9/11/2017
RacinBoys
Limberopoulos goes wire-to-wire in taking first-ever I-44 NASCAR Late Model win
By Ronnie Williams (Lebanon, MO) -- Veteran Terry Limberopoulos has had a rough 2017 racing season. Motor issues, parts failures and just bad luck. That all turned his frown around and upside down as he withstood early challanges from Tim Swearengin and then drove away ftom the field in taking his first ever NASCAR Pro Late Model win Saturday night in the caution free 30 lap feature.
Limberopoulos and Tim Swearengin brought the field to the green with The former Californial Mini-Mod State Champion took the opening lead with Swearengin right on his bumper with defending champion Brian Brown staying close.The 1st 10 laps stayed close as Brennon Willard and Jimmy Van Zandt were swapping spots as current point leader and Missouri NASCAR state point leader Mike Slone working from his 12th starting spot. On lap 11,
Limberopoulos opened the advantage on Swearengin and slowly started to put a little distance between the duo. At the half way mark of the caution free event, Slone began his move to the front by overtaking Willard for 5th spot.
Limberopoulos was driving a perfect line as action heated behind him as the lead seemed to be shrinking. On lap 19, Slone picked off Van Zandt for 4th and was working on Brown for the next 3 laps for the spot. Limberopoulos kept the distance at a 2 second advantage as Slone and Swearengin diced it out. With 5 laps to go, Slone overtook Swearengin and attempted to run down the leader. With 2 laps remaining, Limberopoulos kept the distance at 1.5 seconds and smoothly kept the charging Slone and bay in grsbbing the win with Slone,
Swearengin, Brown and Van Zandt following. For Limberopoulos it was a proud moment as his little boy celebrated his 3rd Birthday on Fridy and Terry dedicated the win also to his late Father. Steve Holt won the heat while Brown captured the dash. Slone set fast time for the evening in qualifying.
NASCAR Modified action saw current point leader Ricky Icenhower made a 3 wide pass at the start going below both Wayne Lewis and Brian Lewis in driving away to take his 7th feature win of the season. Once in front, Icenhower kept a straight away distance between the Lewis Father and Son team of Richard Lewis and Brian Lewis as they kept everyone guessing who would get the runner-up spot as Richard kept the spot. Chris Johnson and Wayne Lewis rounded out the top 5 as Icenhower set the fast time in qualifying as Richard Lewis grabbed the dash win.
NASCAR Street Stock point leader Michael Juergensen found a lap 4 caution a chance to close the ground on leader Steve Shaw in taking his 9th feature win of the season. Hard Charging Nick Cherry took the opening lead over Shaw and Shawn Schmidt on the start as Juergensen started in the 12th starting spot. Tight action up front saw Shaw grab the lead on lap 3 as contenders Schmidt and David Douglas pull out of action with problems. The caution waved as Rookie Brock Johnson spun in turn 2. On the restart, Juergensen went to work the outside of leader Shaw and then shot down low to take the lead the following lap as Shaw was stayling close. Despite a late race caution, Juergensen opened the advantage with Shaw, Johnson, Tony Johnson and Jordan Nisbett completing the top 5. Juergensen set the fast time in qualifying with Aaron Wilke and David Douglas capturing the heat race wins.
Another new winner graced the victory lane as Justin Gantt got the jump on fellow front row starter Justin Blake and then held back a late race surge from point leader Ronnie Taylor in the NASCAR Charger feature. The caution free 12 lap feature provided some tight racing in different stages of the pack. Gantt had opened up alomst a half a straight away leader over Taylor but began to see the lead start shrinking by lap 9. Taylor closed the ground to about 3 car lengths but couldn't close up anymore ground when the checkered fell. Following the lead duo of Gantt and Taylor were Justin Blake, Nik Taylor and Breken Johnson. Taylor kept Gantt from making it a clean sweep as he set fast time as Gantt took the heat race win.
A popular and excited crowd cheered on their favorite Pastor as The 1st ever Faster Pastor event was held. Ryan Bowles of 1st Assembly quickly took the lead in a bold move on the start from his row 2 starting spot as Rick Morrow charged from the back to challange early. A lap 3 caution really made things interesting as Morrow was right on Bowles bumper on the restart, but Bowles driving a car owned by former racer Luke Oster was able to hold back the challanges to grab the trophy in a fun event for all.
