The final night of weekly racing for 2017 came to a close at the Southern Iowa Speedway last night. It was season championship night with five drivers taking the title of track champion. Features for the night went to Scott Dickey in the IMCA Modifieds, it was Danny Thrasher taking his first win in the IMCA Stock Car class, Curtis VanDerWal was back in his familiar victory lane in the IMCA SportMod division, Jeffrey DeLonjay made his first time trip to Osky pay off in the IMCA Sport Compacts, and the night went out with a bang in the IMCA Hobby Stock finale, with veteran racer Brad Stephens taking the win.
Jeffrey DeLonjay came over from Quincy, Illinois, and took home the win in the IMCA Sport Compact feature. From the drop of the green, it was appearing that Brandon Housley was destined to take the win as he lead the field easily. Then suddenly he was off power and pulled it into the infield with just a couple of laps left. About the same time, the 9H of Levi Heath gave up the ghost in a cloud of smoke and he too was done for the night. DeLonjay now took over as captain of the ship and he took his ride home to the checkers and the win. Bill "Happy Feet" Whalen took the runner up spot, John Gill was third, fourth went to Dalton Winkleman, and Heath was scored fifth. This was DeLonjay's first visit to the Southern Iowa Speedway.
Scott Dickey went to the winner's circle in the IMCA Modified feature....winning for the first time since season championship night of 2015. This was also a race of attrition, as cars dropped out one by one during the 14 lap event. Brandon Banks was leading early when he pulled into the infield. Dickey took the lead then, as more cars began dropping out. David Pries made his annual pilgrimage this time of year from his home base in Medaryville, Indiana, and was the first to drop out, then came Gordy Head exiting the track, followed by Andrew Schroeder. Dickey went home to the checkers and the win, and the only other car remaining on the track, Garett Wilson, was second.
Up next was the IMCA Stock Car feature...and as is often the case, this one came right down to the wire. Michael Peterson was looking strong as he led from the drop of the green but then he was off and into the pits when he erupted in a cloud of smoke. Dustin Griffiths was now the man in charge of leading the pack, and he soon had Danny Thrasher knocking at his door. Throw Nathan Wood into the mix as well, and suddenly it was a hot and heavy three car battle. This was the kind of Stock Car racing Osky is known for, and the three did themselves proud as they duked it out! Griffiths was still hanging on to the lead at the white flag, but Thrasher got the upper hand on the backstretch. Coming for the checkers, it was Thrasher, Griffiths and Wood in a near dead heat. Several of us in the stands had a different outcome, but not knowing the exact finish line, nor taking the angle into account, the official win went to Danny Thrasher, by inches, over Nathan Wood. Griffiths was third, Mike Brown fourth and Cody McClure was fifth. Thrasher, who is a rookie in the Stock Car class this year, after jumping up from the Hobby Stocks, finally got his elusive first win of the season.
Trent Brink led the troops in the opening laps of the IMCA Northern SportMod 15 lap A main. By lap four it was Logan Anderson in command and Curtis VanDerWal knock, knock, knocking at his door. One lap later, VanDerWal was leading. From there on, he never looked back on his way to his eleventh win of the year. Logan Anderson held on to the runner up spot, Brink was third, Tony Johnson was fourth, and Danny Brau finished fifth.
Twenty IMCA Hobby Stocks showed up for the final night....all with thoughts of beating Shannon Anderson....undefeated on the year, and winning the extra $300 bounty on his head. Veteran racer Brad Stephens, jumped to the lead when the race went green, with Jeff Anderson tucked in behind him. By lap four, it was Jeff Anderson in the lead in a two-car breakaway. A yellow flew when a couple of cars went spinning on the backstretch....one of them Shannon Anderson. Anderson then had to tag the field for the restart, as his dad Jeff Anderson held down the lead. Anderson continued to be in command, but had both Mike Hughes (Hughes had turned in his Stock Car IMCA license and relinquished all Stock Car points for the year, in order to obtain an IMCA Hobby Stock license. We understand the rules do not allow a Stock Car and a Hobby Stock license at the same time.) Anderson took the white flag, but as the cars were coming out of turn three, contact was made, and Anderson went spinning. The yellow flew immediately, and suddenly in turn two, a little incident occurred between Shannon Anderson and Mike Hughes. Hughes ended up on his lid as he slowly rolled over. Both Shannon Anderson and Mike Hughes were disqualified. The race finished under bonus laps as a green-white-checkered finish....with Brad Stephens getting the win. Christian Huffman was second, third went to son of the winner, Jared Stephens, fourth was Bradley Graham (after having several fires under the hood throughout the evening) and Thomas Stevens was fifth. Brad Stephens is a veteran racer at the Southern Iowa Speedway, and has been in victory lane in the past. However, as asked by announcer Tony Paris, when that was, Stephens reply was, "2002".
Five drivers were also awarded track championships last evening. The Modified champion is Cayden Carter...who was not even in attendance as he was racing up in Webster City at the rescheduled USMTS race. The Stock Car Champion for 2017 is Nathan Wood, and the SportMod crown went to Curtis VanDerWal for the third consecutive year. Shannon Anderson is the track champion in the Hobby Stocks and Levi Heath took the title in the Sport Compact division.
It was an interesting and entertaining night of racing last evening, as we sat with racing friends once again. We can only hope that the buzz about weekly racing being done at Osky is not true, but time will tell. We also got to meet two couples in attendance from New Zealand that are big race fans. They have been in the state for more than a month taking in the sport we all love. There are a lot of dirt track fans out there and not only here in the U.S. Let's keep supporting the sport we all love!
Mark your calendars for the annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Racing is scheduled for October 13 and 14.
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