OSKALOOSA, IOWA (August 6, 2019) – Accepting the RAMS Racing To-The-Tail Challenge, Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Okla. thrilled a capacity crowd at Southern Iowa Speedway on Tuesday night. Driving from 26th-to-1st in only 13 laps, Bacon was unstoppable aboard the Fatheadz Eyewear No. 99, banking upwards of $6,000 for his triumph in the Sage Fruit Ultimate Challenge with the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League.
Welcoming 28 entries for the one-off appearance at the Oskaloosa, Iowa half-mile, Tuesday’s show began as Riley Kreisel, Brady Bacon and Kevin Thomas Jr. topped heat race wins. Inviting the top six in passing points to the LRB, Inc. Dash, Bacon outdueled Thomas to win the four-lapper.
Stopping Bacon and Thomas on the front stretch in front of the fans, the crowd went wild as the RAMS Racing To-The-Tail Challenge was presented. After a little deliberation, Bacon agreed to terms, relinquished the pole and moved to start 26th with extra money on the line. After the standing-room only grandstands went bonkers, Ultimate Challenge promoter Terry McCarl stepped in to offer the challenge to Kevin Thomas Jr. as well, who promptly accepted it also and sent them into another frenzy.
While Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Ill. and Isaac Chapple of Wilkinson, Ind. led the 25-lapper to the green flag, all eyes were glued to Bacon and KTJ in the 13th row. Chapple paced the opening circuit over Daum as Bacon and KTJ both made massive moves as they tested the high side and advanced +10 spots in the first four corners.
The only stoppage of the race came after the first lap as Chapple led Daum, Davis, Parkinson and Landon Simon, while KTJ had worked to 14th with Bacon in 16th. Daum began to apply pressure for the lead as both KTJ and Bacon moved into the top ten. Finessing the cushion, Bacon stormed around the outside of KTJ on lap six and ensued to slide Parkinson to take over the fifth spot, making it a 26th-to-5th charge in just six laps.
Continuing to march forward, Bacon found himself trailing Chapple and Daum as they continued to battle for the lead. By the 13th circuit, Bacon maneuvered by both of them and moved his No. 99 into the race lead after starting 26th. Running away with a dominating performance in the second half, Bacon checked out while the battle for third heated up between Chapple, Simon, Davis, Kreisel and Thomas.
In the end, there was no stopping “The Macho Man” Brady Bacon on this night. After taking the lead from 26th in 13 laps, the Broken Arrow, Okla. native pulled away in the latter stages to complete the RAMS Racing To-The-Tail Challenge. His fifth-career POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League victory, Tuesday’s triumph was Bacon’s first in the Sage Fruit Ultimate Challenge as he claimed the championship belt.
Following Bacon to the line was Zach Daum in second and Isaac Chapple in third with podium results. Rounding out the top ten was Landon Simon in fourth, Riley Kreisel in fifth, Kevin Thomas Jr. in sixth-from-25th, Mitchell Davis in seventh, Kory Schudy in eighth, Don Droud Jr. in ninth and Korey Weyant in tenth.
Up next for the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League is a Missouri doubleheader in two weeks. The “Non-Wing Nationals” roll into Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. for back-to-back nights on Friday and Saturday, August 16-17.
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Hinchman Racewear Heat One (8 Laps):
- 90-Riley Kreisel, Warsaw, MO (1); 2. 19P-Donovan Peterson, Brookings, SD (2); 3. 00-Steve Irwin, Fenton, MI (4); 4. 24-Landon Simon, Tipp City, OH (7); 5. 99-Korey Weyant, Springfield, IL (8); 6. 0-Brandon Stevenson, Holstein, IA (6); 7. 6-Frank Rodgers, Lucas, IA (10); 8. 93-Josh Most, Red Oak, IA (3); 9. 11W-Wyatt Burks, Topeka, KS (9); 10. 12-Wesley Smith, Nixa, MO (5).
Bell Racing HQ Heat Two (8 Laps):
- 99X-Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK (7); 2. 65-Chris Parkinson, Gladstone, MO (4); 3. 28-Kory Schudy, Springfield, MO (1); 4. 5D-Zach Daum, Pocahontas, IL (9); 5. 34-Sterling Cling, Tempe, AZ (6); 6. 41-Brad Wyatt, Kearney, MO (3); 7. 20-Steve Thomas, Rantoul, IL (5); 8. 2-Jason Billups, Holt, MO (8); 9. 12X-Doug Sylvester, Ottumwa, IA (2).
Schure Built Suspensions Heat Three (8 Laps):
- 19X-Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, AL (6); 2. 52-Isaac Chapple, Wilkinson, IN (5); 3. 7S-Chris Morgan, Topeka, KS (4); 4. 56-Mitchell Davis, Auburn, IL (9); 5. 1M-Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (8); 6. 77K-Katlynn Leer, Moulton, IA (2); 7. 4-Braydon Cromwell, Lone Jack, MO (1); 8. 52F-Logan Faucon, Elkhart, IL (3); 9. 22S-Slater Helt, Harrisonville, MO (7).
LRB, Inc. Dash (4 Laps):
- 99X-Brady Bacon (1); 2. 19X-Kevin Thomas Jr. (2); 3. 5D-Zach Daum (4); 4. 52-Isaac Chapple (3); 5. 56-Mitchell Davis (5); 6. 65-Chris Parkinson (6).
POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprint League Main Event (25 Laps):
- 99X-Brady Bacon (1); 2. 5D-Zach Daum (1); 3. 52-Isaac Chapple (2); 4. 24-Landon Simon (4); 5. 90-Riley Kreisel (5); 6. 19X-Kevin Thomas Jr. (25); 7. 56-Mitchell Davis (3); 8. 28-Kory Schudy (12); 9. 1M-Don Droud Jr. (11); 10. 99-Korey Weyant (10); 11. 12-Wesley Smith (22); 12. 11W-Wyatt Burks (19); 13. 65-Chris Parkinson (4); 14. 0-Steve Irwin (8); 15. 20-Steve Thomas (17); 16. 19-Donovan Peterson (7); 17. 7S-Chris Morgan (9); 18. 34-Sterling Cling (13); 19. 77K-Katlynn Leer (16); 20. 0-Brandon Stevenson (14); 21. 22S-Slater Helt (21); 22. 52F-Logan Faucon (20); 23. 41-Brad Wyatt (15); 24. 4-Braydon Cromwell (18); 25. 2-Jason Billups (24); 26. 6-Frank Rodgers (23); 27. 93-Josh Most (DNS); 28. 12X-Doug Sylvester (DNS).
Lap Leader(s); Chapple 1-12, Bacon 13-25.
Hard Charger(s): Smith +11.