Stephens Wins The Battle; Alumbaugh Wins WAR

admin | September 30, 2012

WHEATLAND, MO (September 29,2012) – Throughout the last couple of months of the Wingless Auto Racing season, Josh Stephens has been one of the fastest cars on the track only to have bad luck on many occasions.

On Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway, Stephens put that bad luck behind him as he picked up his second win of the season.

Bradlee Ryun assumed command at the start as he was chased by Mitchell Moore and Jon Corbin.

With one lap in the books, a spin by Chris Desselle would bring out the yellow flag.

On the restart, Ryun would again lead as he was followed by Corbin.

By lap three, Friday night winner Brady Bacon was moving forward from his seventh starting spot as he was up to third. A lap later, Bacon continued his move to the front as he disposed of Corbin for second.

Ryun continued to lead as he nipped Bacon at the flag stand to lead lap five.

Bacon was able to move by Ryun in turn one and would lead lap six. With six laps in the books, Mitchell Moore got too high in turn one, hitting the wall, and getting upside down. The runner-up in the season point standings would see his night come to an end.

On the restart, Bacon would lead as he was followed by Ryun. On the backstretch, third running Corbin slipped high off of turn two and bounced hard off the backstretch wall as a majority of the field had to take evasive action. Corbin would see his night come to an end.

Bacon again led when the green reappeared with fast-timer Dustin Morgan moving past Ryun on the high side for second in turn two.

Bacon continued to lead over the next couple of laps followed by Morgan and Ryun.

On lap ten, Bacon slid too high and got into the turn four wall losing multiple positions in the process. Morgan was the new leader as he was followed by Ryun, Stephens, and fifteenth starting Casey Shuman.

Stephens started to put pressure on Ryun for the second spot and by lap fourteen, he was able to use the low line to make the pass.

Stephens started to reel in Morgan and gained substantial ground on lap sixteen as Morgan slid high in turn two. Not far behind the lead pair was Ryun, Bacon, and Shuman.

Bacon was able to move back by Ryun on lap twenty, but Ryun was not giving up the position without a fight as the pair continued to battle wheel to wheel.

On lap twenty one, Bacon slid up into Ryun sending him into the turn four wall and a series of flips. This ended a great run for the Higginsville, MO pilot. While stopped during the red flag, officials looked at the car of Bacon and deemed it unable to continue as the fuel cell was barely hanging on from earlier contact with the wall.

Morgan would lead on the restart as Stephens and Shuman gave chase. Stephens was able to keep his car down low while Morgan was starting to have more trouble keeping his down in the faster low groove.
Stephens was able to slip by Morgan on lap twenty six with Shuman getting by a lap later.

Stephens would go on to the win in his Summers Farms/Stephens Automotive Eagle with RMS power. Shuman was second in the Lucas Oil/Rod End Supply Maxim with RMS power. Morgan held on to third in his Ark Wrecking Company sprinter. Austin Alumbaugh was fourth in the Rick Smith Engine Connection MRP. Alumbaugh was crowned as the inaugural WAR champion. Eric Todd completed the top five. John Helm was sixth as he was followed by Steven Cross. Rounding out the top ten were Jeff Wingate, Casey Baker, and Brock Elliott.

Heat races for the eighteen car field were won by Bacon and Cross.

WAR Results from Lucas Oil Speedway-

A Main-30 laps

09 Josh Stephens, Buckner, MO ( 6) 2. 77H Casey Shuman, Indianapolis, IN (15) 3. 93 Dustin Morgan, Owasso, OK (8) 4. 26 Austin Alumbaugh, Higginsville, MO (5) 5. 21 Eric Todd, Falcon, MO (2) 6. 12 John Helm, Kearney, MO (12) 7. 19s Steven Cross, Clinton, MO (9) 8. 8 Jeff Wingate, Centertown, MO (11) 9. 9 Casey Baker, Lone Jack, MO (10) 10. 75JR Brock Elliott, California, MO (16) 11. 21C Chris Desselle, Richmond, MO (14) 12. 10 Will Register, Sedalia, MO (17) 13. 1X Bradlee Ryun, Higginsville, MO (1)-DNF 14. 77 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK (7) 15. 81A Jason Bodenhamer, Centerview, MO (13)-DNF 16. 4J Jon Corbin, Kansas City, MO (4)-DNF 17. 51 Mitchell Moore, Edgerton, KS (3) DNS: 12C Faron Crank, Sedalia, MO

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