ELDON, MO. (May 25, 2019) – It was an emotional Saturday night at Lake Ozark Speedway as young Jack Wagner earned his first-career POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League victory. Driving for car owner Jack Hockett and Jesse Hockett Racing, Wagner won on May 25, just one day before the nine year anniversary of Jesse Hockett's passing on May 26, 2010.
Marking the third WAR Sprints event of the 2019 season, Saturday’s show at Lake Ozark Speedway was a triumphant steal after mother nature looked to take another away early in the week. A field of 19 entries checked in and heat race wins went to Kory Schudy, Wesley Smith and Jack Wagner.
With a six-car inversion pulled by LRB, Inc. High Point Man Kory Schudy, the 25-lap main event saw Lane Stone of Collinsville, OK and Jack Wagner of Lone Jack, MO on the front row. Wagner stormed to early command and was mighty strong throughout the opening half as the rest of the field jockeyed for positions around the 3/8th-mile.
Iowa’s Katlynn Leer held the second spot early on, but Wesley Smith of Nixa, MO moved into second and began to challenge Wagner for the top spot. Chasing him into heavy lap traffic, Smith was hot on his trails in pursuit of the lead, but misfortune struck in the late running. A lap 21 caution for JD Black changed everything, as the second-place running Smith pulled off and relinquished his runner-up bid and shot at the victory.
From there, Jack Wagner went untouched and held on for an emotional first-career POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League victory at Lake Ozark Speedway. Driving for Jack Hockett, Wagner won the race and put the Hockett family back in victory lane.
Chasing Jack Wagner to the line at Lake Ozark was Riley Kreisel with a second-place finish, Katlynn Leer with a strong third-place result, Kory Schudy with a fourth-place score and Lane Stone in the fifth spot. Rounding out the top ten was Slater Helt in sixth, Korey Weyant in seventh, Mitchell Moore in eighth, Neal Matuska in ninth and Chris Morgan in tenth.
Up next for the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League is a Sunday, May 26 appearance at California, Missouri’s Double-X Speedway.
Hinchman Racewear Heat One (8 Laps):
- 28-Kory Schudy, Springfield, MO (7); 2. 73S-Lane Stone, Collinsville, OK (2); 3. 77K-Katlynn Leer, Moulton, IA (6); 4. 43-Frank Brown, Marshall, MO (1); 5. 65-Chris Parkinson, Gladstone, MO (3); 6. 41-Brad Wyatt, Kearney, MO (4); 7. 4-Braydon Cromwell, Lone Jack, MO (5)
Bell Racing USA Heat Two (8 Laps):
- 12-Wesley Smith, Nixa, MO (6); 2. 90-Riley Kreisel, Warsaw, MO (5); 3. 51-Mitchell Moore, Edgerton, KS (3); 4. 73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack, MO (1); 5. 2-Jason Billups, Holt, MO (2); 6. 7R-JD Black, Grain Valley, MO (DNS).
Schure Built Suspension Heat Three (8 Laps):
- 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack, MO (1); 2. 22S-Slater Helt. Harrisonville, MO (2); 3. 70-Pete Palazzolo (3); 4. 48-Neal Matuska, Foley, MN (5); 5. 81A-Chris Morgan, Topeka, KS (4); 6. 99-Korey Weyant, Springfield, IL (6).
POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League Main Event (25 Laps):
- 77-Jack Wagner (2); 2. 90-Riley Kreisel (4); 3. 77K-Katlynn Leer (3); 4. 28-Kory Schudy (6); 5. 73S-Lane Stone (1); 6. 22S-Slater Helt (7); 7. 99-Korey Weyant (16); 8. 51-Mitchell Moore (8); 9. 48-Neal Matuska (10); 10. 81A-Chris Morgan (13); 11. 65-Chris Parkinson (14); 12. 4-Braydon Cromwell (18); 13. 41-Brad Wyatt (17); 14. 2-Jason Billups (15); 15. 43-Frank Brown (11); 16. 12-Wesley Smith (5); 17. 70-Pete Palazzolo (9); 18. 7R-JD Black (19); 19. 73-Samuel Wagner (12).