Monett Motor Speedway
Phillips edges Jackson for $4,000 at Monett
Terry Phillips (75) topped Tony Jackson Jr. (56) at Monett. (cbracephotos.com)
MONETT, Mo. (Sept. 1) — Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., took the lead from polesitter Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., just before the halfway mark of Sunday’s MARS DIRTcar Series at Monett Speedway and narrowly edged Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., at the finish. | Slideshow
Phillips, the six-time MARS champion who tops the tour's all-time wins list with 82 career series victories, earned a $4,000 payday in the 43rd annual Four State Dirt Track Championship.
Jackson, the MARS points leader and one of the sport’s winningest regional drivers this season, settled for second after his late charge fell short while Stovall held on to third at the finish. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., and Justin Wells of Aurora, Mo., competed the race’s top five finishers.
Phillips’ first MARS victory of the season came in one of his last starts in a Bloomquist Race Car as he plans a switch to Rocket Chassis in the near future. Phillips’ past four races in a Bloomquist car has produced four top-two finishes with a $40,000 victory at Batesville (Ark.) Motor Speedway’s Topless 100 to go along with his triumph on Saturday.
Notes: Phillips drives a Bloomquist Race Car powered by a Hatfield Racing Engine and sponsored by Andy’s Frozen Custard, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Don Babb Motorsports and New Vision Graphics. ... The 40-lap feature was plagued by multiple cautions. ... Will Vaught was among drivers caught in a five-car pileup in turn one on the first lap. ... Eric Turner got into the frontstretch wall to bring out a lap-18 yellow. ... Jack Sullivan once again fielded a Rocket Chassis for Oklahoma-based Pannell Motorsports following his recent split with the GRT house car team; Sullivan lost a motor just past midway and slowed to bring out a caution. ... Robert Baker had a scary rollover accident in the final heat race; he was not seriously injured. ... Jackson continues to lead both the MARS and MLRA point standings. ... Only four events remain on the 2013 MARS campaign with a Sept. 13-14 doubleheader at Outlaw Motor Speedway in Muskogee, Okla.., and Springfield (Mo.) Raceway up next on the schedule.
Four State Dirt Track Championship: (1) Terry Phillips, (2) Tony Jackson Jr., (3) Jesse Stovall, (4) Wendell Wallace, (5) Justin Wells, (6) Brandon McCormick, (7) Justin Asplin, (8) Ken Essary, (9) Cole Wells, (10) Leslie Essary, (11) Dave Eckrich, (12) Dustin Walker, (13) Brian Schutt, (14) Chuck Comer, (15) Darrell Mooneyham, (16) Kevin Patrick, (17) Garrett Essary, (18) Jack Sullivan, (19) Eric Turner, (20) Shane Essary, (21) Patrick Johnson, (22) Leroy Johnson, (23) Will Vaught, (24) Chris Hawkins. Heat race winners (among 33 cars): Phillips, Stovall, Wallace, Wells.
