Jesse Stovall (00) battles fellow heat winner Will Vaught (1v).
What won the race: Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., led all 30 laps to top Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., notching his 18th career victory on the MARS DIRTcar Series. His first series victory of the season came over Beard, Jason Hughes, Justin Asplin and Jacob Magee.
Key notes: Stovall, who won five MARS events last season, is fourth on the tour's all-time wins list behind only Terry Phillips (85), Bill Frye (35) and Wendell Wallace (28). ... Midway hosted the opening event of a weekend doubleheader for MARS competitors. ... The tour returned for only the third time ever and the first time since 2009, when Eric Turner of Springfield, Mo., who did not enter Friday, was victorious. ... Jeremy Payne, also of Springfield, won the other previous stop in 2008 but he also didn't enter Friday.
On the move: Consolation race winner Brandon McCormick of Lebanon, Mo., came forward to finish seventh.
Winner's sponsors: Stovall pilots a Victory Circle Chassis with sponsorship from Swafford's Service, Rushin Towing and Hendrick Buick-Cadillack-GMC.
Points chase: 11th-place finisher Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., has 705 points to lead Justin Asplin (678) and Stovall (659).
Car count: 33
Heat race winners: Jesse Stovall, Brantlee Gotschall, Shane Essary, Will Vaught, Tony Jackson Jr., , , ,
Consolation race winners: Brandon McCormick, Justin Wells, ,
Provisional starters: Jon Driskill, Leroy Johnson, ,
Next series race: June 14, Outlaw Motorsports Park (Muskogee, OK) $3,000