Rust, Hollatz, Olson, Reynolds, and Huggins prevail on track points opening night at Marshalltown

Marshalltown Speedway held its first 2021 track points racing on Friday.  It was also Driver Appreciation Night where last year's track champions were recognized on the front stretch before racing action began.  Those track champions were Tom Berry, Jr. in the IMCA Modified, who went on to also be the IMCA National Champion of the division.  Stock Car track champion was "The Game Changer", Dallon Murty, Northern SportMod track title went to Johnathon Logue, the Hobby Stock champion was Solomon Bennett, and Mod Lite title went to Bryan Zehm.  Those drivers and their cars were presented to the crowd before the first green flag dropped. No banquet was held last year due to Covid 19.  It was the first night for track points as those drivers begin their quest to defend their title at the Highbanks.  

Joel Huggins picked up where he left off last week, taking home the win in the IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature.  Huggins led the entire 15 laps on his way to victory.  Randy Bryan chased Huggins across the finish line to take the runner up spot.  A close third went to Josh May, Bryan Zehm was fourth and Mike Kennedy took fifth.  This class will be going for their first track title under the IMCA sanction.  

In the 20 lap IMCA Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature, Austin Schrage came from fourth into the lead by the time lap one was counted and appeared to be well on his way to a feature win as the race wore on.  Schrage led much of the race until a late yellow proved to be his undoing.  Kyle Olson was waiting in the wings on the restart and with two laps to go, made his move into the lead.  He would lead those final circuits, and take the checkers ahead of Schrage, who had to settle for second place on this night.  Kaylin Lopez, the Chowchilla, California racer who plans to be racing in our area this season, came from twelfth starting spot to take third place.  Jason Bass, Fort Dodge racer finished fourth, and 14 year old Izac Mallicoat, who got his first career win last Saturday at Boone, took fifth. His father, Jason Mallicoat, was the 2006 Super Nationals champion back in 2006.  

A scary incident occurred during the SportMod main event when veteran racer Vern Jackson got together with another car going down the frontstretch and flipped violently, landing upside down just past the flag stand.  After a few tense moments, Jackson exited the car under his own power, and took the lone walk back to the pits as the fans gave him a round of applause.  

Kaden Reynolds took the checkers in the 20 lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event.  He nabbed the lead away from early leader Tom Killen, Jr. on lap eight, and from there on never looked back....pulling away from the competition to score the comfortable win.  It was a dog fight behind him however as Nathan Ballard, Solomon Bennett, Luke Ramsey, and Braden Richards all jousted for second through fifth position, lap after lap.  Reynolds had a four second lead vanish when a yellow flew with five laps to go.  However, it was no issue for him as he took the win easily.  Solomon Bennett, last year's track champion was second, Braden Richards finished third, Luke Ramsey was fourth, Tom Killen, Jr. was fifth, and Nathan Ballard was sixth.

Chanse Hollatz made the trip down from Clear Lake and went home $1,000 richer by seizing the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event.  He ran down early race leader Scott Rice at lap eight and held off the competition the rest of the twelve laps to take home the trophy and the money.  Last year's track champion, Dallon Murty started fifteenth, and hard charged his way to finish second.  Jeff Mueller was third, fourth went to Steve Meyer, and twelfth place starter Dusty Vis completed the top five.

Last year's IMCA Modified track champion, Tom Berry, Jr. started second and immediately took the lead. However, pole sitter Joel Rust was having none of that, pulled a perfect slide job and was scored the leader on lap two. Last season, the only weekly winners of the division were Berry and Rust. 

Only one yellow at lap nineteen of the twenty-five lap event would halt the action, but it proved to be no hinderance to Rust as he sailed home the remaining distance and took the flying checkers. Veteran racer Kelly Shryock took second place, tenth place starter Cayden Carter was third, Tom Berry, Jr. finished fourth, and Tim Ward was fifth.  

We are still waiting for warmer and calmer weather for racing.  Let's hope it gets here soon so more fans can get out and support an area track and help keep dirt track racing alive and well.   

  

Mallicoat and Rigby nab first career wins, Yaw also takes checkers for first time

It was week #2 of the weekly racing series at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night.  There were 164 drivers checked in for the racing action, and two drivers would step into victory lane for the very first time.  Traveling drivers were again on hand, as they await their area tracks opening up.  

