From Lonnie Wheatley
Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 4, 2022) – For the second year in a row, Athens, Texas’ Justin Zimmerman found himself in preliminary night victory lane at I-30 Speedway’s Second Annual Wingless Short Track Nationals presented by KNP Painting.
This time, Zimmerman slipped underneath early race leader Landon Crawley on a lap four restart and then fought off several strong bids from Shane Cockrum over the remaining distance to take the $1,000 winner’s share in Friday’s Second Annual Wingless STN 20-lap preliminary feature.
While Zimmerman gridded the feature field fifth, Jason Long led the way to the green flag with outside pole starter Crawley gunning into the early lead as Zimmerman made his way to second on the opening c
After Long spun to a stop on the frontstretch with three laps in the books, Zimmerman wasted little time pouncing on Crawley to take command on the restart. Cockrum followed suit a lap later and pressured Zimmerman the rest of the way, even sliding in front of Zimmerman once but to no avail as the reigning ASCS Elite Non-Wing Sprint Car champion countered in short order.
After three interruptions in the opening ten rounds including a lap ten red flag for a Blake Jenkins flip in turn three that also collected Long and Chase Howard, Zimmerman held steady the rest of the way to secure the win.
Cockrum of Benton, IL, settled for runner-up honors with the young Crawley filling out the podium in third.
Reigning USAC Midwest Sprint Car champion Kory Schudy crossed the stripe fourth with Cody Gardner advancing a handful of positions to round out the top five.
Paul White was sixth with 16th-starter Kyle Jones, Kobe Simpson, 17th-starter Anthony Nicholson and Cody Price completing the top ten.
Cockrum, Zimmerman, Schudy and Crawley topped heat race action for the 31-car field with Zach Pringle best in the 12-lap “B” Main.
The third heat race was slowed by a pair of red flags. The first occurred after three laps when Derek Hagar took a tumble in turn three. On the ensuing restart, Jason Howell and Chase Parson made contact exiting turn two while battling for second with both flipping violently down the backstretch as a result. There were no injuries.
The Second Annual Wingless Short Track Nationals presented by KNP Painting at I-30 Speedway concludes with Saturday night’s $5,000-to-win championship card with the Factory Stocks in action as well.
General admission is just $20. Pit passes are $30.
Second Annual Wingless Short Track Nationals presented by KNP Painting Preliminary Results
ASCS Elite Non-Wing Sprint Car Series
I-30 Speedway
Little Rock, Arkansas
Friday, March 4, 20222
Jacksonville Tool Die Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 66-Shane Cockrum[8]
2. 1-Paul White[2]
3. G6-Cody Gardner[4]
4. 13-Chase Howard[3]
5. 15J-Jeremy Middleton[7]
6. 80-Josh Hawkins[1]
7. 38-Rick Pringle[5]
8. 21K-Kevin Hinkle[6]
Texas Aeroplastics Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. #1-Justin Zimmerman[4]
2. 11A-Blake Jenkins[6]
3. 44C-Cody Price[3]
4. 91P-Zach Pringle[5]
5. 63-Chris Williams[8]
6. 52-JD Fry[2]
7. 16-Anthony Nicholson[7]
8. 73-Josh Baker[1]
M1 Fabrications Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 28K-Kory Schudy[4]
2. 31-Mason Smith[3]
3. 19J-Jason Long[6]
4. 12M-Greg Merritt[2]
5. AK47-Knick Stewart[8]
6. 57-Chase Parson[1]
7. 72-Jason Howell[7]
Madhatter Motorsports Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 187-Landon Crawley[2]
2. 21KS-Kobe Simpson[1]
3. 33-Rece Wommack[3]
4. 04-Kyle Jones[5]
5. 48-Caden McCreary[4]
6. 91K-Riley Kreisel[6]
7. 7H-Brett Holland[7]
BK Windows B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 91P-Zach Pringle[1]
2. 04-Kyle Jones[2]
3. 13-Chase Howard[4]
4. 48-Caden McCreary[6]
5. 16-Anthony Nicholson[8]
6. 12M-Greg Merritt[5]
7. 52-JD Fry[7]
8. 38-Rick Pringle[10]
9. 91K-Riley Kreisel[14]
10. 73-Josh Baker[12]
11. 21K-Kevin Hinkle[11]
12. 80-Josh Hawkins[9]
13. 15J-Jeremy Middleton[3]
DNS: 72-Jason Howell
DNS: 57-Chase Parson
DNS: 9JR-Derek Hagar
DNS: 7H-Brett Holland
Top Choice Masonry A-Main (20 Laps)
1. #1-Justin Zimmerman[5]
2. 66-Shane Cockrum[6]
3. 187-Landon Crawley[2]
4. 28K-Kory Schudy[4]
5. G6-Cody Gardner[10]
6. 1-Paul White[8]
7. 04-Kyle Jones[16]
8. 21KS-Kobe Simpson[9]
9. 16-Anthony Nicholson[19]
10. 44C-Cody Price[13]
11. 31-Mason Smith[7]
12. 33-Rece Wommack[14]
13. 48-Caden McCreary[18]
14. 12M-Greg Merritt[20]
15. AK47-Knick Stewart[12]
16. 19J-Jason Long[1]
17. 91P-Zach Pringle[15]
18. 11A-Blake Jenkins[3]
19. 13-Chase Howard[17]
DNS: 63-Chris Williams
Lap Leaders: Landon Crawley 1-3, Justin Zimmerman 4-20.
