On Friday afternoon, I received a phone call from Positivelyracing head man Jeff Broeg asking if I would be interested in attending a race with him on Sunday afternoon. I was unaware of a race this late in the season, but when he informed me of the track I decided to meet him and do a little "road trippin" to Butler, Missouri and the Butler Motor Speedway. Time to celebrate Halloween "racin style".
Jeff and I had plenty of time to discuss several topics along the way during our lengthy trip south of Kansas City. We discussed many rumors floating about along with general racing news. It was a lot of fun bench racing with a man that has a plethora of racing knowledge.
The Sunday afternoon racing card saw late models, modifieds, b-modifieds, factory stocks, street stocks, 600 cc sprints, and hobby stocks (or better known as hornets here in Iowa). A healthy purse was up for grabs in the late models ($2,000 to win) and modifieds ($1,500 to win). While the modified car count was solid with 25, the late model count was unexpectedly low with only eleven or twelve.
The heat races provided some great racing action for a mid-day start time. Two distinct racing grooves were used throughout all divisions with the high side in turns three and four actually being a preferred line by many.
The first feature event would be the factory stocks. Paul Snyder would take the point and lead in the early going, but Don Danner made his move following a restart and passed Snyder on the inside for the race lead. Snyder would later lose his second position to Brian Ziegler following another caution flag, but the race belonged to Don Danner as he picked up the win. Brian Ziegler was second, Paul Snyder third, Jerry Schmidt fourth, and Devin Weymeyer rounded out the top five.
Next up was the b-mod feature. A solid field of twenty-three cars took the green flag with Bobby Maggard getting the early advantage over JC Morton. Several caution flags plagued the event, but it also presented an interesting game of chess. JC Morton and Jay Lamans were the players and the interesting plot was who would be in the second spot when the next caution flag was displayed. With the double-file restart the second-place car gets the option of starting on the inside or outside line. Every time it appeared the driver took the inside. However, every restart saw the outside guy get the advantage and take the spot away until the next yellow flag. It was definitely puzzling for Jeff and I as to why the guys didn't opt for the outside when they clearly knew that spot would get the advantage each time. But I digress back to the racing action.
One driver who benefited from the numerous cautions was Mike Striegel. After falling victim to the two-spin rule in his heat race, he was forced to start towards the tail of the field. He quickly dissected his way through the field and found himself passing Wayne Graybeal for the fourth spot. Another caution came out, and presumably after the flag had been waved, Morton and Lamans made contact with Morton coming to a stop inside of turn one. Both drivers were sent to the tail for their involvement. That put Striegel in the runner up spot, and a few laps later he worked his way under Maggard for the lead. Maggard would proceed to lose a couple more positions before I noticed he had left the track late in the race. Mike Striegel would go on to take the checkered flag ahead of Andrew Smith, Eric Tinderholdt, Andy Beauchamp, and Mark Evinger.
The nine-car field of street stocks were up next. Sundance Keeper (yes, that's his real name) started on the pole and bolted to the lead. Steve Shadden looked under Jessy Willard for the second spot about halfway through the race for the second position. Shadden would slide high exiting turn two and give the spot back to Willard. The race would go green to checkered as Sundance Keeper dominated the racing in picking up the prize. Jessy Willard would finish second, Steve Shadden was third, Don Danner fourth, and Paul Snyder rounded out the top five. And yes, you may noticed that Danner and Snyder were in both the factory stock and street stock top five. They raced the same car in both divisions, as did Brian Ziegler.
Following a caution-free race is always somewhat difficult to live up to, and this time the modifieds would be that class. Unfortunately they had a much different outcome as they had four attempts to complete just the first lap. When a lap finally got completed it was pole sitter Chad Lyle taking the top spot with Terry Schultz following him in second. Shad Badder would sneak inside of Schultz to take over the second spot prior to the caution waving once again. From that point on none of the top five positions changed as Chad Lyle picked up the win. Shad Badder finished second, Terry Schultz was third, Aaron Marant finished fourth, and Jody Tillman completed the top five.
