At the end of the 2024 racing season, the Lucas Oil group pulled the plug on the historic and still well supported Midwest Late Model Racing Association - MLRA, after thirty six seasons. The void was quickly filled for 2025 by multiple upstart series in the Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma area while the MARS series picked up the handful of events in the state of Iowa. But promoter Ernie Leftwich, who headed up the final seasons of the MLRA was not ready to see the popular organization fade into the sunset. So after one season with the Comp Cams series, he decided to take the plunge and breathe new life into the MLRA brand. He purchased the dormant series and along with his wife Kayli, set about a rebuilding process from the ground up for 2026. And what better place to kick things off but at the track often visited by MLRA, the Springfield Raceway quarter mile!
With high expectations, Fred and I made plans to begin our 2026 season at Jerry Hoffmans' iconic speedway, the same venue where I began and ended my 2025 season. Speaking of Hoffman, as a showman as well as a race promoter, we also were witness to selected fans attempting to make a highly difficult basketball shot into a basket for a $20,000 payoff. When it comes to Springfield Raceway, there is always more than on track action! Of course, even planning this excursion came with a challenge as Springfield also hosted the Missouri state high school basketball playoffs on this same March 13-14 weekend, with hotels near or at capacity and with inflated room rates!
But all's well that ends well, so let's move on to the actual racing programs. In addition to qualifying events, the MLRA field would add provisionals based on 2024 final points standings for this weekend only. And thanks to Race On.com, each night there would be one more provisional starter. This position would be based on fifteen drivers who preregistered then selected by a fan vote. The top two vote getters not otherwise qualified would be added, one each night. Got it? So here we go!
Ninety two cars in four divisions filled out the card for night number one, with a more than solid field of forty Super Late Models leading the way. Hot laps kicked off right on time at 6:15, and with only three classes hot lapping (front wheel drives did not take laps), Late Model time trials kicked off at 6:30 in what became a fast paced program. Mike Spatola made the long haul from Manhatten, Illinois, and topped qualifying with a lap of 12.049 seconds. Veteran Billy Moyer was fastest in group two.
The twenty eight Midwest B Mods then ran three heats ahead of four eight lap qualifiers for the Late Models. Tony Jackson Jr., Moyer, and Tyler Kuykendall were victorious from row one, while Iowa driver Derrick Stewart captured heat two from the second row.
Twenty 4 cylinders and a tiny group of four Bombers plus a lone B main for the Midwest Mods set their feature fields, while the MLRA teams contested a pair of ten lap B's. Sawyer Crigler and Clay Stuckey led the four transfers, both from the pole. Three, rather than the advertised two provisionals were added, while Dayton Pursley was the "fan favorite " recipient for night number one.
Twenty laps would be determine the Midwest B Mod winner for the eighteen starters.A lap one pile up in turns one and two involved six cars, with four done for the night. Back to racing, polesitter Rafe Duncun pulled away ahead of another caution seven laps in. The field then restarted single file, with row six starter Jordon Cater on the move to the top five, pounding the high side of the quick quarter mile. Meanwhile sixth starting Karter Jackson was applying pressure to the leader while Joe Beard stayed close in third. The yellow waved a final time at lap thirteen when a slowing car stayed on the track. Cater shot to third as the green flag waved, but Duncan now found an extra gear, stretching his lead a bit. At the checkers it was Duncan with a flag to flag win followed by Jackson, Cater, Beard, and eighth starting Jacob Cater.
A quick intermission was taken to "tickle" the track, then it was thirty laps of Late Models for $5,000 to win. Jackson Jr. and Moyer would lead the pack to green, pulling away from the field. Stewart would trigger the first yellow, his night ended with three laps scored. Back to racing both Spatola and Eli Ross, third row mates, cleared Moyer for second and third. With Jackson in command, the red flag came with eleven laps down as Kylan Garner got upside down off turn four. A flat tire would also effectively end the night for Moyer at this time, as well. By now Stuckey was up to fourth after lining up in row seven. Again Jackson pulled away as Spatola and Ross battled for the runner up position. But it was Stuckey, who captured one of the 2025 MLRA tribute features here last spring that was on the loud pedal. On lap eighteen he cleared Ross, then charged to second one lap later. The leader would catch heavy traffic on lap twenty four, but he showed veteran poise as he skillfully dispatched the slower cars. At the checkers it was Jackson with the win chased by Stuckey, Ross, Spatola, and Caden McWhorter. Daniel Adam charged from row nine to sixth, followed by provisional starter Dillon McCowan, Kuykendall, Timothy Culp, and Terry Phillips.
Pleased but covered in dust, we took our leave about 9:45 as the top three interviews were attempted over a less than effective P.A. system. A check of results shows Justin Day a FWD winner from the pole, while Ben Chapman did the same in the Bomber class.
Tonight, Saturday, we will be back at it with the Late Models again going for $5,000 backed by B Mods, Midwest "A" class, Full Body, and Legends.
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