68-Year-Old Lacey wins Pro 4 Thriller; McCormick, Hendrix, Jackson all feature winners by Andrew McNaughton/Lebanon I-44 Speedway

LEBANON, MO (July 14) - He's nearly 70 years old and still thrilling race fans. Don Lacey's Pro 4 finished inches ahead of Don Mulhbauer in was was easily the closest finish of the 2007 season at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday night.

"It's age," said Lacey from Victory Lane. "In one month I'll be 69. The age will do it."

Lacey finished ahead of Mulhbauer, who was at Lacey's bumper for nearly the entire 12-lap feature. The Pro 4's make periodic appearances at the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, and after this race, fans will be eager to see them back soon.

There was plenty of other action to keep fans on the edges of their seats Saturday. Brandon McCormick started on the pole, and lead all 20 laps of the Late Model feature.

McCormick gave the credit for the victory to his car.

"This Rayburn race car was awesome," he said after the win. "It's easy when you start on the pole and the track is clean."

While McCormick cruised up front, it was 2006 track champion Brad Looney who had to fight his way through the strong field of Late Models.

McCormick admitted he was concerned about the hard charging Looney.

"I knew Brad was back there and I knew he'd be coming on strong."

Looney came from the back of the pack to claim a third place finish. Looney caught up to the top three cars quickly, but had to fight hard to get past Dustin Mooneyham to catch up with Darrell Mooneyham and McCormick. Darrell Mooneyham finished just ahead of Looney to hold on to second place. Dustin Mooneyham held on for fourth place, and Leroy Johnson finished fifth.

The A-Modified provided more thrills Saturday night, as points leader David Hendrix battled with Tony Jackson Jr. for nearly all 20 laps of the feature. Hendrix took over the lead for the final time by gunning past Jackson in the turns.

"He got underneath me a little bit [going into turns 1 and 2]," said Hendrix about the winning pass on Jackson, Jr. ""I just got on the gas, and it went, so I was lucky."

Hendrix has enjoyed success throughout the 2007 season, but has had to adjust to the changing conditions of the track as the a Ozarks spring gives way to a drier summer.

Another driver who has had to adjust to the changing conditions of the track is Factory Stock driver Kris Jackson. Jackson's win streak was snapped last week by Lonnie Henderson in the Factory Stock class, but was back to his winning ways Saturday night, leading nearly all of the 15-lap feature.

"We've struggled on the dry slick, but I think we might have it," said Jackson after his victory.

Jackson had previously won four features in a row, but Lonnie Henderson broke Jackson's streak last Saturday. Henderson and Devin Wollansky had strong runs, battling for second place much of the race.

In other racing Saturday night, Tyler Brown found his was back in Victory Lane in the B-Modifieds Saturday night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, but not without some controversy. Jim Hayes was leading Brown through turns 1 and 2, when Hayes got loose, and Brown got into him.

"I apologize to Jim Hayes. He got a little sideways, and I didn't check up in time," Brown said after the race. "We clipped each other, and that's racing, but I'd just like to apologize."

Meanwhile, Joe Francis saw his chance to claim his first Bomber victory of the year fade when his car began to push late in the 12-lap feature. This gave Landin Johnson, running in second behind Francis, the opening he needed to take over the week.

This was the second consecutive win for Johnson in his back-up car. Johnson wrecked his regular ride attempting to qualify for the Factory Stock feature back on July 3rd.

"This thing is working pretty good," Johnson said of his back-up car. "It ain't much to look at... but it's getting me by"

In the Rookie class, Rich Reynolds won his fourth feature in 2007. He joked that he might consider retirement instead of moving up to the Bomber class if he continues his winning ways.

The Lebanon I-44 Speedway holds their regular weekly show this Saturday night, with the Late Models, A-Modifieds, Factory Stocks, B-Modifieds, Bombers, and Rookies. Gates open at 5PM, racing starts at 7:30PM.

DATES AND SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CALL RANDY MOONEYHAM AT (417) 732-2766.