The late models entered the track for their feature event with eight of the eleven cars on hand taking the green flag. Pole sitter Matt Johnson quickly took command out front with Larry Jones running second. With a small field of cars only one yellow was displayed, but very little passing was seen during the race as the track had locked down during the modified feature. Matt Johnson took home the win followed by Larry Jones, David Turner, Chuck Comer, and Jerry Morgan.
Following that race Jeff and I decided it was time to hit the road for our 5+ hour trip back home. Still to be run were the 600 cc sprints and the "hobby stocks" (hornets).
During the races Jeff and I were greeted by Trenton Berry. I had the pleasure of meeting Trenton at LA Raceway in LaMonte and have seen him at select tracks since then. He informed us that he was no longer with the Racinboys.com people, and had embarked on a new venture. He started a website of his own, www.racindirt.com, as he gave us his business cards. Be sure to check out his website, as that is where I got the names of the drivers Sunday as I didn't recognize very many.
Sunday's race at Butler marked race #90 for me on the season. While there is a strong possibility of it being my last, I can't rule out the chance of making it down to Springfield (Missouri) Thanksgiving Saturday for their Turkey Classic race.
On a side note, I noticed that the Marshalltown Speedway has already published their 2011 schedule on their website. Promoter Toby Kruse has also nullified all the rumors floating with the announcement that IMCA will indeed be the sanctioning as his facility in 2011. Be sure to check out that schedule. Also be sure to check out the special events calendar here on Positivelyracing.com as more tracks will be included starting in 2011 to provide a wider variety of options for a larger population of people.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Gustin Family Wins Big in 2010
It has been said that racing is a "family sport". Well that saying is definitely true when it comes to the Gustin family. At some point in their life every member of the Gustin family has piloted a race car. It began with Dick Gustin and Dale DeFrance, and their children caught the bug as well. I remember watching Rick Gustin wheel a stock car and modified around the half-mile tracks in Webster City and Eldora. Darrel DeFrance still wheels a late model while his sister Judy (Gustin) is a former Marshalltown Speedway track champion in the stock car division.
Fast forward a few years... Now there are four Gustin's racing along with Darrel DeFrance, and don't forget about relative Damon Murty. That's six relatives involved with racing from one family, something that perhaps only the Smith family from Lake City, Iowa can brag about to my knowledge. All six relatives enjoyed a fantastic year in 2010, and the following will be somewhat of a recap of each of their respective seasons.
Jimmy Gustin - I'll start with Jimmy beings he is the oldest of the immediate family. Jimmy accomplished something that resembles another "Jimmie" (Johnson) as he won his fourth consecutive track championship at the Marshalltown Speedway. He also was in contention for the Boone Speedway track championship, but had to settle for third instead. His biggest victory was when he crossed the finish line to become the 2010 Speedway Motors IMCA Supernationals Champion at the Boone Speedway.
Here are Jimmy's unofficial 2010 stats:
57 starts; 9 wins (not including preliminary and Supernationals wins); 29 top 5's; 43 top 10's; average finish of 6.4
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/jimmy.htm
Richie Gustin - Richie had a phenomenal year in 2010. He was atop the IMCA North Central Region point standings for most of the first half of the year before bowing out at the end. Richie focused primarily on weekly racing at the Marshalltown Speedway and following the inaugural season of the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour. About mid-season his hopes were high for capturing both titles, but a chassis changed in July brought about some major challenges and both goals were left unobtained. That should not take anything away from his great season, however, as he did finish second in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour point standings and sixth at Marshalltown. He picked up three wins on the eight-race tour. His biggest win came at the famed Knoxville Raceway during the Harris Clash in July, and then backed it up with another win on the first night of the Late Model Nationals event.
