Warrensburg, MO. (08/22/2020) Attacking the pristine quarter-mile racing surface of Central Missouri Speedway the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League would battle for twenty-five circles around the Warrensburg Missouri facility in an amazing display of wheel-work put forth by all entrants. After the final flags waved Quinton Benson would grab the feature victory from an outside front-row starting spot and working his way through lap-traffic with precision.
With a great field of POWRi Lucas Oil Wingless Auto Racing Sprint League competitors signing into the event all vying for the top-spot, early racing action would see Wesley Smith, Tom Curran, and Quinton Benson all claiming heat race victories as Riley Kreisel posted the top practice time during hot-lap sessions with a 13.178-second lap-time.
As the twenty-five-lap feature event would roar to life off turn four, high-point qualifier award-winner Wesley Smith #12 and fellow heat-race winner Quinton Benson #31 would make up the front row. Drivers would fly into green flag racing with Smith gaining the early preferred line and running spot by grabbing the lead. Not to be denied Benson, would stay close swapping the lead several times in the early stages. With less than half the feature remaining Riley Kreisel #91 would take the point by using a spectacular three-wide maneuver and appear to be the class of the field. Leading the pack for several laps Kreisel would maintain the point until a miscue on the exit off turn four would send Riley into the front-stretch wall taking him from the competition. Wesley Smith would then pace the field back to green flag racing with eight laps remaining as a battle for nearly every position was waged.
Setting the stage for an amazing finish Smith and Benson would continue to swap the lead until a great run in turns one and two would see Quinton Benson earn the edge upfront. Riding the high-side momentum Benson would lead the remaining laps parking his McGarry Motorsports ride in victory lane. “I knew if I was going to get past Wesley, I had to make my move in the first couple of corners. I’m lucky, McGarry’s put me into a fast ride here tonight, all credit goes to that team” a very celebratory Benson would state in the CMS victory lane. Wesley Smith would be in the mix up-front all-night finishing in the runner-up spot. Rookie of the year contender Tom Curran #11x would impress everyone with an outstanding run, claiming a heat race victory and rounding out the feature event’s podium finishers.
KSE Racing Products Top Time: #91 Riley Kreisel – 13.178
Hinchman Racewear Heat Race 1 Winner: #12 Wesley Smith
Bell Helmet Heat Race 2 Winner: #11x Tom Curran
Schure Built Suspension Heat Race 3 Winner: #31 Quinton Benson
AutoMeter High Point Qualifier Winner: #12 Wesley Smith
Super Clean Hard Charger: #2C Zach Clark – 18th to 8th
Lucas Oil Feature Winner: #31 Quinton Benson
Feature Results from Central Missouri Speedway with the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League: (25 Laps) 1. 31-Quinton Benson[2]; 2. 12-Wesley Smith[1]; 3. 11X-Tom Curran[4]; 4. 16-Anthony Nicholson[9]; 5. 77-Jack Wagner[3]; 6. 48-Neal Matuska[12]; 7. 2K-Kyle Lewis[5]; 8. 2C-Zach Clark[18]; 9. 27-Steve Thomas[11]; 10. ST1-Lane Stone[13]; 11. 41-Brad Wyatt[16]; 12. 00-Broc Elliott[17]; 13. 4-Braydon Cromwell[14]; 14. 19-Bailey Elliott[15]; 15. 2-Jason Billups[10]; 16. (DNF) 91-Riley Kreisel[6]; 17. (DNF) 73-Samuel Wagner[8]; 18. (DNF) 11W-Wyatt Burks[7]; 19. (DNF) 90-Patrick Budde[20]; 20. (DNF) 52-Dean Bowers[21]; 21. (DNF) 77X-Wyatt Siegel[19]
Next up for the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League is a two-day, two-state, swing with the “Border-WAR”, Friday, August 28th at Tri-City Speedway and Saturday, August 30th at Valley Speedway. Competitors will be traveling along the I-70 corridor from Granite City, Illinois on Friday to Grain Valley Missouri on Saturday hoping to pocket the $500 bonus for any driver that can win both nights feature event.
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