Cody Yaw dominated the entire 15 laps of the IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature, leading all laps on his way to victory.  Yaw finished well ahead of second place Bryan Zehm.  Pole sitter Joel Huggins finished in third place, Jon Braathun was fourth, and Mike Kennedy was fifth.  Yaw got career win number two under his belt at the speedway after taking that first ever career victory just last August at the track.....but on a technicality.  He crossed in third place but the top two were penalized, handing the win to Yaw.  This win had to be much sweeter for Yaw.  

It took several tries before the IMCA Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods were able to get their feature started, plus two more early yellows would mar the event.  Lonnie Hodges, who switched from Stock Car to SportMod this season, led the early portion of the 18 lap race, but 15 year old Izac Mallicoat slipped by for the lead on lap three.  Tenth place starter Johnathon Logue was on his tail by lap four and would throw challenge after challenge at the youngster. Then Chowchilla, California driver Kaylin Lopez who is in the area for some Midwest racing, threw his hat into the ring to make it a tight three-way battle.  Mallicoat wasn't fazed however, and took the checkers for his first career win.  Logue finished as the runner up, Lopez was a close third, followed by Cory Pestotnik in fourth and Curtis Veber rounded out the top five.  Mallicoat is a third generation racer following in grandfather Dave Baugh and dad Jason Mallicoat's footsteps.  

Denny Pittman looked strong in the early portion of the IMCA Modified feature, leading easily in the first handful of laps.  Meanwhile, sixth place starter Cory Sauerman had gone up top and was reeling the leader in.  Sauerman took command on lap nine, and from there on it was all his race as he motored home to victory.  Jeremy Mills, who started tenth, took advantage on a green-white-checkered finish, gaining two positions in the closing moments to take the runner up position.  Kelly Shryock was third, Mike VanGenderen was fourth, and twelfth place starter Tim Ward finished fifth. If my records are correct, this was just Sauerman's second ever win at Boone, his first coming last year back in May when there were no fans in the stands due to Covid.  Fans in the stands had to make this one feel extra special. 

Multi-time track champion Donavon Smith got things back on track, winning the flag-to-flag IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature.  Smith took over the top spot after then leader Robert Stofer bobbled and fell back in the pack with eight laps to go in the 20 lap contest.  Brock Badger and Michael Jaennette did battle behind Smith, with Badger taking second just ahead of third place Jaennette at the finish line.  Scott Davis was fourth, and Devin Smith, who had previously won the Frostbuster and last week's season opener, completed the top five.

The night ended with another driver getting his first ever win at the Boone Speedway when Madrid, Iowa racer Chad Rigby took the checkers in the 15 lap IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature.  Rigby started on the outside front row, and immediately took the lead.  He would lose his lead briefly at lap ten when Solomon Bennett got the advantage at the flagstand, only to have Rigby come right back into the lead.  The final five laps were all Rigby's as he flew under the checkers for the win.  Bennett took the runner up position, Wayne Gifford was third, fourth went to Eric Knutson, and Curt Reed was fifth.

Next Saturday, April 24 will be week #3 of weekly points racing.  Hot laps are scheduled for 5 with racing at 6.  As of right now, those starting times will stand until at least July.  

 

Aikey takes Season Opener of Malvern Bank SLMR East Series

 Marshalltown Speedway hosted the season opener of the Malvern Bank Hoker Trucking East Super Late Model Series on Friday night.  Thirty-one Late Models were on hand but it was a familiar face back in Victory Lane again.  IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and the new class of STARS Mod Lites were also on the program. Three defending track champions would pick up where they left off last season, taking the checkers. There were 166 race cars checked in for a full night of racing.  

The STARS Mod Lites, a newly sanctioned IMCA class, kicked feature racing off.  Fifteen cars checked in.  Joel Huggins would lead this 15 lap event from start to finish  and put his name in the books as the first ever track winner of the new division.  He was relentlessly chased the entire time by Bakersfield, California racer, Kaden Cochrun, who finished second. Cody Yaw took third place, Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill, Missouri was fourth, and Josh May rounded out the top five.  Huggins had the inaugural IMCA win taken away last week at Boone when he didn't pass post race inspection for a "too wide" body.  We have heard that this was possibly caused during the race when the body got rumpled.  This win no doubt, felt good.   

Johnathon Logue started fifth and ran down early leader Tony Olson in the 18 lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature.  Logue took command with a low pass out of corner two and was scored the leader on lap seven....never to look back.  Logue pulled away in the closing laps and took the comfortable win over Tony Olson in second place.  Veteran racer Vern Jackson finished third, followed by Austin Schrage in fourth, and Dylan VanWyk in fifth.  Logue is the defending Northern SportMod track champion.  A  field of 34 Northern SportMods came for the racing action. 

