Monday, November 9, 2009

Pinkerton, Weller, Johnson and Hovden Take Home Wins During the Rescheduled MUSCO Lighting Fall Challenge

Oskaloosa, IA (Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009) - What a way to put an ending to the weekend, as mother nature provided great weather again for the rescheduled MUSCO Lighting Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, IA. Last October, during the second night of this event, mother nature spoiled the second night with over an inch of snow!

The first feature of the night was the 25 lap Modified, with John Fellman and Brad Pinkerton drawing the front row. Pinkerton took advantage of his front row start to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Ryan Gustin. Pinkerton would set a fast pace, as he entered lapped traffic by lap 7. The one and only caution of the race would come out on lap 10, as Jesse Dennis slowed to a stop on the backstretch. On the restart, Pinkerton moved back out front, with Gustin, Scott Dickey, who started 8th, and Zack VanderBeek battling for second. Pinkerton would enter lapped traffic again on lap 18, but wasn't slowed down as he cruised to an easy win. VanderBeek made a last lap pass to come home in second, Dickey was third, Gustin held on for fourth, with Donovan Lodge coming from 13th to round out the top five.

Up next was the 15 lap B-Modified feature, with A.J. Johnson and Colter Deutsch leading the field to the drop of the green flag. The caution would come out before the completion of lap 1, as Geoff Olson, Brad Iverson, Jimmy Broszeit, Drew Lawson and Jason McDaniel collided down the backstretch. On the restart, Deutsch would grab the lead on lap 1 by inches over Johnson. Deutsch then held off Johnson until lap 3 when he jumped to his outside to edge him out for the top spot. Johnson then held on for the final 12 laps to claim his first career B-Modified feature win. Cayden Carter came from 6th to finish in second, Scott Davis started 12th and finished in third, Deutsch held on for fourth, with Matt Lettow coming home in fifth.

Todd Reitzler and Matt Messamaker drew the front row for the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature, but it was third place starter Chris Hovden grabbing the lead on lap 1. Reitzler would slip under Hovden on lap 2 to edge him for the top spot. But Hovden would come back on the top side of the speedway to grab the lead back on lap 3. Hovden then held off Don Nunnikhoven over the final 12 laps to pick up his third win of the weekend, as he won both Friday and Saturday in Memphis, MO. Reitzler held on for third, Danny Thrasher was fourth, with Kris Walker rounding out the top five.

The final feature and the best one of the night was the 20 lap Stock Car feature, with Mike VanGenderen and Matt Greiner drawing the front row for the event. Nathan Wood would take the lead on lap 1 from his third place starting spot, but a caution before the lap could be completed set up an original restart. Chad Walter, Donnie Pearson, Ed Kasperbauer and Corey Stout collided in turn three to bring out the first yellow. On the restart, Greiner jumped out front on lap 1 over Wood and VanGenderen. But Greiner would only lead one lap, as Wood slipped under him on lap 2 to take over the top spot. But the red flag would appear on the speedway after the completion of lap 2, as 10 cars piled up in turn one. The cars involved included Wood, VanGenderen, Shane Weller, Dan Christopher, Todd Staley, Walter, Carl Yaw Jr., Stout, Kyle Falck and Pete Solum, only the cars of Wood, Weller, Falck and Solum were able to continue. Greiner would inherit the lead on the restart, with Mitch Hovden, who started 8th, close behind in second and Brian Mitrisin, who started 10th, running third. Mitrisin would jump to the bottom of the speedway to take over the top spot on lap 3, when the final caution came out after the completion of the lap. Falck, Kasperbauer and Jeff Joldersma collided in turn three to bring the caution out. On the restart, Mitrisin moved back out front with Greiner and Hovden battling for second. Mitrisin looked to be heading for the win when he pulled into the pits on lap 9 with mechanical troubles, giving the lead back to Greiner. Greiner continued to hold off Hovden for the lead, as Weller was working his way back towards the front after the lap 2 red. Weller was quickly closing the gap between the top three drivers, as he passed Steve Jackson for fourth with five laps to go. Then with three laps to go, Weller would get past Mike Bergan and then set his sites on Greiner and Hovden. Weller would pull up to the back of Hovden with two laps to go and then set up his move to the front with the white flag in the air. Weller would make it three wide coming off of turn two, as Greiner took the top, Hovden the middle and Weller the bottom. All three drivers would enter turn three side-by-side-by-side, with Weller coming off of four to take the lead and the win. Greiner held on for second, Hovden was third, Bergan came from 9th to finish in fourth, with Jackson coming home in fifth.