Here are Richie's unofficial 2010 stats:
55 starts; 16 wins; 27 top 5's; 33 top 10's; avg finish 8.9
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/richie.htm
Ryan Gustin - It's hard to imagine Ryan having a better season then he did in 2009 when he finished second in the final USMTS Hunt for the Championship standings to Kelly Shryock. But, that's exactly what happened. Ryan received a phone call from Ed Gressel and was asked if he wanted to race for him. That was the start of something magical as Ryan picked up a season-best 17 wins on the USMTS series this year. He swept both races at the nearby Oskaloosa track while winning at fifteen other different tracks. During the month of June Ryan enjoyed a five-race winning streak that was capped with an exciting last-lap pass of Jason Krohn at Fort Dodge. Despite finishing in the top ten in 80% of his races, half of those times were during the Hunt. Those finishes resulted in another runner-up to the champion, and this year it was Jason Hughes.
Here are Ryan's unofficial 2010 stats:
60 USMTS starts; 17 wins; 40 top 5's; 48 top 10's; avg finish 4.8. Also ran two IMCA races (finished 3rd in Inaugural Hawkeye Dirt Tour event at Independence) and won a sportmod race at Memphis (MO) in October
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/ryan.htm
Jenae Gustin - The only female of the bunch, Jenae finished her second year in the IMCA sportmod / bmod division. While she didn't enjoy as much success as her brother's, she did pick up her first career win at the Marshalltown Speedway on August 27. She continues to learn more about the car and what changes can be made. I'm sure she'll find more success with added seat time and experience.
Here are Jenae's unofficial 2010 stats:
32 starts; 1 win; 3 top 5's; 12 top 10's; avg finish 10
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/jenae.htm
Darrel DeFrance - While that ends the list of "Gustin's", there are still two more relatives to talk about. Darrel DeFrance enjoyed another solid season in the IMCA late model class. He collected five feature wins this year, all at Webster City. He once again added to his "Ironman" total by attending all 16 Deery Brothers Summer Series events. He picked up the track title at the Hamilton County Speedway while finishing second to Todd Cooney by a mere two points at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway. DeFrance also finished third in National Points.
Here are Darrel's unofficial 2010 stats:
47 starts; 5 wins; 21 top 5's; 31 top 10's; avg finish 5.4
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net.defrance.htm/
Damon Murty - I'm sure looking back Damon Murty will remember his 2010 season. He became the newest member of the 100 IMCA stock car wins club when he picked the checkers at the Hancock County Speedway in Britt on August 12. Murty was also crowned the champion of the IMCA Stock Car Shootout Series on the strength of three finishes of third place. Murty bounced around hitting different tracks throughout the season. While that diminished his chances of winning a track championship, it surely didn't halt his chances of winning. He picked up eight feature wins and finished tenth in IMCA Nationals Points.
Here are Damon's unofficial 2010 stats:
54 starts; 8 wins; 36 top 5's; 40 top 10's; avg finish 6.3
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/murty.htm
Gustin Family unofficial 2010 stats combined:
305 starts; 56 wins; 156 top 5's; 207 top 10's; avg finish 6.61
So as you can see, the Gustin family enjoyed a lot of success over the course of the 2010 season. I have been working at compiling other drivers' stats, notably the top drivers in IMCA National Points, IMCA Rookie of the Year points, and some region champions. I am also working on obtaining results from other drivers that enjoyed a great amount of success this season. So be sure to check back in the coming weeks for those updates. Until then, go to http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/ and click on the "Drivers Stats" link to see what I've been up to.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
Fast forward a few years... Now there are four Gustin's racing along with Darrel DeFrance, and don't forget about relative Damon Murty. That's six relatives involved with racing from one family, something that perhaps only the Smith family from Lake City, Iowa can brag about to my knowledge. All six relatives enjoyed a fantastic year in 2010, and the following will be somewhat of a recap of each of their respective seasons.
