What won the race: In an early flurry amid traffic, McKay Wenger of Fairbury, Ill., overtook single-lap leader Bob Gardner on the ninth lap after dispatching early leader Jake Nightingale and raced to a $3,000 Heartland Late Model Tour victory on a rough-and-tumble surface at Lake Ozark Speedway. The third-starting Wenger took the checkers 1.856 seconds ahead of Gardner, who started on the second row with Wenger, while seventh-starting Chevy Boyer finished third.

Quotable: "I just had to get up on the wheel and send it tonight," Wenger said, adding that "this is just a hobby for us. So it definitely helped out winning tonight, and (hopefully) we can keep on going."

Key notes: Lapping all but seven competitors, McKay Wenger won his debut at Lake Ozark Speedway, heading to Missouri after Illinois tracks, including his hometown Fairbury Speedway, rained out. ... Wenger notched his first victory since Aug. 15, 2025, at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway and his first since a shop fire last fall set back his racing program. ... Runner-up Bob Gardner made a third-to-first move in traffic on the eighth lap, but Wenger went back past a lap later. ... Jake Nightingale, the first-year tour's winner a night earlier at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., led the first seven laps but retired after nine circuits. ... Polesitter Kayden Clatt finished sixth. ... Two cautions slowed the action, the first on the 19th lap when Dustin Walker stopped inside turn four. ... On the 21st lap, John Rowland drew a yellow flag. ... The 11-minute feature concluded at 10:32 p.m. ... Brandon Morton, Dalton Imhoff and Justin Wells scratched from the Lake Ozark feature.

On the move: Scott Crigler of Alton, Mo., started 22nd and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Wenger's Longhorn Chassis has a Pro Power Racing Engine and sponsorship by Pope-Joy Plumbing-Heating-Electric, TKS Concrete, Subway (Fairbury), Dave Wenger Transportation, Dabney Trucking, Seneca Towling, Pontiac RV and Creative Kitchens & Baths.

Points chase: Before Lake Ozark: 1. Sawyer Crigler (428); 2. Scott Crigler (402); 3. Jake Nightingale (392); 4. Kayden Clatt (389); 5. Joey Smith (355).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 70°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: McKay Wenger

Time: 13.491 seconds

Polesitter: Kayden Clatt

Heat race winners: McKay Wenger, Kayden Clatt, Jake Nightingale

Next series race: August 21, Salt City Speedway (Hutchinson, KS) $3,000