The 2014 Champ is still in the NASCAR Hunt

Defending NASCAR Missouri State Pro Late Model Champion Kaleb Allison took the lead from Brian Brown on lap 21 in a 5 car battle and pulled away to capture his 1st win of the 2015 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action at the “High-Banks” of the Lebanon I44 Speedway in another action packed night on the 3/8th‘s mile asphalt oval.

 

There were sixteen Pro Late Models lined up to take the green and Terry Limberopolous made a three wide move around front-row starters Josh Woody and Peyton Lucas as the tightly bunched pack completed lap one. Immediately after that Jimmy Vanzandt took a wild ride on the backstretch as he fought to keep control of the car down low trying to avoid the remainder of the field coming quick but Mandy Chick did make hard contact with Vanzandt’ s door ending the rookies night. Van Zandt was able to continue. Limberopolous pulled away on the restart as Lucas, Woody, Brian Brown and Kevin Donahue were tight. This great race for 2nd place ended on lap 5 when Donahue went to the inside of Woody and made contact sending his car over the nose of Woody’s car as Brown quickly slowed to avoid contact. Both Woody and Donahue went to the pits with severe damage ending their nights as well.

 

Limberopolous again jumped out on the restart with Brown, Kyle Donahue, and Lucas following while Allison, current point leader JC Newell, Brennon Willard, Steve Holt and 2013 Missouri State Champion Cole Williams coming quickly. Kyle Donahue started to slide back 2 laps later and off the pace as Allison quickly shot to 3rd place with Newell, Holt, Brennon Willard, and Williams joining the pack. Brown took advantage of Limberopolous going high in turn 1 and gained the lead on lap 14 as Allison followed through along with Newell, Holt and a fast moving Cole Williams. Caution waved on lap 18 bunching the field-up as Brown had Allison right on his quarter panel while Newell and Williams were looking for racing room as they attempted three wide racing for second place. On lap 21, Allison made the winning pass by Brown on the backstretch as Williams began to slow with a right front flat. Out in front, Allison had the lead leaving Brown and Newell to battle for 2nd place with Holt coming quickly. Brown was able to grab the runner-up spot, his 2nd of the season with Newell, Holt and Willard completing the top five as Vanzandt made a strong rally back to sixth place.

 

“We have been struggling a bit this season as our car from last season got wrecked pretty bad at Nashville.” said the youngest ever Pro Late Model Champion in the history of I-44.” A lot of people have been working hard to get us back like last season including my Father and friends. The quality of cars this season is really tough and everyone has really worked hard here every week. It is so good to be here in the winner’s circle and get this cool watch from Joslin Jewelers.”

 

The string of new winners for 2015 continued in the Hoosier Tire Street Stocks as Zack Morgan took the lead from veteran Rick Sharp on lap 3 and then withstood a lap 6 caution and point leader Jordan Nisbett on the restart in a dominating performance. Rick Sharp jumped to the early command as Morgan quickly followed the former 2-time track champion. After a very spirited battle, Morgan powered his car around to take the lead running his best race of the season leaving a great race for second between Sharp, Nisbett, Les Mallard and George Buhr. Following the caution for a slowing David Douglas on lap 6, Morgan drove a near perfect final 9 laps while the hot spot was for second place. Les Mallard was able to secure the runner-up spot as Nisbett, Buhr, and Sharp followed with Nick Cherry also in contention.

 

“Dreams do come true.” said the excited driver. ” I never thought growing-up that I would be able to race at the track I basically grew-up at, but a lot of people believed in me including Chris Nichols, his father Howard, my employer Bass Pro Shops and a lot of family. When Chris won in the car on July 4th, I knew I had to get a win as this bunch has worked so hard. Morgan became the 5th different winner out of 8 races in the Street Stock class this season.

 

For 1999 Late Model Champion Ken Dickinson, last week he made his 1st start in the Sportsman Class bringing the quality of competition ever higher. This week Dickinson played the patient game early and then applied pressure to current point leader Aaron Douglas for 3 laps before grabbing the top spot and then holding back some late race charges from JC Newell in taking his first win of the season becoming the fifth different winner in the class. Douglas took the opening lead over JC Newell Sr. pacing the field early. By lap 4, Douglas found Dickinson coming quickly as the duo knew 2 time winner Little JC Newell was working forward as well. Just after Dickinson took the lead, Douglas slowed bringing out the only caution of the feature. Douglas would pull into the pits a few laps later with problems. Dickinson then had Newell put on some pressure, but held back the 2012 Sportsman Champion and current Pro Late Model point leader. ” It took us several days to convert this older Late Model to these 5″ spring Sportsman class rules, but tonight makes it worth it. There are several of these type of cars out there and we would love to see this class grow even more.” said the feature winner. Little Newell, Big JC Newell, Ben Newell and James Fohn completed the top five.

 

Budweiser Modified driver Ricky Icenhower returned to action after taking a week off for a family vacation as he moved around current point leader Tim Swearengin on lap four to record his fifth feature win of the season. Todd Lauvray grabbed the opening lead until Swearengin moved around him on lap 2 bringing Icenhower with him. The intense battle went for the next several laps as Swearengin was looking for his first win of the season. Icenhower then moved back to his familiar top side groove in turn two and was able to carry the speed around Swearengin. Swearengin stayed close through the middle of the race but Icenhower pulled away in the latter stages. Following the lead duo were Roderick Icenhower, Lauvray, and Richard Lewis completed the top 5.

 

Coca-Cola Charger point leader Ben White has been as hot as the weather as he was part of a three wide battle on the opening lap and then fended off several attempts by Jimmy Poindexter to capture his fifth win of the season and third consecutive. White wasted no time as the Green flag dropped with a top side move to overtake Nik Taylor. Taylor stayed close to White until lap 5 when 2013 Charger Champion Jimmy Poindexter moved into second and started to close the gap. Poindexter then made several moves to overtake White as the leaders kept everyone wondering the outcome. Heading into the final lap of the caution free feature, Poindexter shot to the top groove, but fell about 2 car lengths short as White takes the win with Poindexter, Taylor, defending champion Jason Walls and Jesse Poindexter completed the top 5.

 

Action continues Saturday Night with a 50 Lap O’Reilly Auto Parts Pro Late Model feature along with a full show for the Budweiser Modifieds, Sportsman, Hoosier Tire Street Stocks and Coca-Cola Chargers as gates open at 4PM with racing to begin at 6:30PM.

I-44 Speedway PR