Jimmy Gustin - I'll start with Jimmy beings he is the oldest of the immediate family. Jimmy accomplished something that resembles another "Jimmie" (Johnson) as he won his fourth consecutive track championship at the Marshalltown Speedway. He also was in contention for the Boone Speedway track championship, but had to settle for third instead. His biggest victory was when he crossed the finish line to become the 2010 Speedway Motors IMCA Supernationals Champion at the Boone Speedway.
Here are Jimmy's unofficial 2010 stats:
57 starts; 9 wins (not including preliminary and Supernationals wins); 29 top 5's; 43 top 10's; average finish of 6.4
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/jimmy.htm
Richie Gustin - Richie had a phenomenal year in 2010. He was atop the IMCA North Central Region point standings for most of the first half of the year before bowing out at the end. Richie focused primarily on weekly racing at the Marshalltown Speedway and following the inaugural season of the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour. About mid-season his hopes were high for capturing both titles, but a chassis changed in July brought about some major challenges and both goals were left unobtained. That should not take anything away from his great season, however, as he did finish second in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour point standings and sixth at Marshalltown. He picked up three wins on the eight-race tour. His biggest win came at the famed Knoxville Raceway during the Harris Clash in July, and then backed it up with another win on the first night of the Late Model Nationals event.
Here are Richie's unofficial 2010 stats:
55 starts; 16 wins; 27 top 5's; 33 top 10's; avg finish 8.9
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/richie.htm
Ryan Gustin - It's hard to imagine Ryan having a better season then he did in 2009 when he finished second in the final USMTS Hunt for the Championship standings to Kelly Shryock. But, that's exactly what happened. Ryan received a phone call from Ed Gressel and was asked if he wanted to race for him. That was the start of something magical as Ryan picked up a season-best 17 wins on the USMTS series this year. He swept both races at the nearby Oskaloosa track while winning at fifteen other different tracks. During the month of June Ryan enjoyed a five-race winning streak that was capped with an exciting last-lap pass of Jason Krohn at Fort Dodge. Despite finishing in the top ten in 80% of his races, half of those times were during the Hunt. Those finishes resulted in another runner-up to the champion, and this year it was Jason Hughes.
Here are Ryan's unofficial 2010 stats:
60 USMTS starts; 17 wins; 40 top 5's; 48 top 10's; avg finish 4.8. Also ran two IMCA races (finished 3rd in Inaugural Hawkeye Dirt Tour event at Independence) and won a sportmod race at Memphis (MO) in October
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/ryan.htm
Jenae Gustin - The only female of the bunch, Jenae finished her second year in the IMCA sportmod / bmod division. While she didn't enjoy as much success as her brother's, she did pick up her first career win at the Marshalltown Speedway on August 27. She continues to learn more about the car and what changes can be made. I'm sure she'll find more success with added seat time and experience.
Here are Jenae's unofficial 2010 stats:
32 starts; 1 win; 3 top 5's; 12 top 10's; avg finish 10
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/jenae.htm
Darrel DeFrance - While that ends the list of "Gustin's", there are still two more relatives to talk about. Darrel DeFrance enjoyed another solid season in the IMCA late model class. He collected five feature wins this year, all at Webster City. He once again added to his "Ironman" total by attending all 16 Deery Brothers Summer Series events. He picked up the track title at the Hamilton County Speedway while finishing second to Todd Cooney by a mere two points at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway. DeFrance also finished third in National Points.
Here are Darrel's unofficial 2010 stats:
47 starts; 5 wins; 21 top 5's; 31 top 10's; avg finish 5.4
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net.defrance.htm/
Damon Murty - I'm sure looking back Damon Murty will remember his 2010 season. He became the newest member of the 100 IMCA stock car wins club when he picked the checkers at the Hancock County Speedway in Britt on August 12. Murty was also crowned the champion of the IMCA Stock Car Shootout Series on the strength of three finishes of third place. Murty bounced around hitting different tracks throughout the season. While that diminished his chances of winning a track championship, it surely didn't halt his chances of winning. He picked up eight feature wins and finished tenth in IMCA Nationals Points.