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Results for Lebanon I-44 Speedway Saturday, July 14, 2007:

Late Model

Feature (20 laps):
1. 42 Brandon McCormick
2. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
3. 14L Brad Looney
4. 0 Dustin Mooneyham
5. 28 Leroy Johnson
6. 6 Bob Cummins
7. 7W Trace Westling
8. 14B Tim Ballinger
9. 112 Darrin Hendrix
10. 99 Larry Jones

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 42 Brandon McCormick
2. 99 Larry Jones
3. 112 Darrin Hendrix
4. 7W Trace Westling
5. 5 Lake Mooneyham

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 20 Darrell Mooneyham
2. 28 Leroy Johnson
3. 0 Dustin Mooneyham
4. 6 Bob Cummins
5. 14L Brad Looney
6 14B Tim Ballinger

A-Modified

Feature (20 laps):
1. 54 David Hendrix
2. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
3. 711 Matt Johnson
4. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
5. 14 Justin Neuman
6. 2 Brian Brown
7. 37D Dan Gilbert
8. 11 Jimmy Willis
9. 49 Ben Ballard
10. 15R Jamie Ragland
11. 47 Corey Simpson
12. 23 Mookie Cunningham
13. T10 Rick Brown
14. L75 Eddie Whitney

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 56 Tony Jackson Jr.
2. 54 David Hendrix
3. 2 Brian Brown
4. 15R Jamie Ragland
5. T10 Rick Brown
6. 47 Corey Simpson
7. 87 Jack Jones
8. L75 Eddie Whitney

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 118 Terry Beckham Jr.
2. 711 Matt Johnson
3. 11 Jimmy Willis
4. 49 Ben Ballard
5. 14 Justin Neuman
6. 23 Mookie Cunningham
7. 37D Dan Gilbert

Factory Stock

Feature (15 laps):
1. 65 Kris Jackson
2. 76 Lonnie Henderson
3. 27 Devin Wolanski
4. 18 Jim Reaves
5. 11S Steve Schultz
6. 67 Kevin Crider
7. 01 Darrell Martin
8. 71 Randy Morris
9. 31D Marc Davis

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 18 Jim Reaves
2. 27 Devin Wolanski
3. 65 Kris Jackson
4. 67 Kevin Crider
5. 31D Marc Davis

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 76 Lonnie Henderson
2. 11S Steve Schultz
3. 01 Darrell Martin
4. 71 Randy Morris
5. 61 Mike Murzynski


B-Modified

Feature (15 laps):
1. T10 Tyler Brown
2. 37 Derrick Peterson
3. 21 Josh Woody
4. 23L Tyler Lewis
5. 14H Jim Hayes
6. 14N Shawn Nations
7. 8 Jason Otto
8. 29 Jeff Kinsley
9. 00W Ed Wilson

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 14H Jim Hayes
2. T10 Tyler Brown
3. 00W Ed Wilson
4. 29 Jeff Kinsley

Heat 2 (8 laps):
1. 21 Josh Woody
2. 8 Jason Otto
3. 14N Shawn Nations
4. 37 Derrick Peterson
5. 23L Tyler Lewis

Pro 4

Feature (12 laps):
1. 20 Don Lacey
2. 88 Lonnie Mulhbauer
3. 77 Ryan Hitt
4. 35 Bob Widener
5. 50 Teresa Widener
6. 89 Holly Brown

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 20 Don Lacey
2. 88 Lonnie Mulhbauer
3. 50 Teresa Widener
4. 11 Darrin Widener
5. 35 Bob Widener
6. 77 Ryan Hitt
7. 89 Holly Brown

Bombers

Feature (12 laps):
1. 5 Landin Johnson
2. 32 Joe Francis
3. 18 JC Morton
4. 70 Patrick West
5. 67 Kevin Morrison
6. 8 Cody Harmon

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 32 Joe Francis
2. 5 Landin Johnson
3. 18 JC Morton
4. 67 Kevin Morrison
5. 70 Patrick West
6. 99 Mike Slone

Rookie

Feature (12 laps):
1. 7R Rich Reynolds
2. 7L Josh Lewis
3. 17 Jeff Brown
4. 6T Austin Treadway
5. 43 Trent Wagy

Heat 1 (8 laps):
1. 7R Rich Reynolds
2. 7L Josh Lewis
3. 17 Jeff Brown
4. 43 Trentemsgy
5. 6T Austin Treadway