What won the race: Second-starting Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., held off a hard-charging Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., for his fifth career MLRA victory. He led all 30 laps for his first Late Model victory at Wheatland.

Quotable: "This race car is awesome," Stovall said. "Scott Bailey took it home this week and worked his butt of on it and changed some things around we had talked about. It was as good at the end of the race as it was at the start of the race."

Key notes: Stovall notched his first special event victory of 2014. ... Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., started on the pole but faded to finish ninth; he triumphed in his Capital Race Cars debut during the tour's previous stop at Wheatland on Aug. 31, 2013. ... Jeremy Payne of Springfield, Mo., won the USRA Modified feature; Payne pulled double duty, steering the GRT house car to a seventh-place Late Model finish. ... Defending MLRA champion Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., was eighth. ... Friday's $2,000-to-win event kicked off a weekend doubleheader for MLRA competitors at the Wheatland, Mo., oval.

On the move: Phillips climbed from the eighth starting spot to finish second; surprise entrant Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., advanced from ninth to finish third.

Winner's sponsors: Stovall pilots a Victory Circle Chassis with sponsorship from JSR Suspension, Midwest Sheet Metal, RCR Designs and Supermoon Graphics.

Points chase: Phillips extended his early points lead with the runner-up finish; he entered the weekend with an eight-point edge over Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Car count: 37

Polesitter: Brad Looney

Heat race winners: Brad Looney, Jesse Stovall, Chris Brown, Will Vaught

Consolation race winners: Chad Simpson, Jacob Magee

Provisional starters: Jason O'Brien, J.C. Wyman, Brad Jarrell

Next series race: April 12, Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) $3,000