Outlaws tackle area stars in ATPR event

Auto Tire and Parts Racepark's richest event of the season is expected to attract a competitive mix of local and out-of-state racers to the rural Scott County dirt oval track Saturday.

The touring World of Outlaws Gumout Series -- a Texas-based division of the Outlaws' original cross-country traveling series -- is likely to bring between 30 and 40 sprints from across the Midwest to ATPR for Saturday's show. They'll race for a $5,000 top prize in the night's feature race, about $4,000 more than the track's weekly top prize for the sprint class.

But in a financial twist, the higher payout comes in a series designed to be more economical than the sprint class ATPR runs each week. The Gumout Series limits its cars' engines to 360 cubic inches, designed to be more affordable than the 410 cubic-inch engines allowed by the track's weekly rules.

A handful of local racers are expected to make the temporary switch to the smaller engines this week to meet Gumout Series specifications.

Tyler Walker of Santa Clarita, Calif., leads Oklahoman Shane Stewart by 10 points in the series point standings. Memphis, Tenn., racer Jason Sides sits in third.

Over the weekend

ATPR attracted a season-high 30 modifieds for Monday's holiday event won by Robert Powers of Campbell, Mo. Other winners included Travis Senter Jr. of Osceola, Ark., in mini sprints; Ben McIntosh of Paducah, Ky., in the "A" class; and Kenny Harris of Park Hills, Mo., in RAMS mini stocks.

Two days earlier at ATPR, Tommy Worley Jr. of Bismark, Mo., won for the first time this season in the sprint class. Cline Myers Jr. of Scott City, Mo., repeated in pure streets, Powers won in modifieds and Terry and Tracey Redden of Clarkton, Mo., won in cruisers.

Alan Rettig of Sikeston took over the season points lead at Malden (Mo.) Speedway after winning Friday's late model feature race. Larry Hull of Old Appleton, Mo., sits in third in the modified standings after he finished third in Friday's event; he's 10 points behind leader Claudie Cook of Portageville, Mo.

Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., won the Show-Me 100 and $36,000 Saturday at West Plains (Mo.) Speedway. Several local drivers were among the 89 qualifiers, but none advanced to the race's 25-car lineup.

Jerrod Hull of Sikeston, Mo., finished fourth in the sprint feature Friday at Jacksonville (Ill.) Raceway. Indiana's Danny Smith won.

Tim Montgomery of Fredericktown, Mo., won the special event sanctioned by the Winged Outlaw Warriors on Friday at Saint Francois County Raceway near Farmington, Mo. Among local entries, Daron Clayton of Sikeston was sixth.

Terry English of Benton, Ky., remains the leader in the United Midwestern Promoters late model standings, where the winner will earn a record $100,000 at the end of the year. English won Friday at Paducah, Ky., Sunday at New Florence, Mo., and Monday at Calvert City, Ky.

Coming up

SFCR will host sprints for a $2,000-to-win event Saturday. Racing is at 7:30 p.m.

Dale Jarrett, Johnny Benson and Ken Schrader will sign autographs before a June 12 event at I-55 Raceway near Pevely, Mo. Late models and sprints each will compete for $2,000 to win.

SEMO Motor Speedway near Sikeston will be idle this weekend. The track will resume June 8 and begin its night schedule (gates open 3 p.m., racing 7:30). Afternoon racing resumes in September.