Old No. 1 Speedway
Beard wins MSRA finale as Mack captures title
From series reports
Kyle Beard
HARRISBURG, Ark. (Sept. 21-22) — Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., fought off a late-race challenge from Jordan Jones at Poinsett County Raceway to win the season finale on the Mid-South Racing Association. Beard, 21, earned $5,000 for his first series victory while Joey Mack's fifth-place run gave him the championship on the first year series.
Beard outdueled polesitter Mike Bowers and took control on the third lap as Bowers and Dane Dacus gave chase in the Mid-South Dirt Track Championship. Dacus retired on the 35th lap after heavy contact with Bowers, and the 12th-starting Jones inherited third. Jones, a consolation race winner, maneuvered past Bowers and began pressuring Beard, who finally pulled away following a late-race caution.
Jones settled for second with Bowers, 18th-starting Charlie Cole and Mack rounding out the top five.
Notebook
Beard's GRT Race Car has a Samuels Performance Engine and sponsorship from KB Transport, Subby & Whitney, Anthony Renshaw, Gary Beard Trucking and New Vision Graphics. ... Beard has three victories this season on the first-year Arkansas Motorsports Professionals circuit, but the Poinsett County victory marked his first with MSRA. ... Charlie Cole's 18th-to-fourth run gave him the Larry Shaw Hard Charger award. Cole's team made several changes for the feature, going back to a suspension setup that was 3 years old. ... Fifth-finishing Joey Mack's narrow championship victory over Jeff Floyd, who finished sixth, didn't come easy. In Friday night's heat races, a new fuel pump failed. The team spent most of the night making repairs and Mack was able to win a consolation race despite driving without power steering. He advanced from 11th to fifth in the feature to secure the title. ... Billy Peden also had problems when a broken torque arm damaged his driveline. He borrowed a car and started the feature with a provisional starting spot.
Mid-South Dirt Track Championship: (1) Kyle Beard, (2) Jordan Jones, (3) Mike Bowers, (4) Charlie Cole, (5) Joey Mack, (6) Jeff Floyd, (7) Carl Thomas, (8) Billy Moyer Jr., (9) Billy Peden, (10) Jared Landers, (11) Enik Sanders, (12) Robert Lovette, (13) Justin Alstin, (14) Dusty Johnston, (15) Shane Essary, (16) Dane Dacus, (17) Dewaine Hottinger, (18) Jeff Wells, (19) Jon Kirby, (20) Stacy Taylor.
