By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
The Nevada Speedway will hold another stock car racing special tonight with its annual Memorial Day special.
The emphasis again is on the modified class after last week’s winner, Fort Scott’s Brian Bolin, pocketed $1,000.
On the line tonight is $2,000 for first place in “Modzilla” as well as track points at the 1/4-mile dirt track.
Competition also will be held in late model, street stock and factory stock classes. Those drivers also will be striving for track points. The mini stock class won’t be held this week.
Bolin beat the Iola Folks — Justin and Jess Jr. — in last week’s A feature.
Points leaders after last week, according to track reporter Gail Agee, are Jack Simmons, Erie, late model; Justin Folk, modified; Zach Marsh, Fort Scott, street stock; Mark Godsey, Nevada, factory stock, and Brice Elnicki, Girard, mini stock.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. today with racing at 7:30.
Monett Speedway
The eighth annual Tony Roper Memorial will be held at the Monett Speedway on Sunday night.
“This is one of our top programs of the season,” promoter Randy Mooneyham said Friday.
Headlining the 7:30 p.m. event at the 3/8-mile clay track will be the second visit of the season to Monett by the inaugural Dirt Late Model Racing Association Allstate Series.
The winner of the main event will receive $2,000 and making the field will be worth $450. Mooneyham said that 22 cars will start the A feature.
Al Purkey, Coffeyville, is expected among the late model drivers after winning the DLRA main event in April at Monett.
The winner of Sunday night’s modified main event will earn $1,000.
Support classes factory stock, bomber and rookie will have added money.
Admission prices for the Auto Xpress-sponsored program are $17 and $5 with 12-under free. A pit pass is $30.
Andrew Felker wins
Felker, mini sprint car driver from Carl Junction, is at the Sweet Springs (Mo.) Motorsports Complex today and Sunday for the Race 4 Life program.
Felker hopes to make a main event on Sunday night that will pay $5,000 to the winner.
Felker will have two race cars — one for classes A and non-wing and another for multi.
Felker, 15, entered the competition at Sweet Springs with five straight non-wing victories.
Felker won in stock class of the Non-Wing Nationals at Port City Raceway in Catoosa (Okla.) last weekend. He placed second in the restricted outlaw class to Chris Cochran of Oklahoma City.
I-44 Speedway
Stock car races won’t be held tonight or May 31 on the high banks of the Lebanon track because of putting down a new dirt surface.
Track reporter Ronnie Williams said the current red clay surface has drivers concerned over tire and equipment wear.
‘It’s a tough decision,” promoter Randy Mooneyham said. “But we’re listening to the many drivers around the area. We believe this is the time to make the switch.”
I-44 is scheduled to reopen on June 7 with a regular points show in the Central Bank Racing Series featuring UMP late models, USRA modifieds, B-mods, bombers, factory stocks, super stocks and rookies.
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Memorial Day specials set at Nevada, Monett tracks
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