Stoutland's Little JC Newell jumped to the opening lead over Oklahoma's Austin Fullerton in The Dirt B-Mod on Pavement Dustin's Dream round 2. The lead duo kept tight and within a car length during the feature as Newell in his Midwest Modified and Fullerton puled away from the field as Lebanon's Tony Fincher was holding back in 3rd spot. The lead duo went side by side unti lap 14 when Fullerton had smoked his right rear ending his night and chance for the win. Following the caution, Newell looked to start slowing as a vibration was felt from under his left rear. Newell took home $500 for The win as Fincher,Rick Allen, Fullerton and Eric Graves completed the top 5 spots.
The Speedway will hold the final scheduled race of the season with The Missouri Cooperage Salute to 75 as The Late Models do battle for a 75 lap feature with $2,000 to the winner and $400 for quick qualifier, The Speedway honors The Late, Great NASCAR 5 time Whelen All-American Series National Champion Larry Phillips as The 2017 Season Champions will be determined as action also features NASCAR Modifieds, Street Stocks and Chargers.
Grandstands will open at 6PM with Tier Parking to open at 5:30 and Qualifying at 6:20 with Racing at 7:30. Former Salute To 75 Champions include Tim Swearengin (2002), Brennon Willard (2014), Kyle Donahue( 2015), and Mike Slone (2016).
For more information visit the website at WWW.I44Speedway.Net and for updates visit the Facebook page.
Results
NASCAR Pro Late Models
- Terry Limberopoulos-Cuba 2) Mike Slone-Rolla 3) Tim Swearengin-Springfield 4) Brian Brown-Strafford 5) Jimmy Van Zandt-Springfield 6) Brennon Willard-Lebanon 7) Jake Piel-St. Louis 8) Bobby Russ Wood-Richmond 9) Joe Ross-Independance 10) David Strode-Independance 11) Terry Belton 12) Steve Holt-Strafford
Qualifying Ht-1) Holt 2) Wood 3) Piel 4) Strode 5) Ross 6) Smith
Dash-1) Brown 2) Limberopoulos 3) Van Zandt 4) Swearengin 5) Willard 6) Slone
Time Trials-Top 6-1) Slone 14.964 2) Willard 15.108 3) Brown 15.208 4) Limeropoulos 15.361 5) Swearengin 15.366 6) Van Zandt 15.397
NASCAR Modifieds
- Ricky Icenhower-Fair Grove 2) Richard Lewis-Willard 3) Brian Lewis-Willard 4) Chris Johnson-Lebanon 5) Wayne Lewis-Springfield DNS-Terry Taylor-Fair Grove
Dash 1) R. Lewis 2) Icenhower 3) B. Lewis 4) Johnson 5) W. Lewis
Qualifying Top 3-1) Icenhower 15.612 2) Brian Lewis 15.736 3) Richard Lewis 15.872
NASCAR Street Stocks
- Michael Juergensen-Lebanon 2) Steve Shaw-Rogersville 3) Brock Johnson-Miller 4) Tony Johnson-Lebanon 5) Jordan Nisbett-Lebanon 6) Nick Cherry-Springfield 7) James Ellis-Richland 8) Jimmy Fohn-Eldridge 9) Shawn Schmidt-Springfield 10) Aaron Wilke-Bridgeton 11) Robert Douglas-Camdenton 12) David Douglas
1st Ht-1) Wilke 2) Cherry 3) Ellis 4) T. Johnson 5) Douglas 6) Nisbett
2nd Ht-1) D. Douglas 2) Juergensen 3) Shaw 4) Schmidt 5) Fohn 6) B.Johnson
Qualifying Top 3-1) Juergensen 17.252 2) Douglas 17.287 3) Fohn 17.674
NASCAR Chargers
- Justin Gantt-Highlandville 2) Ronnie Taylor-Springfield 3) Justin Blake-Lebanon 4) Nik Taylor-Bolivar 5) Breken Johnson-Lebanon 6) Rick Morrow-Richland 7) Jordan Nisbett-Lebanon 8) Ethan Ellis-Richland
Heat-1) Gantt 2) Blake 3) R. Taylor 4) N. Taylor 5) Johnson 6) Nisbett 7) Ellis DNS-Morrow
Qualifying Top 3-1) R. Taylor 18.749 2) Gantt 18.773 3) Blake 18.848
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Submitted By: Kirk Elliott