Monett Motor Speedway
Payne earns $3,000 at Monett's Roper Memorial
Jeremy Payne (74) fights off Bill Frye (66) at Monett. (Ron Mitchell)
MONETT, Mo. (June 7) — Write J.P. on the check at Monett.
Polesitter Jeremy Payne of Springfield, Mo., teammate to four-time O'Reilly MARS DIRTcar Series champion Terry "T.P" Phillips, led all 35 laps at Monett Speedway to capture the MARS-sanctioned Tony Roper Memorial and a $3,000 payday. | Slideshow
Payne, who fought off challenges from five-time MARS champion Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark., and Eric Turner of Springfield, notched his second series victory of the season and fifth of his career.
Frye settled for second ahead of Turner while Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., and Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan., rounded out the top five at the 3/8-mile oval in southwestern Missouri.
Notes: Payne's GRT Race Car has a Hatfield powerplant and sponsorship from Andy's Frozen Custard. ... The event was a makeup from a May 24 rainout. ... The event honored Springfield, Mo., native Tony Roper, who died in 2000 of injuries suffered in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series accident at Texas Motor Speedway. ... Next up for MARS competitors is a three-race weekend on June 26-28 starting with the first-ever series event at Brill Motor Speedway in Meeker, Okla. Other weekend events are scheduled for 81 Speedway in Wichita, Kan., and Monett with all three paying $2,500 to the winner. The events will be co-sanctioned by the O'Reilly National Championship Racing Association/
Tony Roper Memorial: (1) Jeremy Payne, (2) Bill Frye, (3) Eric Turner, (4) Will Vaught, (5) Al Purkey, (6) Brandon McCormick, (7) Terry Phillips, (8) Shane Essary, (9) Dewaine Hottinger, (10) Jason Hughes, (11) Chris Smyser, (12) Alan Vaughn, (13) Tony Jackson Jr., (14) Gary Stolba, (15) Rylan Long, (16) Leroy Johnson, (17) Darrell Mooneyham, (18) Brad Looney, (19) Jeremy Kelley, (20) Bill Koons, (21) Jack Sullivan, (22) Jon Kirby. Heat race winners: Frye, Purkey, Hottinger, Payne, Jack Sullivan. Consolation winners: Phillips, Brad Looney.
Correction: Updates with complete finish
