Story by Jeremy Fox; Photo courtesy of the Southern Iowa Speedway (Osky), taken by Carroll Hoover Photography
Oskaloosa, Iowa (April 25th, 2018) – This past off-season was crazy and many wondered if there would be any racing action at the Southern Iowa Speedway. After the Southern Iowa Fair Board Race Committee met along with long-time competitor Nathan Wood, they worked together to make racing happen and numerous sponsors stepped up for to tie it all together and make the season possible.
After mother nature washed out last week, the roar of engines was back to life at the Musco Lighting Southern Iowa Speedway presented by KBOE 104.9 FM on Bill & Ray’s Truck Repair, Kool Seamless Gutters and Musco Lighting Night. It was also the first Kid’s Night, where there were many giveaways and car rides for the kid before the races.
A total of 61 cars checked in to do battle at the Monster Half Mile, 20 Hobby Stocks, 13 Sport Mods, 15 Stock Cars and 13 Sport Compacts.
First feature of the night was the Finish Line Auto Sales Sport Compacts 10-lap feature. Travis Musgrove was to start on the pole but it would be Bill Whalen Jr and Nathan Moody leading the field to the green. Unfortunately on the start, Moody made contact with another car coming down the front stretch. Moody’s night would end after he ended up on his side. On the restart, Whalen got a great restart and began to pull away until another caution came out for Jason Breuklander having mechanical issues and coming to a stop in turn one. Whalen held off Jimmy Haring and Tyler Haring for the win. Jimmy Haring finished second, Tyler Haring was third, Kyle Boyd finished fourth and Billy Cain was fifth.
The Midstate Machine Stock Cars feature saw the caution come out before a single lap scored in the books when Danny Thrasher spun collecting Howard Gordon Jr. and Carl Yaw Jr. Nathan Wood took advantage of his outside front row starting spot by jumping out to the early lead but Cayden Carter was working his way through the field and took the lead away from Wood on lap six. Carter and the field saw the caution come out on lap 17 forcing a green-white-checkered finish. Carter held off Wood to take the opening night win. Wood held off Mike Hughes, who worked his way through the field from 11th to finish 3rd. Brett Lowry and Dustin Griffiths was 4th and 5th.
Carter’s Manufacturing & Van’s Racing Sport Mods feature was the only feature to go caution free on the night. “The Tileman” Jason Hall led the first three laps for the feature before Jason McDaniel took the lead away on lap four. However McDaniel’s lead was short as Curtis VanDerWal worked his way to the top spot at the halfway point. VanDerWal went on to take the win ahead of McDaniel, Brayton Carter, Cory Van Zante and Blaine Webster.
Final feature of the night was the Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks feature and it was Mike Kincaid who jumped out to the lead on lap one. Aaron Martin took advantage of a slight bobble by Kincaid on lap two to take the lead away. Martin led until lap six when the only race caution came out when Derek Kirkland came to a stop in turn three after his steering wheel came off. Dustin Griffiths grabbed the lead away from Martin and never looked back despite a late race charge by Scott Shull. Griffiths won with Shull in second. Eric Stanton, Martin and Brandon Cox rounded out the top five.
Next Wednesday night will be Binns & Stevens Dust Control and Supreme Lawn & Landscape Night at the Races. It’s also College Night meaning any college student is admitted free with their student ID. Adult prices are just $8, Military & Veterans are $5, Kids (6-15) $3, and 5 & Under get in free. Stock Cars, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts are on the card with Hot Laps at 7 PM and racing to follow.
For more information, “Like” Southern Iowa Speedway – Osky on Facebook or contact the Southern Iowa Fair Board at 641-673-7004.
Musco Lighting Southern Iowa Speedway presented by KBOE 104.9
Bill & Ray’s Truck Repair / Kool Seamless Gutters / Musco Lighting Night
April 25th, 2018
Midstate Machine Stock Cars
Feature – 1. 10CC Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 2. 52 Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 3. 11 Mike Hughes, Oskaloosa; 4. 4M Brett Lowry, Ottumwa; 5. 10G Dustin Griffiths, Hedrick; 6. 14 Derrick Agee, Moberly, Mo.; 7. 54 Mike Brown, New Sharon; 8. 72 Mike Harward, Floris; 9. 20RT Ricky Thornton Jr., Clive; 10. 19 Donnie Pearson, Oskaloosa; 11. 22R Todd Reitzler, Grinnell; 12. 409 Howard Gordon Jr., Oskaloosa; 13. 84 Danny Thrasher, Agency; 14. 73C Carl Yaw Jr., Pleasant Hill; 15. 62 John Hunnell, Des Moines.