The featured class of the night, the Kevin "Sharp" Shooter Miller Lite 30, Hoker Trucking East Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series had a star studded class of drivers on hand that put on a show for the fans.  Chad Holladay led the first lap, only to have Dave Eckrich snatch it away by lap two.  However, Jeff Aikey, who has many feature wins at the speedway, took over the top spot by lap five.  From there on, Aikey showed just why he has those wins under his belt at the track, and sailed away to the 30 lap feature win.  Seventh place starter Luke Peska took the runner up position, Justin Kay came from tenth starting spot to finish third, Dave Eckrich was fourth, and Richie Gustin completed the top five.

I believe that this was the second time the SLMR series has made an appearance at the track, the first coming back in 2019.  Thirty-one drivers were on hand for last night's racing action.

Defending IMCA Super Nationals champion in the Hobby Stock division, Nathan Ballard took the win in the 15 lap main event. Eighth place starter Eric Knutson gave it a good go in the closing laps, peeking low beneath Ballard, but had to settle for second place. Luke Ramsey finished third, Dustin Filloon was fourth, and Tom Killen, Jr. took fifth place. A hefty field of 33 cars came to play in the Hobby Stock division.  

It was the Murty family show in the 18 lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature.  Son Dallon Murty bested dad Damon Murty to take the checkers.  Dallon passed early leader Heath Tulp at lap five for the lead, and then had to hold back Jeff Mueller....until Mueller's mechanical issues ended his run on lap eight, bringing out a yellow.  For the restart, Damon Murty was now in second place, and ready to have a little family battle with son Dallon.  Son Dallon would win out on this night, taking the checkers ahead of dad Damon in second place.  Randy Brands hard charged from starting twelfth to take third place, and Steve Meyer made it to fourth after starting thirteenth. Jay Schmidt rounded out the top five.  Dallon Murty is starting off right again this year in an attempt to match his 2020 track championship after having also won the Frostbuster.  Thirty-one Stock Cars did battle on the Highbanks.

Another 2020 track champion was in fine form again, as Tom Berry, Jr. dominated the IMCA Modified 20 lap feature, leading all laps.  Berry sailed along on the topside of the track and pulled away in the caution free race to take the win.  Cayden Carter started eleventh, and ran out of time to challenge Berry, and had to be content with the runner up spot.  Joel Rust finished third, ahead of veteran Kelly Shryock in fourth, and twelfth place starter Tim Ward in fifth. Twenty-two Modifieds were on hand.

There were at least eight other states besides Iowa represented last evening with drivers from California Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Arizona, and Illinois.  Drivers from all over say Marshalltown Speedway is on their bucket list, and I'm sure some checked it off their list last evening.  

Next Friday, April 23, will be opening night at the speedway for track points.  The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks and STARS Mod Lites will be competing.  Hot laps are 6:50 with racing to follow.  Also, as a note, there are now hand rails up on the east side of the grandstands at Marshalltown, though the metal replacement seating has not yet arrived.  Now, if spectators would just figure out that there is not seating on either side of those metal hand rails, and it is an aisle, it would make things much easier.  

 

   

Ward posts Boone season points opener victory, May wins inaugural IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature

Boone Speedway held its season points opener on Saturday night as the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, and for the first time running under the IMCA banner, the IMCA STARS Mod Lites, as they all began their quest for a track championship. It was another chilly, and windy night, a much lighter crowd than last week's Frostbuster, but 171 race cars checked in for racing fun.

The IMCA Stars Mod Lites kicked off feature racing with their inaugural IMCA sanctioned 15-lap main event at the track. Five yellow flags would wave as the drivers tried to get into a good rhythm.  Jon Braathun led the opening laps, only to have Cody Yaw take over the top spot by lap four.  Yaw's lead would end just four laps later when he and a lap car collided, bringing out a yellow.  Second place runner Joel Huggins inherited the lead for the restart, and would go on to be in command the remaining laps and take the checkers ahead of Josh May.  Tenth place starter Randy Bryan crossed the line in third place, Mike Kennedy in fourth, and early leader Jon Braathun in fifth.  However, Huggins was disqualified after a post race inspection found his body not meeting the spec requirements...the body was too wide.  This handed that inaugural IMCA sanctioned win over to Josh May.