Here are Damon's unofficial 2010 stats:
54 starts; 8 wins; 36 top 5's; 40 top 10's; avg finish 6.3
For more, check out http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/murty.htm
Gustin Family unofficial 2010 stats combined:
305 starts; 56 wins; 156 top 5's; 207 top 10's; avg finish 6.61
So as you can see, the Gustin family enjoyed a lot of success over the course of the 2010 season. I have been working at compiling other drivers' stats, notably the top drivers in IMCA National Points, IMCA Rookie of the Year points, and some region champions. I am also working on obtaining results from other drivers that enjoyed a great amount of success this season. So be sure to check back in the coming weeks for those updates. Until then, go to http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net/ and click on the "Drivers Stats" link to see what I've been up to.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Lengthy Weekend Provides Good Racing
This past weekend I was provided with a difficult choice. There were two two-day shows going on at tracks that I really enjoy attending. The weather was similar for both locations both days. What is a person to do? Well, I decided to go to one track one night and the other track the following night. That meant a whole lot of traveling and a lengthy weekend without much rest.
So Friday night I headed south to the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis (MO) for their Pepsi Memphis Fall Nationals event. Memphis has been a favorite track of mine for the last couple of years. I knew they would get a large car count, and I was right when announcer Tony Paris noted 149 cars in the pit area.
Upon arrival there were a couple vehicles on the track trying to pack the moisture in. The problem was, there was too much water placed on the track and not enough vehicles wheel-packing. That prompted the grader to make an appearance, and about ninety minutes later we finally got to hot laps. And of course one minor issue would have to lead to another, right? During one of the hobby stock heat races, a driver drove a little too deep into turn one and ended up driving over the concrete barrier and through the fencing. Needless to say that took a fair amount of time to get cleaned up.
Because of the delays, I opted not to keep my usual notes. I can tell you the winners of the upper divisions were: Michael Long (open modifieds), Rich Smith (IMCA-type modifieds), Matt Greiner (stock car), Ryan Gustin (b-modified), and Dan Wenig (hobby stock). For more complete results, check out www.heartlandmotorsports.com/Memphis/2010/10_15_2010.htm.
Friday night's races concluded at 2:38am Saturday morning. Tack on another 3+ hour trip home for me, and I pulled into my driveway at 6AM!! The racing action was fast and furious, and there weren't too many incidents that were a direct result of the spongy surface.
The delays and time getting home helped make my decision easier for heading to the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta (IA) Saturday night for their Topless at the Beaver event. The IMCA modifieds would run without their roofs on this chilly night. 119 cars were packed into the pit area with some drivers having to pit outside of turn four.
The 4-cylinder class made their way to the track first for their feature. A solid field of twenty cars were on hand and Cory Flanigan wasted no time in taking his machine to the top spot. Bill Whalen Jr made the long haul from Riverside seem worthwhile as he hounded Flanigan for a majority of the race. Whalen Jr slowed in turn two after receiving the white flag, allowing three cars to make their way by. Not sure if Whalen Jr experienced problems or just thought it was the checkered flag, but he would end up with a fifth place finish. Flanigan would lead flag to flag to pick up his 17th win of the season. Kennin Colestock finished second, Tom Summerfield third, and Randy Cass fourth.
Next up would be the mod-lites/dwarf cars. Only seven cars were on hand, but they provided decent racing. Outside front row starter Ed Zehm rocketed to the lead, but Mike Kennedy would try to close the gap as the race went on. The gap was just too big as Zehm picked up the caution-free race win ahead of Mike Kennedy, Dalton Dingman, Colby Oberembt, and Matt Goodin.
