Wednesday, June 10th, marked the second trip to Oskaloosa for me this season. Tonight's action would be highlighted by the bmod class as they raced for a $700 top prize. Tonight would also be kids' night, so kids were able to ride with their favorite hobby stock or stock car drivers around the track before the races and then picked up some candy and money during intermission. Overcast skies and very little wind meant the track would stay tacky all night long, providing a lot of fierce racing competition.
The first feature to hit the track would be the USRA hobby stocks. Nineteen cars made the call, but a couple early cautions prevented the field from completing many laps. When the green stayed out, Kris Walker grabbed the early advantage while Steve Allen settled in behind in his new hotrod. Nathan Wood, last week's feature winner, started tenth on the grid and quickly made a charge towards the front as he passed three cars in two laps to take over the runner up spot. He would not stay there very long as he set his sights on Walker. The two exchanged the lead for a few short laps before Wood grabbed the lead with four laps to go. Wood distanced himself from the pack as he took home the win. Donovan Nunnikhoven was driving Mark Moor's car and would finish in second as both he and Dale Porter got by Kris Walker on the last corner coming to the checkers. Walker finished in fourth and Steve Allen rounded out the top five. Bobby Greene was involved in one of the early cautions and battled his way back up to finish sixth.
Thirteen USRA modifieds checked in tonight a shot at taking home a trophy. Josh Truman set the pace early on from outside the front row. After an early restart, Truman's car slid up the track in turn one that allowed Zach VanderBeek to get under him to take over the lead. Brad Pinkerton found the high side to his liking as he powered his car to the outside of Truman to make the pass for second on the next circuit. Last week's feature winner Steve Stewart made heavy contact with the turn one fence on lap five that halted action momentarily. Stewart would be okay. On the ensuing restart, Colt Mather muscled his machine to the inside of Truman off turn four and made contact. Both cars were sideways at one point, but Mather regained control and kept his position on the track. Truman was not so fortunate as he dropped several spots and would eventually retire to the pits. The race up front remained the same, but Mather reeled in Scott Dickey for third place and made a slidejob work in his favor. Ron VerBeek would later get by Dickey to secure the fourth spot, but tonight belonged to Zach VanderBeek. Pinkerton, Mather, VerBeek, and Dickey rounded out the top five.
Shane Weller used his outside front row start to take the early lead in the USRA stock car feature. He and Brian Mitrisin were pulling away from the rest of the eleven car field until the caution flag waved on lap eight. On the restart, Mitrisin apparently dropped his drive shaft and coincidentally Mike VanGenderen ran over it and smacked the wall hard in turn one. VanGenderen had no where to go as he was lined up right behind Mitrisin on the double-file restart alignment, but both cars would be retired for the night. From there Shane Weller made it look easy as he took home the checkers. Matt Greiner, Zach VanderBeek, and Corey Stout finished second through fourth, respectively. Matt Fox crossed the line in fifth, but apparently was disqualified for an illegal carburetor. Those five were the only ones left running at the finish, so not sure who finished fifth officially.
The finale of the night would be the eighteen lap USRA bmod feature. Only twenty of the twenty-four cars were able to take the green flag, but that didn't stop Drew Lawson from grabbing the lead early from his pole start. A couple early cautions slowed the event, and it would be one restart too many for Lawson as he went into turn one a little too fast and jumped the cushion. To his credit, he never slowed down as the car hit the wall. He basically "rode the wall" the entire way around turn two, but his machine would come to a stop on the exit of turn four to end his night. Cayden Carter would inherit the lead and close the book soon thereafter as he pulled away for the convincing win. Kevin Fee and Tyler Groenendyk battled for the second spot with Fee getting the edge at the finish. Carter VandenBerg and Andrew Schroeder rounded out the top five.
It was a pretty good night of racing tonight in Oskaloosa. There were a few more cars torn up then I'm used to seeing, but that's part of the game when the track is tacky as it was tonight. It should be noted that Cayden Carter is merely 14 years old. Carter seems to step up his game every time extra money is on the line at the Southern Iowa Speedway, and tonight was no different. I think it's safe to say that the sport is in good hands with youngsters like him, Carter VandenBerg, and Andrew Schroeder.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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