Notes from Osky: 32 B-Modifieds, 32 Hobby Stocks, 27 Stock Cars and 17 Modifieds made up the 108 cars signed in to battle it out for the feature wins......Corey Dripps scratched from the nights events in the Modified class, as he blew a motor up in hot laps....David Wietholder started 11th in the feature and passed 5 cars to take home a 6th place finish....Jesse Dennis had a top five run going when he slowed to a stop on lap 10 with mechanical troubles......Andrew Schroeder won the B-Modified B-Main and started the feature in 21st, but would pass 15 cars to take home a 6th place finish....Chris Eggers came from 14th to finish in 9th....Jeremy Embrey passed 8 cars after starting 19th to finish in 11th....Josh Modde started 23rd and finished 14th....Brandon Hare came from 24th to finish in 15th......The Hobby Stock feature went 15 laps CAUTION FREE!!....Bobby Greene came from 16th to take home an 8th place finish....Scott Spilde came from 22nd and passed 10 cars to finish in 12th....Mike Crump won the B-Main and started 21st, but would pass 8 cars to take home a 13th place finish......Shane Weller was involved in the lap 2 red in the Stock Car feature and had to make repairs to be able to tag the tail of the field for the restart. With the long clean up, Weller's crew was able to change the left front lower A frame, put the spring back in and hook the shock back up to allow him to continue. Weller then drove the wheels off his car to take home the win....Nathan Wood was leading the feature when he broke a ball joint going into turn one, causing the 9 other cars to pile into him. Wood's crew also had time to change the ball joint to get him back into the action. Wood then drove back up to 4th by the halfway point, but broke another ball joint to end his night....Howard Gordon Jr. started 15th and passsed 9 cars to finish in 6th....Loren Kuennen came from 19th to take home a 7th place finish....Falck started 26th, but was involved in the red on lap 2 and the yellow on lap 3. But he would recover to pass 18 cars to finish in 8th....Michael Jaennette started 17th and passed 7 cars to finish in 10th....Donnie Pearson came from 23rd and passed 12 cars to take home an 11th place finish....Ed Kasperbauer, who started 21st, recovered from the wreck on lap 3 to take home a 12th place finish....Jeff Joldersma was involved in the lap 3 wreck, but would recover to finish in 13th.

I would like to thank Todd and Janet Staley for three great nights of racing. The racing action on Friday and Saturday at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO was a great way to put an ending to the 2009 season. But then Sunday at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, IA, also provided a great night of racing to put a capper on the 2009 racing season here in the midwest.

VanderBeek, Greiner, Olson, Hovden and Kratzer Top Night Two of the Pepsi Memphis Fall Nationals

Memphis, MO (Sat. Nov. 7, 2009) - Another great night for racing action at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO, with tempatures staring out in the mid 70's and holding in the low 60's all night. Another strong field of cars singed in to due battle in five classes, with Zack VanderBeek (Modifieds), Matt Greiner (Stock Cars), Jeoff Olson (B-Modifieds), Chris Hovden (Hobby Stocks) and Dean Kratzer (Outlaw Hobby Stocks) taking home the feature wins on the night.