Event Points (Saturday Heat Race Passing Points will be added to Friday total to set Saturday feature lineups):
| Rank | ## | Name | Heat | Featuere | Total Points |
| 1 | 66 | Shane Cockrum | 135.0 | 95 | 230.0 |
| 2 | #1 | Justin Zimmerman | 115.0 | 100 | 215.0 |
| 3 | 28 | Kory Schudy (Battlefield, MO) | 115.0 | 88 | 203.0 |
| 4 | 187 | Landon Crawley | 105.0 | 91 | 196.0 |
| 5 | g6 | Cody Gardner (Benton, AR) | 91.0 | 85 | 176.0 |
| 6 | 1 | Paul White (Waco, TX) | 93.0 | 82 | 175.0 |
| 7 | 21ks | Kobe Simpson (Bonham, TX) | 91.5 | 76 | 167.5 |
| 8 | 11a | Blake Jenkins | 113.0 | 54 | 167.0 |
| 9 | 31 | Mason Smith (Wichita Falls, TX) | 98.0 | 68 | 166.0 |
| 10 | O4 | Kyle Jones (Kennedale, TX) | 84.0 | 79 | 163.0 |
| 11 | 19 | Jason Long | 101.0 | 58 | 159.0 |
| 12 | 44c | Cody Price (Farmersville, TX) | 86.0 | 70 | 156.0 |
| 13 | 33 | Reece Wommack | 86.0 | 66 | 152.0 |
| 14 | 47ak | Knick Stewart (Amarillo, TX) | 87.0 | 60 | 147.0 |
| 15 | 91p | Zach Pringle | 84.0 | 56 | 140.0 |
| 16 | 12m | Greg Merritt | 76.0 | 62 | 138.0 |
| 17 | 63 | Chris Williams | 87.0 | 50 | 137.0 |
| 18 | 48 | Caden McCreary (Terrell, TX) | 70.5 | 64 | 134.5 |
| 19 | 16 | Anthony Nicholson (Millinngton, TN) | 58.0 | 73 | 131.0 |
| 20 | 13 | Chase Howard (Nesbit, MS) | 77.5 | 52 | 129.5 |
| 21 | 15J | Jeremy Middleton | 82.0 | 36 | 118.0 |
| 22 | 52 | J.D. Fry (Arlington, TX) | 59.0 | 48 | 107.0 |
| 23 | 38 | Rick Pringle (Benton, AR) | 55.0 | 46 | 101.0 |
| 24 | 80 | Josh Hawkins (Whitehouse, TX) | 57.5 | 38 | 95.5 |
| 25 | 72 | Jason Howell | 58.0 | 34 | 92.0 |
| 26 | 57 | Chase Parson (Abilene, TX) | 57.5 | 32 | 89.5 |
| 27 | 21k | Kevin Hinkle (Cabot, AR) | 48.0 | 40 | 88.0 |
| 28 | 73 | Josh Baker | 40.5 | 42 | 82.5 |
| 29 | 91k | Riley Kreisel (Warsaw, MO) | 36.5 | 44 | 80.5 |
| 30 | 9jr | Derek Hagar (Marion, AR) | 46.5 | 30 | 76.5 |
| 31 | 7h | Brett Holland | 38.0 | 28 | 66.0 |