Iowa's racing season came to an end on Saturday at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa, with the running of the traditional Shiverfest. This year, it was properly named! 162 cars came to race for one last chance for a racing fix. The hardy fans were bundled up against the stiff breeze coming at the grandstand, and most stayed for the entire program.
Five divisions raced---Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts. The end of the season always brings changes and it was all I could do to TRY and keep up with who was driving what as a lot of drivers were not in their usual ride.
The Hobby Stocks ran their 15-lap A main first. They were the lightest car count with 17 on hand. Marengo, Iowa racer, Jacob Keiser led the pack when the race went green but it was the familiar #10G of Dustin Griffiths tight on his tail. Action was halted by lap two when the 7C of Benji Clemons from Norwalk took a nasty roll, but thankfully, he was okay. Action picked back up with Keiser still leading but he was not having an easy time holding off Griffiths. Keiser had a lapse when he faltered, drifting high on lap twelve, and Griffiths snatched the lead. Griffiths held the lead the remaining three laps to the checkers. Also taking advantage when Keiser drifted up the track was August Bach. Bach, who recently had been racing the #19 of Bill Bonnett, was in the #2 last evening, and brought his hot rod home in second place. Justin Lichty from Waterloo, was third, fourth went to veteran Bill Bonnett in his usual #19, and Nick Ulin rounded out the top five.
There were 30 Stock Cars racing at the Lee County Speedway last night. They ran a B main to filter their starting line up to 24 cars. When John Oliver, Jr. grabbed the lead immediately, and knowing of his mastery of the oval at Donnellson, thoughts were that the race may be over already. However, the mass of cars behind him had other ideas. What a battle ensued behind him. Cars were going three-wide and nose to tail as six to seven cars jousted for position. Damon Murty, the Chelsea Charger, made it to second and then Jeff Mueller snatched it away, with Mike Hughes throwing his hat into the ring as he struggled to hold back David Brandies. Then there was the flash of orange, as Cayden Carter put his 10CC Roger Kelderman ride to the topside and was digging and making a lot of headway. Meanwhile, they were all catching Oliver. Mueller got things sorted out and succeeded in taking the lead at lap 19 of the 22 lapper, and was able to hold off all the hard chargers behind him to secure the win. Oliver held on to score the runner up spot, just ahead of Mike Huges in third, Cayden Carter in fourth and Brandies in fifth, and Murty in sixth. The Stock Cars never disappoint!
Thirty-one Sport Compacts got weeded down to a 24-car starting field through a B main. Track champion Kimberly Abbott looked to be in charge as she led the pack on the opening laps, but Josh Barnes quickly reeled her in. By lap three, Barnes had taken command of the ship and from there on, it was a two-car battle for the lead. Barnes held tight to the lead, making it to the checkers and the win first. Abbott had to be content with a close second, third went to Jake Benischeck, fourth was Darin Smith and hometown Brandon Reu was fifth.
Thirty-nine SportMods were in the pits. A C main taking six cars to a B main, and the B main taking eight to the 24-car A main field. Sean Wyett held off Brandon Dale in the first six laps until Dale's good run was interrupted as he almost lost the handle coming out of turn four, allowing Tony Dunker to slip by into second place and Brayton Carter following suite into third. Carter was able to take over as leader at lap fifteen, and Dunker followed him into the runner up spot. At lap 18 of the 20 lap event, racing action halted when the 3M of David McCalla rolled his car in turn one. He was not injured. Carter was still in the lead when things picked back up, and he rode his 01 home to a convincing victory. Dunker held on to the runner up spot, Wyett was third, fourth went Brandon Lennox and Tony Olson finished fifth.
The Modifieds topped the car count with 45 signed in. They also ran a C main taking six cars to the B main, which qualified the final eight cars for the 25-lap feature. Things did not get off to a good start when the green flag waved. Five cars piled up low in turn four....and there were some frustrated drivers, as a steering wheel went flying in disgust over someone's car. We believe the incident started when someone hit the tractor tire, and then with no where to go, piled up cars. Involved cars were Shawn Ritter, Ed Thomas, Kyle Brown, Scott Simatovich, and Andrew Schroeder. Schroeder would reappear to tag the field with a missing right side of his car. I only recall Ritter being towed off and out of the game and believe all others rejoined the field.
When the race did officially get under way, it was Cayden Carter leading the troops, but soon it was veteran racer Kelly Shryock showing his prowess as to just why he has so many wins under his belt.Shryock took command at lap six as they crossed under the flagstand, and from there on, he held that lead the remainder of the 25-lap race to take the win. Carter did everything he could find in the book to get back around Shryock but it wasn't to be and had to settle for the runner up spot. Third went to a distant Bruce Hanford, fourth was Carter VanDenBerg who had started tenth on the grid, and Jim Waterman came home in fifth place.
Some notes on the evening: The drivers were given an opportunity to pay a non-required entry fee last evening in order to qualify for a gamble at doubling the pay for the win. Most all of the winning drivers had done just that.
As mentioned earlier, there were several drivers hopping in different rides last evening. In the Modified division, Jesse Hoeft who calls Forest City, Iowa home, was racing the second car that Kelly Shryock brought. The SportMods found Eric Flander jumping back into the driver's seat after his retirement from racing. He was in the 53 of Greg Strohman. He had suffered immediate mechanical issues in his heat, then flew through a C main from starting at the tail, to win. He then ran the B main and qualified for the A, starting near the back of that, and finished a strong seventh in that feature. The Stock Cars had some "fruit basket upset", changes in drivers. The "Orange Crush" #33Z usually piloted by Zack VanderBeek, found Mike Hughes behind the wheel. Shane Paris was in the #566 that Jim Lynch usually races, and Michael Jaennette had a "rent a ride" last evening in Mike Petersen's #1X.
It was great to see the Modified #222 of Nick Nevins back racing this year. We recall that Nevins is the driver who suffered some horrific burns at the Marshalltown Speedway a couple of years ago when an issue with a generator in the pits, caused the awful accident.
Veteran NASCAR racer Ken Schrader was on hand last night too, racing in the Modified division. However, after a third place finish in his heat, he was disqualified for being too light. He did not race again, evidently choosing not to run a C main.
A Fall Special Series for points concluded last night with the point champions being named for those running at the year ending races put on by promoter Mike VanGenderen. I believe those securing those championship points were Shaun Slaughter in the Sport Compacts, Dustin Griffiths in the Hobby Stocks, Brandon Dale in the SportMods, Mike Hughes in the Stock Cars, and Kyle Brown in the Modified.
There was lots of activities going on outside the racing action and it was all geared toward the young race fans. Hayrack rides were given through the pits, and then the drivers that wanted to participate in handing out treats to the youngsters in their Halloween costumes all came to the front of the grandstands before racing action got underway. The turnout of the drivers was amazing and no ghost or goblin could have been disappointed with the "loot" they received. Great job drivers! Those young ones are your fans! There were also "cardboard boxcar races" as well, with the kids participating in footraces in their cardboard racers. Thanks to some generous drivers (the one I know of for sure was Jeff Mueller) donating some of their accumulated trophies, some of the kiddos received some really impressive trophies to take home!
There was a meeting early in the day concerning a crate motor Late Model class racing next year at the Lee County Speedway. We heard there were 17 drivers in attendance to hear the proposal. They then announced during race time, that there will be weekly Late Model racing next year at the track. Many in the crowd showed their approval with that announcement.
Thanks to Mike VanGenderen and crew for another great Shiverfest to end our racing season in Iowa for 2015. It was most likely our last race until next Spring....when we look forward to another dirt track racing season in Iowa.
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