It was such a pleasant night to be watching the races at our home away from home on Wednesdays, the Southern Iowa Speedway. By the size of the crowd, we weren't the only ones wanting some racing action on a beautiful night in June.
Racing action was fast and furious all night long. A last lap pass would give Colt Mather the win in the IMCA Modified class, and Mike Hughes stamped his name in the record books as only the second winner of the season in the IMCA Stock Cars. Curtis VanDerWal continues his dominance in the IMCA Northern SportMod ranks, and Dustin Griffiths in the Hobby Stocks, and Cody VanDusen in the Sport Compacts, made it back to back wins.
Eleven IMCA Sport Compacts were on hand but the 5P of Ryan Pohlmeier and the 41 of Nathan Moody were scratches in the 10-lap feature. Brad Havel jumped to the lead quickly, and Cody VanDusen tucked in right behind him. The two ran closely for several laps until VanDusen was able to make the pass as they crossed the flagstand at lap five. Havel fought back and regained the lead, and the tussle continued until the yellow flew at lap eight. That lap eight caution was a costly one for not only Bill Whalen, who blew up, spewing oil and parts just past the flagstand and into corner one, but also for leader Havel. When the race restarted, VanDusen seized the opportunity, and was able to make the pass as the went into corner two. He would hold that lead the rest of the way to the checkers and the win. Havel had to be content with the runner up spot, Shane Evans, who started eighth, finished third, fourth went to ninth place starter, Ryan Havel, and John Gill completed the top five. VanDusen followed up last weeks win, for his second win of the year.
It was an exciting finish to the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. August Bach looked to be in command from the drop of the green flag, sailing along as the leader of the pack, and pulling away. Then a caution flew at lap thirteen, bunching the field. Danny Thrasher had been chasing Bach for much of the race, and he had been fighting off Dustin Griffiths. When things got back to green flag racing, Griffiths got inside of Bach, just after lap fourteen, forging ahead. However, Bach wasn't done, and threw a slide on Griffiths in corner four and beat him to the finish line as the checkers flew. However, a post race inspection, found Bach to have an illegal rev limiter, and he was disqualified. This handed the win over to Griffiths....making it two in a row. Travis Bunnell was second, Danny Thrasher third, fourth went to Nick Ulin, and Bobby Greene rounded out the top five. This was the sixth win of the season for Griffiths. A new face in the class last evening was the 7 of Kirk Puttmann from Keota.
It was a short field of six IMCA Modifieds, but the racing up front was intense. Scott Dickey led the 16-lap feature early, with Colt Mather snapping at his heels. Then Andrew Schroeder got into the mix, and not to be out done, Arizona driver Ricky Thornton, Jr. (who is sitting on 99 wins in the IMCA Modified division) was wanting to make the Southern Iowa Speedway, win #100. Schroeder got around Mather to take over second place, and then a yellow came out at lap eleven for Greg Cox. Cox blew up and left oil on the race track for a second time of the night, requiring some "speedy dry" to be laid down. When the race got restarted, Mather saw his chance and grabbed it, regaining second place ahead of Schroeder. He wasn't done yet, however, and set his eyes on Dickey. He powered around Dickey on the backstretch, gaining the lead on lap fifteen, and then stretched the distance to take the comfortable win as the checkers flew. Dickey finished as the runner up, Andrew Schroeder just held off Ricky Thornton, Jr. as they crossed the finish line, third and fourth respectively. Jason Hall completed the top five. This marked Mather's third win at the Monster Half Mile in 2016.
The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars were up next for their 18-lapper. Mike Hughes grabbed the lead immediately and tossed off challenges from Louis Lynch, and Damon Murty on his way to the victory. Damon Murty and Louis Lynch did battle for the runner up spot, Murty winning out, Lynch going third. Fourth went to Derrick Agee, and Jason See was fifth. This marked the first night of regular season racing that Cayden Carter did not win. However, Carter was not in the house last night, thus, the bounty on his head will continue the next time he returns in the Stock Car class. A veteran racer, Randy Hemsley joined the Stock Car field last evening, racing the #7 car.
The night's racing ended with the 16-lap A main for the IMCA Northern SportMods. It looked to be Eric Flander's night as he made his way from fifth starting spot, to take over the lead from Danny Brau at lap two, and then put his "rent a ride" ( the 53 of Greg Strohman he races at Osky) out in front and was cruising along. Flander's good run looked a little bleaker when a yellow flew at lap eight when Cory VanZante broke a left front suspension in corner two. This bunched the field for the restart, putting the 1V of Curtis VanDerWal to breath down the leader's neck. VanDerWal pestered Flander for a couple of laps before making the move to the lead at lap thirteen. VanDerWal then sailed off into the sunset, taking another win. Flander took second over a distant Austin Paul in third, and Matthew VanGelder held off Jason McDaniel at the flagstand, as they went fourth and fifth in that order. A visiting Arizona racer, the 7G of Dennis Gates, from Claypool, Arizona came and put a few laps on the big ole half mile.
It was a beautiful night to be sitting in the grandstands with racing friends and watching the sport we all love. We were not only watching the racing action, but were also snapping pictures of the beautiful Iowa sunset in between times.
The 21st Annual IMCA Stock Car Shootout will be coming up next at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Tuesday, July 5 will be qualifying for the IMCA Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts. Then on Wednesday, July 6, there will be last chance qualifying and the features for all of the classes. Sport Compacts will be running for $750 to win, it's $1,000 to the winner of the Hobby Stock and SportMods, and the Stock Cars will have a $2,000 payday. Hot laps are 7 and racing at 7:30 both nights. Then on Thursday July 7, the Shootout moves to the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, the Modifieds replacing the Hobby Stocks in the line up. The Stock Car winner will receive $1,000. For more information check www.oskyspeedway and www.leecountyspeedway.com.
Many fans were pleased to hear that promoter Mike VanGenderen will be back doing the track prep at the Southern Iowa Speedway, not only for the Shootout, but for the remainder of the year. We look for a well groomed racing surface for the upcoming racing action.
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