By Chad Buford
Grain Valley, MO(July 3, 2014)-Shaking off the bad luck that has plagued him at times this season, Josh Stephens picked up his first win of the season with the WAR Series presented by Impact Signs, Awnings, and Wraps on Friday night at Valley Speedway.
Before a lap was in the books, fith-starting Wyatt Burks spun coming off of turn four bringing out a caution. The second attempt at green saw Mitchell Moore stop on the frontstretch with a damaged left rear wheel and John Helm spun in turn four. Moore, who had mechanical problems throughout the evening, would see his night end.
On the third attempt, J.D. Black and Bob Thoman led the field to the green flag. The two battled early with Black smacking the wall on the backstretch. He would continue, but a group of drivers including Danny Thoman, Josh Stephens, and Chad Goff were able to get by him on the low side. Danny Thoman would lead lap one and before the second lap could be completed, Black rolled to a stop and his evening was over.
Thoman led on the restart as he was pressured heavily by Josh Stephens. Stephens would get a great run coming off of turn four to lead lap two.
Stephens would steadily increase his lead as Danny Thoman was pressured by Goff and Bob Thoman for the second spot with Chris Parkinson rounding out the top five at this point.
The action would stop again with three laps in the books for Devon Huff who was stopped in turn one. He suffered too much damage and was done for the evening.
Stephens took off on the restart as the Thomans, Goff, and Parkinson had a nice battle for the second through fifth spot.
By lap ten, it was Stephens followed by Danny Thoman with Goff and Parkinson having a nice battle for the third spot.
With Stephens steadily increasing his lead, Goff started running the high side and was able to move past Danny Thoman on lap fifteen. A lap later, Parkinson would follow. Over the next few laps, the two guys leading the WAR points had a nice battle for the second spot.
Lap by lap, Stephens manuevered his Summers Farms/Stephens Automotive #09 through heavy lapped traffic and the competition had no answer for the Buckner, MO pilot who was wheeling a DRC Chassis with Gaerte power. Parkinson was able to make a last lap pass of points leader Goff for second in his Ozark Barge and Dock Service/54th Street Grill and Bar DRC with Parkinson power. Goff was a very close third in his Country Kids Daycare/B&D Racing DRC with Kercher-Mopar power. Bob Thoman was fourth in his Cars Plus Credit/Noggins Bros. Car Care DRC with Chevy power. Rounding out the top five was Taylor Walton, who charged up seven spots in his John Hillman-owned #14. Burks was able to come from the tail back to sixth after his opening lap spin. Chad Tye was seventh with Danny Thoman, Dylan Kadous, and Brandon Schure rounding out the top ten.
Goff was the fast qualifier for the eveing with Parkinson, Stephens, and Burks scoring heat race wins.
In heat race action, Kenny Potter and Devon Huff got together in turn three with Potter flipping. He suffered too much damage which would end the veteran driver’s evening.
The WAR Series presented by Impact Signs, Awnings, and Wraps will make their first ever appearance at the Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, MO on Saturday July 5th.
Qualifying- 1. Chad Goff, Spring Hill, KS-13.140, 2. 27-Bob Thoman, Higginsville, MO-13.328, 3. 7JR-J.D. Black, Grain Valley, MO-13.343, 4. 27X-Danny Thoman, Lexington, MO-13.410, 5. 4U-Devon Huff-Nixa, MO-13.464, 6. 88-Chad Tye, Independence, MO-13.594, 7. 65-Chris Parkinson, Gladstone, MO-13.600, 8. 55-Kenny Potter, Harrisonville, MO-13.605, 9. 11W-Wyatt Burks, Topeka, KS-13.657, 10. 3B-Robert Black, Blue Springs, MO-13.710, 11. 09-Josh Stephens, Buckner, MO-13.793, 12. 14-Taylor Walton, Warrensburg, MO-13.878, 13. 9x-Casey Baker, Lone Jack, MO-13.948, 14. 11-Dylan Kadous, Topeka, KS-14.040, 15. 90-Brandon Schure, El Paso, TX-14.085, 16. 8-Jeff Wingate, Centertown, MO-14.086, 17. 27K-Tucker Klassmeyer, Paola, KS-14.148, 18. 03-Charlie Burton, Independence, MO-14.258, 19. 12-John Helm, Kearney, MO-14.268, 20. 13-Brian Braden, Indpendence, MO-14.500, 21. 23-Brent Fasse, Independence, MO-14.570, 22. 42-Warren Johnson, Overland Park, KS-16.078, 23. 51-Mitchell Moore, Edgerton, KS-26.416
1st Heat-8 laps
1. 65-Parkinson (4) 2. 9x-Baker (2) 3. 27x-D. Thoman (7) 4. 3B-R. Black (5) 5. 9-Goff (6) 6. 8-Wingate (3)-DNF 7. 23-Fasse (1)-DNF DNS:03-Burton
2nd Heat-8 laps
1. 09-Stephens (5) 2. 27K-Klassmeyer (3) 3. 11-Kadous (4) 4. 27-B. Thoman (8) 5. 12-Helm (2) 6. 42-Johnson (1) 7. 55-Potter (6)-DNF 8. 4U-Huff (7)-DNF
3rd Heat-8 laps
1. 11w-Burks (3) 2. 90-Schure (1) 3. 7JR-J.D. Black (5) 4. 14-Walton (4) 5. 88-Tye (6) 6. 13-Braden (2) DNS: 51-Moore
A-Main- 25 laps
1. 09-Stephens (7) 2. 65-Parkinson (6) 3. 9-Goff (4) 4. 27-B. Thoman (2) 5. 14-Walton (12) 6. 11w-Burks (5) 7. 88-Tye (8) 8. 27X-D. Thoman (3) 9. 11-Kadous (13) 10. 90-Schure (11) 11. 9X-Baker (9) 12. 12-Helm (15) 13. 42-Johnson (17) 14. 13-Braden (18) 15. 8-Wingate (16) 16. 4U-Huff (14)-DNF 17. 3B-R. Black (10)-DNF 18. 7JR-J.D. Black (1) 19. 51-Moore (19)-DNF DNS: 27K-Klaasmeyer, 55-Potter, 23-Fasse, 03-Burton