The Southern Iowa Speedway opened it's regular season of racing on Wednesday night. That after having it's scheduled opener rained out last week. It was a night that saw every driver get in for FREE in a special promotion at the Monster half-mile and it brought 85 cars for some mid-week racing.
We saw the IMCA Sport Compacts for the first time in 2015. Nine cars came for some fun. They ran their 12-lap feature to kick things off. Trent Orwig held the pole starting spot with Bill Whalen along side. Orwig got the drop on Whalen as the race started. Orwig held down that spot until lap three, when Whalen took over. But Orwig would not go away as he kept hounding the leader. Orwig dipped low to make the pass with just two laps remaining. Whalen tried for a come back but had nothing for Orwig who took the checkers. Behind Whalen's second place finish, was Matt Moore in third, fourth was John Whalen and Seith Woodruff was fifth.
Up next, it was the 16-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. The front row starters were Frostbuster winner, Danny Thrasher and the wily veteran, Bill Bonnett. Thrasher got the drop as the race started, and Jamie Songer, who had started right behind Thrasher, followed through to take the runner up spot. Bonnett didn't go away either, as he hung tight, running in third. By lap six, defending track champion, Dustin Griffiths had made his way around Bonnett and was setting his sights on the leaders. A yellow flew at lap 7 when Daniel Dyer lost a wheel on the front stretch, thus setting up a restart situation. Bonnett took advantage as the race went green, getting the better of Griffiths, and regaining third place. The race then went caution free to the finish. Thrasher won for the second time this year after his Frostbuster win back on April 1. It was a tight battle for second place, but Jamie Songer won out over Bonnett in third. Griffiths held on for a fourth place and Derek Hodges was fifth.
The IMCA Stock Cars ran 18-laps for their A main. There were 28 cars on hand with 26 taking the green. The redraw put Shane Weller and Todd Reitzler (have to get use to his new #11X ride instead of his usual #22R) on the front row. The second row held Mike Hughes....taking the leap up from Hobby Stock ranks, and Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty. Murty held the lead as lap one was scored, but what a pack of cars behind him! A yellow flew at lap three, Murty still in command, Reitzler was holding second and "one of those orange cars", the 33Z of Zack VanderBeek was now up to third and tightening the screws! It didn't take long after the restart, until VanderBeek took over the runner up spot.....and the chase was on! The two went at it for several laps, with the 33Z finally establishing the top spot. More action was taking place a bit back in the pack as Nathan Wood had worked his way up from an eleventh starting spot and was running third, and "that other orange car", the 10C of Cayden Carter was fourth after starting in eighth. Carter then caught and passed Wood for third, just about the time smoke began coming from the 10C. Carter wasn't done just yet though, as he pressured second place Murty. VanderBeek continued easily on his way to the victory, and Carter made the pass in the waning laps, to capture a runner up finish. Murty had to be content with a third place, that after he had taken the Frostbuster win on April 1, Wood was fourth and the rookie to the class, Mike Hughes was fifth. Winner VanderBeek earned an extra $100 on the night thanks to Edel Lawn Care sweetening the pot.
The Northern SportMods saw 15 cars take the green in their 16-lap A, and it was a mad scrambling right from the get go! Somehow, fifth place starter, Curtis VanDerWal came out on top of the 3-wide back stretch battle, leading by lap one. From there on, it was just a race for second place, as VanDerWal was gone. The 2014 track champion of Brett Lowry held on for a second place finish, barely ahead of third place Brayton Carter. No one could miss the bright blue chrome car of Jake McBirnie, piloting the #82 and coping a fourth place finish, and fifth went to track regular, Jason McDaniel.
The night ended with the running of the 18-lap Modified feature. Jammin' Jimmy Gustin came down from Marshalltown to test his luck on "The Monster" track and was the lucky guy pulling out the #1 pill to start on the pole. Along side him, was Jake Murray. Murray got the drop on Gustin and wheeled off to the lead. At lap six, Murray was running a comfortable distance ahead of Gustin who was in second, when a spectacular incident occurred, putting the race under red. Though we only saw the car of Cole Ferguson, the young racer from Dexter, flying high in the air off of turn three, it was thought to be caused when he jumped the cushion and while trying to correct, got sideways, and then he took the wild ride. It was quickly confirmed that he was okay, though the car took a real beating. When things finally got back underway, Murray easily pulled away from the field, but now Gustin was having to contend with Carter VanDenberg. VanDenberg fought his way into second place, and was now trying to reel in Murray.....the builder of his car. Time ran out however, and Murray was never challenged on his route to victory. VanDenberg had to settle for second, Gustin held on to third place, fourth went to Tyler Groenendyk and "Downtown" Kyle Brown, drove his Harris chassis to fifth place after starting tenth on the field.
It was really quite a pleasant evening to be sitting at the races as the winds calmed considerably during the evening. Some things of note on the night were some of the drivers making the tow to race at Osky. Kelly Shryock, the driver who has quite the string of championships in the USMTS series, was piloting the orange #3 IMCA Modified. We also noticed another USMTS Modified driver participating in the Stock Car class, Daniel Hilsabeck in the #77N. And it was quite nostalgic to see the #54 Stock Car of Michael Brown......looking SO much like his late father Aaron Brown's cars of days gone by. Races were completed just before the tick of 10 p.m.
It was a great opening night at the Southern Iowa Speedway, thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen and crew. They provided a track that gave the fans some real exciting racing action. Also, I am sure the drivers, as well as the fans, were appreciative of the generous free racing for each of the drivers.
Next Wednesday night, regular season racing will continue....with a special incentive for the Hobby Stocks. They will have a draw/redraw format with $500 on the line for the win. Also, extra money is going into the Stock Car and SportMod classes thanks to generous sponsors on the night. Hot laps are 7 with racing at 7:30.
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