By Jerry Mackey

OSKALOOSA — The Southern Iowa Fair was in full swing and the 2025 Grandstand Entertainment included two big nights of racing with the Caleb Hammond Memorial on Wednesday night presented by Outer Limits Truck Repair and the Special Thursday night racing program featuring the Sprint Invaders return to the Southern Iowa Speedway presented by Kraig Ford of Oskaloosa.

The Thursday night race program saw the Sprint Invaders come back to the Mahaska County Monster ½ mile for the first time since 2017. The popular traveling 360 Sprint car Series brought 26 race teams to the track for the special edition of racing. Austin McCarl completed a clean sweep on the night by scoring the win in his qualifying heat, the Fast Dash and the 25 lap main event. Following the dash and a redraw setting the first three rows of the main, the son of Hall of Famer Terry McCarl started the main in the sixth position. The 88 of McCarl quickly shot to the front on the perfectly groomed ½ mile and sailed on to an impressive win. Coming into the night the 24 of Terry McCarl sat atop the season point standings in the season long chase for the Sprint Invaders point championship. TMac was scheduled to start the main in the 8^th position but following a trip to the hot pit for a left rear tire change on the parade lap, the senior McCarl took the initial green flag in the 23^rd starting position. McCarl put on a clinic on Thursday night as he methodically worked through the field to take a very impressive third place finish. A caution on lap 21 set up a four lap dash to the finish but the restart order did not change in the final four laps. At the checkers it was Austin McCarl scoring the win ahead of Ayrton Gennetten, with TMac in third just ahead of Tasker Phillips with Sawyer Phillips rounding out he top five.

In support division racing on Thursday night, it was Dustin Griffiths adding another win to his 2025 resume by scoring the main event win in the Mid States Machine Stock Cars. China Grove, North Carolina’s Pat Rachels led the main for two laps before Griffiths was able to power into the lead working the high line of the smooth wide track. Griffiths cruised to the win while a heated battle was waged for the runner up spot. At the checkers it was Aaron Martin getting to the checkers inches ahead of Rachels for second. Maguire Dejong advanced from the fourth row to take fourth at the finish line.

In the Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks, a well deserved win was scored that has been in the making for the last several races at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Brayden Wood has been knocking on the door of victory lane, the High School Senior to be at Sigourney High scored his first ever feature win at this hometown track, the Southern Iowa Speedway. Wood led the feature flag to flag and he took the win by holding off the hottest driver in Southern Iowa, Dustin Griffiths. The 10G of Griffths was not able to mount a serious challenge to the youngster with Wood scoring the win by at least five car lengths. Kris Walker added another top five to his credit by finishing third ahead of Peyton Stephens.

The seventh annual Caleb Hammond Memorial presented by Outer Limits Truck Repair was held on Wednesday night with a great crowd in attendance at the Southern Iowa Fair. The Mid States Machine Stock Cars took the green flag for the main event with outside front row starter Cayden Carter taking command early. Carter drove to the win while Maguire DeJong, who had taken the green in the last starting position steadily worked through the field. DeJong simply ran out of laps setting for second ahead of Dustin Griffiths.

The Parker Tree Service Hobby Stock saw veteran racer Eric Stanton grab the checkers first in their main event. Stanton held off several challenges by Kale Hemsly in scoring the Caleb Hammond trophy. Kris Walker crossed under the checkers in third ahead of Dustin Griffiths.

Maguie DeJong raced two classes on Wednesday night with a second place finish in the Stock Cars he added a win to the night by topping the Oskaloosa Quality Rentals Sportmod main event. DeJong shot into the lead early and cruised on to the win ahead of Curtis VanDerwal, with point leader Kyle Harwood taking third.

The Stout Trucking Sport Compact class saw 20 drivers take the initial green and the main provided great racing plus some late race drama. As the laps wound down and the leaders Katelyn Watts and Seth Meinders raced to front chute completing lap eight, contact was made and the 2K of Watts was sent spinning down the front chute. Both drivers were sent to the tail on the restart and James Haring became the benefactor of the incident and he raced to the win ahead of Southern Iowa Speedway Hall of Famer, Bob (Gabby) Hayes. Meinders charged back through the pack to finish third.

Ben Woods took over the top spot in Non Wing Sprint car feature after the leader AJ Johnson was sidelined due to his rear end gear failing on the 93 car. Woods captured the win ahead of Tyler Graves.

The Mahaska Season Championship races will be held on Wednesday, July 23^rd with track champions being crowned in all five classes. The race program will get underway on the 23^rd with hot laps taking to the track at 7:15 with racing to follow.

Southern Iowa Fair Races

Feature Results (top five)

Thursday, July 17

Sprint Invaders

1. 88 Austin McCarl-Altoona
2. 50 Ayrton Gennetten-Versailles, MO
3. 24 Terry McCarl-Altoona
4. 1TAZ Tasker Phillips-Pleasantville
5. 3P Sawyer Phillips-Pleasantville

Mid States Machine Stock Cars

1. 10G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
2. 73 Aaron Martin-Delta
3. 34 Pat Rachels-China Grove, NC
4. 30 M Maguire DeJong-Montezuma
5. 85 Mike Hughes-What Cheer

Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks

1. 52B Brayden Wood-Sigourney
2. 10G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
3. 18 Kris Walker-Oskaloosa
4. 623R Peyton Stephens-Bussey
5. 7 Keaton Gordon-Ottumwa

Caleb Hammond Memorial

Wednesday, July 16

Mid States Machine Stock Cars

1. 1X Cayden Carter-Oskaloosa
2. 30M Maguire DeJong-Montezuma
3. 10G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
4. 7V Brayton Carter-Oskaloosa
5. 41 Thor Anderson-Monroe

Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks

1. 7B Eric Stanton-Carlisle
2. 88H Kale Hemsley-Sigourney
3. 18 Kris Walker-Oskaloosa
4. 10G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
5. 01 Austin Barnes-Des Moines

Oskaloosa Quality Rentals Sportmods

1. 30M Maguire DeJong-Montezuma
2. 1V Curtis VanDerwal-Oskaloosa
3. 15K Kyle Harwood-New Sharon
4. 29 Colton Livezey-New Sharon
5. 34Z Corey VanZante-Sully

Stout Trucking Sport Compacts

1. 2h James Haring-Oskaloosa
2. 14B Bob Hayes-New Sharon
3. 65 Seth Meinders-Ottumwa
4. 22D Brandon Allison-Oskaloosa
5. 2K Katelyn Watts-Oskaloosa

NAPA Stores of Albia Non Wing Sprints

1. 11B Ben Woods-Newton
2. T4 Tyler Graves-Chariton
3. 93 Doug Sylvester-Ottumwa
4. 7J Nathan James-Russell
5. 93 AJ Johnson-Moravia