Thunderbird Speedway
Looney collects $3,000 Muskogee victory
Brad Looney heads for victory in Muskogee, Okla. (Ron Mitchell)
MUSKOGEE, Okla. (April 28) — Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., took the lead early in the Charlie Fulton Memorial and kept Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., in check late for a $3,000 victory at Thunderbird Speedway.
"On the start everything just hit perfect," Looney, who won for the first time at the Muskogee oval. "My car was just extremely good. Once I got into the groove and got some laps going and got by (Terry) Phillips, it just felt like everything was going to be right tonight."
The third-starting Looney registered his sixth career victory on both the MARS DIRTcar Series and Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association in the Sunday evening event. | Slideshow
Pole-starting Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., was third followed by reigning MLRA champ John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., while Mark Dotson of Cameron, Mo., rounded out the top five finishers at the half-mile oval. Reigning MARS champ Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., ran as high as second early but spun out of contention.
The co-sanctioned event was postponed to Sunday after Friday’s rainout.
Raymond Merrill of Sallisaw, Okla., who won Saturday’s MARS-MLRA Shootout at Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., in a Wendell Wallace-owned car, retired with a 20th-place finish at Muskogee.
Notes: Looney’s Victory Circle Chassis is sponsored by Looney Underground, A&E Kitchen Service, Client One Securities, Family Pharmacy, Midwest Sheet Metal, JJ Propane, EMD Wraps and Federal Protection Inc. ... Looney’s previous series victories came early last season. ... Modified ace Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, was running sixth when he retired in the closing laps. ... Next up on the MARS schedule is May 11’s John Kuntz Memorial at Springfield (Mo.) Speedway. ... MLRA competitors take nearly a month off before returning to action at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., on May 23-25 for the Show-Me 100.
Charlie Fulton Memorial: (1) Brad Looney, (2) Will Vaught, (3) Terry Phillips, (4) John Anderson, (5) Mark Dotson, (6) Tommy Weder Jr., (7) Travis Dickes, (8) Tony Jackson Jr., (9) Jesse Stovall, (10) Justin Asplin, (11) Chase Junghans, (12) Jason Bodenhamer, (13) Jon Kirby, (14) Shawn Knuckles, (15) Brandon Morton, (16) Leroy Johnson, (17) Cliff Morrow, (18) Jason Sperry, (19) Ryan Gustin, (20) Raymond Merrill, (21) Dustin Walker, (22) Jack Sullivan. Scratched: Dillon Rupe, Jason Redman. Heat race winners (among 24 cars): Stovall, Looney, Phillips.
