Saturday, July 11, 2009

Elliott Wins Twice, Cooney and Lettow Win Again

A picture-perfect evening for races was in store for fans at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City Saturday night. A nickel toss for the kids as well as car rides for anybody who wished were also on the agenda for the night while fireworks concluded the night after the races were cancelled last week.

Only four IMCA sport compacts were on hand tonight for their feature. Justin Wacha extended his point lead as he took home the win.

Up next would be the IMCA hobby stock feature. Steve Brannick took the point early on, but he would be forced pitside on the second caution of the race as he suffered a flat tire. Andy Jones would inherit the lead as a result while further in the pack Pete Hutzel was marching forward. Hutzel started fifteenth on the grid when the green flag dropped, but he quickly made his way to sixth by the second caution. Robert See drove his car to the bottom of the track and made the pass on Jones for the lead as the field made it to the midpoint of the race. Hutzel, meanwhile, continued his climb towards the front as he took over the fourth position with four laps to go. Jones tried everything he could to get back by See despite the right side of his hood flapping up, but it wasn't enough as Robert See took home the win. Andy Jones was second, Justin Ades was third, Pete Hutzel fourth, and Brandon Ratcliff rounded out the top five. It would be announced later that T.J. Mortenson claimed point leader Justin Ades.

Stock cars took to the track next for their main event as sixteen cars took the green flag. Adam Silvey jumped to the lead, but his car slid up the track allowing Jeff Deal to slip by to take the spot away on lap two. After an early yellow, Mark Elliott mashed the gas pedal and started his quest to get to the front. He found his way to third as he was the only car running the bottom side of the track at the time. Elliott would make the winning pass with five laps to go and extend his lead until a late race caution came out with three to go when Jeff Deal's car slammed the turn three outside wall, ending his great run in second. Elliott would pull away once again after the restart and sail to victory. Jeremy Ades finished second, Mike VanGenderen got by Dave Hubbard on the last set of corners to finish third and fourth, respectively, while Reid Keller rounded out the top five.

Sixteen IMCA sportmods were set to do battle next for their fifteen lap feature. Greg Simmons took the catbird spot in the early going while Matt Lettow was making quick strides towards the front. Lettow passed half the field of cars in front of his tenth starting spot by the time two laps had been completed as he found himself in fifth. Behind Simmons, the battle for second heated up as Bryon Weyer and Matt Northrop raced wheel to wheel for a couple laps. Lettow moved up to fourth, but didn't stay there long as a lap later he took the third position while Weyer took the top spot away from Simmons. Weyer's luck would change for the worse as his car got loose and spun in front of the pack in turn two to bring out the caution, handing the lead over to Lettow. Bob Sutherland and Rocky Caudle waged a battle for fourth before another caution flag waved, while after the restart Northrop challenged Simmons for the runner up spot. Northrop took the position with three laps to go as Simmons slowed in turn three. But up front it was all Matt Lettow as he raced to another win at the Hamilton County Speedway to extend his point lead. Matt Northrop finished second, Bob Sutherland third, Brandon Leeman fourth, and Jim Lampe completed the top five.

Scott Olson assumed the early command of the IMCA modified feature. After suffering problems in the heat race, Mark Elliott started last (eighth) but quickly made his way to fourth by the completion of lap two. One lap later he found himself in the bridesmaid spot and focusing in on leader Olson. Olson's lead evaporated when Derek Oberle's car spun in turn two. Olson continued to run the top side while Elliott dove to the bottom. The two raced side by side for two laps before Elliott got the advantage coming out of turn two, and that would be all he needed as he cruised to the win. Scott Olson settled for the second spot, Jacob Murray was third, Bill Crimmins fourth, and Shane Demay completed the top five.

The final race of the night would be the IMCA late models as they embarked on their twenty-five lap nightcap. Jason Vansickel used the pole to grab the reigns early on, but behind him Todd Cooney was making noise as he powered his machine to the top side and into the fourth spot by lap four. Cooney continued his momentum on the top side to make his way to the front, but he used the low side to make the pass for the lead coming out of turn four on lap eight. Vansickel's car seemed to go away as he slipped back in the field while other drivers got by him. Cooney opened up a straight away lead as positions changed hands behind him until a caution flag bunched the field back up on lap seventeen. Ryan Griffith used the restart to duck under Ben Nading for the second spot while Al Johnson would also get by Nading with three laps to go to snare the third spot away. But nobody was going to catch Todd Cooney as he raced to the straight away win. Ryan Griffith was second, Al Johnson third, Ben Nading fourth, and Ryan Giles rounded out the top five.

The final checkers waved around 9:40, allowing time for a twenty-minute fireworks display that was postponed from last week.

It was nice to get back to the Hamilton County Speedway. It's been about a month to five weeks since I've attended a show there. The racing was pretty good while the track was in great shape. The stock cars ran mostly on the top side, but Mark Elliott proved there was a bottom side if you wanted to use it. The fireworks was a nice way to end the evening.

- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!

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