It was a great night of racing at the Stuart International Speedway Monday night....the first of three nights for the Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duels for the IMCA Stock Cars, and IMCA Northern SportMods. The fans that were able to finally set in the stands saw some outstanding competition among the thirty-eight Stock Cars and also the thirty-eight SportMods, each class containing a field of stellar competitors. Shane Paris, the Muscatine hot shoe took home the trophy in the SportMods and claimed the pole position for Wednesday night's upcoming feature event. Elijah Zevenbergen from Ocheyedan, Iowa secured his inside front row starting spot for Wednesday's Stock Car finale. The top four finishers of their qualifying features locked themselves in to Wednesday's feature.
A pair of Oskaloosa, Iowa drivers sat side-by-side on the front row for the start of the 25-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Carter Vandenberg had the pole position and Dylan VanWyk was to his right. The two fellow hometown boys put on quite the duel in the early laps, and then were joined quickly by Shane Paris. VanWyk was maintaining the lead and by lap ten, Paris had slipped by Vandenberg and was dogging the leader. The leaders had to then maneuver their way through heavy lap traffic as the laps wound down. Paris made his move into the lead at lap eighteeen and from there on held that top spot to the waving checkers and the win. VanWyk was the runner up, Sioux City's Cody Thompson took third, fourth went to pole sitter Carter Vandenberg. Those drivers all secured their inside row starting spots for Wednesday's 50-lap grand finale.
The IMCA Stock Cars seldom disappoint, and it was no different last night. They put on a whale of a contest in their 25-lap qualifier for Wednesday night. Graettinger Iowa's Jake Masters held claim to the lead, catfishing the bottom of the oval while Elijah Zevenbergen put it up top in his quest to catch the leader. It appeared it was going to be smooth sailing for Masters as the laps ran down, stretching out his lead. Zevenbergen was still eyeing his opponent up ahead with a pack of cars duking it out behind him. A yellow flew at lap seventeen, just what Zevenbergen was looking for and it did turn out to be his good luck charm. When the race restarted, Zevenbergen got the advantage and flew around Masters continuing his run on the rim of the track. Another yellow flew two laps later, but it was no issue for Zevenbergen as he sailed home to the win. This secured his pole starting spot for Wednesday's 50-lap Dirt Duel title race. Abe Huls came from ninth starting spot and made good headway in the closing laps to finish second. Luke Lemmens, the Madison, Wisconsin racer, had a spectacular run, skillfully working himself through the field, starting twenty-first and finishing third. Jake Masters held fourth place to lock himself in to the main event on Wednesday.
The Stock Cars and SportMods also had a Chassis Manufacture race, pitting at least six different chassis in each of those. These were no less intense than the qualifying features had been, with each paying $1,000 for the win.
The SportMod Chassis 25-lap clash was a battle of the "5's" in the early portion with the 5T of Tyler Inman and the 5TN of Dorchester, Nebraska's Tyler Nerud battling it out for the top spot. Nerud secured the lead at lap seven and then had to fend off the advances of Sioux City's Cody Thompson by the halfway mark of the race. Thompson, who had started in twelfth position, gained the advantage, taking over the helm and was poised to take the win. But wait....a yellow flew with a lap to go, to set up a green-white checkered dash to the finish line. By this time, Johnathon Logue was in second spot and eager for the restart and run to the checkers. Thompson, in his Razor chassis, wasn't to be denied on this night however, and flashed across the finish line to take the win. Logue had to be satisfied with the runner up spot, Adam Birch, Canton, Missouri was third, and two Oskaloosa, Iowa drivers, Brayton Carter and Dylan VanWyk were fourth and fifth respectively.
The Stock Car 25-lap chassis feature was looking to be a clean sweep for Elijah Zevenbergen who had won the earlier qualifying feature. He began on the outside front row and easily took the lead as the race went green. However, working his way through traffic from starting fourteenth, was Luke Lemmens. On lap ten, Lemmens was up to second spot, and then the two began their battle....Sniper chassis vs. G Force chassis. Lemmens gained the upper hand and with less than a handful of laps remaining, Zevenbergen's night would end, spinning in turn four with glowing brake calipers. Lemmens would go on to hold the top spot to the checkers and giving himself and his G Force chassis the prize. He didn't have it easy in those closing laps however, as the young gun, Dallon Murty gave it his all, giving Lemmens a good challenge but just falling short and finishing a close second. Shawn Ritter was third, Abe Huls came from twenty-first in an impressive run to finish fourth, and Jesse Sobbing rounded out the top five.
There were also fifteen Mini Mods on hand for some racing last evening, making the car count for the night ninty-one. Nathan Kilwine, Glenville, Minnesota drove his #15 to the win from starting seventh. Bobby Ruehlow, Logan Brown, Chase Daniels and Kadyn Haggard completed the top five.
Strong winds and heat were no friends to the Stuart Speedway yesterday, but promoter Mike VanGenderen kept at it between races, grooming and watering. By feature time, the smooth, racey track was much more to the liking of the drivers. Racing continues tonight with more qualifying for the Stock Cars and Northern SportMods with the Mod Lites and Sport Compacts joining the field for a full program. Grandstands are open to spectators for another night of racing action. Then on Wednesday, the $3,000 to win Dirt Duels for the Stock Cars and Northern SportMods will be on tap along with a full show for the IMCA Modifieds and Hobby Stocks. It is also the Bill Davis, Sr. Memorial in honor of the longtime racer.
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