All five regular divisions were in competition at the Southern Iowa Speedway Wednesday night, plus some of the Mississippi Valley Vintage Sprint racers. By evening's end, not one, but two Carter's would be standing in Victory Lane...one for the first time this season,... the other, for the eighth time. New winners came from both the Modified and Sport Compact classes, and Dustin Griffiths scored his fifth victory in the Hobby Stock division.
Earlier this year, Cody VanDusen crossed the finish line in first place in the IMCA Sport Compact division, only to be disqualified for an infraction. Last evening, VanDusen took the checkers again, and this time, he was the official winner. VanDusen led all but the first lap of the ten-lap event, and won by a comfortable margin. A distance behind for second, was last week's winner, Shane Evans. Opening lap leader, Brad Havel, finished in third, fourth went to John Gill and "Happy Feet", Bill Whalen, rounded out the top five.
Dustin Griffiths wasted no time in getting to the front of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Griffiths started fourth and had the lead immediately. From then on, he kept command all the way to the checkers, and the win. Danny Thrasher, who had won last week, finished a distant runner up. Third was Nick Ulin, Scott Shull was fourth and Steve Allen completed the top five. This was Griffiths' fifth win at the Speedway in 2016.
There was a bounty on the head of Cayden Carter in the IMCA Stock Car class. Carter, who has been tearing up the track in the class this year...winning all regular season races at Osky, had that hanging over him last evening. Twelve other drivers, were seeking that extra money and the chance to end that streak. Also, the first three finishers for the night, were awarded first place money.
Zack VanderBeek, driving the second hot rod belonging to Nathan Wood, shot off to the lead in the 18-lap feature. He was soon being challenged by the likes of Mike Hughes and Damon Murty....but the familiar "Orange Crush",driven by Cayden Carter, soon came into the picture, as did Nathan Wood. Hughes took command at lap eight, then tried to shake off the pack behind him. Moments later, it was Cayden Carter nipping at his heels. Carter swung to the outside as they ran down the backstretch, and was scored the leader at lap thirteen. Carter would then cruise home to yet another victory, his eighth of the season....perfect still. Damon Murty, the Chelsea Charger, started tenth, and finished second. Third went to Derrick Agee, the Moberly, Missouri racer who has made the Southern Iowa Speedway his Wednesday night home in 2016, was third. Fourth went to fellow Missourian, Louis Lynch, and hometown boy, Donnie Pearson, was fifth. The bounty remains on Carter. Who, if anyone, will end his perfect season? Stay tuned!
The 16-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature came next. By lap three, Brayton Carter, who had started ninth, was in command. Carter stretched his lead, as the race went green the remaining laps, taking the win. There was a hard fought battle for position behind him, but it was Brett Lowry winning that joust, to finish as the runner up. Matthew VanGelder took third, over Curtis VanDerWal in fourth, and Eric "Spud" Flander, driving the #53 car as of late, finished in fifth. This was Carter's first win at Osky in 2016.
The IMCA Modifieds were guaranteed $150 if they finished on the lead lap last evening. Ten drivers were up for that deal. The "Kool Aid Kid", Andrew Schroeder, shot to the immediate lead, soon to be chased by Zack VanderBeek, and Colt Mather. The three went three-wide down the back shoot on lap eight, and when they crossed the finish line, it was Mather at the helm of the ship, VanderBeek had taken second and Schroeder fell to third. Mather and VanderBeek would swap the lead a couple of times, before VanderBeek finally established the lead at lap eleven. From there on, he would extend that lead, winning by a comfortable margin. Cayden Carter would get by Mather in the closing moments, as they finished second and third respectively. Fourth went to Scott Dickey, and Andrew Schroeder was fifth. This was VanderBeek's first win in the Modified this year, and I believe it to be his first Modified win since the 2011 season at Osky.
It was a hot and sweltering night at the races. The little breeze that had provided some relief earlier, was gone later....the red, white and blue hanging limp at the flagpole. As uncomfortable as it was for the fans, it had to be miserable for the drivers.
It was Dave Lowry Memorial night at the races, in honor of the man who did much to support racing in years gone by. There were kid's rides in the race cars at intermission, and some added entertainment was the Mississippi Valley Vintage sprint cars in exhibition. Unfortunately, I do not have the names of any of the drivers, but the winner of their main event, was the bright yellow #88, blowing away the field.
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