It was Bob and Ray's Truck Repair Night at the Southern Iowa Speedway on Wednesday night. They are longtime sponsors and supporters at the speedway. It was also bicycle night at the track and 39 bicycles and scooters went home with lucky young fans....donated by race teams, drivers, and local businesses.
It was "shades of days past" last evening where more than one of the finishes was up for grabs as the cars came out of corner four looking at the checkers. That brought back lots of memories when back in the day, that was the norm. Dustin Griffiths keeps winning, and he is getting some "Bobby Greiner lovin' from the crowd". The "Colfax Comet" scored his fifth win of the season, and is living his dream. It was the largest car count of the season as well with the late arrival of Tony Johnson making it sixty-two.
Five Non-Wing Sprints came for their weekly turn on the track. Ben Woods would lead the field to green and take the lead for their 10-lap main event. At the half-way mark of the feature, Robert Bell had moved from fifth starting spot to catch the leader. Bell pestered Woods for a couple of laps before taking the lead with two laps to go, and would then go home to the checkers....for the fifth time! Woods would hold the runner up spot, Doug Sylvester was third, fourth went to Kelly Graham, and Lance Silvers was fifth.
Bell, who had never won a feature race prior to his first back on May 12, is quickly becoming a crowd favorite. He is one grateful guy, who is living his dream....it just took a little while for him to get there after 30 years of racing.
Feature running order was shuffled last evening, as the Stock Cars came to the track next for their 16- lap A main. This one would end in a thriller!
Jason McDaniel grabbed the early lead with Jason Hall and Dustin Griffiths falling in line behind him. First timer at the track, Nathan Ballard from Marengo, joined in the chase, and just after the half-way point of the race, Derrick Agee had also joined in the game. At lap ten, a yellow flew, and while under caution, leader McDaniel would pull into the work area, and then tagged the field before the return to green flag racing. Since the leader dropped out, this now put Nathan Ballard and Agee on the front row for the double-wide restart, with Griffiths and Hall in the second row. Griffiths made it to second place and a lap or so later, Agee was out of the race, pulling off the track. Now the final moments of this race would be intense as Ballard, Hall, and Griffiths were locked into a fierce battle! At the white flag lap, Hall had slipped into the number one spot, Ballard second, and Griffiths scored third. It's never over until it's over however, and shades of days gone by flashed before the eyes of some of us old timers, as coming out of corner four as the checkers unfurled...it was anyone's race! This time, it was Dustin Griffiths making the charge down the frontstretch pay off, as he swept to the win, Hall going second, and Ballard third. The crowd was buzzing at that finish! Pat Rachels, and Howard Gordon, Jr. completed the top five. This was Griffiths' first Stock Car feature win of the season.
The Sport Compacts got their turn next at the Monster Half-Mile. Nathan Moody started from the pole and grabbed the top spot immediately, with Lewie Winkleman and Clayton Webster falling in line behind him. At the halfway mark of the ten lap feature, it was Clayton Webster in command. Then the two DeLonjay brothers decided to duke it out for a top spot as they came calling, with Jeffrey running in second, and Jaden running third. This one would also be a tight finish as the three came down the frontstretch looking at the checkers, but on this night it would be Clayton Webster holding on for the win as Jaden DeLonjay eked out brother Jeffrey as they went second and third. It was another "WOW" finish, as the crowd buzzed once again. Webster who was in a borrowed car, looking to be a Billy Cain ride, made this win number four for the season.
The Hobby Stocks came next for their 14-lapper on the wide and fast track last night. Jesse Williams has been looking good this season, and last night it looked like he just might get that elusive first win as he led early and was in the hunt until the very end. Dustin Griffiths was wanting a clean sweep night after taking the Stock Car feature, and he was digging hard to get past Williams in the closing laps. With three to go, Griffiths went to the outside and made the pass for first. He brought along Keaton Gordon who had moved from deep in the starting grid, to run second, passing Williams in third. Those three would run a tight race all the way to finish line, with Griffiths getting his "twofer" night, Gorden going second, and Williams having to settle for third. Rick VanDusseldorp took fourth, and Travis Bunnell rounded out the top five. This made it five Hobby Stock wins for Griffiths this season, bringing out the "boo birds", and the "Bobby Greiner lovin'" like in the good old days.
The night cap was 16 laps of SportMod racing that saw Cory VanZante lead the opening laps from starting on the pole. It didn't take long until young Maguire DeJong was up to challenge the leader and would take over the top spot on lap four. Curtis VanDerWal, got to second, getting around VanZante about the halfway point, after he had uncharacteristically, tapped the top the wall between corners one and two. He didn't bother him much though, as he still kept hold of second place. It was all Maguire DeJong's race last night however, as he would go home to the checkers, finishing well ahead of VanDerWal in second. Cory VanZante was third, fourth went to Blaine Webster, and Charlie Weber made his first appearance of the year, and took home a fifth place finish. This marked win number three for the young DeJong, Montezuma hot shoe.
It's back to racing again next Wednesday night, June 30, for Dickey Transport, and Middlekoop Seed Kid's Night that will include a nickel and candy toss for the youngsters. Hot laps are 7:15 with racing to follow.
Find a race to attend, and keep supporting the sport we all love....dirt track racing.
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