We opted to head southeast on Saturday and take in the second night of the Lee County Speedway's Fall Extravaganza. The first night had already qualified eight cars from each of the five classes participating, the rest of the field for the main events being filled in last night through B's and last chance races. The racing for those final spots was intense in some instances, and as announcer Tony Paris said, "are they already racing for all the marbles"?
The Sport Compact 18-lap feature was pretty much a snoozer for the winner Adam Gates. Gates started on the pole, and walked away to the feature win. John Whalen took the runner up spot, ahead of Chuck Fullencamp, Austen Beccera (who had started back in 16th spot) and the #25 car of John Richardson. Gates also won the Fall Extravaganza last year.
The Hobby Stocks went 20-laps in their $1,000 to win feature. This race found most of the drivers racing a thin line at the top of the track. The front row starters, Mike Hughes and Dustin Griffiths, led the pack through the entire race; Griffiths getting the advantage. Disaster almost happened when a lap car spun right in front of the leaders, both getting involved. The lap was called back however, and only the spinning car penalized, giving Griffiths and Hughes their positions back at the front of the pack. On the restart, all cars quickly made their way back to the top of the track save for a couple of brave souls digging for something lower on the track. As the laps wound down, Griffiths distanced himself from the competition, and won going away. Hughes finished in second, third was Bill Bonnett, fourth went to Bill Richards who made the long haul over from Audubon, Iowa, and track champion Jason See rounded out the top five. Griffiths also won this race for the second time in a row.
The Stock Car 25-lap feature, was a good one! The cars were running closely and seeking lines all over the track. The early leader, Louis Lynch had John Oliver, Jr. reeling him in quickly, Oliver taking the helm at lap two. Oliver who is a regular at the Lee County Speedway, soon had company in Todd Reitzler, Abe Huls and Cayden Carter. Huls nabbed the lead with nine laps to go and Huls remained the leader as those behind him were seeking something in a different line. Huls stayed firmly planted on the bottom of the track letting his competitors vie it out behind him. The final laps of the race were exciting as second, third and fourth were swapping positions. Huls claimed the checkers and the $1,500 pay day, Reitzler finished as the runner up, Oliver took third, Cayden Carter was fourth in his Roger Kelderman orange machine, and Les Blakley rounded out the top five. In the post race interview on track, Huls said he loved the dry slick race track.
The SportMods went 22-laps for their A main and the run for their $1,500 pay off. Each of the classes had earlier run a dash for the previous night's top 8 in points, the results of the dash determining the starting line up. Curtis VanDerWal took the pole position, Brett Lowry sitting along side. VanDerWal established the lead immediately, Lowry tucking in behind, and Bobby Landers and Jim Gillenwater falling in line. With only five laps in the books, there was a red flag situation, halting the action. The mayhem began when Lowry got booted from behind sending him into a spin out of turn four, but putting his foot into it and keeping his machine going. The cars behind seeing that situation however, ended up checking up and a big pile up just past the flagstand found at least six cars involved, bringing out the red flag. The carnage eliminated at least a handful of cars, some being towed off with rear ends dangling----the #6 of Bobby Six getting the worst of it. As racing resumed, VanDerWal kept his easy lead at the front, but it was Tony Dunker who had now made his way to the runner up spot around Lowry. After the fourth yellow had flown, the restart was put in single file mode, but the yellow rag was still not done flying. Another yellow at five to go and then the final one with two to go, set up a green-white-checkered finish. VanDerWal had no trouble in keeping his top spot, and raced home to the checkers first. Dunker took second, Lowry was third, fourth went to Jim Gillenwater, and Rodger Dresden was fifth. VanDerWal was pleased with his $1,500 win adding to his $1,000 win last Saturday at the Southern Iowa Speedway's Fall Challenge. The hard charger of the race was Logan Anderson, who shot through the field from starting dead last, to take sixth.
The modified A main went 25-laps. The front row starters of this one were Scott Hogan and Ronn Lauritzen. Lauritzen, in his Angry Bird themed car, went to the point position at the drop of the green, Hogan in hot pursuit and Jeff Mueller tucked into third. As the two front runners fought it out, Lauritzen keeping command, Kyle Brown worked his way into third, bringing Cayden Carter with him. A yellow flew at twelve laps remaining, and again with eleven laps remaining, causing the racing rhythm to suffer. When things did get back underway, the race would go the remaining distance caution free. There was a three car breakaway at the front of the field, Lauritzen running the low side in the lead, Hogan seeking traction at the top of the track in second, and Brown tucking in low in third. The fans got their money's worth in the closing laps as the three put on a show....and never touching! Hogan did find something in the final two laps and was gaining some momentum but the checkers flew before any further success. Lauritzen took the win, Hogan had to settle for second and Brown was third. Jimmy Gustin finished fourth and Brandon Rothzen completed the top five. It was an emotional win for the Angry Bird Laurtizen crew, with ups and downs during the season, it was good to see this one end on a high note.
Thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen and crew for a great night of racing and by all accounts of the majority of the drivers, a fun race track was provided. The show was run in a timely manner and the races quickly restarted after cautions. Racing isn't quite finished yet in the area. Next week, there is a Friday/Saturday show at Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri. Practice is scheduled for Thursday night from 7-10 and then racing on Friday October 18 will have hot laps starting at 7 and Saturday's action on October 19 will have hot laps at 6 p.m. with racing to follow. The IMCA classes of Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts will all be in action. Then on Saturday October 26, the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson will hold their annual Shiverfest race. This just possibly could be the last chance to see racing in the state of Iowa in 2013. Hope you can catch some more of the great dirt racing in our area before the season is done. Happy racing!
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