Things were now set for the hobby stock feature. Pole sitter Jeff Lyon paced the field the first lap, but Devin Smith snuck under him and took over the lead on lap two. Deeper in the field Justin Nehring was making significant progress early in the running. After starting thirteenth, he quickly manuevered his way to seventh in just three laps. The only caution of the race came on lap five. Nehring would be the beneficiary of this restart as he was on the outside of the third full row (7th). He powered his machine on the cushion and advanced to the fourth spot on the next circuit before advancing to second by the time he crossed the finish line again. Nehring pulled even with Smith down the backstretch and ran side by side with him for a couple laps. Nehring would finally clear Smith with four laps to go, but it appeared as though his car got tight in the corners as Smith kept within striking distance. When the checkered flag waved it was Justin Nehring taking the exciting win by a mere fender over Devin Smith. Matt Mahoney finished third, Craig Brotherton fourth, and Michael Murphy rounded out the top five. Jeff Lyon crossed the line in fourth, but was later disqualified in post-race tech.
Twenty-two b-modifieds were now set for their finale of the night. Outside front row starter Austin Lucas grabbed the early lead, but pole sitter Tim Rupp would keep pace with him. Rupp would take over the lead by using the bottom groove, but Lucas would regain the lead on lap five. The caution flag waved on lap six, and at that point I noticed that Doug Smith had already worked his way up to fifth after starting twelfth. A lap after the restart Smith found himself in second while Jason Mallicoat pursued in third. Mallicoat was driving the #36 car normally driven by Matt Pittman. With six laps to go Smith ducked under Lucas entering turn one and got the advantage exiting turn two to pick up the race lead. Jake Simpson and Austin Lucas would battle it out for the second spot with Simpson getting the nod with three to go before the caution waved a lap later.
Just before they went back racing, I noticed the #67 Ron Beckstrom had a right rear flat tire. Unfortunately he found out the hard way as the next lap under green he lost the handle on the backstretch and went for a wild ride that saw him knock over a couple cement barriers. Luckily he would be okay. When racing picked back up, nobody had anything for Doug Smith as he picked up the win. Jake Simpson was second, Jason Mallicoat third, Steve Reetz was fourth, and Tim Rupp completed the top five. Smith won Friday night's event as well.
The stock cars made their way to the track next. Nineteen cars were on hand with the "open" or "big" carb rules in effect. Pole sitter Ken Tietz took command from the drop of the green flag. Jason Ward quickly settled into second with Wayne Crimmins chasing in third. The stock cars were typically the most competitive all year at BVR, but last night they were single file on the bottom side of the track. Crimmins was able to sneak by Ward with three laps to go, but Ken Tietz was never seriously challenged up front as he picked up the win. Wayne Crimmins was second, Jason Ward was third, Roger Tripp finished fourth, and Brian Blessington rounded out the top five.
The finale of the night would be the Topless modified feature. Twenty-one cars were on hand with Rick Seaman not making the call. Before the field could even make it to the flagstand, the green light was quickly replaced with the yellow. Austin Wolf got turned sideways exiting turn four on the start and collected about six cars. Following the cleanup, it would be Mike Jergens taking the lead while Craig Reetz passed Jeff Conner for the second spot on lap two. The only caution of the race came on lap four. Brian Schmitt took advantage of the restart as he snuck by two cars to move into the fourth spot. Reetz and Todd Shute would put on a good show for the fans as they battled it out for the second spot. Reetz hugged the inside line while Shute worked the middle of the track. Shute pulled even with about six laps to go, but was unable to make it stick as Reetz pulled ahead by a few carlengths. Shute reeled him back in with two to go, but again pushed in turn one to give up what he had gained. Up front it would be Mike Jergens picking up his first career modified victory. Todd Shute was able to sneak by Craig Reetz at the line for second with Brian Schmitt in fourth and Shane Demey in fifth.
It was a good way to close the season at the Buena Vista Raceway. It's always a tossup when scheduling a race in October in Iowa as you never know what kind of weather you're going to get. A beautiful day turned into a cool evening, but the racing action was good throughout the night. For more complete results, check out the BVR website at www.buenavistaraceway.net and click on the results tab.
