WHEATLAND, Mo. – Andy Bryant’s USRA B-Mod sported a for sale sign on the right rear quarter panel.
The way it performed for Bryant on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway, the value might have risen.
Bryant led all 25 laps in capturing the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod feature, headlining the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program. Bryant earned $750 courtesy of Rains Ice for his first Lucas Oil Speedway feature win of the season.
Other feature winners in a program Presented by TA/Petro along with ThunderBurst Media were Dustin Walker (Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models), Taylor Carver (O’Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks) and Robbie Reed (Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds).
Bryant held off Kris Jackson for the feature win and then said it was nice to bust a streak of tough luck. He was unable to finish races in his home state the previous two nights due to mechanical issues.
“We have to thank everybody on this car; they do so much for me,” Bryant said. “The motor was a little bit hot tonight, but she made it through to the end.”
The main event started with lots of speed up front, with a trip of former USRA National Champions – Jackson, Bryant and J.C. Morton – and points leader McCowan first through fourth.
Bryant got the jump on Jackson and grabbed the lead before the race’s lone caution brought things to a halt two laps in. As the remainder of the race remained green, Bryant consistently worked the top of the track as Jackson, in the bottom groove, gave chase but never was able to get past.
As the cars caught lapped traffic over the final 10 laps, Bryant expertly maneuvered through them and prevailed by 1.9 seconds.
“We’ve had tough luck since the beginning of the year,” Bryant said. “This weekend we haven’t finished a race until tonight. We finally got it under wraps and hopefully got the monkey off our back for good this time.”
Ryan Gillmore finished third with Eric Turner fourth and J.C. Newell in fifth.
The caution-free, 20-lap Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Model feature took 5 minutes, 48 seconds as pole-starting Walker led the entire way. It was Walker’s first feature win.
Walker held off Republic’s Brad Looney by two car lengths. Todd Shute wound up third with three-time reigning track champion Johnny Fennewald – winner of the previous two features – finishing fourth.
Looney started fourth and worked his way into second place by lap five. He pulled alongside Walker going into turn three coming to the white flag, but was unable to make the pass as the pair of No. 14s battled it out.
“You can’t beat a Scott Bailey power plant,” Walker said of his motor. “I only saw (Looney) the one time there. I thought, ‘we’re either gonna crash or win this deal because we weren’t gonna pussyfoot in there again.’
“We were just a little bit tight. We were just trying to keep the car square, but it was time to let it hang out.”
Carver made a long haul worth it and broke Derek Brown’s winning streak in the process. Carver took the lead with five laps remaining and held off Brown by two car lengths for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks victory.
“It’s a lot better this time than it was the last time,” Carver said of the seven-hour trip to south-central Missouri from southwest Arkansas. Carver visited Lucas Oil Speedway on May 23 but was unable to start the feature due to mechanical issues after winning his heat.
Carter and Brown started on the front row and it was Brown taking early command, though Carver followed closely behind. Carver was able to wrestle the lead away with an inside pass at the finish line of lap six.
Carver protected the low side of the track as Brown worked the high line. As the duo worked through slower traffic in the final laps, Carver was able to hang on.
Tim Brown finished third with Johnny Coats fourth and Toby Ott in fifth.
Defending track champion Reed held off Chase Domer in a thrilling finish to capture his second Pitts Homes USRA Modified feature of the season.
Reed started sixth and took the lead from Chase Jones on lap four. He expanded the margin to 2.1 seconds over Domer, who started fifth, with six laps remaining.
Domer kept slicing Reed’s margin and slid underneath him in turn three on the final lap. But Reed returned the slide job coming out of turn four, as Domer’s momentum carried him high, and he held off Domer by a car length.
“I think he came in there a little too hot,” Reed said of Domer. “I was a little surprised to even see him. I thought I was making some pretty good laps. I didn’t realize he was that close until right there at the end. I couldn’t hear him and didn’t ever see him, but boy, when I did … here he came.”
Jones finished third with Paden Phillips fourth and Ryan Middaugh fifth.