Chad Ryerson would lead all 18 laps of the IMCA Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature on his way to the checkered flag.  Ryerson started on the outside pole and had no trouble keeping his competition at bay on his way to victory lane.  Shawn Harker, Nebraska City, Nebraska made the trip over to Iowa's Action Track and took home the runner up spot.  Third went to defending track champion, and last week's Frostbuster winner, Johnathon Logue.  Dustin Lynch, and Michael Johnson, Bakersfield, California, completed the top five. Forty-four SportMods checked in to the pits.

Tim Ward took home the win in the IMCA Modifieds.  He wrestled the lead away from Jimmy Gustin at lap eleven and pulled away to take the comfortable win.  Nick Roberts finished a distant second, and Santa Maria, California's Dylan Thornton was third.  Jimmy Gustin was fourth, and Jeremy Mills just beat Joel Bushore to the line as they finished fifth and sixth respectively.  Ward is the defending track champion.

A little twist was thrown in to the Modified feature, when Ricky Thornton, Jr. (no, he was not even there!) decided to offer up $500 to any of the top twelve starters in the feature that would go to the tail and win.  Well, that got the ball rolling, and by the time the feature event pulled on to the track, more contributors had raised that amount to $2,200!  There was just one taker that I noticed, that being Shane DeVolder, visiting racer from Pacifica, California.  He was to start fifth in the starting line up, and tagged the field.  No one lost their money on this night.  

I didn't catch who started the money challenge for the IMCA Stock Cars, but their feature was also a tag the tail, and win $1,400.  No one took that challenge that I recall.

The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars ran a 20-lap feature.  Devin Smith started on the outside front row and immediately grabbed the lead....never to relinquish it.  Smith was gone and easily outdistanced second place finisher Jeff Mueller.  Michael Jaennette, Tommy Fain, Abilene, Texas, and Dan Mackenthun, Hamburg, Minnesota rounded out the top five.

The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks put a night cap on the evening's racing with their 15-lap main event.  Michael Smith would also lead this one from start to finish on his way to the checkered flag.  Eric Knutson applied the pressure to Smith, looking outside, then inside, but to no avail.  Knutson had to be content with the runner up position on this night.  Eric Stanton came from sixth starting spot to take third place, fourth went to Bedford, Iowa's Luke Ramsey who started seventeenth, and Jack Phillips finished fifth. Smith is a second generation racer, son of David Smith of the Smith clan from the Lake City, Iowa area. 

Unless I missed a track, I believe Boone Speedway was the ONLY track in the state of Iowa racing last night.  The weather was just not conducive to drying conditions after the rain, and then the eastern portion of the state was still getting rain into the night.  Let's hope for warmer, dryer weather in the upcoming weeks, so area racing can really get going.  Regular season racing continues next Saturday night, April, 17. Pits open at 4, grandstands at 4:30, hot laps at 5, and the green flag drops at 6.

Check the calendar at Positively Racing and find a race to attend.  Help support the sport we all love, dirt track racing!

 

Boone Frostbuster wins to Braaksma, Smith, Logue, and Knutson

Boone Speedway opened its doors for the first time in 2021 on Saturday with the running of their Frostbuster special.  One hundred seventy-eight race cars came through the pit gates and put on a show for the crowd on hand. Drivers from across the Midwest and beyond came to try their hand on the famed race track, but only four drivers would go home with the title of Frostbuster champion.  

Johnathon Logue took home the trophy in the 25-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature, capturing his first ever Frostbuster win at  Iowa's Action Track.  Logue started fifth, and quickly was battling early leader Dustin Lynch.  The two raced side-by-side for several laps before Logue was able to establish the lead for good on lap nine. He then held the top spot the remaining distance to take the checkers.  Polesitter Cam Reimers took the runner up spot, Dustin Lynch was third, Cole Fenske from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin came from tenth starting place to finish fourth, and Austin Schrage was fifth. Logue is beginning 2021, where he left off in 2020 after capturing the IMCA Super Nationals title...standing atop the podium.  Logue may just have started a new tradition also, as in his post-race interview in Victory Lane as he added a final comment..."It's Boone Baby"!!

The IMCA Modified 25-lap contest was not only paying $1,000 to win, but was for a place on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.  Ethan Braaksma put that money in his pocket and his name on that ballot as he dominated, leading all laps on his way to victory.  Todd Shute finished in the runner up spot, Kyle Brown came from tenth to finish third, Tim Ward was fourth, and veteran racer Kelly Shryock was fifth. This would be Braaksma's first time ever stepping on the winner's ramp at Boone with a feature win. 