I'd like to thank Jeff Herrig and Eric Blum for their hospitality all year long. I enjoyed the six trips I made this season and hope to attend a few more times next season.
My next race will be next Saturday, October 23rd for Shiverfest. Shiverfest is typically the final racing event of the year in Iowa and is held at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Fellow Positivelyracing.com blogger Jeff Broeg helps promote this event for the local kidney dialysis units. It's a fun time for the kids as well, as hay rack rides before the races and trick-or-treating after hot laps are held. For more information, be sure to check out www.leecountyspeedway.com. Hope to see you there!!
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
So Friday night I headed south to the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis (MO) for their Pepsi Memphis Fall Nationals event. Memphis has been a favorite track of mine for the last couple of years. I knew they would get a large car count, and I was right when announcer Tony Paris noted 149 cars in the pit area.
Upon arrival there were a couple vehicles on the track trying to pack the moisture in. The problem was, there was too much water placed on the track and not enough vehicles wheel-packing. That prompted the grader to make an appearance, and about ninety minutes later we finally got to hot laps. And of course one minor issue would have to lead to another, right? During one of the hobby stock heat races, a driver drove a little too deep into turn one and ended up driving over the concrete barrier and through the fencing. Needless to say that took a fair amount of time to get cleaned up.
Because of the delays, I opted not to keep my usual notes. I can tell you the winners of the upper divisions were: Michael Long (open modifieds), Rich Smith (IMCA-type modifieds), Matt Greiner (stock car), Ryan Gustin (b-modified), and Dan Wenig (hobby stock). For more complete results, check out www.heartlandmotorsports.com/Memphis/2010/10_15_2010.htm.
Friday night's races concluded at 2:38am Saturday morning. Tack on another 3+ hour trip home for me, and I pulled into my driveway at 6AM!! The racing action was fast and furious, and there weren't too many incidents that were a direct result of the spongy surface.
The delays and time getting home helped make my decision easier for heading to the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta (IA) Saturday night for their Topless at the Beaver event. The IMCA modifieds would run without their roofs on this chilly night. 119 cars were packed into the pit area with some drivers having to pit outside of turn four.
The 4-cylinder class made their way to the track first for their feature. A solid field of twenty cars were on hand and Cory Flanigan wasted no time in taking his machine to the top spot. Bill Whalen Jr made the long haul from Riverside seem worthwhile as he hounded Flanigan for a majority of the race. Whalen Jr slowed in turn two after receiving the white flag, allowing three cars to make their way by. Not sure if Whalen Jr experienced problems or just thought it was the checkered flag, but he would end up with a fifth place finish. Flanigan would lead flag to flag to pick up his 17th win of the season. Kennin Colestock finished second, Tom Summerfield third, and Randy Cass fourth.
Next up would be the mod-lites/dwarf cars. Only seven cars were on hand, but they provided decent racing. Outside front row starter Ed Zehm rocketed to the lead, but Mike Kennedy would try to close the gap as the race went on. The gap was just too big as Zehm picked up the caution-free race win ahead of Mike Kennedy, Dalton Dingman, Colby Oberembt, and Matt Goodin.
Things were now set for the hobby stock feature. Pole sitter Jeff Lyon paced the field the first lap, but Devin Smith snuck under him and took over the lead on lap two. Deeper in the field Justin Nehring was making significant progress early in the running. After starting thirteenth, he quickly manuevered his way to seventh in just three laps. The only caution of the race came on lap five. Nehring would be the beneficiary of this restart as he was on the outside of the third full row (7th). He powered his machine on the cushion and advanced to the fourth spot on the next circuit before advancing to second by the time he crossed the finish line again. Nehring pulled even with Smith down the backstretch and ran side by side with him for a couple laps. Nehring would finally clear Smith with four laps to go, but it appeared as though his car got tight in the corners as Smith kept within striking distance. When the checkered flag waved it was Justin Nehring taking the exciting win by a mere fender over Devin Smith. Matt Mahoney finished third, Craig Brotherton fourth, and Michael Murphy rounded out the top five. Jeff Lyon crossed the line in fourth, but was later disqualified in post-race tech.
