When the first of two nights of the 27th Annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge was dashed by Mother Nature on Friday night, many thoughts turned to how the track and pit conditions would pan out. No worries! Mike VanGenderen and crew had the track in top condition and the pits were fine as well. Drivers from far and wide came to try their hand at the famed Monster Half-Mile....some conquered....others didn't. By my unofficial count, 145 cars filled the pits. With a 1-day show, the pay out was revised, with $1,000 going to the winners of the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks.
The Sport Compacts had 12 cars compete. Adam Gates led from the drop of the green. It didn't take long until the familiar #2 of Merv Chandler was up to challenge. Try as he might, Chandler didn't have it on this night, and Gates took the win, leading from start to finish. Kassidy Kirkpatrick finished in third, followed by Kevin Kirkpatrick and John Whalen in fourth and fifth.
Gates told announcer Tony Paris in victory lane that although he drives a bright green car...green known as bad luck for a race car...for him it was good luck as he scored his 21st win of the season.
SportMods came next for their 20-lap feature. Before lap two was scored, Ryan Fullencamp ended up backing his ride into the front stretch inside guard rail, halting the action. After a big tug to get the car yanked from the railing, the cars were realigned and it was back to racing. Brett Lowry, was the leader of the pack but then at lap three, Eric Flander took a nasty barrel roll in corner four when it appeared the rear end broke, and the race was red flagged. Thankfully, Flander walked away. On the restart, Lowry maintained his lead, looking strong, but he had company quickly reeling him in. Curtis VanDerWal, the local driver who has had much success this year at the track, was doing it once again. After taking over second, he pestered Lowry for several laps until making the pass on the backstretch of lap ten, and taking the lead. Another driver who has had much success lately, Carter VanDenBerg, worked his way from his twelfth starting spot, up to third. With three laps to go, VanDenBerg had gotten to second around Lowry and was on the hunt to catch VanDerWal. When a yellow flew with a lap remaining, no doubt it was exactly what VanDenBerg was hoping for. This set up a green-white-checkered shoot out, but the front cars all remained the same---VanDerWal took the win, VanDenBerg had to settle for runner up and Lowry took third. Fourth place went to Glenn Gladson, Jr. and Mitch VanEngen from Doon, rounded out the top five. VanDerWal said in victory lane that this was his 10th victory of the year.
The Modifieds came next. The two front row starters, Todd Shute and Luke Wanninger put the show on for the fans most of the 20-laps---Wanninger with the advantage, Shute dogging him. When the checkers flew, it was Wanninger taking the win, leading the entire race. Shute had to be content with second. Jeremy Mills was third, fourth went to Cayden Carter and Scott Dickey moved up from starting eleventh, to take fifth.
The Hobby Stocks also ran 20-laps for their feature. Dustin Griffiths led the opening laps of the race with Jacob Keiser challenging. It wasn't long until the familiar #78 of Shannon Anderson was joining in and at lap six, flew to the lead around Griffiths. Anderson had pretty much clean sailing from there on out, taking the win in the flag-to-flag feature. Griffiths was second, third was Eric Stanton, who started twelfth, Jacob Keiser was fourth and Mike Hughes rounded out the top five.
The Stock Cars ran 25-laps in their feature. Local favorite Brad Pinkerton, and Derrick Agee, Moberly, Missouri, sat on the front row. The two would battle it out much of the race, but Pinkerton never gave up that number one spot, and took the popular win. Agee finished in second. Third went to Cayden Carter, who has shown his skill in jumping into a full-fendered ride, fourth was Damon Murty, who started in tenth spot, and Nebraska racer Doug Adamy beat out Waterloo's John Emerson as they went fifth and sixth. Pinkerton showed his enthusiasm about his win by doing a spectacular burn out on the front stretch.
The Iowa Sportsman Series also ran. We opted for an early exit and did not see their main event. We did hear that the feature went to Kris Walker followed by Gene Tish.
Thanks to Mike VanGenderen and crew for putting on a show that was run in quick and efficient time, allowing travelers an early start home. The regular show was completed by 9:40 and the final Sportsmen feature we heard went flag-to-flag, finishing before 10 p.m. The track did turn slick and shiny but stayed smooth all night long. Mother Nature did NOT win this round.
There was a California movie production crew at the track last night, filming clips for an upcoming movie. The movie is titled Man versus Snake. We look forward to seeing that when it is released as there should be many of the local race cars in the film.
There are still some specials floating around the area. We hope to catch some of those before we call it a season. Maybe we will see you at one of them. Happy racing!
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