Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Evolution Motorsports Sweep

First off, I'd like to apologize to everybody that reads my blog for being a couple days late with this one. When I arrived home Sunday night, I wasn't feeling good at all and things got worse overnight. Not sure if it's a cold or what, but it completely zapped all the energy out of me yesterday. I am feeling better today!

Sunday night meant another trip north to the I-35 Speedway in Mason City. The night's activities would also include Stan Riedel jumping eight cars with a schoolbus. Riedel and track announcer Jerry Vansickel had a bet going as to whether or not Riedel could clear the cars.

Before Riedel attempted his courageous jump, the racing program would be run. Courtney Eilertson led early in the junior hornet feature, but things quickly came to a halt when Tate McCurry rolled down the backstretch. He got out of the car under his own power. Ken Winkowitsch made his way to the front, but Eilertson hit him in the door and spun him out. Eilertson would be black flagged for questionable driving and that allowed Dan Potts to take home the win. In the pro hornet feature, Patrick Barrett led the first lap before relinquishing it to Andy Hatch on the next lap. Hatch would go on to take the win.

Sixteen hobby stocks took to the track next for their feature. Chris Monson shot to the lead from the pole before a caution came out. Stac Schroeder worked his way to the inside of Scott Dobel for second as the field completed the second lap. Dobel continued to backslide as Chad Gentz and Cory Gansen made their way by as well. Just before the halfway mark, Schroeder ducked below Monson to grab the top spot away. Monson's car would get sideways a lap later which allowed four cars to get by. Stac Schroeder went on to take the checkers followed by Cory Gansen, Chad Gentz, Heath Tulp, and Mick Meyers.

A solid field of eighteen bmods checked in Sunday night, and it would be George Nordman taking the top spot early on. After a restart, Dan Tenold showed his strength as he powered his machine to the top side and made the pass on John Warrington for second at the halfway point. A lap later Tenold again used the high side to snare the lead away from Nordman. Adam Ackerman was another driver on the move as he shot to the inside of Warrington to take over the third position. Ackerman would later get by Nordman on the bottom side for second while Nate Chodur and Matt Hoeft both passed Warrington. Chodur made the pass on Nordman using the bottom side to work his way up to third, but up front it was all Dan Tenold as he took home the win for Evolution Motorsports. Adam Ackerman was second, Nate Chodur third, Matt Hoeft fourth, and George Nordman rounded out the top five.

Jeffrey Larson paced the field of eighteen IMCA stock cars to the green flag, but it would be Mike Jergens grabbing the lead as the field made it's way back to the start/finish line. Deeper in the field, Kevin Opheim worked under Aaron Haggerty before Opheim's car ran over the left front fender of Haggerty's machine. Haggerty would suffer a flat tire the next lap by, spin, and collect Travis Prochaska.

Ryan Hiscocks began to put pressure on Joe Willier for the runner up spot before Hiscocks took the spot. Kevin Opheim got under Bert McDaniel to move into fourth place with just two laps to go. After a late caution, Mike Jergens would hold off the pack as he took home yet another feature win. Ryan Hiscocks was second, Kevin Opheim third, Bert McDaniel fourth, and Larry Portis fifth.

Pole sitter Alex Hanson took the early command in the IMCA modified feature. Todd Stinehart slipped by Levi Nielsen on the bottom side to work his way up to second place. One of the early chargers was Al Hejna. Hejna started ninth and quickly worked his way to fourth after passing Ryan Ruter on the low side. Hanson had built up a sizable lead until a caution bunched the field back up. After the restart, Hejna tried to work on the outside of Nielsen exiting turn two, but the two made wheel to wheel contact that allowed Jeremy Mills to speed past below them to third.

As the crossed flags were displayed, Hejna made his way by Nielsen for the fourth spot. By this time the high side had pretty much gone away and the field was down by the tires. Hejna caught Mills and tried everything to get by, but nothing worked. Alex Hanson raced out to another comfortable margin as he took home the win in his Evolution Motorsports ride. Todd Stinehart was second, Jeremy Mills third, Al Hejna fourth, and Shane Monson rounded out the top five.

It would now be time for Stan Riedel's jump. The semi trailer ramp and the eight cars were moved to the front stretch. Riedel brought the bus to the front stretch where he began to put on his helmet and other safety equipment. As he climbed into the driver's seat in the bus, he took off around the track to build up his momentum. He made a couple "practice" runs before deciding to make the jump on the third time by. As the bus went up in the air, a cool side effect of fire was lit on the back side of the ramp. Riedel cleared all eight cars, but landed very hard on the other side. The bus slowly made its way back to the front stretch, but his family and setup crew were anxious to get the doors open to check on the eighty-two year old stuntman. Paramedics were called on to check on him, and he would later be transported I'm sure to a nearby hospital.

I haven't heard how Riedel is doing, but hopefully he's doing well. That was a hard landing and I'm sure if nothing else he suffered whiplash.

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

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