There was a definite chill in the air Friday night, for Night 1 of the 30th Annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge at the big ole half-mile at the Southern Iowa Speedway. 123 cars came to play as the racing season in our area winds down.
Cayden Carter was a dominating presence in both the Modified and Stock Car classes, and Curtis Van Der Wal and Dustin Griffiths were the same in the SportMod and Hobby Stock classes. In a twist for an outcome in the finale of the evening, Trent Orwig went to Victory Lane in the Sport Compact class.
Todd Reitzler led the field of 26 Stock Cars for the first handful of laps of the feature, but Nathan Wood, who had been on his tail throughout, took command at lap six. As the race wore on, it became a three-car battle at the front...Wood still in command, but Cayden Carter and Mike Hughes were right there, waiting for a chance to pounce and take the lead. When a yellow flew with five laps remaining, it put the two tight on his tail for the restart. That was all it took for the "Orange Crush" machine of Cayden Carter. Carter made a nifty move out of corner four as they came to the flagstand at lap sixteen, diving low...not where he usually runs...got under Wood, and was scored the leader. Carter had no trouble in the final laps maintaining his lead, and scored another victory at the Speedway...his ninth in 2016 at the track. Wood finished in second place, Hughes was third, fourth went to John Oliver, Jr., and Todd Reitzler rounded out the top five. Carter took home the $1,000 prize and a huge (over six foot tall trophy) for his win.
Thirty-two SportMods called for two B-Mains to complete the 24-car starting field of their main event. Brett Lowry led the opening laps, but it didn't take long until tenth place starter Curtis Van Der Wal was showing his strength as he flew to the lead by lap three. Van Der Wal had no trouble in keeping that top spot, the remaining distance to the checkers and the win. Second place went to seventh place starter, Tim Plummer who was able to get around third place finisher Carter VandenBerg in the final lap. Fourth was Logan Anderson and "Speedy Bray", Brayton Carter, was fifth. In tonight's show, Van Der Wal, will be trying to match his two wins from last year's Fall Challenge. Van Der Wall also went away with the huge trophy plus $1,000.
Dustin Griffiths continued his winning ways in the Hobby Stock class, leading all sixteen laps of the caution free feature. He finished well ahead of the Bill Bonnett's #19 car---piloted last evening by Damon Murty. Mike Hughes started eleventh, and finished third, fourth was Danny Thrasher, and Scott Shull completed the top five. Griffiths, who is the 2016 track champion, will also be trying to match his two victories in last year's Fall Challenge when he takes to the track for Night #2 of the Fall Challenge. Hughes also received the impressive trophy and $1,000.
Thirty Modifieds came to try their hand at taming the Monster Half-Mile at Osky last night, and with her first try in the Modified, it looked as if "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin was going to do just that. Gustin, who started outside the front row in the draw-redraw show, jumped to the immediate lead, took to the topside of the track, and was rocketing off. Gustin ran precariously close to the wall in the corners, but was mastering the run up top perfectly. Meanwhile, Cayden Carter had moved his powerhouse from tenth spot, and was trying to run down Gustin. Gustin still had a comfortable lead with three laps of the 20-lap event remaining, but Carter was not about to give in. As they say, the only laps that counts in a win, is that final lap. Jenae Gustin ran nineteen of those twenty laps to perfection, but on that final lap, a touch to the wall, broke her momentum just enough for Carter to seize the moment, and slip by as they came out of corner four, taking the checkers first.
No doubt, second place was a disappointment for Gustin, who had many of the fans in the stands, cheering her on, but she certainly showed the boys how it can be done with a great run. Her half-brother, Jimmy Gustin, finished third, just holding off Colt Mather in fourth, and Jason Murray was fifth. Carter dominated the evening's racing, with his earlier Stock Car victory, and the Modified feature win. Carter went away with another $1,000 and a second huge trophy.
The night ended with the 10-lap Sport Compact feature. Brad Havel led from the drop of the green, and was chased the entire distance by Trent Orwig. Orwig maneuvered to the outside of Havel on the final lap and as the two approached the finish line, Havel made the outside lane very narrow, pinching Orwig to the wall with no where to go, and was able to cross the finish line in first place. Orwig crossed in second, third was Darren Smith from Wapello, fourth went to late arrival Jake Benischek, and Jason Breuklander was fifth. Just as the race was completed, the red flag was thrown, when it was announced that the #41 of Nathan Moody rolled his ride. He was okay. A short time later, another announcement was made that Brad Havel was being docked one position for questionable driving, and that sent Trent Orwig to Victory Lane. Orwig was awarded the $250 prize money and got the big trophy for the win.
A few notes on the evening: Young Dallon Murty, son of Stock Car racer Damon Murty, was piloting Damon's car last evening. The youngster looks destined to follow in his father's footsteps, as he didn't appear to be any rookie in the class. The long haul racer of the evening, was the 7N of Eric Boler, from Brandon, South Dakota. His night did not fare well, as he smacked the turn one wall in his heat, and was done for the evening.
Our plan is for Night 2 of the Fall Challenge where another full show in all classes will take place and a special ceremony honoring the three new inductees into the Southern Iowa Speedway Hall of Fame will take place. We look forward to seeing the three former racers, Pokie West, Dean Hughes, and Terry Schroeder take their rightful place into that honored class. Hot laps are scheduled for one hour earlier this evening, starting at 6 p.m., with racing to follow.
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