Twenty-two b-modifieds were now set for their finale of the night. Outside front row starter Austin Lucas grabbed the early lead, but pole sitter Tim Rupp would keep pace with him. Rupp would take over the lead by using the bottom groove, but Lucas would regain the lead on lap five. The caution flag waved on lap six, and at that point I noticed that Doug Smith had already worked his way up to fifth after starting twelfth. A lap after the restart Smith found himself in second while Jason Mallicoat pursued in third. Mallicoat was driving the #36 car normally driven by Matt Pittman. With six laps to go Smith ducked under Lucas entering turn one and got the advantage exiting turn two to pick up the race lead. Jake Simpson and Austin Lucas would battle it out for the second spot with Simpson getting the nod with three to go before the caution waved a lap later.
Just before they went back racing, I noticed the #67 Ron Beckstrom had a right rear flat tire. Unfortunately he found out the hard way as the next lap under green he lost the handle on the backstretch and went for a wild ride that saw him knock over a couple cement barriers. Luckily he would be okay. When racing picked back up, nobody had anything for Doug Smith as he picked up the win. Jake Simpson was second, Jason Mallicoat third, Steve Reetz was fourth, and Tim Rupp completed the top five. Smith won Friday night's event as well.
The stock cars made their way to the track next. Nineteen cars were on hand with the "open" or "big" carb rules in effect. Pole sitter Ken Tietz took command from the drop of the green flag. Jason Ward quickly settled into second with Wayne Crimmins chasing in third. The stock cars were typically the most competitive all year at BVR, but last night they were single file on the bottom side of the track. Crimmins was able to sneak by Ward with three laps to go, but Ken Tietz was never seriously challenged up front as he picked up the win. Wayne Crimmins was second, Jason Ward was third, Roger Tripp finished fourth, and Brian Blessington rounded out the top five.
The finale of the night would be the Topless modified feature. Twenty-one cars were on hand with Rick Seaman not making the call. Before the field could even make it to the flagstand, the green light was quickly replaced with the yellow. Austin Wolf got turned sideways exiting turn four on the start and collected about six cars. Following the cleanup, it would be Mike Jergens taking the lead while Craig Reetz passed Jeff Conner for the second spot on lap two. The only caution of the race came on lap four. Brian Schmitt took advantage of the restart as he snuck by two cars to move into the fourth spot. Reetz and Todd Shute would put on a good show for the fans as they battled it out for the second spot. Reetz hugged the inside line while Shute worked the middle of the track. Shute pulled even with about six laps to go, but was unable to make it stick as Reetz pulled ahead by a few carlengths. Shute reeled him back in with two to go, but again pushed in turn one to give up what he had gained. Up front it would be Mike Jergens picking up his first career modified victory. Todd Shute was able to sneak by Craig Reetz at the line for second with Brian Schmitt in fourth and Shane Demey in fifth.
It was a good way to close the season at the Buena Vista Raceway. It's always a tossup when scheduling a race in October in Iowa as you never know what kind of weather you're going to get. A beautiful day turned into a cool evening, but the racing action was good throughout the night. For more complete results, check out the BVR website at www.buenavistaraceway.net and click on the results tab.
I'd like to thank Jeff Herrig and Eric Blum for their hospitality all year long. I enjoyed the six trips I made this season and hope to attend a few more times next season.
My next race will be next Saturday, October 23rd for Shiverfest. Shiverfest is typically the final racing event of the year in Iowa and is held at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Fellow Positivelyracing.com blogger Jeff Broeg helps promote this event for the local kidney dialysis units. It's a fun time for the kids as well, as hay rack rides before the races and trick-or-treating after hot laps are held. For more information, be sure to check out www.leecountyspeedway.com. Hope to see you there!!
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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