10/10/2019
MLRA Title Detour--Fall Nationals Moved to Saturday & Sunday
Wheatland, Missouri - A Pair of titans are set to collide this weekend when the stars of the Lucas Oil MLRA and their counterparts from the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series Presented by Lucas Oil (CCSDS), meet up in the 6th Annual "Fall Nationals" at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO.
The two-day affair which had originally been schedule for Friday & Saturday, will now transition to Saturday & Sunday October 12th-13th. With a less than promising forecast for Friday, series officials feel the adjustment gives teams the best opportunity to complete both shows in their entirety. Both days will still feature complete shows with Saturday taking center stage, featuring time trial qualifying and a $5,000 to win 50 lap finale which also pays $500 to start. Sundays $3,000 to win 40 lapper will replace the original Friday night event, and will line up based on the MLRA passing points system.
The upcoming weekends doubleheader will also serve as the much anticipated Championship weekend for the MLRA Series. Through 19 races, Will Vaught maintains an 89-point advantage over the Diamond Jim's Auto Sales-Pro Powered entry of Mitch McGrath. McGrath, the series 2018 MLRA Rookie of the Year runner-up, is still well within striking distance of the top spot, but is also under heavy pressure from 2019 Sunoco ROY leader Logan Martin, who comes in just 10 points to the rear of McGrath.
Joseph Gorby is coming off of his best MLRA finish of the year, a fifth place run at the recent Larry Phillips Memorial at the Lucas Oil Speedway. That run for Gorby moved him into the fourth position in the standings, while defending series champion Chad Simpson completes the top five with his three wins to date.
One year ago, 44 drivers checked into the annual co-sanctioned event which saw Simpson capturing the win in a race that included four lead changes and plenty of on track excitement and drama. Simpson used that win to lock up his second series title--something that current series point leader Will Vaught took note of and would like to duplicate with his team this weekend.
MLRA Leaders: Will Vaught (1V) leads the series into the weekend finale, while Logan Martin (36) looks to put his stamp on the series Sunoco ROY title. Lloyd Collins--FastTrack Photos
In 2018, Vaught came into the season finale 24-points behind Simpson, and in a virtual must win situation to capture the title. One year later, the driver of the Vaughn Trucking-GW Performance-Clements powered-Rocket XR1 Chassis is back in the heat of the battle, but in a much better position to potentially capture his first ever series title after a pair of runner-up finishes in 2013 & 2018.
"I would rather be in the shoes I'm in now than where I was last year," commented Vaught. "There are times where I catch myself trying to drive a little more conservative now just to get good finishes, instead of having to push the issue a little bit and maybe having to jump the cushion or getting into somebody."
Mother nature took down Friday night's action one year ago, and diminished Vaught's changes of closing in on Simpson. Vaught acknowledges that scenario would make things easier on his title quest this weekend, but for the Crane, MO driver he wants to see the battle between himself and McGrath settled on the track. "Our goal is to go out and get a really good finish (on night one). I would like to seal the deal on (the first night) so we can go all out on Sunday," said Vaught.
The now 16-time MLRA feature winner concluded, "I've never really been that kind of a racer (to chase points), and I ain't sure I like it still," joked Vaught. "But to have that championship check on the wall here in the shop would be really nice."
This weekend's action will mark just the second time this year that the MLRA and CCSDS have hooked up for a weekend double header. Timothy Culp has come on strong as of late and the Prattsville, AR driver now finds himself with a slim 28-point advantage over Lebanon, Missouri's Tony Jackson, Jr. Kyle Beard has one win on the season and enters the weekend third, while BJ Robinson and Brian Rickman round out the top five.
Article Credit: Billy Rock
