It was a packed house at the Southern Iowa Speedway last night for the running of the 18th Annual Original All American Stock Car Shoot Out. This was also a regular points night for all classes, the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and the Sport Compacts. It would be familiar faces back in Victory Lane in the Stocks and the SportMods, while new winners would appear in the Modified and Hobby Stock classes.
The IMCA Sport Compacts had nine cars on hand. This one was led start to finish by Bill Whalen, Jr. Brother John Whalen chased him through lap eight of the ten lap feature, but veteran racer Merv Chandler took over the runner up spot with two laps to go. Whalen took his second win at the track this year, Chandler was second, third went to John Whalen, Trent Orwig took fourth and Richie Arnold completed the top five.
The IMCA Northern SportMods went 16-laps. Brayton Carter led the charge when the green flag dropped. Lap four brought out a yellow and by then sitting in third behind leader Carter and Bill Livezey, Jr. in second, was Curtis VanDerWal who was flying through the pack from starting in tenth. It didn't take VanDeWal long to take over the lead after that restart and then he cruised unhampered the rest of the way to the checkers. Josh Modde finished in second, Carter VanDenBerg started ninth and took third place, fourth went to Bill Livezey and Eric Flander rounded out the top five. VanDerWal claimed his fifth win of the season at the track.
The Hobby Stocks ran 15-laps for their main event. Danny Thrasher took the lead away from Justin Hook at lap two, and held it the rest of the way to the checkers. Mike Hughes tried his best to reel in the leader, but had to settle for second. Dustin Griffiths, who was back behind the wheel after a chainsaw accident and injuries to a hand, finished in third. Fourth was Justin Hook and Blake Miller in the 2013 car was fifth. This was Thrasher's first win of the 2013 season at Osky.
Thirty-six Stock Cars came to compete for title of Stock Car Shoot Out champion. It took two B mains to complete the 24-car starting line up for the 25-lap race. A fun draw in front of the grandstand among the top three finishers of the heat races, determined the top 12 starting spots. Lucky front row starters were Jason Cook and John Oliver, Jr. Cook took the point at the start, Oliver in second and then a yellow would fly at lap four when an incident in turn one stopped the action. That incident resulted in two cars being placed on rollbacks---Shane Paris and Abe Huls, as well as taking Jim Mitchell out of the race. After the lengthy caution to clean up the carnage, John Oliver was able to grab the lead at lap five, only to have Damon Murty snatch it away a lap later. Murty pulled to a comfortable lead, not knowing that Zack VanderBeek, who had started eleventh, was reeling him in. Murty and VanderBeek went at it for a couple of laps, but then when VanderBeek made the pass on lap eighteen, he would drive off to a comfortable lead, never to be challenged again. VanderBeek won, Murty finished second a comfortable distance in front of third place Donovan Nunnikhoven. Yes, Nunnikhoven in a Stock Car. He debuted (as far as we know) in the Stock Car class last night, and looked very comfortable with his third place finish. Todd Reitzler started sixteenth and roared through the field to take fourth and David Brandies came from starting near the tail of the starting field, to take fifth place. VanderBeek claimed win # three at Osky last night.
The feature racing concluded with the 18-lap IMCA Modified A main event. Todd Shute dominated on his way to the win, grabbing the lead by lap two, and never being challenged from there on. Jacob Murray took a rough ride when he clipped the turn three wall, ending up behind it while he had been running second. When racing got back underway after that lap four incident, Bill Gibson tucked in behind leader Shute for the restart. At the halfway mark, Steve Stewart, a driver who has been absent at the track for a couple of years, made the pass into second letting the field behind him duke it out. Shute went on to the easy win, Stewart was second, and Gibson finished third. Fourth place was Kyle Wahlert and fifth was Jimmy Gustin, making his first appearance at the track in a while.
A few notes from the evening. The Murray built Modifieds had a bit of trouble last night in the heat race, when the 64 of Casey Greubel shot down off the track after getting into the marbles high in turn four, hitting race builder Jacob Murray's car hard on the right side. Also involved was the 149 car of Jason Murray, but being piloted by Kyle Wahlert last night. All three cars were able to start the feature, but only the 149 car was able to finish. Clay Mercer made a first time appearance in the Stock Car class, making his way here from Corning, Iowa. Tom Bowling was also a first timer in the Stock Cars, listing his hometown as Danville, Iowa and Doug Adamy made the trip from Columbus, Nebraska to race his Stock Car.
The races concluded at 9:48 p.m., just in time for the city's huge fireworks display that started not long afterwards. The pits were cleared, the grandstand remained full and we noticed more people making their way onto the grounds for the colors in the sky show. It was a great night of fun at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen and crew for the night of fun! Check out some video of the night's action on YouTube@freedomleft. Happy racing and Happy 4th of July. Be safe.
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