The Southern Iowa Speedway held its second night of Southern Iowa Fair racing on Wednesday night and a beautiful night it was. The weather was great for the second consecutive night of racing and for the inaugural induction of the first five Hall of Fame members. A nice crowd in the stands saw three first time winners emerge, and three other drivers just kept racking up the victories.
Sport Compacts found Bill "Happy Feet" Whalen back in the winner's circle. Whalen snatched the lead at lap four and was never challenged again. Second was Trent Orwig, John Whalen took third, new driver Matt Girdley finished fourth and Matt Moore was fifth. Whalen has seven wins at the Speedway and told announcer Tony Paris in the post race interview, the total for the year is seventeen.
Winner of the Hobby Stock feature, Mike Hughes said the track was "bad fast, nice and smooth". Hughes started fifth on the grid (it was another draw/redraw format) and was leading before lap two was scored. Hughes passed Nick Ulin for that lead, and from there on, was out for a Sunday drive. Dustin Griffiths came from row four to take the runner up spot, Nick Ulin was third, Craig Brown was fourth and Doug Gordon, Jr. was fifth. Hughes made this win five-in-a-row and a total of nine at Osky this season.
The IMCA Northern SportMods went sixteen laps for their A main. Tony Johnson led the field on the first lap, but hot shoe Clint Luellen had the lead even before lap two was scored. Jason McDaniel mounted a challenge and got past Luellen with a handful of laps in the book and then last night's winner Brett Lowry threw his hat in the ring too. They went three wide down the back chute on lap twelve, and when lap thirteen was scored, Luellen had once again nabbed the lead. Luellen kept hold of that coveted first position and took the double checkers. Lowry peeked under McDaniel with a lap to go, but just couldn't make it work---McDaniel holding the runner up spot and Lowry taking third. Fourth was Brayton Carter who had a great run in coming from row six, and Curtis Van Der Wal made his way through traffic from row seven, to round out the top five. This was Luellen's first win at Osky but I believe his twelfth over all. He has been having a great season and seems to always have a good run at any track we see him in attendance.
It was an 18-lap feature for the Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars. Todd Reitzler took advantage of his #1 redraw starting spot, taking the lead at lap one. However, he soon had a bunch of company behind him! By lap three, there was a pack of six cars all vying for position. Corey "from just across the street" Stout nabbed the lead away from Reitzler at lap four, Damon Murty, Brad Pinkerton, Justin Temeyer and Cayden Carter tightening the screws for a better position. Carter ducked under the battling clump of cars, taking over the runner up spot at lap eight. A yellow would come out on lap nine, when Reitzler was out of the game, his ride off power at the top of turn two. When the race got back underway, Stout held the top spot, but a three-wide battle on the back chute found Cayden Carter and his Orange Crush machine snatching it away. Carter checked out from there on, taking the flying checkers for the third race straight at Osky. It was hot and heavy racing behind him however, as the same cars duked it out that had been jousting all night long. Murty took second place, Stout was third, Temeyer finished fourth and Pinkerton was fifth. Carter is becoming a dominate driver in the fendered division this year, snaring his fifth win in the 10cc machine of Roger Kelderman. Bobby Greiner, Jr., one of the Hall of Fame inductees, was called to the frontstretch for the victory lane photos. How ironic that the car sitting in the winner's circle that night was one of Bobby's old race cars.
Many of the Modified racers from the night before's Hawkeye Dirt Tour race, stuck around for another try to tame the Osky track. Many were in the area for the Harris Clash that is on tap for the famed Knoxville Raceway tonight. There were a few new faces as well. Twenty-seven drivers took the green flag for the Modified A main.
Hunter Marriott, the driver out of Brookfield, Missouri....close to Moberly, has been fast all week at the races we have attended. He drew the pole for his heat race, won it, and followed that up with the #1 pill for the start of the 22-lap Modified feature. He kept his night perfect by winning the caution free feature by a comfortable margin, leading all laps. Colt Mather ran second all night and finished as the runner up. There was some good racing behind the two top cars, as Jacob Murray and Luke Wanninger fought it out and then Jesse Sobbing got in the mix trying to mount a challenge for a top spot. Sobbing got to third, but his move forward ended there, finishing behind Mather. Jacob Murray took fourth and Wanninger completed the top five. Marriott snared his first ever win at the Southern Iowa Speedway.
The racing ended with the 20-lap Late Model feature. This one was pretty much a snoozer for winner Nick Marolf. He led the entire caution free race. Marolf took the double checkers by more than a half-lap over second place Tommy Elston. Todd Cooney finished a distant third, Jeremy Grady was fourth and Kevin Kile was fifth.
Earlier, before racing began, there was an accident in the far back pit area. Smoke arose and a frantic call for help resulted in the safety crew called to the area. Before long, the city ambulance and fire truck were on scene and a patient was transported. Announcer Tony Paris later told the crowd that the accident caused injury to Frank Springsteen, father of Late Model racer Colby Springsteen. Please keep him and the family in your thoughts and prayers.
The coolest part of the whole evening was the induction ceremony for the inaugural five drivers voted into the Southern Iowa Speedway Hall of Fame. I had the honor to help in compiling a list of names---well over a hundred---that was whittled down to twenty-five candidates this first year. This first year, it was decided that those on the list would have to be out of racing for at least five years, only one name from a family, or deceased. Out of that list of twenty-five candidates, fans and drivers voted by ballot at the track back in June to determine the winners. It was quite an induction ceremony for sure....and very emotional and heartwarming. Drivers and friends formed a tunnel of honor for the inductees to walk through after they were introduced.
Aaron Brown was the first one introduced. Aaron tragically lost his life in a non-racing accident a number of years ago. He was always a top contender in the Stock Car class each and every Wednesday night back in the '90's. He was a respected driver who was always willing to share his knowledge of racing with others. I believe it was his son and daughter who accepted the award.
Next up was Randy Schroeder. He scored not only Modified track championships at Osky but also had a championship in the Stock Car division. The Schroeder family has long been involved with racing, brother Terry being a hot shoe at Osky as well. Randy's son Andrew Schroeder is carrying on the family tradition and having great success in the Modified class.
Denny Banks was next. His #22 Modified, often red if I recall, competed for years at the Southern Iowa Speedway. He was always a contender whenever he hit the track He was a competitor in the IMCA Modified division from it's early year's of conception. His son Brandon is carrying on that family's racing heritage, racing in the Modified division as #22.
Bill Davis, Sr. was inducted next. Davis and his familiar and always perfect looking yellow #1+ (Chevy emblem) was not only successful at the big old half-mile in Osky, but copped two IMCA National Championships in the Modified division as well. The Davis family is going strong in the racing world yet. His son Billy Davis, Jr. pilots that traditional Bill Davis #1+ machine, and grandson's campaign in the SportMod class.
The final inductee was Bobby Greiner, Jr. There was no way that he could not have been included in this year's ballot. Love him or hate him....and by the "boo birds" in the stands trying to out sound the cheers, he always was a popular driver at the track....filling the grandstand each Wednesday night just to cheer FOR or AGAINST him. Those that cheered against him, should have taken a moment to catch up with him in the pits and find out just how congenial he is. Bobby also was an IMCA National Champion in the Stock Car division....adding to the list of Champions who raced regularly at the Osky track over the years.
All five inductees deserve the honor bestowed last night. It will be interesting to see who will next be on the Hall of Fame as well in the years ahead. There are SO many that deserve this honor. Thanks to Mike VanGenderen for bringing this Hall of Fame to fruition. A banner will be hung under the grandstand for last night's honorees as well as those in the future.
Thanks for reading and Happy Racing!
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