As the headline indicates, I caught my first racing action on a half-mile track this season by attending the season opener at the I-35 Speedway in Mason City Sunday night. Joe Ringsdorf had his Sunday night track looking in tip-top shape, and I noticed the banking in turns one and two appeared to be higher then last year. Either that or my eyes were deceiving me.
I checked in and roamed the pit area, chatting with drivers that I saw race in Algona last night or asking guys if they had raced elsewhere. Had good conversations with a lot of different people, but the time soon came to get the motors running.
The heat races were run in an efficient manner as always. Ten junior hornets then made their way to the track. It would be Alan Aird taking home the win while Gary Stahl picked up the hornet victory. Stahl indicated he'd try to come back down from his hometown of Kasson, Minnesota as much as he could, but he plans to run at his hometown track located three blocks from his house. Don't blame him there!
Thirteen IMCA hobby stocks were ready to do battle next as outside front row starter, and Algona feature winner, Chad Gentz took the early lead. Pole sitter Kyle Schmauss lost the handle on his machine, handing the second spot over to Heath Tulp. Tulp would get under Gentz for the lead on lap three while Stac Schroeder followed right behind. Schroeder would use the only restart of the race to sneak inside of Tulp to grab the reigns away. A bit further behind, Dustin Wannarka was making big strides to the front. Wannarka started at the tail of the field, but had advanced to the third spot by passing Gentz on the outside. But Stac Schroeder was fastest on this night as he took home the win. He was followed across the line by Heath Tulp, Dustin Wannarka, Cory Gansen, and Chad Gentz. Gansen was driving an unfamiliar #71c car rather then his usual #6 car.
Up next would be the IMCA sportmod feature event with twenty cars making the call. Pole sitter Geoff Olson took advantage of his great starting spot by racing to the lead. He would pull away from the field before the caution came out that involved Adam Ackerman's car coming to a stop. That put Nate Chodur on Olson's rear bumper, but he was unable to get any closer as Olson again distanced himself. Shane Swanson got by Chad Louk for the third spot and quickly closed the gap to Chodur. Olson was able to take home the win followed by Nate Chodur, Shane Swanson, Matt Looft, and Chad Louk.
Only nine IMCA stock cars were on hand for opening night. Chris Adams dashed to the front of the field at the drop of the green flag, but that didn't last long as Larry Portis took the lead away on lap three. Adams would lose the runner up spot to Merlyn Hegland a short time later before the caution waved for Kevin Opheim, whose car spun in turn three. A double-file restart bunched the field back up, and Travis Shipman took full advantage of that as he motored by on the outside to advance from fourth to second within the first green flag lap. Hegland's night ended sooner then expected when he slowed exiting turn two. Just when it appeared that Portis had things well in hand with a lap to go, the transmission gave way as he took the white flag. Travis Shipman was in the right place at the right time as he would take home the unexpected win followed by Randy Killen, Joe Willier, Chris Adams, and Andrew Inman.
(Edit) - Apparently Randy Killen was disqualified, moving everybody else behind him up a spot.
Fourteen IMCA modifieds closed out the night's racing activities with a twenty lap feature. With Ryan Ruter and Jeremy Mills on the front row, everybody knew it was going to be a heck of a race. Ruter got the edge early on for the lead, but Mills stayed within striking distance. Terrance Prochaska entered into the battle as well, but Ruter and Mills separated themselves later in the race despite a couple yellow flags. Levi Nielsen and rookie Dustin Brown made heavy contact with each other as Nielsen spun and Brown had nowhere to go. Nielsen walked away while Brown was checked over in the pit area. I believe he was okay, just a little sore. Unfortunately his Skyrocket's front end can't say the same. When racing resumed, Mills applied pressure to Ruter in the closing laps, but Ryan Ruter was able to hold him off to take the win. Mills was second, Terrance Prochaska third, Shane Monson fourth, and Rob Rose rounded out the top five.
A very efficient program saw the final checkered flag wave before 8:30. Hopefully as the weeks go by the car count will pick up. I was very surprised to see only nine stock cars on hand.
Once again I'd like to thank Joe Ringsdorf for his hospitality tonight.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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