Ben Murphy Best
in 600 Nationals Prelim!
Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK,
Ark. (September 19, 2008) –
Pennsylvania native Ben Murphy
bested a stellar field of 107
entries by topping Friday
night's 25-lap preliminary
feature at I-30 Speedway's Third
Annual 600 Nationals presented
by Hoosier Tires.
Now calling Charlotte, NC, home,
Murphy outdueled inaugural 600
Nationals champion Travis Senter,
Jr., for the point on the
opening round and led the rest
of the way to secure a starting
position in Saturday night's
$8,500-to-win 600 Nationals
championship feature event.
Locked into Saturday's finale
along with Murphy are the
balance of Friday's top six
feature finishers, including
Arkansas shoe Senter, Illini rep
Eric Edwards and the Sooner
State trio of Jerrod Wilson,
Kevin Bayer and Donnie Ray
Crawford.
While Senter earned the pole
position for Friday night's
feature by virtue of
accumulating the most passing
points through heat race and
qualifying race action, Murphy
took advantage of the front row
outside position to nip Senter
at the line for the lead upon
the completion of lap one.
As the field roared into turn
one the next time around, Scott
Sawyer and Roger Rose got
together. Rose toppled over,
while Sam Miller flipped in the
ensuing scramble as the red flag
flew.
The balance of the feature ran
off in non-stop fashion, with
Senter and Crawford battling in
side-by-side fashion behind the
pacesetting Murphy. Crawford
eventually took command of the
runner-up slot as lapped traffic
came into play, only to clip an
infield tire with his left front
17 laps into the affair.
While Murphy survived some dicey
moments in lapped traffic over
the final circuits to preserve
the win over Senter, Crawford
slipped back in the final rounds
as he wrestled his damaged
mount.
Edwards staked his claim on the
show position, while defending
600 Nationals champion Wilson
rallied from Last Chance race
competition to snare fourth.
Bayer rounded out the top five,
as Crawford salvaged sixth.
Pennsylvania's Michael Dicely
missed a lock-in position by one
spot as he flashed underneath
the checkered flag in seventh,
with New Jersey's Jimmy Glenn,
Arkansas' Karlas Stephens and
Oklahoma's Frank Flud completing
the top ten.
In the companion Horizon Mini
Sprint Restricted "A" Class
feature event, Trent Taylor took
advantage of Blake Hahn's
misfortune to collect the win.
Hahn gunned into the lead from
the pole position and cruised
out front until collected by a
lapped car after checking up for
a turn four spin with 13 laps in
the books.
Taylor assumed the point and led
the remaining seven rounds, with
Andy Hogan holding off 11th-starter
Brandon Hahn for runner-up
honors. Darien Roberts was
fourth, while Karley Kay Dobson
climbed from the rear of the
field to round out the top
five. Blake Hahn recovered for
eighth.
I-30 Speedway's Third Annual 600
Nationals conclude on Saturday
night, with racing action set to
get under way at 7:30 p.m. The
600cc Multis and Restricted "A"
Class will be joined by the
full-size Sprint Cars on
Saturday night.
Third Annual 600 Nationals
presented by Hoosier Tires
Friday Results:
Heat Races – Top 50 in
Finishing/Passing Points to Five
Inverted Qualifying Races;
Balance of Field to Five Last
Chance Races.
First Heat (10 Laps): 1.
17r-Justin Rapp, 2. 22T-Travis
Senter, Jr., 3. 81F-Frank Flud,
4. 82s-Steven Shebester, 5.
7y-Stan Yockey, 6. 96s-Samantha
Gargus, 7. 3F-Austin Farley, 8.
57-Jimmy Taylor, 9. 47-Rusty
Pipes, 10. 4-Justin Hooter, 11.
51o-Jason Ormsby.
Second Heat (10 Laps): 1.
11a-Andrew Felker, 2. 9L-Tim
Dietz, 3. 7b-Nick Bailey, 4.
