Oskaloosa, IA (Saturday, October 4, 2014) - Saturday night was the final night of the 28th Annual MUSCO Lighting Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, which also put a close on the 2014 racing season at the 1/2 mile track. Mother nature once again wasn't to kind, as temps hoovered around the high 40's by race time. But what helped make Saturday's show more bearable then Friday nights was the winds, which by race time had diminished considerably.
The first feature up on the night was the 16 lap Hobby Stocks, with Craig Brown and Andrew Hustead drawing the front row for the event. Hustead would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Dustin Griffiths, who started 6th, and Nick Ulin. Griffiths used the very top of the speedway to slip past Hustead on lap 2 to take the top spot away. He then started to pull away from the two and three wide battle for second going on behind him between Hustead, Danny Thrasher, who started 7th, Jacob Keiser, Mike Hughes, who started 10th, and Brown. The first caution of the race appeared on lap 7, which brought the field back to Griffiths back bumper. Kevin See, who started 12th and was battling for 6th, slowed to a stop in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Chad Dehne spun into the wall off turn 4 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Griffiths jump back out front over Thrasher and Hughes. While Griffiths paced the field out front, Thrasher was working to hold off Hughes in the battle for the runner up spot. Hughes was able to clear Thrasher for second on lap 11 and then went to work on Griffiths for the top spot. Griffiths, who was running the top, and Hughes, who was glued to the bottom, raced laps 13, 14, and 15 side-by-side, with Hughes edging out Griffiths at the line coming to the white flag. Hughes then held on to claim his second win of the weekend and collecting another $1,000 top prize in doing so. Griffiths settled for 2nd, Thrasher was 3rd, Hustead held on for 4th, with Ulin coming home in 5th.
Up next was the 18 lap SportMod feature, with Ryan Fullenkamp and Brayton Carter leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Fullenkamp and Carter raced lap 1 side-by-side, with Fullenkamp edging out Carter at the line by inches to lead the lap. But Carter would use the top of the speedway to grab the top spot away from Fullenkamp on lap 2. Curtis Van Der Wal, who started 5th, quickly moved up to battle Carter for the lead on lap 3. Carter, who was working the top, and Van Der Wal, who was on the bottom, raced side-by-side on lap 4, crossing the line dead even, before Van Der Wal was able to clear Carter for the lead on lap 5. Van Der Wal then started to pull away from the field, when he entered heavy lapped traffic on lap 13. This allowed Carter to quickly close in on Van Der Wal's back bumper. But Van Der Wal was able to hold on to claim his second win of the weekend and another $1,000 to go with it, it also kept Van Der Wal's perfect 2014 fall specials wins intake. Carter was 2nd, Jenae Gustin was 3rd, Fullenkamp held on for 4th, with Jason McDaniel coming from 11th to round out the top 5.
Mike Hughes and Gary Harward led the field to green in the 20 lap Stock Car feature, with Hughes grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Cayden Carter, who started 4th, and Damon Murty, who started 5th. Hughes was only able to hold the top spot until lap 4, when Carter shot under him to take the lead. While Carter started to pull away, teammates Murty and Hughes battled for the runner up spot. Without the help of a caution there was no catching Carter, as he pulled away to pick up the win and the $1,000 top prize. Murty won the battle for 2nd, Hughes was 3rd, Corey Stout came from 8th to finish in 4th, with Shay Curtin passing 9 cars from his 14th place starting spot to finish in 5th.
Up next was the 10 lap Sport Compact feature, with Cody Thompson and John Girdley drawing the front row for the event. Thompson would take advantage of his front row start to jump out front on lap 1 over Jason Klerk De Reus, who started 6th, and Bill Whalen Jr, who started 5th. There was no stopping Thompson on this night, as he cruised to his second straight win on the weekend and picked up another $250 in the process. Klerk De Reus was 2nd, Whalen Jr was 3rd, Matt Moore was 4th, with Matt Girdley coming home in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap Modifieds, with Cayden Carter and Todd Shute leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Shute would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Carter and Tyler Droste. Carter, who was working the bottom of the track, tried to slip past Shute, who was working the top, over the next 10 laps. But Shute was able to hold him off each lap at the line to keep the lead. The duo started to work lapped traffic on lap 11, which allowed Zack VanderBeek, who started 6th, to close in to make it a three car battle out front. Despite Carter getting up beside Shute over the final three laps, Shute was able to hold on to claim the win and the $1,000 top prize. Carter settled for 2nd, VanderBeek was 3rd, Andrew Schroeder was 4th, with Droste holding on for 5th.
The fall specials events moves to the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa next Friday, October 10th and Saturday, October 11th. Each night will feature heats, semis and features in the Modified, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts, with a payout each night. Both Friday and Saturday the Modifieds, Stock Cars and SportMods will be racing for $1,000 to win, while the Hobby Stocks run for $500 to win each night and $300 up for grabs each night for the Sport Compacts. For more information you can check out the Lee County Speedway's website at www.leecountyspeedway.com.
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