2,500 top prize and $200 just to start the twenty five lapper.
Other entertainment included a hot dog eating contest paying a $1,000 to the winner, music by up and coming band Murphy's Ford, and much more.
Whether it was the sanction or the change in dates could be up for debate, but the car count saw a drastic improvement over 2021. The late model count of thirty seven was just more than double that of the previous year, and with a whopping forty B mods signed in, the infield pit area was well stocked. The fact that Millard paid the MLRA entry fee for all late model competitors was also mentioned to me, and that too may have been a contributing factor! Even those large numbers likely paled compared to the huge crowd. With portable bleachers added near turn one, the massive grandstands were still jammed full!
Considering the track had sat idle for over a year, it held up quite well. There appeared to be a bit of a sip at the exit of turn two, but otherwise the wide high banks stayed smooth and racy, with three grooves available. The cushion soon traveled up to the edge of the outside concrete wall, while the low line around the inside concrete was equally fast. Millard enlisted the aid of Tri City Speedway owners Kevin and Tammy Gundaker, and Kevins' abilities in track prep shined through. I have heard the track described as being anywhere from a three eighths to a half mile, and my sense is that it lies somewhere in between. With the high rise grandstands, there is no problem viewing the backstretch, even with the stacker trailers in the infield. The only issue on Sunday was a stiff breeze from the north that never let up and kept those of us in the stands well dusted!
The on going entertainment was sandwiched around the racing activities making for a long night, but most of those in attendance seemed to be having a good time.
B mods hot lapped and time trialed together, ten in a group, with Trey Harris topping the list at 20.309 seconds. Late model qualifying was two cars at a time, and Tony Jackson Jr. continued his weekend hot streak with a fast lap of 16.820. Each division then ran four eight lap heat races, with the top four in each moving on to the feature. The B mod class had an interesting mix of cars, with USRA, UMP, and IMCA all represented. Curtis VanDerWal topped heat one in his IMCA #1V. Kelly Smith, second generation driver Damian Kiefer, and Clint Young also collected wins, with all coming from row one.
MLRA heat winners also all came from the front row, with Aaron Marrant, Rickey Frankel, Billy Moyer Jr., and series points leader Chad Simpson taking wins.
Each class ran a pair of B mains, with the top four B mods and top three late models moving on to the big dance. Veteran western Iowa hot shoe Josh Most suffered a flat tire in his heat race, then came from row five to grab the first ten lap B main for the mods, while Dawson David started outside row one and grabbed the final qualifier. Another second generation ace, Chris Smyser, who races a very limited schedule, put the Mike Crump #00s in the show by topping the first late model ten lapper, winning from the pole position, while Marysville, Kansas driver Dusty Leonard did the same in B main two. A pair of MLRA points provisional starters would make up row twelve, with Brennon Willard taking one spot. Peoria, Arizona regular Steve Stultz was edged out of the final transfer spot by thirteen year old Kayden Clatt, but was in line for a provisional spot as well. As part of the fundraising effort, former NASCAR star Mike Wallace was added to the field as the twenty fifth starter. Wallace was driving a #6 throwback design from his dirt days, a car from the Millard Racing stable. Millard would then add $100 to the donation bucket for each car Wallace passed in the feature.
While the hot dog action went on, a change in the program saw the late models line up on the front stretch for driver introductions. It had been announced during the drivers meeting that due to the tire situation the feature length may be reduced, and that would indeed be the case, with thirty laps now the distance. Marrant and Moyer Jr. would pace the field from the front row, and they would be scored that way as lap one went in the books. Marrant was riding the very top of the track while Moyer worked down low, along with fourth starting Simpson. Marrant had opened up a nice advantage before catching the back of the pack on lap nine. Moyer quickly moved in to challenge, and he had a nose in front as that lap was scored. Marrant was able to keep a fender alongside Moyer for another lap before traffic caused him to slow a bit, allowing Simpson to drive into second. Chad was ready to mount a challenge for the lead when the only caution came with fourteen in the books. Clatt spun between turns one and two and was hit in the drivers side door by Logan Martin. After checking on the drivers, the red flag came out briefly as the ambulance workers tended to Clatt. He received a ride back to the trailer as both cars went pitside behind a wrecker. By this point the mover of the race was Jackson Jr., who had lined up in tenth and was now in fourth. On the restart he dropped briefly to fifth, then dove under Daniel Hilsabeck and Marrant down the back chute to claim third. With Moyer taking the high line in turns one and two, then working low in three and four, the front group of Moyer, Simpson, Jackson, and Marrant drove off from the field. About lap twenty one ( Moberly needs a scoreboard!) Jackson powered around Simpson for second. One lap later, slower traffic again became a factor, and Moyer was now moving around the track in search of a fast line and to avoid the heavy traffic. Jackson Jr. was sitting in the catbird seat, closing fast, and on lap twenty eight he pounced, taking the lead and quickly driving off to a big lead. The Lebanon, Missouri hot shoe collected his second win in two nights, while a somewhat disappointed Moyer Jr. settled for runner up honors. Simpson continued his points dominance with a podium finish in third. Marrant came home fourth, while Mason Oberkramer completed the top five. Rookie of the year leader Kolby Vandenbergh started twelfth and finished sixth in front of Dewayne Kiefer, Hilsabeck, sixteenth starting Dylan Hoover, and Trevor Gundaker.
The B mods sat patiently in staging during the victory lane festivities, and as they prepared to come to the track, we saw the flagman leave his perch. Minutes later it was announced that there was a medical emergency behind the grandstands that would require the attention of the ambulance. Soon after it was announced that racing would be delayed until another ambulance arrived, and with the clock now on the wrong side of 11:00, we decided to head for the gates. Reports this morning show fourth starting Ava, Illinois driver Clint Young picked up the win, followed by Damian Kiefer, VanDerWal, thirteenth starting Brandon Lennox, and seventeenth starting Most, so it looks like we unfortunately missed a heck of a race.
Thanks go out to Reid Millard for doing a lot of non profit work for a good cause, to the Gundakers for their efforts and to the very helpful ladies at the pit gate! Also thanks to Brandon Queen for giving this old timer a ride to the infield. Millard announced that the track would have a new name in 2023, I believe he said Moberly Motorsports Park, and I am excited to see what he has in store for this fine facility going forward. ( That scoreboard would be nice!)
Next up on our racing schedule is the late model Drive for Five finale this SATURDAY night at Lee County Speedway, hope to see you there!
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