The popular IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars were up next for another 25-lap feature.  Kyle Brown would lead all laps in this one as he held back some big contenders, leading in his beautiful Ford Terminator bodied car.  Jeff Mueller dug along on the bottom of the track (his usual preference) as Brown preferred the top side.  A trio of Smith brothers also came calling with Devin, Donavon, and David throwing their hat into the ring in the closing laps, along with Damon Murty.  No one could make the pass, and Brown took the checkers.  He was followed across the line by Devin Smith, Jeff Mueller, Donavon Smith, Damon Murty, and David Smith. However, Brown was found to have an illegal carburetor in post race inspection, and was disqualified.  This handed the win over to Devin Smith, with Mueller, Donavon Smith, Damon Murty, and David Smith then taking the top five spots.

The night cap was 25-laps of IMCA Hobby Stock racing.  Bedford, Iowa driver Luke Ramsey looked to be on his way to taking home a Frostbuster trophy as he leaped to the lead from starting third, and held his competitors at bay as the laps wound down.  Eric Knutson and Brett Vanous battled in the closing laps for the number two spot with Knutson finally getting the upper hand, and then he set his sights on leader Ramsey.  The two ran side-by-side in the final handful of laps, and with a final surge, Knutson made the pass at the line to snatch the victory.  Ramsey had to be satisfied with second place.  Brett Vanous was third, Solomon Bennett finished fourth, and Wayne Gifford completed the top five.

The regular season points racing begins next Saturday night, April 10, with racing in the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites.  Hot laps at 5, with racing at 6 p.m. 

Carter, Murty, Fett, and Reynolds take cold Frostbuster wins at Marshalltown

Frostbuster was certainly an appropriate name for Marshalltown Speedway's opening night on Friday. It didn't keep the crowd away but they had to hunker down as the crisp temperatures and an  unbelievably strong south wind persisted.  The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks were in action with 194 race cars packing the pits.   Many out of state drivers made the trip to try their hand at the Highbanks.

Feature racing kicked off with the IMCA Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod's 20 lap feature. There were 54 cars checked into the pits, taking three B mains to whittle the field to the starting feature grid.

 Austin Schrage led from the drop of the green with Josh Appel, Jenae Gustin, and Alec Fett in tow.  Fett worked his way into the runner up spot at lap thirteen and then began hounding Schrage.  Schrage managed to hold his lead until that all important final lap. Fett made the pass on the final circuit to take the checkers.  Schrage finished a close second, Josh Appel, Jenae Gustin, and ninth place starter Dylan VanWyk completed the top five. 

The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks put on the next feature event for the fans. Their class brought 42 cars to the pits. Kaden Reynolds wasted no time in getting to the front from his fourth place starting spot, establishing the lead by lap one and going on to lead all laps on his way to a Frostbuster win.  Eric Stanton took second after starting eighth, Eric Knutson hard charged his way to third from starting sixteenth, Aaron Martin started seventh and took fourth, and rounding out the top five was eleventh place starter Dylan Nelson.  

There was a scary moment during the Hobby Stock feature when a car got crossed up right before the flag stand, and Aaron Rudolph had no where to go.  The contact sent Rudolph into a roll, landing upside down just past the stand.  It took a moment for the driver to get out of the car....hanging upside down belted in, is not an easy situation to get out of.  Thankfully the driver was unhurt, but left with a damaged race car.

Defending track champion in the Sunoco Stock Cars found Dallon Murty picking up where he left off last year, taking the dominating win.  Veteran racer Kelly Shryock came from eleventh starting spot to take the runner up position.  Damon Murty took third place ahead of Malone, Wisconsin racer Tim Warner, and Steve Meyer was fifth. Murty and his dad, Damon just recently finished one-two at the Bristol Dirt Nationals.  This kid may be tough to beat in 2021! 

There was $1,000 on the line for the winner of the 25 lap IMCA Modified Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier.  Cayden Carter and Kyle Brown started on the front row, and this would be how they finished as the final checkers flew on the 2021 Marshalltown Speedway Frostbuster.  Cody Thompson, who moved up from the Northern SportMod class this year, took third place.  Troy Cordes was fourth, and defending track and National IMCA Modified champion, Tom Berry, Jr. came from tenth starting spot to finish fifth.  

Next week the speedway will be holding a two-night special as the IMCA Stock Cars vie for the title of King of the Highbanks and a $5,000 prize. Qualifying beings on Thursday night, April 8 with the final night on Friday April 9.  Each night will also include IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA SportMods, and IMCA Modifieds, with the IMCA Stars Mod Lites joining the Friday night show.  Wednesday, April 7 will be a practice night for all classes.  

