It was the Dave Lowry Memorial last night at the Southern Iowa Speedway, named for the late long-time supporter of racing in the area. And while the track has had eight different winners in the Modified class, the Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock saw drivers strike for the third time in a row in their classes and keep adding to their win list at Osky this season.
Before any of the features were run, a King of the Hill competition in the IMCA Hobby Stocks was run. Eight drivers competed with the finale being Danny Thrasher and Dustin Griffiths going head to head. Thrasher would be the lone driver at the summit when all was said and done---earning him an extra $100.
The Sport Compacts had ten cars on hand, running for $200 to win. Bill Whalen led all but the first lap of the 12-lapper. He showed his excitement with his usual "happy dance" in victory lane...thus his nickname, "Happy Feet". First timer, Ryan Walker from Wilton, was second, third went to John Whalen, fourth to another first time driver, Eric Stogdell from Colona, Illinois and Trent Orwig completed the top five. This was Whalen's third win at the track this year.
The IMCA Stock Cars were up next, and Cayden Carter picked up from where he left off at last week's Stock Car Shoot Out....parking it in Victory Lane. Carter moved from his ninth starting spot, to take the lead away from Derrick Agee at lap seven. Carter then pulled away, stretching his lead in the flag-to-flag 18-lap race. Agee claimed the runner up spot. It was a battle for third place much of the race, with Nathan Wood claiming it at the checkers, just ahead of fourth place finisher Daniel Hilsabeck and Mike Hughes in fifth. This made it three wins in a row for Carter, and his fourth of the 2015 season at the Monster 1/2 mile.
The 16-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature saw Colton Livezey grab the lead as the race went green and in hot pursuit was Aaron Osweiler. When a yellow flew at lap six, Livezey still claimed the top spot but the familiar blue #1V of Curtis VanDerWal had been on the move. He had moved from tenth starting spot, up to fifth, and eyeing Cory VanZante, Logan Anderson, Osweiler and leader Livezey directly ahead of him. By lap nine, VanDerWal had claimed that lead. He then went the remaining way to the checkers and the win. Logan Anderson took the runner up spot, Cory VanZante finished third, fourth went to early leader Livezey, and Osweiler was fifth. This was also VanDerWal's third win in a row and his seventh at the track this season.
Scott Dickey stepped back in the winner's circle in taking the 18-lap IMCA Modified win. Dickey led the entire distance, securing his second victory this year. Colt Mather finished in the runner up position, Andrew Schroeder was third, fourth went to Carter VandenBerg, and the previous two weeks winner, Brandon Banks was fifth.
The racing ended with the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. There was a bit of "bumper car" racing going on at the start of the feature but by lap four, Aaron Martin had established the lead while he was happy to have a four-car battle duking it out behind him. Danny Thrasher, Bobby Greene, Dustin Griffiths and Brandon Potts were locked into that fight for position behind the leader. A couple of laps later, Griffiths was leading after swinging to the topside of the track and flying into the lead. Griffiths never lost command from there on out, sailing home to the win. Thrasher made it to the runner up spot, third was Aaron Martin, Nick Ulin made it all the way from fourteenth starting spot, to claim fourth, and eleventh place starter Travis Bunnell, was fifth. This was also the third win in a row for Griffiths and his fifth over all.
It certainly didn't feel like a July night in Iowa last night.....but just wait, next week is the Southern Iowa Fair races, and it's almost guaranteed that it will be a hot one. Headlining the show will be the Hawkeye Dirt Tour Series for IMCA Modifieds. The IMCA Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts will also be running. The three new Hall of Fame Inductees will be introduced at intermission. They are Dean Sylvester, Jim Brown and Danny Wallace. They join last year's initial inductees, Bill Davis, Sr., Aaron Brown, Bobby Greiner, Jr., Randy Schroeder and Denny Banks. Hot laps are 7 and racing at 7:30.
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