Heat 1 – 1. Reitzler; 2. Wood; 3. Thornton; 4. Carter; 5. Griffiths; 6. Hughes; 7. Harward; 8. Yaw.
Heat 2 – 1. Brown; 2. Agee; 3. Lowry; 4. Pearson; 5. Gordon; 6. Thrasher; 7. Hunnell.
Carter’s Manufacturing / Van’s Racing Sport Mods
Feature – 1. 1V Curtis VanDerWal, Oskaloosa; 2. 85 Jason McDaniel, Eldon; 3. 01 Brayton Carter, Oskaloosa; 4. 34Z Cory Van Zante, Sully; 5. 7 Blaine Webster, Ottumwa; 6. 95J Jason Hall, Grinnell; 7. 29 Colton Livezey, New Sharon; 8. 8T Tony Johnson, Oskaloosa; 9. 22V Jarret VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa; 10. T16 Taylor Elliott, Webster City; 11. 77F Jeff Frana, Ottumwa; 12. 55R Steven Berry, Ottumwa; 13. 5 Matt Beal, Oskaloosa.
Heat 1 – 1. Van Zante; 2. VanDerWal; 3. Webster; 4. Carter; 5. Elliott; 6. Frana; 7. Beal.
Heat 2 – 1. Livezey; 2. McDaniel; 3. Hall; 4. VanDenBerg; 5. Johnson; 6. Berry.
Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks
Feature – 1. 10 Dustin Griffiths, Hedrick; 2. 57 Scott Shull, Eldon; 3. 7B Eric Stanton, Carlisle; 4. 73 Aaron Martin, Richland; 5. 66 Brandon Cox, Norwalk; 6. 12 Mike Kincaid, Cincinnati; 7. 3 Travis Bunnell, Hedrick; 8. 42T Tyson Overton, Carlisle; 9. 47 Darin Dezwarte, Knoxville; 10. 55X Rick Goldsberry, Runnells; 11. 14 Christian Huffman, New Sharon; 12. 7K Kelsie Spilman, Hedrick; 13. 20H Brock Hopwood, Ottumwa; 14. 71S Dave Seddon, Knoxville; 15. 96R Jamie Songer, Ankeny; 16. 1R Rick Van Dusseldorp, Oskaloosa; 17. 13M Riley Meinders, Oskaloosa; 18. 2K Derek Kirkland, Centerville; 19. 55 Benji Clemons, Norwalk; 20. 54 Jesse Williams, New Sharon.
Heat 1 – 1. Huffman; 2. Griffiths; 3. Kincaid; 4. Martin; 5. Overton; 6. Goldsberry.
Heat 2 – 1. Martin; 2. Cox; 3. Hopwood; 4. Van Dusseldorp; 5. Dezwarte; 6. Spilman.
Heat 3 – 1. Kirkland; 2. Shull; 3. Williams; 4. Seddon; 5. Songer; 6. Clemons.
Finish Line Auto Sales Sport Compacts
Feature – 1. 00W Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside; 2. 2H Jimmy Haring, Oskaloosa; 3. 5 Tyler Haring, Oskaloosa; 4. 99 Kyle Boyd, Ottumwa; 5. 52 Billy Cain, Bloomfield; 6. 02 Cody Phillips, Ottumwa; 7. 23B Jason Breuklander, Oskaloosa; 8. 14A Brandon Allison, Oskaloosa; 9. 42 Brandon Housley, Ottumwa; 10. 0 Ryan Havel, Iowa City; 11. 01C Bryan Claussen, Eddyville; 12. 23M Travis Musgrove, Beacon; DQ 41 Nathan Moody, Oskaloosa.
Heat 1 – 1. Housley; 2. Havel; 3. Moody; 4. Musgrove; 5. Tyler Haring; 6. Cain; 7. Claussen.