It was almost as brutal setting at a race track as we've ever endured.  The wind was horrific, but luckily to our backs.  We were far from the only ones putting up windbreaks on the top row.....a real lifesaver.

Let's hope for warmer and calmer weather ahead as the Iowa race season gets underway.  Check the race calendar on Positively Racing for a race you may want to attend.  Let's keep dirt track racing alive and well.

 

Fall Challenge Night #1 wins to Carter, VanderBeek, Ramsey, Hughes, and Moore

 The big old Monster Half Mile at the Southern Iowa Speedway saw its largest car count of the season, with 105 cars checked in for Night #1 of the Musco Lighting Fall Challenge on Friday night....a fall tradition at the facility for years. 

Intermission also saw the final of the four 2020 Hall of Fame Inductees recognized when Dan Dickey was honored. The other inductees had aleady been honored earlier in the season....Carl Vanderwal, Tim Folkerts, and the late Engel DeKock. Point fund money was also awarded to top point finishers at the track this year.  

Johnathon Hughes continued his perfect season and won once again going away in taking the checkers in the non-wing Sprint feature.  Ben Woods, the early leader, finished as runner up, third went to Kelly Graham, and Doug Sylvester and Chuck Alexander completed the top five.

The Sport Compacts had a twenty plus field of cars on hand for their Fall Challenge competition.  It was Clayton Webster holding down the top spot through nine of the ten lap contest, but Matt Moore was leading on that all important last lap to take the flying checkers.  Webster held the second spot, Chuck Fullenkamp started twelfth and finished in third, Seth Meinders and Lewie Winkleman rounded out the top five.  Moore started in row four to take the victory.  As a note, it was great to see a name from the past racing in the Sport Compact division after a nineteen year absence from racing.  Bob "Gabby" Hayes is a well known name from years gone by when he was best known for driving the #0 Stock Car back in the day. Look for him in a #0 Sport Compact next year.

Twenty-nine Hobby Stocks made it the largest class of cars on the night.  Hot shoe from southwest Iowa, Luke Ramsey would lead all fourteen laps of their main event.  Ramsey had to fend off the challenges of  track champion Dustin Griffiths much of the race.  Some contact on a yellow flag restart between Griffiths and Brad Stephens shuffled Griffiths back several spots and also allowed Rick VanDusseldorp to slip into the second spot.  The final circuits saw Ramsey pull away and take home his first ever win at the Osky Monster.  VanDusseldorp held on to second spot as he fended off Clint Nelson in third.  Griffiths and Stephens completed the top five.

This was Luke Ramsey's first time to the Southern Iowa Speedway and was warned ahead of time to "tighten your belts good" for the fast half mile oval.  It was also his 100th win in the same car last evening, though he has more total lifetime wins.  He is a regular at the Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, and I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska.  

Everyone was seeing double during the sixteen lap SportMod feature, as the two top cars looked identical!  Zach VanderBeek was piloting one of the 30M cars last evening, with Maguire DeJong usually behind the wheel.  VanderBeek drew the lucky #1 pill and started on the pole.  Starting back in the sixth row, was the look alike car driven by Cayden Carter.  He wouldn't stay there for long during the sixteen lap event however, as the final six laps found him chasing VanderBeek, closing in, but having to settle for second on this night to Zach who flashed across the finish line first.  Tim Plummer from Norway, Iowa finished a distant third place, track champion Curtis VanDerWal came from row five to finish fourth, and Cresco, Iowa's Troy Hovey was fifth.  This was VanderBeek's first time ever behind the wheel of a SportMod....though it was one of his VanderBuilt race cars.  

This was a hard race to get started, as the first seven laps saw five caution flags fly, which had to not only be frustrating for the fans, but the racers too.

Dustin Griffiths would lead the field to green in the sixteen lap contest for the Stock Cars.  He was still holding down the top spot when a yellow flew at lap seven for Cody Agee.  By this time, the Orange Crush machine driven by Cayden Carter had gotten to the number two spot after starting in tenth, and was no doubt eager for that restart situation.  By lap nine, Carter had the lead.  The rest of the race was all Carter's as he motored home to the win.  Todd Reitzler got around Griffiths in the final lap to claim second, Griffiths taking third.  Nathan Wood and Derrek Agee rounded out the top five.

It was a chilly night but the fans saw some good racing action that ended at 11:26 p.m.  Look for a good field of cars for Night #2 of the Musco Lighting Fall Challenge.