Grain Valley, Missouri (August 24, 2024)………Cody Baker validated his big win at the Weld Memorial last weekend by becoming the first driver to win back-to-back points-paying races with the Wholesale Batteries USAC Midwest Wingless Racing Association Sprint Cars in 2024.
On Saturday night at Missouri’s Valley Speedway, Baker (Lone Jack, Mo.) competed behind the wheel of the Ted Hall Racing No. 9H owned and wrenched by his grandfather. This victory also represented their fourth career MWRA feature in points-paying events.
Zach Clark and Wyatt Burks exchanged the lead during the first four laps with Clark spearheading three of the first four laps. Burks ducked in to lead briefly on lap three before losing the advantage, then gaining it back on lap five and holding serve through lap 13.
Baker took over on lap 14, then led the remaining 12 circuits of the 25-lap affair over point leader Burks (Topeka, Kan.) in his WBR No. 11w. Chad Goff (Spring Hill, Kan.), running his own CGM 9, collected a third-place result with Wesley Smith (Nixa, Mo.) grabbed fourth at the helm of his John Helm No. 12. Luke Howard (Overland Park, Kan.) rounded out the top-five aboard his LHR No. 2H.
For Goff, it was first podium result of the season after advancing from 8th to 3rd. Smith, meanwhile, captured the Country Kids Day Care of Olathe Hard Charger award, advancing from 12th to 4th on a juiced up track at Dennis Shrout’s Valley Speedway.
Early leader Zach Clark (Raymore, Mo) finished sixth, Dakota Earls (Independence, Mo) seventh, Justin Johnson (Kansas City, Kan.) eighth, Chad Winfrey (Gladstone, Mo.) ninth and Junior Parkinson (Wichita Falls, Texas) 10th.
Earlier in the evening, Burks earned his fifth heat race win of the 2024 USAC MWRA season to earn high point honors while Baker took his third of the MWRA campaign.
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USAC WHOLESALE BATTERIES MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION RACE RESULTS: August 24, 2024 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. 11w-Wyatt Burks (2), 2. 26-Zach Clark (1), 3. 2L-Chris Morgan (4), 4. 2H-Luke Howard (3), 5. 9-Chad Goff (7), 6. 12-Wesley Smith (5), 7. 65w-Chad Winfrey (6), 8. 93-Junior Parkinson (8). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. 9H-Cody Baker (2), 2. 604-Danny Billings (1), 3. 27J-Justin Johnson (3), 4. 15E-Dakota Earls (6), 5. 88-Chad Tye (4), 6. 03-Tyler Burton (7), 7. 44-Jared McCarty (8), 8. 11x-Tom Curran(5). NT
FEATURE: (25 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Cody Baker (4), 2. Wyatt Burks (3), 3. Chad Goff (8), 4. Wesley Smith (12), 5. Luke Howard (9), 6. Zach Clark (1), 7. Dakota Earls (6), 8. Justin Johnson (7), 9. Chad Winfrey (13), 10. Junior Parkinson (14), 11. Chad Tye (10), 12. Tyler Burton (11), 13. Jared McCarty (15), 14. Danny Billings (2), 15. Chris Morgan (5). NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Zach Clark, Lap 3 Wyatt Burks, Lap 4 Zach Clark, Laps 5-13 Wyatt Burks, Laps 14-25 Cody Baker.
USAC WHOLESALE BATTERIES MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION POINTS: 1-Wyatt Burks-1825, 2-Chad Winfrey-1510, 3-Dakota Earls-1495, 4-Luke Howard-1460, 5-Kobe Simpson-1455, 6-Zach Clark-1440, 7-Junior Parkinson-1415, 8-Michael Moore-1230, 9-Wesley Smith-1205, 10-Tyler Burton-1180.
NEXT USAC WHOLESALE BATTERIES MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION RACE: September 7, 2024 – I-35 Speedway – Winston, Missouri
