Another beautiful evening was in store for race fans Saturday night at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City. For the fifth time in as many nights of racing, the car count topped the triple digit mark with 105. The heat races were run pretty smoothly with the exception of one of the IMCA sportmod heats as Chase Ellingson and Kyle Brown tangled on the back stretch. Ellingson was checked over by the EMS crew, but seemed to be ok. Brown was not hurt.
Seven hornets started off the night's feature action with Adam Strunk making a bold move to the bottom for the lead after starting fourth. The action was three-wide momentarliy behind him with Daniel Ayers, Keaton Graffunder, and Jason Clark battling it out. Strunk would go on to pick up his third consecutive feature win at Webster City. Daniel Ayers would finish second, Jason Clark was third, Chris Louk fourth, and Keaton Graffunder rounded out the top five.
Following the hornet feature would be the IMCA hobby stock feature event. Eighteen cars took the green flag with Ray Stock Jr holding down the top spot in the early going. Randy Embrey, who was making his first appearance at the track this year, started in the twelfth spot but quickly sliced his way through to the fifth position by lap three. Embrey continued his march towards the front as he worked to the inside of both Bobby Dilley and Matt Ring to climb into the third spot. Following a caution, Embrey worked to the outside of second place runner David Rieks to take over that position. Soon after Rieks would lose the handle of his machine while Ray Stock Jr slowed down the back stretch. The yellow flag would come out for Rieks, and Embrey would inherit the race lead. Randy Embrey would go on to take the win ahead of Bobby Dilley, Brad Ratcliff, Kevin Fee, and Cory Roe.
Twenty-seven IMCA sportmods checked into the pit area Saturday night with a couple of them not making the call for the feature. Using the pole to his advantage, Austin Lucas shot to the lead with Cayden Carter following just behind. Jeremy Embrey moved into the fourth spot as he got around Jared Timmerman, but it was a long distance ahead to the top three as Lucas, Carter, and Matt Lettow separated themselves from the field. Lucas would push up the track just enough to allow Carter to sneak under and take over the lead with five laps remaining. Following a caution, Embrey drove in deep in turn three and made significant contact with Matt Lettow. Lettow would exit to his trailer, but as he was doing that Carter was slowing on the track. The caution flag waved with two laps remaining as Carter pulled his machine to the trailer. On the restart Embrey would suffer a flat right front tire as a result of his contact with Lettow earlier. He pulled out of harms way as Austin Lucas took the win. Carter VanDenBerg would cross the line in second, but would be docked two spots for jumping the final restart. That bumped Joel Rust to the second spot, Rocky Caudle to third, and VanDenBerg scored in fourth with Jared Timmerman rounding out the top five.
The focus then turned to the stock cars as they pulled on to the track. Mark Elliott has won all four features thus far, but he would have his work cut out for him on this night as he started in the ninth position out of eleven cars. Defending track champion Mark Haglund would hold down the early lead. First time visitor on the year Curt Hook made his presence known early as he used the cushion to advance six positions on the first lap, going from tenth to fourth. Reid Keller and Adam Silvey raced side by side for the runner up spot while Jason Wagoner challenged Hook for the fourth spot until the caution waved on lap six. Keller would make the pass on Haglund for the lead soon after a restart and would fend off a charging Mark Elliott for the win. Elliott settled for second, Haglund was third, Curt Hook fourth, and Dennis Plain completed the top five.
Another good field of IMCA modifieds were on hand Saturday night as all but one of the twenty-three cars took the green flag. Pole sitter Greg Elliott took command from the start with Jeremy Mills on his heels. Mark Elliott and Adam Larson would both make passes on Jacob Murray to advance to the third and fourth positions, respectively, prior to the caution flag waving on lap eleven. Mills and Elliott would swap positions a few times with Mills getting the edge. Mills would use the top side to get by Greg Elliott for the lead with just two laps to go and would go on to take the win. Greg Elliott settled for second, Mark Elliott was third, and Scott Olson edged Adam Larson at the line for fourth and fifth, respectively.
The finale of the night would be the IMCA late models with sixteen cars ready for action. Chad Cooney would lead the first lap, but Ryan Giles would split him and Ben Nading on an early restart to snare the lead away. Darrel DeFrance would follow Giles to the second position and work under Giles as the two raced wheel to wheel. A few yellow flags later, Nading would get a good restart and work under Giles for the lead. Nading and Giles would engage in a great battle for the top position for several laps as the two never touched each other. Meanwhile Jeff Aikey had worked his way around DeFrance for third and was slowly reeling in the top two drivers. With six laps to go Aikey passed Nading for second prior to another caution flag. Following the restart Aikey looked to the inside of Giles in turn three and drove a little deeper and pushed up, making contact with Giles. Aikey would take the lead as a result and go on to take the win. Ben Nading got back by Ryan Giles for second and third, respectively, with Darrel DeFrance and Al Johnson rounding out the top five.
I'd like to thank track announcer Ryan Bergeson for the Positively racing plug once again. I'd also like to thank the Hamilton County fairboard for their hospitality. Be sure to check out the Hamilton County Speedway website for upcoming events, results, and updated points.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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