Legit Speedway Park
Campbell fights off Essary for first series victory
WEST PLAINS, Mo. (Sept. 5) — Series rookie Larry Campbell of Van Buren, Ark., fought off challenges from Leslie Essary of Crane, Mo., in the late stages of a 30-lapper at West Plains Motor Speedway for a $1,000 victory on the Race Brothers Show-Me Racin' Series. Campbell, who started sixth, took the lead from Jarrod Hilton on the ninth lap and led the rest of the way for his first-ever series victory.
Essary was second followed by series points leader Justin Wells of Aurora, Mo., while Jim Fulp of Aurora rallied back to fourth after dropping to seventh. Rick Lebow rounded out the top five in a race slowed three times, all for single-car incidents.
Bill McMurtrie was running fifth when he spun between turns three and four for a lap-eight red flag. He restarted on the tail and got back to 10th.
Notes: Campbell's GRT Race Car is sponsored by Morton Family Dentistry and Cowboys Oil Field Supply. ... The night's heat races ran caution-free. ... Darrin Barton finished seventh in his first series event of the season. ... Rick Lebow debuted a new-to-him GRT Race Car. ... Scott Fry was running second with one lap remaining in the second heat when his car's broken rear end forced him off the track. ... With two upcoming events cancelled (Sept. 25 at Outlaw Motor Speedway in Muskogee, Okla., and Oct. 1 at Springfield Raceway in Missouri), the series has a single race remaining on Oct. 17 for Tri-State Speedway's Spooker in Pocola, Okla.
Race Brothers Show-Me Series @ West Plains: (1) Larry Campbell, (2) Leslie Essary, (3) Justin Wells, (4) Jim Fulp, (5) Rick Lebow, (6) Rex Merritt, (7) Darrin Barton, (8) Jarrod Hilton, (9) Ken Essary, (10) Bill McMurtrie, (11) Chris Deaton, (12) Todd Hall, (13) Randy Galloway, (14) Kevin Henseon, (15) Kathy Tonoli, (16) Kevin Brown, (17) Phil Edmondson, (18) Tim Adams, (19) Ron Johnson, (20) Mark Penticuff, (21) Chris Lapp, (22) Chris Morelock. Heat race winners (among 28 cars): Campbell, Merritt, Hilton, L. Essary. Consolation winner: Deaton. Provisional starters: Edmondson, Penticuff.
