Bill Frye wins 36th Annual MARS/MLRA 4-State Championship at the Monett Speedway

By Dan Robinson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bolivar, MO (September 3rd, 2007)-Greenbrier, Arkansas' Bill Frye, driving the Kuntz/GRT shot to the lead on the third lap and never looked back as he withstood all challengers to win the 36th Annual 4-State Championship in front of a capacity crowd at the Monett Speedway. The $3,000 to win, 40 lap event was co-sanctioned by the MARS Dirtcar Series and the O'Reilly MLRA.

With longtime flagman and honorary starter, Duane Johnson occupying the Monett flagstand for the final time, Gary Stolba from Willow Springs, Missouri led the field from the pole. As the field worked its way into turn 1, Darrell Mooneyham spun in the middle of one and two collecting the 00f of Jim Fulp and the 33f of Ricky Frankel with Mooneyham and Fulp retiring to the pits with damage. Restart number two would once again see Stolba lead them to the green but Shane Essary powered past to lead lap #1 with Frye, Stolba, and Peyton Taylor in tow. The lead changed hands once again on lap #3 as Frye shot past Essary with Taylor now occupying the third spot. Frye continued to open up the distance on Taylor as they encountered lap traffic on lap #12, Taylor closed slightly but Frye still held a 20 car length lead when the yellow flag flew on lap 21 as Frankel stopped in turn four.

As the field took the green flag for the restart, Frye continued to lead with Taylor in second and Terry Phillips now occupying the third spot from his fifth row starting position. Ken Essary brought out the caution on Lap #28 as he stalled in turn 2. The green flag would fly once again only to see the caution come out for debris with 31 laps now in the books. Peyton Taylor pitted under the caution to change a flat giving up his second spot to Phillips. Jack Sullivan also pitted under this caution for fresh rubber. The green would fly once again with 9 laps to go but Jeremy Payne running in the seventh spot got turned completely sideways in front of virtually the entire field blocking the track coming out of turn four and causing a massive pileup on the front stretch.

During this lengthy caution to clear the track and get the cars in their correct running order, Terry Phillips gave up his second spot with a flat right front tire. Once the field was reset, the green flag flew with only 9 laps to go and it was all Frye after that as he took the win ahead of Coffeyville, Kansas' Al Purkey. Peyton Taylor finished third, with Shane Essary fourth, and Jeremy Payne working his way back to the front to finish in fifth. Will Vaught was sixth, Brian Shirley seventh, and Jason Bodenhamer eighth. Brad Looney and Jack Sullivan rounded out the Top 10.

Heat Race winners were Alan Vaughn, Peyton Taylor, Gary Stolba, Bill Frye, and Shane Essary. Jack Sullivan won B-Main number one with Ricky Frankel finishing in second as both transferred to the main event. Jeremy Payne won the second B-main with Dusty Johnston finishing in second also qualifying his way into the 40-lap A-Main. MLRA provisionals were earned by David Turner and Ken Essary while the recipients of the MARS provisionals were Brad Looney and Larry Jones.

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The O'Reilly MLRA would like to thank the sponsors of the 2007 Thunder Tour including O'Reilly Auto Parts, Hoosier Race Tire, Midwest Walnut, Hatfield Racing Engines, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Taylor Cable Products, Afco, GRT Race Cars, The Driveline Shop, Sunoco Race Fuels, Weld Wheels, Chase Race Decals, Gameday Trophy, Bodee's Race Bodies, Duralite, Holley Race Products, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Kluhsman Racing Components, Performance Race Bodies, ATL Fuel Cells, Shepherd of the Hills Entertainment, Racing Optics, Impact Sign & Lighting