Tapfan's Tours got back into the swing of things Saturday night as I headed back to the Hamilton County Speedway for my first race in nine days. With the hot temperatures hovering around, I figured the overhead awning would be beneficial at Webster City and opted for that track. As it turned out, the car count and crowd would both be minimal, most likely from the heat.
Four hornets were on hand tonight, but Wesley Stewart was unable to start the feature. Adam Strunk took the lead from the start, but all three cars stayed together in a pack for the duration of the race. Daniel Ayers challenged Strunk on the inside, but was unable to finish the pass. Nick Hogan would then challenge Ayers, but Ayers powered back to second. Adam Strunk would take home the win with Ayers second and Hogan third.
The eleven car field of IMCA hobby stocks was perhaps the weirdest feature I've witnessed this year. Tim Smith, piloting the car normally driven by Roger Haupt Jr, grabbed the lead early. Meanwhile first-time visitor Heath Tulp weaved his way through traffic as he climbed into the third spot by lap two before passing Daniel Krieger for second a lap later. Following a caution, Tulp would pass race leader Tim Smith. A bit deeper in the pack, Robert Dilley was on the prowl as he moved passed Krieger for third. Dilley was driving the car normally driven by Brandon Chaplin. Tulp would slow down the backstretch, relinquishing the lead back to Tim Smith. Dilley used the low line to pass Smith for the lead just before Smith went up in smoke. Dilley would score the win ahead of Allen Dixon, Craig Graham, Ryan Darling, and Matt Ring. Darling, Ring, and Tulp were grouped together as none of them wanted to finish fourth it seemed.
Moving on to the twenty-car field of IMCA sportmods. Brandon Toftee took control in the early going with Shawn Hunter right behind. Kyle Brown got by Hunter just before a caution waved, and on the restart Bob Sutherland and Matt Lettow also got by Hunter. Following another restart, Brown would slide up the banking in turn four and receive contact from Matt Lettow. Brown would regroup and continue on while Lettow would suffer a flat right front tire. Two more late cautions kept the field bunched up, allowing Sutherland to pass Toftee for the lead with three laps to go. Rocky Caudle would later get by Toftee but settled for second place as Bob Sutherland took home the win. Caudle was second, Toftee third, and Duane VanDeest was scored fourth. Not quite sure who was fifth, but the next three cars across the line were Brandon Leeman, Beau Kaplan, and Kyle Brown.
Ryan Leeman and Reid Keller remained side by side at the completion of lap one of the stock car feature with Leeman getting the upper hand on lap two. At the time everybody was running the cushion until Scott Bloemke drove to the inside of Jim Mitchell to take the third spot away. A double file restart ensued after Mike VanGenderen spun in turn two, which allowed Mark Elliott to sneak under Bloemke for the third spot. Elliott, Keller, and Leeman would later go three-wide exiting turn four down the front straight. Keller would get the advantage with Elliott right behind. Meanwhile VanGenderen was working his way back through the field as he climbed into the third spot when the white flag was displayed. Reid Keller would hold on for the win ahead of Mark Elliott, Mike VanGenderen, Ryan Leeman, and Scott Bloemke. Only ten cars were in attendance tonight.
When the green flag dropped for the twelve-car IMCA modified feature, there was little doubt as to who was going to win. Mark Elliott weaved his way from his sixth starting spot to take the lead on lap one and he immediately began to pull away from the field. Scott Olson, who started alongside Elliott, would later make his way to second after passing Travis Prochaska and Scott Williams. By that time Elliott had already built up a straight away advantage. A caution waved on lap eight to bunch the field back up, which allowed visiting driver Todd Shute to dive inside of Olson to make the pass for second. Olson would later go pitside with troubles. Despite two more caution flags, the home track advantage for Elliott was too much to overcome for former IMCA Supernationals champion Todd Shute as Elliott took the win. Shute would finish second, David Brown third, Travis Prochaska fourth, and Scott Williams rounded out the top five.
The finale of the night would be the IMCA late models. Jason Vansickel grabbed the lead from the start, but Jeff Aikey was quickly working his way through the field. Aikey started tenth in the eleven-car field, but worked his way to fourth in just three laps. Aikey would soon get by Jason Hahne and Randy Faux to move into second, and by lap seven he would pass Vansickel for the lead. By the halfway point in the race Aikey had built up a straight away lead over Hahne, but Hahne would receive pressure from Kelly Tapper. Tapper would find a way by Hahne on the bottom side while Todd Cooney followed Tapper to third. The night belonged to Jeff Aikey as he picked up another Hamilton County Speedway victory. Kelly Tapper would finish second, Todd Cooney third, Jason Hahne fourth, and Darrel DeFrance was fifth.
The Hamilton County Speedway is back in action Thursday night as part of the Hamilton County Fair. The track will hold the 5th annual Thursday Night Thunder, an event that will pay $1,000 to win for each of the following classes: IMCA late models, IMCA modifieds, stock cars, IMCA sportmods, and IMCA hobby stocks. The hornet division will be running for $300 to win. For more information, log on to www.hamiltoncountyspeedway.com.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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