The Southern Iowa Speedway roared back to life on Wednesday night. It was great to once again see a big crowd and a nice car count to go along with the extra racing action. Three make-up features from last week's rain out went along with the regular night's racing. There was a special format for the regular Hobby Stock feature with a draw/redraw format and a $500 payday for the winner. Add in a fun little contest for some of the drivers, and a "loss of locks" for Brandon Banks as he helped the cause of a young race fan, and it was one full night of entertainment.
The first make up feature was the IMCA Hobby Stock class. New drivers were allowed to tag the original line up after getting the okay from the top points drivers and I believe a payout adjustment was also made for those new drivers. Bobby Greene led the first few laps, but point leader Shannon Anderson quickly made his way into the top spot. Anderson pulled away to the victory in the caution free race. Greene finished in second, third was Kevin Fee, fourth Donovan Nunnikhoven and fifth went to Danny Thrasher.
The IMCA Stock Car make up feature ran their 16-lapper next, and it too was a flag-to-flag contest. It was looking to be a runaway for Colt Mather, as he motored away from the field from his pole starting spot. The real racing was behind him with cars battling in packs, and positions changing constantly. One of those cars, Matt Greiner, finally broke loose from that mass of cars and then began methodically reeling in the leader. With one lap to go, Greiner had gotten on the heels of Mather and Todd Reitzler was snapping at his heels as well. With a last effort surge coming to the checkers, Greiner nosed ahead to snatch the win, and Mather and Reitzler crossed in a near dead heat. A check of the scoreboard showed Reitzler had made his last ditch effort pay off as he was scored in second ahead of Mather in third. Fourth went to Damon Murty and fifth to Zack VanderBeek. The Stock Cars never seem to disappoint--giving the fans their money's worth time after time!
The IMCA Modifieds had 18 cars on hand for the make up feature--five cars joining the original line up at the back of the field. They too followed suite, and made it 15-laps of caution free racing. Polesitter Jeff Waterman led thirteen of those laps, being chased by Scott Dickey. Dickey made the pass with a couple of laps remaining and took the victory; Waterman in second. Third was Greg Cox, fourth went to Jacob Murray and fifth to newcomer, Josh Foster from Ft. Madison.
When the make up features were completed and the regular night's heat races were finished, four drivers competed in a three-legged race. Of course, there were a few other things thrown in...crawling beneath a tarp and going around and around a bat causing a bit of dizziness and then back under the tarp and to the finish line. Although the team of Donovan Nunnikhoven and Brandon Banks made it to the finish line first....it was at separate times, as their tethered legs were no longer together! That would give the win and the prize of two free pit passes next week, to the team of Corey "from just across the street" Stout and Justin Hook.
Then Brandon Banks was brought over to the grandstand. Banks was about to be "shorn"! This was in conjunction with a promise to loose his head of hair if fans would help contribute to the growing medical bills for a youngster fighting a rare disease. The young man, Payton Schultz, who has the rare condition known as HIDS, and is in a constant battle to keep the disease in check, donned the shears--and he appeared to be having a grand ole time doing it! Banks walked away with a pretty darn bald head...except for a small patch he kept on the back of his head. The best part of the deal however, was that $1,643 was raised for Payton!!
The IMCA Sport Compacts found the familiar face of Merv Chandler back in victory lane. Chandler would take his fifth win at the track this year. Second went to Bill Whalen, Jr., sporting a new ride after having destroyed his old car at a race last weekend. Third was Larry Hopkins, fourth went to Cory Houk and fifth was Anthony Cassat.
It was now time for the IMCA Northern SportMod's regular feature event. Jason Hall led the field for the first handful of laps but then Jesse Sobbing ended up swinging by him to take the lead. He would pull away from the field, and take another of his numerous wins--his third at the Southern Iowa Speedway this year. Announcer Tony Paris asked him how many wins in total he has this year and his reply was twenty. We recall that he had 55 last year. Remarkable! Brett Lowry finished in second, third was Scott Davis, fourth went to Jason Hall and Curtis VanDerWal rounded out the top five.
A scary situation did occur earlier in the evening during the SportMod heats. Tonganoxie, Kansas driver, young Ben Kates was hit by flying parts from a detonated transmission from another car. He had the unfortunate luck to have a piece hit him in the helmet, and his race car ended up at the bottom of turn one, in the guardrail. The ambulance was called, the top of his car cut off to extract him, and he was transported to the hospital. Thankfully, he was back at the track before the night was done, donning stitches, but one lucky guy.
The IMCA Hobby Stock 18-lap feature was for a $500 to win challenge. Shannon Anderson, the make up feature winner already, took over the lead from Kevin Fee by lap three. That was when, unbelievably, the FIRST yellow flag in a feature flew. Upon the restart, Dustin Griffith began reeling in the leader, Anderson, who ran the high line, Griffiths choosing the low line. Griffiths, however, was not able to catch the leader, and Anderson took his second win on the night. Griffiths was second, over Danny Thrasher in third, Kevin Fee fell back to fourth and Andrew Husted finished fifth.
The IMCA Stock Cars produced another exciting race right from the start when cars went three-wide as they passed the starter's stand. Three cars would break away, Brad Pinkerton, Zack VanderBeek, and Colt Mather, but behind them was a shoot out for positions with cars going four-wide at times for the coveted fourth spot. VanderBeek would pull it off this night, taking the win ahead of Brad Pinkerton in second and Colt Mather in third. Those three are no strangers to the track having turned many a lap at the Monster Half-Mile. Damon Murty, "The Chelsea Charger" won the fourth place finish over Nathan Wood in fifth. Matt Greiner, Alex Buffington, and Leroy Groenendyk finished closely behind for sixth through eighth.
The last feature of the night was the IMCA Modified 15-lap A main. Mark Widmar and Tim Murty sat on the front row. Widmar took the lead at the drop of the green, but at lap three, it was four wide as Murty, Scott Dickey, Jacob Murray and Widmar battled. Murray got to the lead by lap four and pull away from the field with a comfortable lead. At lap eight, the "rare-for-the-night" yellow flew for just the SECOND time in a feature race for the entire night. The field bunched up for the restart, but Murray just motored off from second place Josh Foster, and secured his third feature win of the year at Osky. After Foster in second, was another newcomer to the track, Tyler Cale from Donnelson, Iowa, in third place, fourth was Cayden Carter and fifth was Tim Murty.
I'm not sure that many people even noticed what to me was a glaring difference in watching the races last night at the track. The fencing in front of the grandstand had been painted BLACK and the view of the cars was so much clearer in my opinion. We have seen this done at several tracks before, and whatever the optical illusion may be, it makes for seeing the cars a whole lot better--for me at least!
For the complete and official results, check out www.oskyspeedway.com as well as other information about events coming up at the track. Happy racing!
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