Race Report, North Central Arkansas
Speedway, 05-01-2010

by Dan Haas

The weather in the Ozark Mountains is unpredictable,
incredibly fast, exiting and sometimes just plain
dangerous. Sounds like a night of racing fun at North
Central Arkansas Speedway!

And on the first Saturday of May we had both! But we
managed to sandwich a fun night of racing between the
storms. 

Cruiser-stock, mini-stock, hobby stock and super-stock were
all able to complete the races before the rain returned. 
Modified was rained-out but we'll run the missed modified
event next race day, TWO MODIFIED RACES next race day, that
will be a night of excitement. 

Jesse Brisco had to sit out the Cruiser Competition when
his car, 11b began leaking transmission fluid in the
qualifying heat. Daniel Sisco of Harrison finished first in
car 112 for the 1st Cruiser heat and brother Joe Sisco
finishing 1st in the second qualifying heat. 

A soft infield proved to be a challenge for the drivers. 
During The Mini-Stock heat, Dan Lyle's number 911 was driven
into the infield by a spin coming out of turn 3. Dan was
able to drive out of that wet red clay on his own and resume
racing. 8MS-Mike Smith of Fairview finished 1st in the
Mini-Stock heat. 

During the Hobby-Stock heat Chris Davidson piloting Y2K
took to that muddy infield coming out of turn one during lap
1 but managed to get back on the track and kept the pressure
on leader Jackie Hensley in 411 for the entirety of the
heat. Hensley of Marshall in 411 placed 1st in the
qualifying heat in the Hobby-Stock Division. 

In the Super-Stock qualifying heat, Randal Griffin had to
take his 1x off the track after lap 2. Mike Smith of
Flippin placed first in R65M with Brent Raulston of Jasper
placing an excitingly close second in the qualifier for the
Super-Stocks. 

The excitement escalated for the qualifying heat in the
Modified Division 
but without Donnie Pate of Clinton who had to take 08 off
before the heat began. High octane excitement filled the
stands when Mike Koch of Mountain Home in 6MK tapped the
wall during turn 4 of lap 2 then spun out coming out of turn
4 during lap 3. It was lap three that Spartan Rob
Muilenburg took the lead in number 59. After that, the back
bumper of 59 was all the other drivers saw as Muilenburg
took home the checkered. 

It's not just racing fun at North Central Arkansas
Speedway, it's winning fun too! Cash, food and prizes! 
Congratulations to Emma Sisco, Jason Barnett, Donna Plumley,
Gregg Strobtman, Madea Weaver and Brian Roberts! All had
an evening of great family fun and went home with cash and
prizes courtesy of First Service Bank and North Central
Arkansas Speedway! 

Our first feature race, lap 5 in the Cruiser Stock Division
proved to be a disappointment for Joe Sisco and Daniel Lewis
when the throttle of Sisco Car 19 hung causing Joe to spin
sideways in turn one. Lewis in D9 could not avoid slamming
into Sisco's driver's side causing both cars to be unable to
continue. Thanks to Joe's Wrecker for clearing the track.
And thanks to expert safety measures in the cars and on the
track both drivers were unharmed. In lap 6 Jesse Brisco
left the race with mechanical problems. Debris in turn 4
pulled a caution flag in lap 12. 

Final results for the Cruiser Feature: 

1st John Briggs Car 5
2nd Daniel Sisco Car 112
3rd Ted Brumbley Car 17T
4th Marvin Brightwell Car T10
5th Larry T. West Car 7L
6th Jesse Briscoe Car 11b
7th Daniel Lewis Car D9
8th Joe Sisco Car 19
9th Justin Koch Car 17J

The Mini Stock Feature was fast-paced fun. Keith Katcher
in 23K had to leave the track in lap 2. During the eighth
lap, Daniel Lewis had problems with his car D9. Mike Smith
drove number 8MS to win, lapping George Stokes' 24S in lap
11 making the final results for the Mini Stock Feature:

1st Mike Smith Car 8MS
2nd Dan Lyle Car 911
3rd George Stokes Car 24S
4th Daniel D. Lewis Car D9
5th Keith Katcher Car 23KK

The Hobby feature kicked up the excitement a notch. Heath
Williams Jr. had to take 35 off the track during lap 4 but
was able to return to witness the excitement during lap 6. 
That was when Y2K driver Chris Davidson powered through the
infield coming out of turn 3 and re-entered the track the
same time and place as Jackie Hensley's 411, low out of turn
4! Davidson 'rubbed' Hensley hard enough to send him
off the track due to mechanicals. Lap 9 saw Y2K hurtling
around the track belching thick blue smoke and sending
Davidson to the pits. The ending lineup was: 

1st John Briggs Car 5 
2nd Chris Davidson Car Y2K
3rd Jackie Hensley Car 411
4th Heath Williams Jr.Car 35JR

