Anderson still perfect, Moody scores first career win

It's doubleheader week at the Southern Iowa Speedway.  Last evening, was the first night of racing during the Southern Iowa Fair.  There were no Modifieds on the docket, but all other four regular classes were in competition in the draw/redraw show.

Levi Heath jumped to the lead of the ten lap IMCA Sport Compact main event, with Nathan Moody tagging to run second.  Moody tried his darnedest to get past Heath , but it wasn't until lap eight that he was successful in making the pass.  He then held off Heath to take the checkers and the win...the first of his career.  Heath was second, Bill Whalen, Jr. took third, over Bryan Claussen in fourth and Dalton Winkleman in fifth.  

It was a short field of only five IMCA Stock Cars last evening.  However, three cars made it a close nose-to-tail, entertaining finish at the checkers.  Dustin Griffiths got the drop on Nathan Wood as the race went green. Mike Hughes was about to join the two front runners, when he got into the outside wall coming out of turn four, ending his night.  Meanwhile, Wood was still on the hunt to catch Griffiths, and Danny Thrasher had joined them to run in third.  Wood looked for anyway around leader Griffiths, but there was nothing to be had.  The three crossed the finish line 1-2-3, Griffiths the victor, Wood in second, and Thrasher, third.  Donnie Pearson would be scored in fourth, but had dropped out at lap five with issues.

It was no surprise to find Curtis VanDerWal standing in victory lane once more, after winning the IMCA Northern SportMod feature.  VanDerWal nudged past AJ Johnson at lap seven, and then flew off into the sunset.  Colton Livezey finished a distant second, Jason McDaniel was third, fourth went to AJ Johnson, and Blaine Webster, was fifth.  This was VanDerWal's eighth feature win at the speedway this year.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks closed out the program with the other sixteen cars on hand looking to grab the $300 bounty still hanging on Shannon Anderson. The draw/redraw format found Anderson starting in the #5 position.  He had the lead at lap two.  Chanse Hollatz, who is from Clear Lake, Iowa, but I believe is a student at the University of Iowa, settled into second place in hopes of catching Anderson.  But once again, it was not to be, as Anderson pulled away to yet another victory.  Jeff Anderson, who has been piloting the #8R as of late, made a last corner pass to take second over Hollatz in third.  Steve Allen took fourth over Christian Huffman in fifth.  This marked the tenth consecutive win for Anderson at the Southern Iowa Speedway...a perfect 10 for 10.

Tonight, the Southern Iowa Speedway will host the Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds.  The Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts will also be running.  The Southern Iowa Fair is still on, and like last evening, a bit different means of entering the grandstands.  When purchasing your ticket at the ticket booth, you will receive an armband, and enter through the usual entrance.  The normal concession stand (to our surprise) is not open, so you must purchase "fair" food to satisfy that rumble in the tummy.  Hot laps are 7 with racing at 7:30.  Tomorrow night, the HDT moves to the Knoxville Raceway with the SportMods also on the docket.