29s-Scott Sawyer, 5. 1J-Cale
Reigle, 6. 70-Michael Wickham,
7. 51g-Dean Gaerte, 8. 111a-Toby
Brown, 9. 166-Channin
Tankersley, 10. 29w-Skyler
Wissman, 11. 85m-John McCord.
Third Heat (10 Laps): 1.
11r-Tyler Reddick, 2. 1e-Eric
Edwards, 3. 76-Josh Ruple, 4.
64-Chad Boone, 5. 82b-Cody
Brewer, 6. 92-Jake Rosario, 7.
32n-Nick Ivy, 8. 18c-Scott
Bolden, 9. 16x-Michael Davidson,
10. 28-Jeff Willingham, 11.
8F-Andy Farley.
Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1.
11d-Jason Dent, 2. 8c-Chris
Andrews, 3. 51b-Joe Miller, 4.
6g-Dustin Gates, 5. 87h-Duane
Harbaugh, 6. 7J-Jerrod Wilson,
7. 21x-Phil Reed, 8. 11T-Tim
Sandelovic, 9. 87r-Aaron
Reutzel, 10. 1-Bobby Zaiontz.
DNS: 40h-Dereck King.
Fifth Heat (10 Laps): 1. 36-Ben
Murphy, 2. 83-Karlas Stephens,
3. 7g-Jimmy Glenn, 4. 96z-Zach
Gigot, 5. 59F-Greg Fritts, 6.
32x-Brad McDaniel, 7. 75-Ryan
Truitt, 8. 72-Eric Fenton, 9.
31z-Brent Zimmerman, 10. 73-Jake
Mosley, 11. 00-Cody Cleaves.
Sixth Heat (10 Laps): 1.
18T-Tyler Devault, 2. 66J-J.J.
Simmons, 3. 2a-Riley Adair, 4.
55L-Shane Lewis, 5. 1xx-Darryl
Wills, 6. 6x-Christopher Meyer,
7. 16F-Nate Fleming, 8.
14m-Jordan Mallett, 9.
69r-Clayton Robertson, 10.
15-Coy Jorden, 11. 99-Dalton
Stevens.
Seventh Heat (10 Laps): 1.
44-Michael Dicely, 2. 2h-Heath
Hehnly, 3. 32m-Trey Marcham, 4.
1st-Dusty Young, 5.
14T-Taryn Laskey, 6. 22J-Josh
Rehm, 7. 18m-Jake Murphy, 8.
10e-Matt Ebarb, 9. 10m-Tim
McKenzie, 10. 51-Duane Emberton,
11. 9v-Mike Vaculik.
Eighth Heat (10 Laps): 1.
46-Wally Henson, 2. 3c-Cody
Coggin, 3. 21T-Taylor
Smitherman, 4. 22rm-Rhett
Miller, 5. 81m-Jimmy McClain, 6.
79-Ryan Duke, 7. 198-Hunter
Jones, 8. 85x-Kevin Gigot, 9.
39-Brian Nance. Disqualified:
35-Justin Jackson (failed to
report to scales after finishing
first).
Ninth Heat (10 Laps): 1.
5x-Tyson Hall, 2. 55-Donnie Ray
Crawford, 3. 49-Sam Miller, 4.
32k-Ricky King, 5. 59x-Billy
Lawhead, 6. 1k-Kara King, 7.
31d-Joe Dent, 8. 6h-Shelby
Henson, 9. 45-Jake Emberton, 10.
13k-Kyle Carpenter.
Tenth Heat (10 Laps): 1.
88w-Eric Wright, 2. 23a-Kevin
Bayer, 3. 66r-Roger Rose, 4.
1x-Curt Shumacher, 5. 23L-Jason
Lair, 6. 23T-James Tsokatos, 7.
31w-Justin Webb, 8. 24J-Brandie
Jass, 9. 14b-Jimmy Bridgeman,
10. 60-Earl McDoulett, Jr.
Last Chance Races – Top 4
Finishers to tail of the Five
Qualifying Races.
First Last Chance Race (10
Laps): 1. 16F-Nate Fleming, 2.
1xx-Darryl Wills, 3. 3F-Austin
Farley, 4. 31d-Joe Dent, 5.