The 15 lap Outlaw Hobby Stock feature was the first of the night, with Derek St. Clair and Dugan Thye drawing the front row for the event. St. Clair would take advantage of his front row starting spot to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag. Thye would spin and hit the turn four guardrail on the completion of lap 1 to bring out the first caution. On the restart, Dean Kratzer, who started 6th, would slip under St. Clair to take over the top spot. Kratzer was starting to pull away, when another caution appeared on lap 8 for Jared Conrad who slowed to a stop in turn two with a right rear tire flat. The caution would come back out on the restart, when Neal Kohlmorgan clipped a tire in turn two. Kratzer again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Dan Wenig, who started 7th battling him for the top spot. Wenig would try the top side of the speedway to get around Kratzer, but was slowed on lap 9 for a caution. Rob Wilsey and Jim Lynch would tangle in turn two, with Wilsey spinning to a stop. On the restart, Kratzer would pull out into the lead, with Dan Wenig and Jake Wenig, who started 9th, battling for second. Kratzer would hold off all challenges over the final 6 laps to pick up the win. Dan Wenig held off Jake Wenig in the battle for seond, Brandon Symmonds was fourth, with Jeremy Pundt coming from 11th to round out the top five.

Up next was the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature, with Tony Teninty and Todd Reitzler leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Reitzler would take advantage of his front row start to grab the top spot on lap 1, with Scott Spilde and Nathan Wood close behind in second. The action was slowed on lap two when the red was waved for a roll by Alan Hultz down the backstretch. He would collect the cars of Teninty and Kyle Anderson, with Teninty the only one able to return to action. On the restart Reitzler again jumped out into the lead, with Spilde and Wood still battling for second. The red would appear on the speedway for the second time on lap 5, as Dale Porter rolled in turn four. Reitzler again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Wood, Spilde and Chris Hovden, who started 7th, battling for second. Reitzler would hold on to the top spot until lap 9, when Hovden jumped under him to take over the lead. Hovden then worked to hold off Wood, as the two battled side-by-side before the final catuion came out on lap 13. On the restart Hovden again jumped out into the lead, with Wood and Spilde battling for second. Hovden would hold on over the final 2 laps to claim his second win of the weekend at the track. Spilde came home in second, Derek Kirkland started 10th and finished third, Reitzler held on for fourth, with Mike Crump coming from 11th to round out the top five.

Rodger Dresden and John Melloway led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 15 lap B-Modified feature, with the caution coming out on the start for debris in turn one. On the restart Dresden would take advantage of his front row start to lead lap 1, with Bill Gibson, Andrew Schroeder and Cayden Carter battling for the second spot. Carter would jump to the outside of Dresden on lap 4 to take over the top spot. The caution would appear on lap 5 when Brian Schrage and Josh Modde made contact, with Schrage spinning to a stop in turn four. On the restart Carter again jumped out into the lead, with Schroeder close behind in second. Schroeder who was running second would spin in turn two on lap 7 to bring out the caution. Jeoff Olson, who started 9th, slipped under Carter on the restart to grab the lead on lap 8. But the action would be slowed after the completion of the lap for a spin in turn two by A.J. Johnson. On the restart Olson again moved out front, with Carter close behind in second. Olson was working to hold off Carter, when Dresden came to a stop in turn two to bring the caution out on lap 10. Once again Olson would move out into the top spot on the restart, but was slowed again one lap later for a caution. Bill Gibson, Drew Lawson, Winn and Phillip Cossel collided in turn two, with Gibson and Lawson getting heavy damage to end there night. Olson again grabbed the lead on the restart, but again was slowed for the final time on lap 12 when the caution came out for Brett Bumgardner, Chris Eggers and Schroeder. On the restart Olson jumped back out into the lead, but now had Brad Iverson, who started 10th, challenging him for the to spot. Olson would hold him off over the final 3 laps to pick up the win. Iverson settled for second, Colter Deutsch came from 7th to finish in third, Carter held on for fourth, with Jason McDaniel coming from 16th to round out the top five.

