The past several trips to Oskaloosa has typically found the same person in victory lane when the dust settles. Whenever there is extra money on the line, Brad Pinkerton seems to always find his way at the front of the pack when the checkered flag waves. Pinkerton has won a couple big-paying stock car shows at Osky in the past as well as having picked up three USMTS races in his backyard. That is until he picked up his fourth USMTS victory last night.
Pinkerton's luck was evident from the beginning of the night as he found himself on the pole of the first of five heat races. He would score the win and redraw the "3" chip for the feature. Al Hejna and Jason Krohn, a pair of "7" machines, sat on the front row for the thirty-lap nightcap. Hejna won the previous USMTS visit back on August 5.
Hejna would grab control at the drop of the green flag while Pinkerton used the high line to take over second from Krohn on lap four. Deeper in the field Ryan Gustin was mounting a charge to the front as he made his way up to eighth using the low line. Gustin transferred out of one of two bmains and started 17th on the grid. Jason Hughes, who has picked up two Hunt feature wins thus far, began lurking forward with a pass on Krohn to snag the fourth spot away on lap six. Within the same lap or so, Pinkerton made his move on Hejna for the lead by using the cushion to do so. A caution would come out soon after and reset the field, with Jon Tesch looking under Hejna for the runner up spot. On that restart, Ryan Gustin and Kelly Shryock made contact in turn one that resulted in Gustin slowing to a stop and Shryock suffering a flat tire. Both would restart at the tail of the field, but giving up a lot of valuable points.
By the time lap eleven rolled around, Dereck Ramirez caught my radar as he advanced into the sixth position. Ramirez was relegated to use a provisional to make the show and started 21st. Just before the final caution flag waved on lap eighteen, Zach VanderBeek worked his way to the eighth spot after he too had to take a provisional. Unfortunately a red flag would be thrown when Ron VerBeek made heavy contact with the turn three catchfence. VerBeek would climb from his car a few minutes after the safety team arrived, but the car appeared to be far worse off then the driver.
Hejna would try to use the inside line on the restart to pull even with Pinkerton exiting turn two, but Pinkerton's car was just too good in the next set of turns and remained out front. Krohn and Hughes battled it out for the fourth spot with Hughes taking not only that spot, but also getting by Tesch to snare the third spot. Hejna would fall in line behind Pinkerton and try to reel him in late in the race, but it would be Brad Pinkerton visiting victory lane once again when the checkered flag waved.
Top 10: (38 modifieds)
1. 17P Brad Pinkerton
2. 7 Al Hejna
3. 12 Jason Hughes
4. 7K Jason Krohn
5. 3D Tim Donlinger
6. 14 Jon Tesch
7. 4R Dereck Ramirez
8. 33z Zach VanderBeek
9. 20 Rodney Sanders
10. 19R Ryan Gustin
Mike VanGenderen used his outside front row start to take the catbird seat in the USRA stock car feature, but that would be short-lived as Brian Mitrisin quickly advanced from his eighth-starting position to third after one lap and split VanGenderen and pole sitter Matt Griener exiting turn two for the lead on lap two. After a few cautions, Shane Weller proved that it's not where you start but rather where you finish. Weller was the winner the last time the track was in action back on August 5 and started tenth on the grid, but made his way to second late in the race before getting a great run off turn two to sneak past Mitrisin for the lead on lap eleven. From that point Weller would not look back as he captured another win.
13 stock cars
1. 20DUB Shane Weller
2. 12M Brian Mitrisin
3. 57v Mike VanGenderen
4. 67 Kyle Falck
5. 29 Matt Griener
6. 52 Nathan Wood
7. 11 Kyle Anderson
8. 126 Kevin Harsch
Tyler Groenendyk found the high side to his liking as well as he darted to the lead from his second starting spot in the USRA bmod feature. Andrew Schroeder was carving his way through the pack from his tenth starting position to grab fourth on lap six. Schroeder would take advantage of a lap eight restart to advance to the runner up spot, but the gap was too big to slice into by that time as Tyler Groenendyk took home the checkers.
24 bmods
1. 17T Tyler Groenendyk
2. 02 Andrew Schroeder
3. D1 Drew Lawson
4. 55 Bobby Greene
5. 16 Mike Shelton
6. 85 Jason McDaniel
7. 8J AJ Johnson
Fifteen laps would be the distance for the USRA hobby stocks as Kris Walker took the early lead. Tenth starter Danny Thrasher was quickly on the move to fourth by lap two while Dustin Griffiths was also on the prowl. Griffiths had to start 18th on the grid, but found himself up to seventh by lap four. Nathan Wood climbed into the third spot at the same time Jason McDaniel was passing Kris Walker for the lead. A caution would be displayed on lap ten with five laps to go that would set up a wild restart. Donavan Nunnikhoven restarted in fifth, but used the outside line to eventually make his way to second. He would challenge McDaniel for the lead, but his efforts would come up short as McDaniel took home the win.
19 hobby stocks
1. 85 Jason McDaniel
2. 2N Donavan Nunnikhoven
3. 52 Nathan Wood
4. 10G Dustin Griffiths
5. 84 Danny Thrasher
6. 18 Kris Walker
The Southern Iowa Speedway will now sit idle for a few weeks until the weekend of October 9-10 rolls around for the MUSCO Lighting Fall Challenge. Be sure to check out the track website at www.rlpromotions.com/oskaloosa for more details on that special event.
The USMTS moves up the road to the Highway 3 Raceway for action Wednesday night for their second of six consecutive nights. Hot laps will get started at 6:30 with racing to follow around 7:00. USRA stock cars, USRA bmods, USRA hobby stocks, and hornets are also on the card for tonight. For up to the minute results and point standings, check out www.usmts.com.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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