72-Eric Fenton, 6. 69r-Clayton
Robertson, 7. 4-Justin Hooter,
8. 21x-Phil Reed, 9. 31z-Brent
Zimmerman, 10. 85m-John McCord,
11. 15-Coy Jorden, 12. 35-Justin
Jackson.
Second Last Chance Race (10
Laps): 1. 14T-Taryn Laskey, 2.
32x-Brad McDaniel, 3. 57-Jimmy
Taylor, 4. 22J-Josh Rehm, 5.
51g-Dean Gaerte, 6. 14m-Jordan
Mallett, 7. 47-Rusty Pipes, 8.
51-Duane Emberton, 9. 29w-Skyler
Wissman, 10. 10m-Tim McKenzie,
11. 8F-Andy Farley. DNS:
40h-Dereck King.
Third Last Chance Race (10
Laps): 1. 23L-Jason Lair, 2.
18c-Scott Bolden, 3. 23T-James
Tsokatos, 4. 10e-Matt Ebarb, 5.
166-Channin Tankersley, 6.
96s-Samantha Gargus, 7. 28-Jeff
Willingham, 8. 00-Cody Cleaves,
9. 39-Brian Nance, 10. 85x-Kevin
Gigot. DNS: 13k-Kyle Carpenter.
Fourth Last Chance Race (10
Laps): 1. 7J-Jerrod Wilson, 2.
18m-Jake Murphy, 3. 1-Bobby
Zaiontz, 4. 75-Ryan Truitt, 5.
6h-Shelby Henson, 6. 99-Dalton
Stevens, 7. 70-Michael Wickham,
8. 16x-Michael Davidson.
Disqualified: 60-Earl McDoulett,
Jr. (illegal tire after
finishing third). DNS:
111a-Toby Brown, 45-Jake
Emberton.
Fifth Last Chance Race (10
Laps): 1. 6x-Christopher Meyer,
2. 92-Jake Rosario, 3.
31w-Justin Webb, 4. 73-Jake
Mosley, 5. 198-Hunter Jones, 6.
51o-Jason Ormsby, 7. 11T-Tim
Sandelovic, 8. 24J-Brandie Jass,
9. 9v-Mike Vaculik, 10.
14b-Jimmy Bridgeman. DNS:
87r-Aaron Reutzel.
Qualifying Races
– Top 22 in Combined Points from
Heats & Qualifiers to “A”
Feature
First Qualifier (12 Laps): 1.
55c-Donnie Ray Crawford, 2.
66r-Roger Rose, 3. 79-Ryan Duke,
4. 8c-Chris Andrews, 5.
44-Michael Dicely, 6. 82-Steven
Shebester, 7. 32k-Ricky King, 8.
88w-Eric Wright, 9. 1xxx-Darryl
Wills, 10. 11a-Andrew Felker,
11. 16F-Nate Fleming, 12.
31d-Joe Dent, 13. 3F-Austin
Farley, 14. 22rm-Rhett Miller.
Second Qualifier (12 Laps): 1.
23a-Kevin Bayer, 2. 22T-Travis
Senter, Jr., 3. 1k-Kara King, 4.
9L-Tim Dietz, 5. 32x-Brad
McDaniel, 6. 46-Wally Henson, 7.
57-Jimmy Taylor, 8. 5x-Tyson
Hall, 9. 64-Chad Boone, 10.
81m-Jimmy McClain, 11. 51b-Joe
Miller, 12. 22J-Josh Rehm, 13.
14T-Taryn Laskey, 14. 6g-Dustin
Gates.
Third Qualifier (12 Laps): 1.
7y-Stan Yockey, 2. 29s-Scott
Sawyer, 3. 59F-Greg Fritts, 4.
7g-Jimmy Glenn, 5. 87h-Duane
Harbaugh, 6. 23L-Jason Lair, 7.
18c-Scott Bolden, 8. 17r-Justin
Rapp, 9. 23T-James Tsokatos, 10.
2a-Riley Adair, 11. 1x-Curt
Schumacher, 12. 76-Josh Ruple,
13. 96z-Zach Gigot, 14. 10e-Matt
Ebarb.
