We made the trip back west to Stuart on Tuesday for Night #2 of the Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel. Having seen the fantastic racing the previous night, we were up for more of the same. The relentless strong winds were once again blowing from the south... their only redeeming factor was keeping the 90 plus degree temperatures more bearable. There were 106 cars competing for the night. Those plus the eight already qualified from the night before....those getting some practice time....made for 114 cars on the track.
Qualifying continued for the IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Northern SportMods, with a strong field of cars in each class still vying for a secured starting spot in Wednesday's $3,000 to win feature. The top four from the night's qualifying feature did just that. Also on the docket were the IMCA Sport Compacts, and the MADCRA Mod Lites.
The Mod Lites hit the track for the first feature of the night. Josh May led the early portion of the race with Mike Morrill giving chase. A yellow flew at lap thirteen for a spinning car, and on the restart three cars had a melee going into turn one. This resulted in Travis Stensland taking a high, wild flip, and the race was immediately red flagged. All involved were okay. May continued to lead with Morrill looking for a way around, but to no avail. Two more yellows would fly before this one was over making for "overtime" and a green-white-checkered dash to the checkers. There was lots of shuffling in that final circuit. Tanner Gannon had been pressuring the leaders and when the field took it's final green and go, it appeared that then leader Josh May hesitated just a bit, and just enough that Gannon took advantage of it and had the lead by corner one. Others in turn did the same thing, gaining positions. Gannon would go home to the checkers, Morrill kept hold of the runner up spot, Randy Bryan came from ninth starting spot to take third, fourth went to Kaden Cochran who has been running in the area, all the way from Bakersfield, California, and Josh May fell back to finish fifth.
A little more than your average excitement ensued in the Sport Compact feature. A pair of Vannausdle's, Bryan and Chris, who made the trip up from southwest Iowa, were waging a war for the lead. The leaders caught up with lap traffic as the race was nearing its end, when a lap car interfered, and consequently got spun out...leading to a yellow flag. The spun car did not take kindly to that, and the back runner decided to express his displeasure by some on track antics. He refused to leave the track after repeatedly being told to do so and that's when race promoter Mike VanGenderen said, "No pay, no points", as the driver finally drove off into the pits. Of course, it wasn't over quite yet, but more on that later. As the race did get back green, Kolby Sabin, who had been running third, shot to the lead, surprising the pair of Vannausdle's. In the final moments however, it was Chris Vannausdle taking back that top spot, and putting his ride into Victory Lane. Sabin finished second, Bryan Vannausdle was third, with Mitchell Bunch and Ashton Blain rounding out the top five.
As the winner drove into the Victory Lane area after the race, here comes the disdained racer out of the pits, waving and gesturing, headed to confront the winner. That all came to an end as promoter MVG got wind of what was about to take place.....meeting the disgruntled driver face-to-face on the track. That was the end of that as he made an about face and headed back to his pits.
The Northern SportMod feature had much less dramatics as it followed with its 25-lap qualifying feature. Brayton, "Speedy Bray" Carter enjoyed his pole starting spot, and had no trouble in leading all laps in taking the win. Three caution flags and subsequent restarts were no issue to Carter, and in the final laps, pulled away to take a comfortable win at the checkers. Columbus, Nebraska driver Brian Osantowski in his #999 followed Carter across the line to take the runner up position. Algona, Iowa's Colby Fett had a good run, coming from tenth to finish third. Johnathon Logue secured the fourth and final locked in spot for Wednesday's feature event. Josh Most finished fifth, and will have to try again Wednesday for a final last chance qualifying spot.
The evening ended with the 25-lap IMCA Stock Car feature, as four more drivers attempted to get locked in to tomorrow's Dirt Duel championship race. Todd VanEaton, Orient, and Joe Zrostlik, Lone Grove, coming from near opposite sides of central Iowa, led the field to green. VanEaton would lead all laps to take the win to secure his spot in the Wednesday finale. It was a battle for position behind him as Troy Jerovetz and Derek Green battled back and forth for the #2 spot. Then enters the young gun Dallon Murty who threw his hat into the ring! Murty, who had started eight, was giving both Jerovetz and Green a run for their money in the final portion of the race. He was able to get around Green and then was tightening the screws on second place Jerovetz. He gave it a good try, but had to chase him across the finish line to finish third, Green going fourth. Just out of a qualifying spot was Damon Murty who has yet to qualify but will give it another go tonight.
Thanks to Mike VanGenderen for yet, another great show last night. The weather conditions have not been a friend in track prep this week, but with his constant between race sprinkling, the track was smooth and racey once again.
Our plan is to return for the final night of the Dirt Duels which will also include the Bill Davis, Sr. Memorial race with the IMCA Modifieds on deck. The IMCA Hobby Stocks will also be on hand. The final starting spots for the Stock Car and SportMods will be determined through heats and last chance races, in what will no doubt, be a show you won't want to miss. Hot laps are 6:45 with racing to follow.
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