All week long I pondered my options on where to go come Saturday night. Several options were available including Boone, Webster City, Algona, Deer Creek, and Burlington. After working a couple hours Saturday morning, I finally made the decision to check out Joe Ringsdorf's Algona Raceway.
Upon arrival my friends and I met up with good friends Jerry Vansickel and Grant Oskvig. Jerry is one of the voices of the track while Grant waves the flags every week. After spending a couple minutes catching up on things from the winter, it was time to go check in and get settled in. When checking in at the pitshack, a woman noticed who I was and immediately knew my name. She was very friendly and thanked me for coming. My goal for my next visit to Algona is to figure out her name and thank her for being a follower of my blog.
By my count there were 83 total cars on hand. Classes in competition included IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, IMCA sportmods, IMCA hobby stocks, cruisers, and two divisions of hornets. This is the first year that Ringsdorf has sanctioned with IMCA on the hobby stocks and sportmods. Naturally I wanted to see how drivers made the transition from last year to this, but it appears it may have been easier then I anticipated. Twenty-one IMCA hobby stocks and eighteen IMCA sportmods were on hand; definitely a good count for both in my opinion. I noticed in the heat races that several sportmods were dealing with tight race cars, a direct result likely from the rear spoiler. I'm sure drivers will get things figured out as the year progresses.
Nine junior hornets were the first feature to hit the track. It would be Ross Hingson taking the win after Joe Devries crossed the line first, but was later docked two spots for jumping the initial start. Dan Potts was second.
Patrick Barrett, Tim Doocy, and Jay Devries all battled it out in the seven-car hornet feature for the top prize. In the end it would be Devries holding off Doocy at the line for the win.
Six cruisers were on hand for their opening night as Peg Lewis and Heather Pesicka came home with the win. They are the defending track champions.
IMCA hobby stocks have been dubbed the "wild things" at other tracks in the Midwest. That tagline carried over to the Algona Raceway last night as twenty cars made the starting call. Outside front row started Chad Krug led the opening laps of the twelve-lap feature until the caution came out when Devin Smith looped his machine in turn four. Smith had been running fifth, but was relegated to the tail of the field. The caution would fly again when Kyle Ricke spun his machine to the inside of the corner, but happened to be a big break for Cody Knecht. Knecht was running third, but would be docked two spots for jumping the first restart.
More madness would follow as the following restart was called off because of the second-place car passing the leader before the flagstand. Unfortunately that didn't help Drew Barglof as he lost a right rear tire in the process to end his night. As if things couldn't get more hectic then that, the top three drivers made contact with each other when racing resumed and all spun to some degree thereafter. The caution came out for that incident, handing the reigns over to Nick Meyer. Alan Ricke would later spin his machine to the infield to bring out yet another caution, setting up a restart with Meyer, Heath Tulp, Chad Gentz, Derrick Barglof, and Cody Knecht the top five. However, before the green flag could wave Tulp was forced to the infield with a flat right rear tire. Meyer's machine slowed exiting turn four, causing drivers behind him to take evasive action. Devin Smith tried to changed lanes, but Barglof was there and wouldn't let him through. Barglof was black flagged for questionable driving on Smith as all three cars got together hard. After all the excitement, the final restart proved to be rather calm as Chad Gentz held off the rest of the field to pick up the win. Cody Knecht and Dustin Wannarka battled for second with Knecht getting the upper hand at the end. Micah Lavrenz and Kyle Ricke rounded out the rest of the top five.
Wheeew... time to catch my breath. Ok, now on to the IMCA sportmods. This feature would prove to be much different as no caution flags were thrown. Outside front row starter Mike Carlson grabbed the lead from the drop of the green flag, but Brett Meyer was charging through the field at a high pace further back. Meyer started sixth on the grid, but quickly moved to second by the third circuit. Meyer dove to the inside of Carlson in turn three to take the lead, but in doing so Carlson spun his machine to the bottom of turn four. He kept the engine running and fell back to ninth. The battle of the "5" cars was a good one to watch at Friday night's winner in Fairmont, Tad Reutzel, and Jake Simpson were also moving forward. They passed George Nordman to climb to third and fourth, respectively while Meyer opened up a straight away lead. Reutzel would dispose of Denny Penning for the runner up spot, but was unable to make up ground as Brett Meyer took home the win. Jake Simpson got by both Penning and Reutzel late in the race to snare second, Reutzel was third, Penning fourth, and Matt Hoeft completed the top five.
Nineteen IMCA stock cars hit the track next and sophomore Josh Hohensee was quick on the trigger to take the lead. Kevin Opheim quickly made his way to second while perennial contender David Smith worked his way to fourth. He then ducked inside of Andrew Inman for the third spot before the caution came out. A Delaware double-file restart was used, giving the leader a row to himself with the field doubled up behind him. Jared Dirks used this to his advantage as he shot to the outside and picked off a couple cars to advance up to third. Chad Palmer would get back by Dirks for third, and a bit later Opheim went entered turn three carrying a little too much momentum and slid up the track a couple car widths, allowing Palmer to get that position at the halfway point of the race. Dirks would battle with Opheim and take the third spot away just before the caution waved again for Laura Curry and Craig Berhow. Both drivers wound up hitting the frontstretch wall with Curry's car getting the worst of it. Tough luck for Curry as earlier she won the best appearing stock car award at the car show. After the restart, Dirks would find himself spinning in front of traffic to the inside of turn four. Luckily everybody missed him, but that ended his night. Palmer closed in on Hohensee late in the race, but it wasn't enough as Hohensee took the win. Palmer was second, Dave Smith third, Kevin Opheim fourth, and Calvin Lange rounded out the top five.
Only thirteen IMCA modifieds were on hand for opening night, which was kind of disappointing. Ricky Stephan used his pole starting spot to take control the race early on. Clayton Christensen's machine would slow to a stop atop turn four to bring out the caution. Jeremy Mills was running second when he used the outside groove to pass Stephan for the lead. Eric Dailey and Austin Wolf engaged in a battle for third while all eyes were watching Matt Gilbertson towards the middle of the pack. Gilbertson was fast in his heat and started tenth on the grid, but people were noticing his hot orange brakes on his rear wheels. Gilbertson kept slowing advancing positions as he climbed inside the top five with the orange colored glow. He got by Austin Wolf for fourth before getting black flagged for sparks falling from his right rear brakes. At that time parts flew off in turn three to bring out the caution flag, setting up a double-file restart with four laps to go. Restarting in fifth, Ryan Watnem made the outside lane work to his liking as he climbed to the runner up spot with two laps to go. But he would not catch Jeremy Mills as he went on take the win. Watnem was second, Eric Dailey third, Ricky Stephan fourth, and Austin Wolf fifth.
All in all it was a good night of racing at Algona. The show moved along at a quick pace all night, or at least when the caution flag wasn't being thrown. There were quite a few black flags thrown, something I rarely see at a season opening event. But they were all good calls made by the officials, at least in my opinion.
I'd like to thank Joe Ringsdorf for his hospitality and look forward to making a return trip to Algona in the future. Tonight I'll make the trip to his Sunday night home, the I-35 Speedway in Mason City for their season opener. Hot laps get underway at 6pm with racing action to follow.
I'd like to take this time to wish all of you a Happy Easter!!
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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