April 27
Thunderbird Speedway,
Muskogee, OK
Sanction: Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association - $3,000
Information provided by: Series and other reports (last updated April 28, 1:27 pm)
Stovall tops Simpson for Muskogee triumph
- Jesse Stovall
- Chad Simpson
- Payton Looney
- Tony Jackson Jr.
- Will Vaught
- Justin Zeitner
- Mason Oberkramer
- Randy Timms
- Mitch McGrath
- Raymond Merrill
- Mark Harrison
- Austin Siebert
- Jeff Hull
- Jacob Magee
- Jeff Hull
- Cole Wells
- Joe Godsey
- Sloppy Hogg
- Shannon Scott
- Jeff Roth
- Jeremy Grady
MLRA winner Jesse Stovall celebrates atop his car.
What won the race: Third-starting Jesse Stovall of Billings, Mo., overtook Chad Simpson for the lead on lap 10 and marched on to claim a 30-lap MLRA victory at Thunderbird Speedway on Friday. Adter surviving a scrape with the lapped J.C. Wyman with four laps remaining, Stovall finished 1.083 seconds ahead of the polesitting Simpson to earn $3,000 while Payton Looney placed third.
Quotable: "I kept screwing up on the restart and my carburetor won't run right, so I had to do some fancy footwork with my brakes and my gas pedal to get that thing running around the top pretty good," Stovall said. "When I saw (Chad Simpson) go in the middle of the racetrack I was licking my lips, and it all just worked out. It was a good night for us."
Key notes: Stovall has 22 career MLRA victories; his previous came in the 2017 finale at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. ... Runner-up Simpson and his Brinkman Motorsports team had a front steer tire on their hauler blow out just miles from their shop on Thursday, causing significant damage to the rig. They borrowed a hauler from friends to make the trip. ... Friday's action kicked off a weekend doubleheader that also includes Saturday’s stop at Legit Speedway Park in West Plains, Mo. … Thunderbird Speedway hosted the first-ever MLRA race, held April 21, 1989, and won by Missouri’s Larry Phillips. … Thunderbird Speedway reopened June 9, 2017 when it hosted a MARS West race after sitting idle for a couple of seasons.
On the move: Justin Zeitner finished sixth after starting 13th to grab the C&L RV Center Hard Charger honors.
Winner's sponsors: Stovall’s Black Diamond Chassis is sponsored by driveWFX.com, Malvern Bank, Midwest Sheet Metal, Swafford’s Service, MTS and Rushin Towing.
Points chase: Chad Simpson moved into the MLRA points lead with his fourth top-five finish in five events.
Car count: 21
Polesitter: Chad Simpson
Heat race winners: Chad Simpson, Cole Wells, Jesse Stovall
Next series race: April 28, Legit Speedway Park (West Plains, MO) $3,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.