Bethany, Missouri: Sunday night at the Northwest Missouri State Fairgrounds the driver nicknamed “Cool Hand Luke” Luke Howard lived up to that moniker by holding his ground and position to snap the 3 race win streak of Wyatt Burks racing in the USAC MWRA Sprint Car Series sponsored by Wholesale Batteries.
The (Overland Park, Ks) driver would lead from start to finish in the 25 lap feature event. While surviving a wild and wacky night of racing that featured a wreck during the four abreast pace lap that knocked out teammate Wojo Johnson (Overland Park, Ks) who later would receive the Xtreme Color “Hard Luck” Award. And then a separate incident that would eliminate pole setter A.J. Johnson (Oskaloosa, Ia) coming down to take the green flag for the start of the feature. As well as 5th starting Zach Clark (Raymore, Mo) before a lap was completed!
This re-stacked the field moving Howard to the point driving the LHR 2H wrenched by Brent Lewis. As the cars and drivers would settle into the feature, Howard was riding the rim to perfection. While behind him positions throughout the field were shuffling back and forth between several drivers including (Topeka, Ks) chauffeur Burks who was slowly reeling in Howard after driving from 5th to 2nd in the WBR 11w.
“The Sheriff” Burks was riding a 3-race win streak with his trusty mount wrenched by father Jeff Burks, including the previous two nights of this triple header weekend at US 36 Raceway Dirt Track on Friday, and I-35 Speedway Winston on Saturday, and was looking for more as he zeroed in on the 2H with 5 laps to go.
In front of Howard danger loomed ahead as a potential lapped car was in the groove, and a technical track made it difficult for him to pass, putting Burks right on his bumper! Howard, however, remained cool and calm to hold onto the lead and the win driving under Drake Barker’s checkered flag first to win his first feature of 2023 with the MWRA, and his fourth all-time win in the series.
Following this duo to the checkered flag at Bethany was (Newton, Ia) racer Ben Woods in 3rd, while “Hard Charger” Chris Parkinson from (Gladstone, Mo) would advance six positions from 10th to 4th, and Brad Wyatt of (Kearney, Mo), would complete the top 5.
Drivers making a run to a top 10 finish Sunday night at Bethany Fairgrounds Speedway included, Dakota Earls (Independence, Mo) in 6th, Chad Winfrey (Gladstone, Mo.) racing from 13th to 7th, Doug Sylvester of (Ottumwa, Ia) in 8th, Garrett Hulsey (Lone Jack, Mo), finishing 9th after also advancing six positions from 15th. While Buddy Parker (Wichita Falls, Tx) would come home in 10th.
During Heat race action earlier, Burks would win his 7th heat race of the year in 14 starts, and Iowas AJ Johnson would take his first ever heat win with the MWRA.
Next weekend ”The Road To A Championship” goes through Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri, for the John E. Helm Memorial for the 4th year in a row on Saturday night September 9th. Photos courtesy of Lisa Burlington Photography
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