Valley Speedway
Phillips ends MLRA skid at Valley Speedway
Terry Phillips takes the checkers at Valley Speedway. (fasttrackphotos.net)
GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (June 15) — Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., won Friday’s Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association feature at Valley Speedway and earned $3,000 for his first series victory since 2010. | Slideshow
Phillips, the tour’s all-time winningest driver and two-time champion, topped Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., and reigning series champion and current points leader John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., for the victory.
Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., was fourth while Jason Bodenhammer of Centerview, Mo., rounded out the top five finishers after staring from the 16th position.
"The car was on the money," said Phillips scored his first victory since switching to a Bloomquist Race Car over the offseason. "I went to Eldora last week and raced with the best. You get faster. That helped out a lot. I'm pretty excited. It's a process, more than jumping in one and going fast.”
Jackson’s runner-up finish was his best of the season on the regional tour. Jackson and the sixth-starting Anderson provided an entertaining battle as they swapped positions back and forth several times.
Notes: Phillips drove a Bloomquist Race Car powered by a Hatfield Racing Engine with sponsorship from Andy’s Frozen Cusard, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Don Babb Motorsports, Keyser Manufacturing and Vita Tub. … The victory is Phillips’ 102nd on the series. He leads the all-time win list handily over Al Purkey (49) and Billy Moyer (38). … Bodenhamer advance of 11 positions earned him the race’s KRC Hard Charger Award. … Mark Dotson’s ninth-place finish was his second straight top-10 effort. He trails Kevin Sather by just seven points in the tour’s rookie standings. … The MLRA tour returns to action Saturday with a $3,000-to-win event at Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan.
MLRA @ Valley Speedway: (1) Terry Phillips, (2) Tony Jackson Jr., (3) John Anderson, (4) Jesse Stovall, (5) Jason Bodenhammer, (6) Matt Johnson, (7) Dave Eckrich, (8) Justin Asplin, (9) Mark Dotson, (10) Kevin Coyne, (11) Scott Koskovich, (12) Bryon Allison, (13) Jon Binning, (14) Dustin Walker, (15) Mike Collins, (16) Jimmy Morris, (17) Joe Walkenhorst, (18) Kevin Sather, (19) Bill Leighton. Heat race winners: Phillips, Jackson, Asplin.
