Phillips Captures inaugural Heartland Late Model Tour win
WEST PLAINS, Mo.—Friday night at Legit Speedway in West Plains, Missouri the POWRi Mel Hambelton Racing Heartland Late Model Tour roared to life and welcomed back one of the nation's most beloved race tracks. Sitting idle for the past few seasons, long time owner Gary Stolba, rebuilt much of the facility after a nasty storm did more than it's fair share of damage.
Man, did it ever deliver! The fans in the stands and watching across the country on RacinDirt were treated to an instant thriller. Rolling out on an absolutely perfect slick and smooth Stolba prepped surface, the race was on from the drop of the Dirt Track Specialist Green Flag.
Terry Phillips rolled from the pole and checked out early. However, once he hit lapped traffic the track became congested, allowing Crigler to close the gap. Phillips nearly lost the lead once in three and four, but held on at the line. Crigler also closed extremely quick in turn one late, but avoided causing a wreck in the process.
A Midwest Sheet Metal yellow flew with six laps to go. Phillips pulled away on the restart and a hard charging Kyle Beard made his way around Crigler and into second where he finished. Crigler slotted third and rode out the final handful of laps.
Overall Deatherage Opticians Fast Qualifier Kayden Clatt put together a great night to finish fourth. Jace Parmley, who has spent most of this season crewing for Tyler Stevens USMTS run, finished up in fifth.
Early in the night heat wins went to Clatt, Phillips, Crigler and Jake Nightingale. Garrett Taylor was the winner of the American Racer tire given away at the drivers meeting.
Of note, Phillips also won the Heartland Modified Tour Presented by Real Racing Wheels inaugural event too. It came back on April 12, 2024 at Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kansas.
Saturday will be night two for the Super Stocks and also feature Sport Mods and Sportsman Late Models. Mayfield Auto Repair and A2Z Products will be sponsoring support class action. The Super Stocks will run for $1,000 to win.
Supporting the Late Model action this weekend locally is Missouri Hardwoods and West Plains Resaw. Everyone with Heartland Promotions extends a huge thanks to both companies for their support of the event.
A $40,000 point fund guaranteed, paying back ten positions, is in place for drivers who compete in 80 percent of the series scheduled events. $10,000 of the fund has been set aside for the inaugural champion.
RESULTS
Pannell Chipping A Feature (30 Laps): 1. Terry Phillips 2. Kyle Beard 3. Scott Crigler 4. Kayden Clatt 5. Jace Parmley 6. Joey Smith 7. Billy Moyer 8. Jake Nightingale 9. Austin Vincent 10. Sawyer Crigler 11. Robby Moore 12. Dustin Tiger 13. Cole Murphy 14. Brandon Carpenter 15. Allan Rettig 16. Kylan Garner 17. Tyler Wolff 18. Chris Bragg 19. Dustin Walker 20. Ryan Johnson 21. Jaxon Ertel 22. Chance Mann 23. Brandon Morton 24. Dalton Cloyd 25. John Briggs 26. Dean Carpenter
Hoosier Tire Great Plains B Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. Chris Bragg 2. Brandon Morton 3. Dean Carpenter 4. Jaxon Ertel 5. Ryan Johnson 6. Blaine Mattney 7. Kaden Miller 8. Jim Greenway 9. Matt Menzie 10. Mark Tackitt 11. Brandon Baldridge 12. Heath Davenport 13. Eric Asmussen
Real Racing Wheels B Feature 2 (10 Laps): 1. Brandon Carpenter 2. Chance Mann 3. Dustin Walker 4. John Briggs 5. Tyler Wolff 6. Shawn Mann 7. Cameron Rank 8. Garrett Taylor 9. Jason Sivils 10. Reggie Jackson 11. Charlie Cole 12. Brennon Willard 13. Cody Acklin
Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. Kayden Clatt 2. Billy Moyer 3. Robby Moore 4. Kylan Garner 5. Chris Bragg 6. Dean Carpenter 7. Matt Menzie 8. Jim Greenway 9. Brandon Baldridge 10. Kaden Miller 11. Eric Asmussen
Smith Equipment Company Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Terry Phillips 2. Jace Parmley 3. Dustin Tiger 4. Sawyer Crigler 5. Brandon Carpenter 6. Dustin Walker 7. Cameron Rank 8. Garrett Taylor 9. Reggie Jackson 10. Tyler Wolff
Kevko Racing Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. Scott Crigler 2. Kyle Beard 3. Joey Smith 4. Austin Vincent 5. Brandon Morton 6. Jaxon Ertel 7. Ryan Johnson 8. Heath Davenport 9. Blaine Mattey 10. Mark Tackitt 11. Brennon Willard
Swift Springs Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. Jake Nightingale 2. Allan Rettig 3. Cole Murphy 4. Dalton Cloyd 5. Chance Mann 6. Shawn Mann 7. John Briggs 8. Charlie Cole 9. Jason Sivils 10. Cody Acklin
The POWRi Mel Hambelton Racing Heartland Late Model Tour would like to recognize and thank our season long partners. Please thank them, with your patronage for their support.
Gold Partners - Central Spray Foam & Cement Lifting, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Dirt Track Specialist, Dylan Scott Entertainment, Hochatown Saloon, Hoosier Tire Great Plains, Kevko Racing, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mel Hambelton Ford Racing, Pannell Chipping, RacinDirt.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning, Smith Equipment Company, Swift Springs, VP Racing Fuels Heartland, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products
Silver Partners – American Racer Tires, Buck Monson Photos, Bulletproof Tees and Racewear, Duvall Electric, Integra Shocks, JRT Trucking, Keyser Manufacturing, Midwest Automation, Photos By Boyd, Scotty Dogg's Hideout
Bronze Partners – Bryke Racing, Fast Shafts, Freight Logistics Inc., KS Engineering, Maxima Racing Oil, Milburn Acreages by Tillison Enterprises, PEM Racing, Premier Lubricants, Schoenfeld Headers, Service Plumbing of Wichita, Transmissions Unlimited, Wagdog Spices, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Yeoman Race Engines
2026 HLMT Point Fund
1. $10,000
2. $6,000
3. $5,000
4. $4,000
5. $3,000
6. $2,800
7. $2,600
8. $2,400
9. $2,200
10. $2,000
*80 Percent attendance required to remain point fund eligible
Our Partners
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