Lake Ozark Speedway Nationals Results and Stories

Monday, July 3, 2017
Lake Ozark SpeedwayLake Ozark Speedway 7/3/17
 
Lake Ozark Speedway
Eldon, MO
 
Lake Ozark Speedway 360 Nationals
 
35 cars
 
Lake Ozark Speedway reopened this year after standing in disarray for many years.  The staff has done a tremendous job as the place couldn’t look better.  From escorting fans from the parking lot to the gate, to clean and spacious restrooms, to sensible concession prices, to attention to detail and last, but not least, great racing, it is great to have the facility back.  From all accounts, weekly sprint car racing has been a hit, and the crowds have been good.  The crowd was packed in again tonight for this one.  Of course, one of the best features is still the scoreboard showing the top 20.
 
Heat one (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Evan Martin 4 (2*) 2. Randy Martin 14 (4*) 3. Chris Morgan 81A (8*) 4. Todd McVay 89 (5*) 5. Paul Solomon 7 (1) 6. Miles Paulus 21 (9) 7. Brian Beebe 37 (6) 8. Curtis Boyer 72 (7) 9. J Kinder 88 (3)
 
Heats were eight laps in distance, and took the top sixteen in passing points to the feature.  E. Martin led P. Solomon and R. Martin early in this one.  R. Martin slid by Solomon into second on lap three and tried tracking down his son.  Morgan was the mover in this one, taking fourth from Solomon and then third from McVay by an eyelash.  R. Martin fell a half car length behind the leader.
 
Heat two (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Kyle Bellm 14K (3*) 2. Jack Dover 53 (2*) 3. Brad Loyet o5 (9*) 4. Cody Baker 38 (5*) 5. Tyler Blank 75 (1) 6. Ben Brown 49B (8) 7. Lanny Carpenter 24 (4) 8. JR Topper 92J (6) 9. Clinton Boyles 12s (7)
 
Bellm led Blank, Dover and Baker early.  By lap three, Loyet was fifth from the tail, and Baker took third from blank.  On the next circuit, Loyet slid in front of Blak for fourth.  With two laps to go, Boyles got into the wall, bringing a caution.  Loyet used the restart to get by Baker in a good battle for third, completing his high point run.
Kevin UlmerKevin Ulmer Heat three (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Howard Moore 40 (1*) 2. Kevin Ulmer 20K (2*) 3. Chris Solomon 83 (4*) 4. Corey Nelson 34 (6*) 5. Danny Thoman 27 (3) 6. Mike Trent 0 (8) 7. Forrest Sutherland 85 (9) 8. Zach Davis 3z (5) 9. Broc Elliott 75E (7)
 
Moore led Ulmer and Thoman early in another good heat.  Elliott got a bit sideways in turn two with a lap completed and was tagged by Sutherland.  Both would restart at the tail.  Elliott would stop at the halfway point and exit.  Moore would lead the restart with four to go, ahead of Ulmer, Thoman, C. Solomon and Nelson.  C. Solomon would grab third, while Nelston took fourth on the last lap.  Up front, Moore, who towed to LOS after Crowley’s Ridge rained out in Arkansas, pulled away to the checkers.
 
Heat four (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Tony Bruce Jr. 86 (1*) 2. Dustin Barks 22 (4*) 3. Jonathan Cornell 28 (5*) 4. Austin Alumbaugh 33 (7*) 5. John Schulz 99 (3) 6. Ayrton Gennetten 3 (6) 7. Matt Close 5 (2) DNS – Bradley Ryun 1x
 
Ryun had issues in hot laps and scratched for the night.  Bruce led Barks, Cornell and Gennetten on lap one.  Cornell took a shot at a slider and drifted on lap two, giving third to Alumbaugh.  Gennetten would stop on lap five, bringing the yellow.  Bruce led Barks, Alumbaugh, Cornell and Schulz back to green.  Cornell would use the restart to regain third in a good duel with Alumbaugh.
 
B main one (started): 1. Paulus (1) 2. P. Solomon (4) 3. Trent (2) / 4. Schulz (3) 5. Gennetten (9) 6. Carpenter (6) 7. Boyer (5) 8. Davis (8) 9. Elliott (7) DNS – Ryun
 
A false start gave Gennetten a chance to compete as he was late to the track.  He started at the tail of the 10-lapper.  The top three transferred to the A.  Paulus led Trent, Schulz and P. Solomon early.  The Aussie Solomon slid by Schulz for third on lap two.  Gennetten worked his way from the tail to fifth by lap five, but wouldn’t climb any higher.  P. Solomon went around Trent for second don lap seven.
 
B main two (started): 1. Sutherland (3) 2. Blank (4) 3. Thoman (2) / 4. Brown (1) 5. Close (6) 6. Kinder (8) 7. Topper (7) 8. Beebe (5) DNS – Boyles
 
Sutherland led Brown and Thoman early.  Thoman used the low side to shoot by Brown for second on lap two.  A Thoman pass for the lead on the next lap was negated when Beebe struck the turn three infield tire, knocking him out.  Sutherland led Thoman, Brown, Blank and Close back to green.  Blank used the restart to gain the final transfer from Brown, and then took second from Thoman on lap six.
Brad LoyetBrad Loyet A main (started): 1. Loyet (4) 2. Barks (1) 3. Bruce (7) 4. Bellm (8) 5. Alumbaugh (10) 6. Cornell (9) 7. Morgan (2) 8. E. Martin (5) 9. C. Solomon (13) 10. Blank (20) 11. Baker (16) 12. Paulus (17) 13. Moore (3) 14. P. Solomon (19) 15. Trent (21) 16. Carpenter (24, prov.) 17. Sutherland (18) 18. Davis (23, prov.) 19. Dover (11) 20. Thoman (22) 21. R. Martin (6) 22. Ulmer (12) 23. McVay (15) 24. Nelson (14)
 
The classic 35-lapper started with Morgan leading Barks, E. Martin and Loyet.  Loyet got by E. Martin for third on lap two, and took second from Barks on lap four.  Barks was steady on the bottom and moved by Loyet and back into second on lap nine, when Loyet bobbled on the cushion.  On lap 12, Loyet rode around Barks and tried to slide Morgan for the lead.  Both Morgan and Loyet were slowed, and Barks cruised under both to lead lap 12.  Loyet regained himself and shot to the point a lap later, ahead of Barks and Bruce, who got by Morgan for third.  Bruce would continue his advance and take second from Barks on lap 19.  On lap 20. R. Martin’s tight condition sent him over the turn three cushion and hard into the wall.  He was uninjured, but had to be towed off.  Loyet led Bruce, Barks, Morgan and E. Martin back to green.  Morgan shot around Burks for third, while Bellm entered the top five for the first time.  The last caution would be displayed for Dover, who stopped with front end damage with eight to go.  Loyet now led Bruce, Morgan, Barks and Bellm.  Cornell and Bellm battled hard for fifth at that point.  Barks took third from Morgan.  Bellm would get by Morgan for fourth on lap 22.  Barks would shoot under Bruce for second with six to go.  Alumbaugh completed a good run, getting by Bellm for fourth momentarily, but settling for fifth.  Loyet looked like he was in cruise control on top to cash in the $4,050 top prize.  Blank was the hard-charger.