WARD VICTORIOUS IN MIR FINALE

BENTON -- Mike Ward, driving the Sams Town Casino/Ward Racing J&J, fought off late race challenges from Lee Dunn Saturday night to earn the $3,000 top prize for the Winged Sprint Cars at Missouri International Racepark's final competition of the season.

Ward, of Memphis, Tenn., took the lead at the drop of the green flag after starting on the pole position. Ward earned the pole position by winning fast qualifiers dash.

Ward led all of the 30 laps in the race that was plagued by five caution flags. Early race contenders Jerrod Hull and Justin Via fell out of the race with mechanical problems. Hull brought out the caution on the 11th lap after losing his right rear tire. Hull was running third at the time. Via fell out on lap 24 after suffering a blown engine.

Dunn, from East Prairie, was right on the back bumper of Ward for the entire race and even swapped places with Ward on lap 28 but could not hold off the Memphis driver. Dunn drove the Poole Racing Sprint car to a second-place finish.

Todd Rowland of Jackson and Shawn King of Cape Girardeau swapped the second and third places back and forth several times during the race. Rowland was able to make a last lap pass to finish third ahead of King, who wound up fourth. Joey Nash of Paris, Tenn., was fifth.

Joey Mack of Benton lead all 20 laps of the Pure Street Stock feature to pick up the top prize. Rounding out the top five were Cline Myers Jr. of Scott City, Mike Burnett of Benton, Eric Harris of Burfordville and Joe Floreck of Benton.

Johnny Wyatt of Scott City held off Steve Zelch Jr. of Perryville to earn his fifth Limited Late Model win of the year. Scott Gibbs of Bloomfield came all the way from the rear of the field after suffering a flat tire earlier in the race to finish third. Billy James of Sikeston was fourth and Terry Johnson of Benton fifth.

Sikeston racer Billy James found his way to victory lane for the 13th time this year in Super Street competition. Larry Hull of Old Appleton was second, with Puxico's Randy Martin third, Bernie's Bobby Barnes fourth and Sikeston's Robert Smith fifth.

Elaine Walker took top honors in Powder Puff competition. Deidre Gage was second and Ginny Starr third.

The track champions were crowned for the 1997. Winners were Shawn King (Winged Sprints), Terry Johnson (Limited Late Models), Billy James (Super Streets) and Keith Brugger (Pure Streets).