The SportMods ran their feature first. After three yellow flags in the first three laps, the drivers finally found their racing rhythm with the race continuing the rest of the distance caution free. The majority of the race was a three car breakaway with Doug Smith leading Matt Lettow and Carter VandenBerg. In the waning moments, Lettow did his darnedest to get around Smith, but fell short, taking the runner up spot to winner Smith. VandenBerg held on to third and Nick Roberts and Aaron Benson finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The 10-car field of Hobby Stocks ran next---this one clicking off flag to flag. Ty Griffith led the troops in the opening laps, with Randy Embrey and Devin Smith tailing him. Smith took over the helm by lap five and from then on, it was clear sailing to the checkers. Randy Embrey made the move around Griffith as they went second and third. Fourth went to Cory Roe and driving the #2013 car often piloted by Adam Bonnett, was uncle Bill Bonnett in fifth place.
The HDT Modifieds came up next for their 25-lap event. This was a $1,000 pay day for the winner as well as a qualifier to be on the Fast Shafts All-Star ballot for the IMCA Super Nationals. Richie Gustin was looking strong in the early laps, leading Scott Olson and Ryan Ruter. A yellow flag at lap nine was what Ruter was hoping for as he had made his way into second, got the jump on the restart and soon took over the lead. Lap traffic with a handful of laps remaining could have made things interesting in many cases, but it was no bother to leader Ruter as he maneuvered easily through traffic and made it to the checkers first. Gustin came home in second, Olson held on to third and Mark Elliott and Jon Snyder finished fourth and fifth.
The finale was the "big boys", the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series 40-lap event. A nice field of 25 cars were on hand, and all but veteran racer Craig Jacobs were able to making the starting call. Earlier, an entertaining game of "pass the pizza" for the top 12 qualifiers was done on the stage. How many pieces of pizza in the box, would determine their starting spots in the feature. After all of the passing back and forth among the drivers who were trying to determine just how heavy their box seemed to them, it was 16 year old
Spencer Diercks opened his box to discover just one slice of pizza...giving him the pole starting spot. Diercks, who hails from Davenport, Iowa has already proved himself a worthy competitor as we've seen him take the checkers twice this season at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Diercks showed his stuff as he jumped to the lead at the drop of the green, chased by veteran Jeff Aikey. Diercks continued his control of the lead through lap fifteen. That would be when turns one and two rose up and bit him. He had been working turns three and four easily, but one and two had worked his line dangerously close to the wall. That lap fifteen would be his undoing when his car slapped the wall, bringing out a caution and ending his run. This handed the lead over to Jeff Aikey on the restart, but right beside him was series point leader Brian Harris. Harris, who had found eleven pieces of pizza in his pizza box, had worked his way toward the front, and ready to challenge for the lead. Harris stuck it in low a lap or two later, took the lead and began his quest for the win.
Ray Guss, Jr. found himself up to second at lap 33 and was on the hunt for catching the leader. It wasn't to be on this night however, as Harris took the win, extending his series point lead, Guss having to settle for second. Denny Eckrich took third over brother Andy Eckrich in fourth and Aikey fell back to finish in fifth.
It was a good night of racing at the historic 1/2 mile in Webster City. The track was heavy, but as the evening progressed, proved to be a multi-grooved and smooth surface. Thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen for moving the show right along too. It was nice to enjoy the evening with several racing friends at a facility that we do not visit on a regular basis, though have in years past. The show was also deemed the second annual Wayne Redmond Rumble Memorial, in honor of a guy who no doubt was smiling down and enjoying the racing as he had done so many times at the track.
A busy racing time continues in the state of Iowa and surrounding area. Check out the racing schedule at Positively Racing's calendar of events for a race to put on your schedule. Happy racing!
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