The Sport Compacts had a full field of 24 cars competing. Polesitter Austen Becerra was looking to be the man to beat as he leaped to the immediate lead. A red flag flew early in the 14-lap event when Scott Smith took a tumble in turn two---he was okay--- bunching up the cars on the restart. Becerra was still in easy command but the #69 of William Michel was working his way up to be a contender after having started back in 10th starting spot. Michel caught Becerra and put the pressure on the leader for most of the last half of the race, with Becerra keeping the upper hand as they took the white flag. As often happens, that final corner four was Becerra's undoing, as Michel made the pass and took the checkers first. The #27 of Darin Smith crossed in third but a check of the results shows that he was disqualified....thus handing third over to veteran Merv Chandler. Kimberly Abbot took fourth and John Whalen was fifth.
The Hobby Stocks ran a 15-lap feature, not getting off to a very good start. A caution flew before the cars made it out of turn two and the race was re-racked and re-stacked, minus a car or two. Dustin Griffiths quickly made his way to the front from starting in row three as Cody Cleghorn rode in second. By lap seven, Mike Hughes had flown through the pack to take over third after tagging the field at the initial yellow flag. Racing by this time was three-wide as the norm over most of the track. Hughes made his way into second place and was now on the hunt to run down leader Griffiths. It wasn't to be on this night though, as Griffiths kept the advantage and took the win. Hughes had to settle for the runner up spot, third was Marengo, Iowa racer Jacob Keiser, Cody Cleghorn was fourth, and track champion Jason See completed the top five.
The SportMods went 20-laps for their main event. Logan Anderson, a driver that we have seen make leaps and bounds of improvement over the year, sat on the pole. Anderson took the lead at the drop of the green. Curtis VanDerWal started third, and spent less than a handful of laps as NOT the leader, taking over the point and driving off. Anderson was still battling in second with Carter VanDenBerg, but he would lose the handle in turn two, ending his great run. VanDerWal maintained his lead to the checkers, chalking up another of his numerous wins on the season in easy fashion. VanDenBerg finished as the runner up, third went to Ionia, Iowa racer Brian Mahlstedt who had started in tenth spot, fourth was Brett Lowry and Derek St. Clair, who had to qualify through the B main, finished in fifth.
The 20-lap Stock Car feature went to Jim Lynch, but not without some challenges by Corey Stout, Abe Huls and Jason Cook. Stout was on Lynch's bumper when the leader nudged a barrier tire in turn two and sent it rolling, causing a caution and realignment. Lynch kept the command, Stout giving it his all when with just two laps remaining, Stout too would hit one of the track tires, bringing out the yellow and setting up the two lap shoot out to the finish. Lynch wasn't to be denied and raced to the checkers flying, taking the win. After a bit of "tire burning" celebrating at the flagstand, the smoke rolling into the stands, Lynch went to victory lane. Stout took the runner up spot, followed by Jason Cook in third, who had started twelfth, fourth was Abe Huls, coming from ninth starting spot, and rounding out the top five was John Oliver, Jr., who had started in ninth.
One more race lay ahead before the 2013 racing season would be over.....the 20-lap Modified main event. Jammin' Jimmy Gustin had made his way down from Marshalltown, Iowa and was the lucky recipient of the redraw #1 pill. Gustin rocketed to the lead immediately but Kyle Brown quickly got to second from his third row starting spot, and then the race was on! The two drove side by side for lap after lap putting on quite the show for the fans. Not to be outdone, Brown's starting partner from row three came into the picture---Jeff Waterman! As the race continued under green, lap traffic drew into the equation, as the front runners maneuvered their way through the dicey situation. Brown briefly got the advantage but Gustin fought back. Still fighting lap traffic, Gustin regained the lead, Waterman working the inside of the traffic and taking over second. Gustin sailed to the win, Waterman a close second and Brown right there in third. Cayden Carter came from eighth to take fourth and the Fall Extravaganza winner at the track from two weeks ago, Ronn Lauritzen, completed the top five. The race was a fitting way to end the season with the exciting race that went flag to flag!
It certainly was a great way to end the 2013 racing season. Great racing by great racers on a night when the track was in great shape! We enjoyed our night tremendously as we spent it with fellow racing fanatics Warren and Carol Busse as well as Jeff Broeg and Ryan Clark....our cohorts at Positively Racing. Look for Jeff and Ryan's blogs, for their take of the action last night. Everyone sees it differently you know! Thanks to Mike VanGenderen and staff for the hospitality and for giving the fans a great last gasp of racing for the season! It was a bitter sweet night knowing that racing was done, but we look forward to the 2014 racing season!
