Modified Madness
~April 28, 2007~

 

By Ronnie Williams:

Midway Modified Madness

2-time UMP National Modified Champion Mike Harrison brought out the broom as he made a clean sweep of the shortened  3rd Annual Modified Madness by leading all 40 laps and withstanding a late caution in grabbing the top prize money in the weather-shortened event as rain forced the event to be pushed into a one day event over a star-studded field.
On the start of the Modified feature, Harrison jumped to the early lead with Mike Francis right behind him. Vance Wilson brought out the 1st caution as a right front flat forced him to stop. Wilson would rebound after restarting 25th. On the restart, Harrison again took control as Francis, Eric Hudson and defending champion Chad Kinder were battling for position as Hudson made the move on lap 8 to take over second place. Caution waved on lap 11 as a 5 car pile up involving Tony Jackson, Jr., Jeremy Chambers, Jim Roach, Gary Clark and Bobbye Williams would shuffle the field. On the double-file restart, runner-up Hudson slipped in turn 3 giving up second place to Kinder as Mark Dobson was making some moves along with Jared Landers, who started 22nd. Harrison was setting a fast pace as lap 23 would see Mike Francis, Hudson and A.J. Sharvensteen involved in turn 4 ending their nights. While attrition was taking its toll on several, Jared Landers, Payton Taylor, 25th starter Jamie Ragland and Vance Wilson were cycling up through the field and cracked into the top 5. Harrison, who had the smooth line all night long, would see Landers close up and get a final shot on lap 37 as Chad Wheeler spun hard in turn 4. On the restart, Landers jumped to the top cushion trying to take over the lead from Harrison but spun sending him to the rear as Vance Wilson moved into 2nd place with Ragland and Dobson along with Jackson, Jr. fighting for position. Harrison would survive the late charges to take the win followed by Wilson, Ragland, Dobson, Jackson, Landers and Brian Schutt on the lead lap.

 In Support class action:

 The Winged Sprints Austin Alumbaugh brought the field down to the green to lead the opening laps with Eric Todd hot on his heels with Clint Todd, Joe Todd and J.P. Compton fighting for position. With Alumbaugh and Eric Todd swapping the top spot back and forth, lap 8 would see Alumbaugh come to a stop ending his strong run in his first appearance ever at the Midway. On the rstart, Eric Todd would set a blistering pace to grab his 1st Midway win of the season with Joe Todd, J.P. Compton, Scott Wedelstadt and Jeremy Hazel completing the top 5.
The Missouri Legends cars ran a solid Green-white-checkered 15 lap feature with good close racing with Park Jones leading all 15 lap and holding off last week's winner Tony Hatfield from the win followed closely by Rob Watson, Paul Horton and Ron Hoffman in the top 5.
The Bombers feature saw Billy Waters jump to the early lead with Missy Shaw a solid 2nd. Last week's winner Mike Piercy, who started 11th, was coming quickly through the field. Leader Waters' night ended with a right flat front tire as Shaw and Piercy battled for the lead with Piercy grabbing control as Shaw held a solid 2nd place as Keith Cheever and Chad Cromer were fighting for 3rd place. As the checkered waved, Piercy grabbed the win followed by Shaw, Cheever, Cromer and Wayne Coffman.
1st Heat Top 5 To Main Event
1). Mike Harrison-Highland, Illinois 
2). Eric Hudson-Rolla
3). Jeremy Chambers-Parsons, Kansas
4). Sean Williams-Willard
5). Vance Wilson-Frankford, Missouri 
6). Bobbye Williams-Shawnee, Kansas
7). Brian Brown-Lebanon
8). Brian Bolin-Ft. Scott, Kansas
9). Jack Jones-Lebanon


2nd Heat
1). Mike Francis-Fredricktown   
2). Johnny Bone, Jr.-Pea Ridge, Arkansas
3). Tony Jackson, Jr.-Lebanon
4). Chad Wheeler-Muskogee, Oklahoma
5). Steve Muilenburg-Sparta
6). Jamie Ragland-Lebanon
7). Peyton Taylor-Batesville, Arkansas
8). Chris Johnson-Lebanon
3rd Heat
1). Jim Roach-St Patrick, Missouri 
2). Brian Lennox-New London
3). Gary Clark-Walker
4). James Hartman-Eldridge
5). A.J. Sharvensteen-Amarillo, Texas
6). Brian Rieck-Troy
7). Matt Dotson-Sturgeon
DNS:
8). Rob Muilenburg-Highlandville
 
4th Heat
1). Chad Kinder-Newton, Illinois 
2). Mark Dotson-Cameron, Missouri
3). Scotty Roberts-Columbia, Missouri
4). Rustin Miller-Houston, Missouri
5). Brian Schutt-Lebanon
6). Jared Landers-Batesville, Arkansas
7). Eddie Martin-Stillwell, Oklahoma
8). Craig Wood-El Dorado Springs
B Feature (Top 4 To Main) 
1). B. Williams 
2). Landers 
3). Martin 
4). P. Taylor
5). Dotson 
6). Brown 
7). Johnson 
8). Wood 
9). Rieck  
DNS:  
-).R. Muilenburg    
-).Bolin
40 Lap Main Event
1). Harrison  
2). Wilson 
3). Ragland 
4). Dotson 
5). Jackson, Jr.
6). Landers 
7). Schutt 
8). Jones 
9). Wheeler 
10).Muilenburg 
11).Kinder 
12).Hartman 
13).Taylor 
14).Francis 
15).Hudson 
16).Roberts 
17).S. Williams
18).Sharvensteen 
19).B. Williams
20).Clark 
21).Chambers 
22).Roach 
23).Lennox 
24).Martin 
24).Bone, Jr.
24).Miller

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