Fourth Qualifier (12 Laps): 1.
81F-Frank Flud, 2. 7J-Jerrod
Wilson, 3. 36-Ben Murphy, 4.
2h-Heath Hehnly, 5. 82b-Cody
Brewer, 6. 11d-Jason Dent, 7.
1-Bobby Zaiontz, 8. 32m-Trey
Marcham, 9. 1J-Cale Reigle, 10.
66J-J.J. Simmons, 11. 55L-Shane
Lewis, 12. 7b-Nick Bailey, 13.
18m-Jake Murphy. DNS: 75-Ryan
Truitt.
Fifth Qualifier (12 Laps): 1.
32n-Nick Ivy, 2. 1e-Eric
Edwards, 3. 1st-Dusty
Young, 4. 83-Karlas Stephens, 5.
49-Sam Miller, 6. 73-Jake
Mosley, 7. 6x-Christopher Meyer,
8. 59x-Billy Lawhead, 9.
18T-Tyler Devault, 10.
31w-Justin Webb, 11. 3c-Cody
Coggin, 12. 11r-Tyler Reddick,
13. 21T-Taylor Smitherman, 14.
92-Jake Rosario.
Third Annual 600 Nationals
Preliminary “A” Feature
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 36-Ben
Murphy, 2. 22T-Travis Senter,
Jr., 3. 1e-Eric Edwards, 4.
7J-Jerrod Wilson, 5. 23a-Kevin
Bayer, 6. 55c-Donnie Ray
Crawford, 7. 44-Michael Dicely,
8. 7g-Jimmy Glenn, 9. 83-Karlas
Stephens, 10. 81F-Frank Flud,
11. 7y-Stan Yockey, 12.
29s-Scott Sawyer, 13. 9L-Tim
Dietz, 14. 88w-Eric Wright, 15.
11d-Jason Dent, 16. 32n-Nick
Ivy, 17. 2h-Heath Hehnly, 18.
8c-Chris Andrews, 19. 32x-Brad
McDaniel, 20. 46-Wally Henson,
21. 66r-Roger Rose, 22. 49-Sam
Miller.
Horizon Mini Sprints Restricted
"A" Class Results:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1.
23-Howard Moore, 2. 3d-Andy
Hogan, 3. 8m-Kade Morton, 4.
11a-Seth Acres, 5. 43-Matthew
Bauldwin, 6. 15J-Jeremy
Middleton, 7. 87jr-Devin
Crawley. DNS: 47-Bailee Pipes.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1.
28-Karley Kay Dobson, 2.
10-Darien Roberts, 3. 08-Logan
Martin, 4. 8a-Hunter Adcock, 5.
8J-Josh Marcham, 6. d6-Dakota
Gaines, 7. 99b-Benny Boudreaux
IV, 8. 75-Tommy Gire.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1.
52-Blake Hahn, 2. 1-Nic Jenkins,
3. 57-Trent Taylor, 4.
29-Brandon Hahn, 5. 7m-Chance
Morton, 6. 05-Blake Jenkins, 7.
0fs-Morgan Montgomery.
A Feature (20 Laps): 1.
57-Trent Taylor, 2. 3d-Andy
Hogan, 3. 29-Brandon Hahn, 4.
10-Darien Roberts, 5. 28-Karley
Kay Dobson, 6. 08-Logan Martin,
7. 8a-Hunter Adcock, 8. 52-Blake
Hahn, 9. 8m-Kade Morton, 10.
87jr-Devin Crawley, 11. 11a-Seth
Acres, 12. 8j-Josh Marcham, 13.
43-Matthew Bauldwin, 14.
7m-Chance Morton, 15. 15J-Jeremy
Middleton, 16. 23-Howard Moore,
17. 99b-Benny Boudreaux IV, 18.
75-Tommy Gire, 19. 0fs-Morgan
Montgomery, 20. 05-Blake
Jenkins, 21. d6-Dakota Gaines,
22. 1-Nic Jenkins. DNS:
47-Bailee Pipes.
