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| Press Release |
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CLAYTON
ASTOUNDING IN THE USAC – MSCS CLASH |
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Haubstadt, IN. (September 2, 2006). The very first USAC – MSCS Clash was held Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway. Daron Clayton of Sikeston, MO, won the 40 lap feature event after turning in a thrilling performance. Clayton had started 14th in the 24 car field. He quickly headed for the front and brought the race with him. In victory lane Clayton described what the fans saw. “I thought that I had better get up front quick.” That he did! It was his third MSCS victory this season and third straight Tri-State Speedway Labor Day weekend race victory
The first row in the feature line-up put MSCS points leader Alex Shanks
in the Jerry Baker entry alongside USAC points leader Levi Jones in the Tony
Stewart entry. Jones grabbed the
lead with Dave Darland taking second two laps later.
Caution flags flew twice early. Laps
five to 24 were contested at top speeds. Clayton
was turning laps faster than anyone. The
front wheels lifted on Clayton’s new Maxim on lap six as he powered down the
backstretch. Jones began lapping
the field, lapping his first car by lap eleven.
A lap later Clayton assumed fourth spot.
Fellow MSCS competitor Alex Shanks would be his next pass. Darland gave up second to Clayton on the next lap.
Only the leader remained to pass as the crossed flags appeared to signal
the half-way point.
Jones’ established lead began to disappear.
Clayton moved to the bottom of the track.
Jones was running higher entering turn one when the car began flipping,
finally landing between the wall and the billboards.
His run was over after 23 laps and the red light shut down the race. All crews were allowed to attend to car needs under an open
red arrangement. In the meantime
the wrecked sprint car was hoisted back up and over the retaining wall.
The final 16 laps presented green flag conditions for the remaining 19
drivers. Clayton was lapping cars
every lap or two, taking 3 at a time during one lap.
Mat Neely would finish second in the Benic sprint after starting ninth on
the field. He was also working to bring the race forward but encountered
a lot of lapped traffic. Dave
Darland finished third, Josh Wise was fourth, and Bryan Clauson finished fifth.
Sixth through tenth places went to Jerry Coon’s Jr., Jon Stanbrough,
Hunter Schuerenberg, Kevin Briscoe, and Shane Hollingsworth.
Stanbrough was involved in a fourth lap spin before rejoining the race at
the tail and making his way back up through the field. The
race attracted 36 drivers and 38 cars counting USAC back-up entries.
In organizing and planning for the Clash, it was decided that drivers
holding both USAC and MSCS licenses would represent the sanctioning body that
they were highest in points in entering the event.
Otherwise they would race under the banner of the organization they
belong to and are licensed by. Using that basis the 24 spots in the feature were filled by 15 USAC drivers and 9 MSCS drivers. Running in the top twelve or top half of the field at the finish of the feature were 8 USAC drivers and 4 MSCS regulars. However it should be noted that all but 2 of the top runners competed with MSCS during the 2006 season prior to the Clash. Clayton entered the race 14th in the MSCS standings and 16th in the USAC standings.
Heat race victories were posted by Dave Darland, Alex Shanks, Levi Jones,
and Gary Altig. Scotty Weir won the B-main with Hunter Schuerenberg , Chase
Stockon, and Brady Short following. Heat
racing also produced two flips. Kyle
Thomas and Hud Cone were the unfortunate drivers involved during separate
incidents in heat three.
The MSCS series will race next at Mt.Vernon Raceway on September 9th.
Tri-State Speedway will close out the season with the annual Demolition
Derby & Enduro on September 17th with a starting time of 1 P.M.
RACE SUMMARY: USAC – MSCS CLASH - Tri-State Speedway - Haubstadt, IN - September 2, 2006 HOOSIER TIRE
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