Up next was the 20 lap Stock Car feature, with Cody Henkes and Kurt Krauskopf drawing the front row of the event. A caution would come out on the start for Dakota Hayden and Rich Vogt colliding off of four, with Hayden coming to a stop. On the restart Krauskopf jumped out into the lead, but was slowed by a caution after the completion of lap 1 for a spin by Terry Houston in turn two. Krauskopf again grabbed the lead on the restart, but again was slowed after the completion of lap two for a caution by Todd Staley who went over the hill in turns three and four. Krauskopf again moved back out into the lead on the restart, with Matt Greiner coming from 6th to challenge him for the top spot. The battle for the lead was slowed on lap 5 for Jeff Mueller, Michael Jeannette and Gary Blackburn colliding in turn two to bring out a caution. Once again on the restart Krauskopf moved out front, with Greiner close behind in second. Krauskopf, who was running the bottom, and Greiner, who was up top, ran lap 10 side-by-side, with Greiner edging out front on lap 11. But Krauskopf would come back on the bottom to take the top spot back on lap 12, only to loose the lead back to Greiner on lap 13. The final caution of the event would come out on the completion of lap 13, for a spin in turn four by Jeff Mueller. Greiner would jump out into the lead on the restart and pulled away over the final 7 laps to pick up the win. Wood came home in second, Jason Cook was third, Krauskopf held on for fourth, with Vogt coming from the back after an early wreck to round out the top five.

The final feature of the night was the 25 lap Modifieds, with David Wietholder and Scott Weber leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Weber would take advantage of his front row starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Corey Dripps. The first of three cautions would appear on lap 2, when Joey Schaefer stopped in turn two. On the restart Porter Collins would spin off of turn four to bring the caution back out. Weber jumped back out into the lead on the restart, with Dripps, Zack VanderBeek, who started 6th, and Ryan Gustin battling it out for second. VanderBeek would jump to the top side of the speedway to work his way into the lead on lap 8. But Weber would continue to work the bottom of the speedway to challenge VanderBeek for the top spot. The final caution of the event came out on lap 10, when Justin Reed spun in turn two. On the restart VanderBeek would again move back out into the lead. VanderBeek would hold on over the final 15 laps to claim the win. Weber held on for second, Dripps was third, Ryan Gustin made a last lap pass to take fourth, with Michael Long coming from 12th to round out the top five.

Notes from Night 2 in Memphis: 42 B-Modifieds, 37 Modifieds, 25 Hobby Stocks, 23 Stock Cars and 16 Outlaw Hobby Stocks made up the 143 cars signed in for night 2......Jeff Soper passed 4 cars to finish 10th in the Outlaw Hobby Stock feature....Jared Conrad recovered from a flat to come back to finish in 7th....Dereck St. Clair drove Jon Rooney's number 9 car, but had a flat late in the race. He would get it changed and recovered to take home an 8th place finish......Nathan Wood, who was running third, had a right rear tire go down on the final lap of the Hobby Stock feature to put an end to his great run....Steve Allen passed 15 cars after staring 21st to take home a 6th place finish....Clint Nelson came from 12th to finish in 7th....Andy Coleman started 16th and passed 6 cars to finish in 10th....Rusty Sands passed 7 cars after starting 19th to finish in 12th....Jordan O'Haver came from 22nd to finish in 15th......Tyler Droste started the B-Modified feature in 19th, but passed 12 cars to finish in 7th....Mike Shelton also passed 12 cars after starting 20th to finish in 8th....Josh Modde came from the back after an early involvement in a crash to finish in 9th....Jack Myer won one of the B-Mains and started 21st, but he would pass 10 cars to finish in 11th....Brandon Symmonds took the last quailifying spot in B-Main number one to start the feature in 23rd. He would pass 11 cars to take home a 12th place finish....Rodger Dresden had a great run going in the feature, when he slowed to a stop in turn three with mechanical troubles. At the time he was battling it out for a third place finish......Chris Wibbell came from 14th in the Stock Car feature and passed 7 cars to finish in 6th....Dakota Hayden recovered from his first lap wreck to take home a 9th place finish....Todd Staley became promoter/driver on night two. Todd turned some laps in Zack Vanderbeek's number 33z Stock Car during Thursday nights practice and enjoyed it so much that he decided to purchase the car race ready, as they had a for sale sign on the side of the car. Todd would start 17th in the feature and had worked his way up to 8th, when he went into turn three to hot and ended up going off the track to bring out the yellow on lap 2. Todd then rejoined the back of the field (21st) and passed 8 cars to take home a 13th place finish....Jeff Mueller had a rough night in the feature, as he piloted Matt Griener's number 29 back-up car. He would get involved in the lap 5 crash and then spun on lap 13 to end his night in 16th......Mark Widmar won the Modified B-Main and started the feature in 21st, but he would pass 12 cars to take home a 9th place finish....Porter Collins recovered from his spin to take home an 11th place finish....Adam Birck came from 22nd to finish 12th....Lonnie Wyman Jr. started 24th and passed 7 cars to take home a 17th place finish.

