POCOLA, Okla. (March 20) – Jeff James couldn’t recall too many details of his one previous visit to Tri-State Speedway, as a spectator some time in the late 1990s.
He’s got $2,000 to help him remember his second trip to the Pocola, Okla., speedplant.
James led all 25 laps of the Sunday Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified main event at the Cecil Harlan Memorial Kegger, building a lead of as much as a straightaway before pulling away again after a caution bunched the field back up with just two circuits to go.
“It was a pretty good way to start off the season,” understated James, who’d earned the pole by winning his Saturday qualifier, “especially considering I’d never raced there before.”
The win came in just his third start in a new Skyrocket. James had been 12th and then seventh in outings at Beatrice Speedway’s Spring Nationals.
The new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier took the checkers ahead of defending race winner Tate Cole, outside row one starter Richie Tosh, Drew Armstrong and teammate Todd Van Eaton, also in a new Skyrocket.
Inclement weather had forced James and Van Eaton to make new travel plans after Junction Motor Speedway pulled the plug on the Mike Chapin Memorial Spring Thaw. With qualifying at Pocola postponed to Saturday, the pair hit the highway for a 400-plus mile tow late Friday night.
Kyle Slader was the $800 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner, overcoming a spin five circuits into the 20-lapper that sent him to the back of the field for the restart.
Making just his career second start in the sanctioned class, Slader rallied to beat Kris Vaughn across the stripe by less than a car length. Andrew Bohanon, Chuck Smith and Mike Wiseman rounded out the top five.
After taking the initial green from inside row two, Slader got the worst of a tangle with another car and spun, resulting in the restart at the back. He went to the top of the track to work his way toward the front, getting the lead by lap 13.
Slader ran in three classes over the course of the Kegger and also took home first-place money in the super stock class.
“It was an awesome weekend and a pretty good payday, too,” he said.
Feature Results
Modifieds – 1. Jeff James; 2. Tate Cole; 3. Richie Tosh; 4. Drew Armstrong; 5. Todd Van Eaton; 6. Brint Hartwick; 7. Johnny Bone Jr.; 8. Jimmy Dixon; 9. Chuck Bumgarner; 10. Troy Schaberg; 11. Doug Jones; 12. Eric Beshoner; 13. Mikey Bell; 14. Jake Davis; 15. Jason Payton; 16. Shannon Reheard; 17. Larry Tounzen; 18. H Palmer.
Stock Cars – 1. Kyle Slader; 2. Kris Vaughn; 3. Andrew Bohanon; 4. Chuck Smith; 5. Mike Wiseman; 6. Mark Smith; 7. Keith Heaslet; 8. Kyle Woody; 9. Taylor Hubbard; 10. Tandy Sullivan; 11. Joey Dunn.
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