Thursday, August 6, 2015

Carter Takes Two at Osky

Oskaloosa, IA (Wednesday, August 5, 2015) - With having Thursday off work, I decided to make the trip up to the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa for a regular Wednesday night program. It also happened to include the IMCA Late Models.

The first feature to take to the track was the 18 lap IMCA Stock Cars, with Eric Knapp and Jason See making up the front row. But it was fourth place starter Zack VanderBeek who grabbed the lead on lap 1 over See and Mike Hughes, who started 8th. While VanderBeek set a fast pace out front, Hughes, Todd Reitzler, who started 6th, and Cayden Carter, who started 9th, had a three way battle going for the runner up spot. That battle would come to an end on lap 12, when See slowed to a stop in turn 3 to bring out the only caution of the race. On the restart Hughes went to the bottom of the track to slip past VanderBeek for the top spot, while Carter slipped past for the runner up spot. Carter looked under Hughes over the 5 laps, but Hughes was able to hold him off. Then coming off turn 4 for the checkered flag Carter was able to slip under Hughes to claim the win. Hughes settled for 2nd, VanderBeek was 3rd, Reitzler was 4th, with Donnie Pearson coming from 12th to finish in 5th.

Up next was the 10 lap IMCA Sport Compact feature, with Ryan Havel and Trent Orwig leading the field to the green flag. But it was Bill Whalen Jr., who started 4th, who edged out Orwig at the line by inches to lead lap 1. Whalen Jr.'s run up front came to an end on lap 5, when he lost the engine down the backstretch to bring out the only caution of the race. Shane Evans, who started 5th, inherited the lead on the restart over Orwig and Havel. Evans would hold off Orwig over the final 5 laps to pick up his first win of the season at the track. Orwig was 2nd, Havel was 3rd, John Girdley was 4th, with Tim Bevins coming home in 5th.

Danny Brau and Charlie Weber led the field to green in the 16 lap IMCA SportMod feature. But it was fourth place starter Austin Paul who grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Weber and Cory Van Zante. Paul was setting a fast pace out front and was building on his lead every lap. Since the race went caution free, there was no catching Paul on this night. As he cruised to his first ever win at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Van Zante was 2nd, Jason McDaniel was 3rd, Brett Lowry started 7th and finished 4th, with Curtis Van Der Wal, who started 9th and was battling McDaniel for 3rd, slowing on the last 2 laps to hold on for 5th.

Up next was the 18 lap IMCA Modified feature, with Scott Dickey and Tyler Groenendyk on the front row. But just like the Stock Car and SportMod feature, fourth place starter Colt Mather jumped out into the lead on lap 1 over Groenendyk and Dickey. As Paul did in the SportMod feature, Mather set a torrid pace out front and was building on his lead each lap. Without a caution there was no catching Mather, who cruised to first win of the season at the track. Dickey was 2nd, Cayden Carter was 3rd, Groenendyk was 4th, with Carter VanDenBerg finishing 5th after starting in 8th.

Jared Stephens and Brandon Potts made up the front row for the 15 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. But just as the green flag was waved the caution light would come out, as Stephens, Potts, Steve Allen and Bobby Greene all spun down the front stretch to bring out the yellow. This would move Aaron Martin and Craig Brown to the front row for the restart. On that restart Brown jumped out front to lead lap 1 over Travis Bunnell, who started 8th, and Dustin Griffiths, who started 10th. Bunnell was able to get under Brown coming off turn 2 on lap 5, but when debris in turn 3 bringing out the caution it would give Brown the lead back. Brown moved back out front on the restart, with Bunnell having to work to hold off Griffiths for the runner up spot. Brown would hold on over the final 10 laps to pick up the win. Bunnell held on for 2nd, Griffiths was 3rd, Dale Porter started 9th and finished 4th, with Martin holding on for 5th.

The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap IMCA Late Models, with Curtis Glover and John VanDenBerg drawing the front row. But just as the green flag waved the caution light would come on, as VanDenBerg spun in turn 4 and collected Todd Cooney. Both cars were unable to continue. Curt Schroeder was moved to the outside of the front row for the restart, with Glover grabbing the lead over Cayden Carter and Schroeder. Glover's run up front came to an end on lap 5, when he pulled off the track with heavy engine smoke. This would give Carter the lead. Carter then lapped the entire field to easily pick up his first Late Model win at the track. Paul Nagle started 6th and finished 2nd, Derek Liles, who moved up from the SportMod class, started 8th and finished 3rd, Todd Johnson was 4th after starting in 7th, with Jenna Johnson finishing 5th after starting in 9th.

Notes from Osky: Greg Gill started the Stock Car feature in 10th and finished 8th....Mike Brown finished 10th after starting in 14th....Nathan Wood, who was battling for 6th after starting in 13th, pitted under the lap 12 caution. He would return to come back up to finish in 11th....Brock Welch had troubles in hot laps that forced him to scratch for the night......Matthew Vangelder started the SportMod feature in 10th and finished 8th....Shawn Cooney started 14th and finished 9th....Thomas Egenberger had troubles in hot laps that forced him to scratch for the night......Brandon Banks started 9th in the Modified feature and finished 7th....Jim Lynch had troubles in hot laps that forced him to scratch for the night......Clayton Webster started the Hobby Stock feature in 11th and finished 8th....Brandon Potts, who spun on the start, had worked his way back to 5th on lap 6. But was forced off the track down the backstretch on the last lap to be credited with 9th.