Long, Wood, Deutsch and Hovden Claim Night One of the Pepsi Memphis Fall Nationals

Memphis, MO (Friday, Nov. 6, 2009) - Who would have thought that mother nature would have provided such great weather for the first weekend of November. Friday was a nice sunny day, with temps in the mid 70's and the evening was comfortable enough to wear a sweatshirt or light jacket. Fans were treated to some great racing action in four classes at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO for night one of the Pepsi Memphis Fall Nationals, with Michael Long (Modifieds), Nathan Wood (Stock Cars), Colter Deutsch (B-Modifieds) and Chris Hovden (Hobby Stocks) picking up the wins.

The first feature of the night was the 15 lap Hobby Stocks, with Ethan Thompson and Andrew Hustead drawing the front row for the event. The first caution would come out on the start, with Clayton Crump spinning in turn two. On the restart, Nathan Wood, who started 3rd, jumped out into the early lead and would hold it until lap 3, when another caution appeared for a spin by Ethan Hustead in turn four from contact by Andy Coleman. Once again Wood grabbed the lead on the restart, with Chris Hovden, who started 12th, and Jason McDaniel now challenging him for the top spot. Wood was able to hold off there challenges until disaster struck him on lap 8, when something in the rear end broke. Hovden would inherit the top spot, with McDaniel, Scott Spilde, who started 9th, and Crump close behind in 2nd and 3rd. The action was slowed again on lap 11, when Ethan Hustead spun in turn four. On the restart, Crump, Spilde and McDaniel, who were running 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, tangled in turn two to bring the caution back out. Hovden jumped back out front on the restart, with Todd Reitzler, who started 19th, now glued to his back bumper. The battle for the lead was again slowed by a caution on lap 12 when Clint Nelson and Andy Coleman collided in turn two, with Nelson spinning. On the restart, Hovden again grabbed the lead with Reitzler and Andrew Hustead having a great battle for second, only to be slowed for the final time on lap 13. Jeff Soper would slow to a stop in turn turn to bring the final caution out, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Hovden moved out front on the restart and then held on for the final 2 laps to pick up the win. Andrew Hustead edged out Reitzler for the battle for second, Spilde recovered from the early crash to come home in fourth, with Steve Allen coming home fifth.

Up next was the 15 lap B-Modified feature, with Larry Winn and Bobby Penney drawing the front row for the event. The caution would wave on the start, when Jason McDaniel, Phillip Cossel and Drew Lawson colliding in turn four. On the restart, Penney would grab the advantage over Jeoff Olson. Penney would hold the top spot until lap 3, when Olson got by to take over the lead. Olson looked to be pulling away, when the caution came out on lap 11 for a spin in turn two by Thad Gaylord. On the restart, Colter Deutsch, who started 12th, would slip under Olson to take over the top spot and then held on for the final 3 laps to claim the win. Olson held on for second, Brad Iverson came from 7th to finish in third, Bert McDaniel came home fourth, with Penney holding on for fifth.

