A larger than normal field of IMCA Sport Compacts led off the feature racing. Thirteen cars came to try their hand on the big old half-mile. Iowa City driver, Shane Evans, led the ten lap, caution free race from start to finish. He crossed the finish line well ahead of John Whalen. Jake Benischek, Durant, Iowa, raced from his ninth starting position, to finish third. Jason Brueklander and John Gill completed the top five. As a note, the 9H car of Levi Heath crossed the finish line in fifth, but was penalized two spots for jumping the start.
The IMCA Stock Cars followed up with their own flag-to-flag, 18-lap main event. Cayden Carter made it look easy getting to the lead by lap one, passing front row starters Derrick Agee and Greg Gill, and his second-row starting partner, Nathan Wood. Carter purred along, circuit after circuit, stretching his lead on his way to the win. Sixth place starter, Todd Reitzler chased Carter from a distance most of the race, to finish in second. Third was eighth starter, Todd Inman from Altoona, Mike Hughes was fourth and Derrick Agee was fifth. Carter, who was driving the "other car" of owner Roger Kelderman, with the #33Z seen on one side, had no trouble in handling the reins of this ride.
The Northern SportMods went 16-laps for their feature. Jason "Mighty Mouse" McDaniel led the pack of cars through lap eight when a caution flew. Meanwhile, Curtis VanDerWal had been on the move, splitting cars through the field, to get to second. When the race went back to green, VanDerWal seized his moment, getting a run on McDaniel as they flew down the backstretch, and claiming the lead at lap nine. He would then pull away from the field, capturing yet another win at the Monster half-mile. Jake McBirnie, the Boone, Iowa driver who has been having a successful start to his 2016 season in his Harris chassis ride, fought his way from fifth place to finish a distant runner up. McDaniel held on to third place, fourth was eighth place starter, Carter VandenBerg, and Logan Anderson rounded out the top five.
There was a strong field of competitors in the IMCA Modified ranks for their 20-lapper. Cayden Carter and Josh Foster sat on the front row for the start. Foster, who now calls Newton, Iowa home, and who is back in competition after taking a bit of time off from racing, snapped up the lead immediately. Foster has looked strong this early season, and was showing it again as the race went on. Veteran racer, Kelly Shryock slipped into second place by lap two and went to work running down the leader. Meanwhile, the 20RT of Ricky Thornton was in the hunt, and picking off cars from his seventh starting spot. A yellow flew at lap twelve, bunching the field for the restart. Foster held the top spot, Shryock ran second with Thornton now in third and Zach VanderBeek sitting in fourth place. Another yellow flew at lap fifteen when Shryock suffered a flat tire, and had to retire to the pits. Things were looking interesting for an exciting restart with five laps remaining! Foster still held the top spot, Thornton had moved to second after getting around Shryock, and Colt Mather was now riding in third place. Thornton, the young gun out of Arizona, who is calling Iowa home this summer, wasted no time in flying to the lead on the restart. He easily pulled the field the last five laps, taking the win in easy fashion. Mather took the runner up spot, VanderBeek was third, Foster fell back on the restart to finish fourth and Tyler Groenendyk started tenth and captured a top five finish. Thornton, who is living in the small town of Harcourt, Iowa, located near Fort Dodge, has already had great success this early racing season, winning two of the Frostbuster's as well as a couple of other early season races. He is piloting the Victory chassis "house car" and making noise in doing so.
The 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature completed the night's racing. It was a "no go" when the race took the initial green. when pole sitter Christian Huffman went into spin mode just out of turn two. Luckily, all cars avoided him as he sat facing traffic, diverting what could have been a real disaster.
Action did go green then, with four-wide scrambles. Emerging at the top of the heap, was Nick Ulin, who snatched up the lead. He had to fight off the advances of Danny Thrasher most of the race, with Dustin Griffiths joining in the fray in the closing laps. The three cars ran tight for the final circuits, but it was Ulin not about to relinquish his race-long lead, as he took the checkers first for the win.Thrasher held second spot over Griffiths in third. A distance behind them was August Bach in the 19X car, and Jared Stephens finished in fifth.
The racing came to a close at 9:25 p.m., allowing fans an early exit on a weeknight. Thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen for moving the show along and for giving the drivers free admission for the night.
Racing continues next Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Hot laps at 7, and racing at 7:30. Come see some weeknight racing at the historic half-mile.
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