What turned out to be our final feature for the evening was
just as exciting as any we'd seen. In the Super Stock
Division Randall Griffin driving 1x drew the first caution
in lap 1 and was emitting a lot of smoke. Lap 15 proved to
be a challenge for most of the driver's on the track. 
Brent Raulston had to head to the pit with 04 due to that
familiar rollin' smoke. The excitement of lap 15 was
centered between turns 3 and 4 when Joe Davenport in number
28 bumped Curt Cotter's 13, Curt nudging Joe back
contributed to Joe saying "Hello Wall". Mike Smith in R65M
managed to thread that needle just grazing Joe Davenport.
Once again in the car and on the track, professionalism and
training allowed all drivers to be unhurt. The final results
for the Super Stock Division were;

1st Curt Cotter Car 13 
2nd Mike Smith Car R65M
3rd Bobby Raulston Car 31
4th Joe Davenport Car 28
5th Brent Raulston Car 04
6th Randal Griffin Car 1X

Due to Thunderstorms the Modified Feature was unable to
run. There will be two Modified Feature Events next race
day! It's gonna be fun! We'd like to thank Flippin
Auto Supply for sponsoring all those great looking trophies
tonight. Thank you Flippin Auto Supply!

It's a double celebration this week as track owner Russell
Hand celebrates his birthday as well as his fourth year as
North Central Arkansas Speedways' owner! 
Congratulations Russell!

Remember, for the most fun on dirt, it's halfway between
Yellville and Flippin, North Central Arkansas
Speedway! Every Saturday night, gates open at 5, hot laps
at 6 and racing at 7!! Call 870-449-LAPS and let's
go! 

It was another exciting night of left turns at North Central Arkansas Speedway between Yellville and Flippin.  Excitement from the heats to the finish of the final race.

The qualifying heats are to decide starting position for the drivers.  Tonight, for some, those heats became eliminator events.  In heat two of the Cruiser division Joe Sisco of Harrison in car 19 got together with Ted Brumbley of Huntsville in car 17.  It took Joe's Towing and several of the track crew to get them apart.  Car 17 had a badly bent front frame and was unable to continue.  Then in the Super Stock heat, Pride Pendergrass from Flippin started billowing smoke from his car 9P and was unable to continue the evenings race.  In the first IMCA heat, George Stokes of Salesville in car 02G also was unable to continue the night after his car started smoking.  

And that's just the heats!  In the first race of the evening, 15 laps of hi-octane fun!  In lap 7 of the Cruiser feature, someone lost a breather cover drawing the first yellow caution.  Richard Carson of Mountain Home's 29R started smoking and was unable to finish.  The race concluded with Joe Sisco driving 19 to third place, his brother Daniel in second (both from Harrison) and the checkered flag waved Flippin's own John R Briggs in car 5 home.

In the Mini-Stock event in lap 5 coming out of turn 2 too high, Kevin Grissum met with the back wall but was able to finish.  The race finished with Tom Davenport driving 8D in third, second place going to car 911 with Dan Lyle from Flippin behind the wheel and in first place Mike Smith out of Flippin piloting that fast bright streak, car 23.

The Super Stock feature kept the excitement at fever pitch as Joe Davenport in 28 spun out of turn 1 during lap 5, then in lap 6 Randall Griffin, driving car 33 took to the infield with a possible fire taking him out of the race.  Lap 7 saw Heath "Wingnut" Williams take the number 35 out of the race leaving Mike Smith of Flippin in R65 finishing 3rd, 13, driven by Curt Cotter of Mountain taking second place while the first place trophy went to Jasper's Brent Raulston driver of 04. Brent  had Tyler Cambell along for the thrilling ride. 

Our final event was as adrenalin charged as ever.  Mountain Home-Grown Jason Snodgrass kept car 71 flying around the track on three wheels and in first place most of the race.  Car X driven by Kris Lloyd of Mountain Home left the race in lap 13.  In lap 14 Mike Hargis had tire trouble on car 23.  And much to Jason's Surprise late in the game, Kandy Methvin of Yellville drove across that finish line putting car 41 in first place, with Robert Mulenburg of Sparta bringing car 59 in second and Jason in 71 finishing in third place.

Don't forget, next Saturday starting at 3PM. It's Ryan Newman's Sprintcup car on display. An opportunity for pictures, autographs from the team as well as local favorite driver's and their cars.  And the best part.....FREE FOOD as Ryan's sponsors will be giving out free Tornado's, it's a great tasting treat!  Like a burrito, only better! 

Our 50/50 Winner tonight was Margie Austin of Lakeview!  Margie went home with 85 dollars in her pocket, courtesy of North Central Arkansas Speedway.

Also we would like to mention a happy birthday to Stephanie Reed of Marshall, Steph's birthday is Sunday, April 18th.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH AND THANKS FOR SHARING IT WITH US.

Remember, for the most fun on dirt, it's halfway between Yellville and Flippin, North Central Arkansas Speedway!  Call 870-449-LAPS and let's go racing!