Mike VanGenderen and Matt Greiner drew the front row for the 20 lap Stock Car feature, with VanGenderen grabbing the lead on the drop of the green flag. VanGenderen would only hold the top spot for one lap, as Greiner jumped to his outside to take over the lead on lap 2. The first of four cautions of the race would come out on lap 3, when Clell Evans spun in turn two. On the restart, Greiner would have to work to hold off VanGenderen before another caution came out on lap 7. Dakota Hayden and Howard Gordon Jr. would collide in turn four, with Hayden spinning to a stop. Once again Greiner jumped out into the lead on the restart, with VanGenderen, Kurt Krauskopf and Dave Warth battling it out for second. Another caution on lap 9 would slow the battle for second, as Gary Blackburn came to a stop in turn four. On the restart, Greiner grabbed the lead and now had Nathan Wood, who started 12th, battling VanGenderen, Krauskopf and Warth for the second spot. The final caution of the event came out on lap 12 when Abe Huls and Michael Jaennette got together in turn four and collected Andrew Page, Rick Girard and Zack VanderBeek. Once again Greiner would jump out front on the restart, with Wood, Krauskopf, Warth and VanGenderen close behind. Greiner was able to hold off all challenges until the final lap, when Wood jumped to his outside going down the backstretch. The two went into turn three side-by-side and came out of four the same way. Wood was able to edge Greiner out at the line by a fender to pick up the win. Krauskopf was able to come home third, Warth edged out a fourth place finish, with VanGenderen rounding out the top five.

The final feature of the night was the 25 lap Modifieds, with Mark Schulte and Michael Long drawing the front row. Long would take advantage of his front row starting spot to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag, with Schulte and Ryan Gustin battling for second. The first of three cautions of the event would appear on lap 4, when Lonnie Wyman Jr. slowed to a stop in turn four. On the restart, Long again jumped out into the lead with Schulte, Gustin and Scott Dickey battling it out for second. Long was pulling away from the second place battle when the second caution came out on lap 14, when Adam Birck slowed to a stop. Once again Long grabbed the lead on the restart, with Gustin, Dickey and Schulte still battling it out for second. Long again was pulling away from the battle for second when the final caution came out on lap 21 for a spin by Scott Weber in turn two, Weber had worked his way from 9th to 5th. The final restart saw Long again jump out into the lead, with Gustin, Dickey, Schulte and Zack VanderBeek, who started 18th, battling him for the top spot. Long would hold on over the final four laps to pick up the win. Gustin held on for second, VanderBeek, would pass two cars on the final restart to come home third, Dickey held on for fourth, with Donovan Lodge crossing the line in fifth after starting 8th.

Notes from Night 1 at Memphis: 119 cars signed into battle it out, with 38 Modifieds, 36 B-Modifieds, 24 Stock Cars and 21 Hobby Stocks making up the total car count......Jordan O'Haver started the Hobby Stock feature in the 17th spot and passed 9 cars to finish in 9th....Jeff Soper started 21st and worked his way up to finish in 10th....Andy Coleman passed 7 cars, after starting 18th to come home 12th......Colter Deutsch made the long pull from Ellsworth, MN pay off, as he started 12th in the B-Modified feature and drove up to take the win....Paul Underwood started 18th in the B-Modified feature and passed 12 cars to come home in 6th....Jason McDaniel started 19th and was invloved in the lap one crash, but recovered to come home in 10th....Drew Lawson was also involved in the lap one crash and came up to finish in 13th......Troy Alexander started the Stock Car feature from 16th and passed 9 cars to come home in 7th....Abe Huls drove Doug Huls number 10 car and came from the back after an early crash to finish in 9th....Kelly Smith started 20th and passed 9 cars to finish in 11th....Doug Yates passed 7 cars after starting 19th to finish in 12th....Logan Lowe started 24th and passed 11 cars to take home a 13th place finish......VanderBeek brought out his 2010 Skyrocket Modified and had to start 18th in the feature. He would make a last lap pass of two cars to come home in 3rd.....Mark Widmar started 19th and passed 11 cars to finish in 8th....Greg Cox won the B-Main and started 21st in the feature, but passed 11 cars to come home in 10th....Lonnie Wyman Jr. started 23rd, but slowed to a stop in four on lap 4. He would get his problems fixed and passed 11 cars to finish in 12th.