Sunday, August 12, 2018

VanDenBerg, Huls and Carter Claim $1,000 Victories at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway

Memphis, MO (Friday, August 10, 2018) - Back on Friday, July 13th the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway located on the Scotland County Fairgrounds in Memphis, Missouri tried to host a fair race. But mother nature had other ideas, as rain showers moved thru the area shortly after the gates were opened and forced the night to be canceled. It was then announced on their Facebook page a few days later that the event would be made up on Friday, August 10th. It turned out to be a beautiful night for racing, as 84 cars checked in for competition that was being presented by Double D Excavating and Poe Puppies.

The 12 lap Sport Compact was first to take to the track, with Dylan Schantz and Kevin Garrett drawing the front row for the race. When the green flag waved the field would race five wide going into turn 1, with Brandon Reu emerging out of turn 2 to lead lap 1 over Josh Barnes, who started 5th, and Kyle Boyd. While Reu raced around the bottom of the track, Barnes and Boyd raced side-by-side around the top. Barnes would use the momentum off the top of turn 4 to grab the lead away from Reu on lap 2. Barnes then had to work to hold off Reu and Kimberly Abbott, who started 6th, over the rest of the race to claim his second win in a row at the track. Reu was 2nd, Abbott was 3rd, Barry Taft came from 9th to finish 4th, with Boyd rounding out the top 5.

There might have only been five Hobby Stocks turn out, but the race up front over the final half of the race was intense. Dustin Griffiths and Mike Kincaid let the field to green in the 10 lap affair, with Griffiths grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Kincaid and Scott Shull. With Griffiths working the low side of the speedway, Kincaid would venture up top to try an wrestle the lead away from Griffiths. The two would cross the line dead even on lap 6, with Kincaid edging out front to lead lap 7. Then coming to the white flag Griffiths drove it hard into turn 3 and the drifted up in front of Kincaid coming off turn 4 to grab the top spot back. But Kincaid would try to get under Griffiths going into turn 1, and when a little contact was made it would cut down Kincaid's right rear tire. Which allowed Griffiths to go on to score the win. Shull was 2nd, Josh Modde was 3rd, Kincaid limped to a 4th place finish, with Cody Winn finishing in 5th.

Kevin Koontz and Brett Lowry led the field to green in the 20 lap Stock Car feature. Lowry would take advantage of his starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1, as the rest of the field behind him raced two and three wide for positions. The action up front was slowed for the first time of the race on lap 3, as Scott Jordan, who was running 6th, spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lowry jumped back out front, with John Oliver Jr., who started 6th, and Abe Huls, who started 9th, now glued to his back bumper. Oliver Jr. would slip past Lowry on lap 5 to take the top spot away, with Huls following him into second one lap later. Huls then tried to get under Oliver Jr. over the next 9 laps, only to be slowed by a caution on lap 15. Cody McClure slowed to a stop in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Oliver Jr. moved back out front, with Huls and Beau Taylor, who started 7th, following closely. As the field completed lap 16, Huls tried once again to work under Oliver Jr. going into turn 1. But Oliver Jr. was able to hold him off. Then coming off turn 4 to complete lap 18 Huls went to the middle of the track to try and make the pass going into turn 1. Huls would emerge from turn 2 with the lead, and then held on for the $1,000 victory. Taylor was 2nd, Derrick Agee charged from 15th to finish 3rd, Brandon Savage started 8th and finished 4th, with Dean Kratzer coming home in 5th.

The 20 lap Modified feature was up next, with Carter VanDenBerg and Jardin Fuller drawing the front row. VanDenBerg would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Dakota Simmons and Fuller. While VanDenBerg set the pace out front, Michael Long, who started 8th, was quickly working his way towards the front. The action was slowed for the first time of the race on lap 5, when Scott Bryant spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart VanDenBerg moved back out front, with Long over taking Simmons for second. VanDenBerg then started to put some distance between himself and Long, when the second caution of the race appeared on lap 12. Jared Fuller would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. VanDenBerg once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Long and Jesse Dennis, who started 11th, taking over the third spot. Long and Dennis tried to keep pace with VanDenBerg, but he once again started to pull away. Only to be slowed one final time on lap 18, as Bryant spun in turn 4 to set up a green-white-checkered finish. On the restart VanDenBerg moved back out front, with Long and Logan Anderson, who started 7th, glued to his back bumper. VanDenBerg would hold them off to pick up the win and the $1,000 check to go with it. Long was 2nd, Anderson was 3rd, Simmons was 4th, with Johnny Wyman completing the top 5.

The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap SportMods, with Austin Howes and Adam Birck making up the front row. Howes used his starting spot to his advantage, by jumping out into the lead on lap 1 over Austin Becerra and Birck. On lap 2, coming to complete lap 3, disaster would strike Becerra, as he got high in turn 3 and went over the track to bring out the yellow. On the restart Tyler Lewis, who was running 10th, got bottled up and spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Howes jump back out front, with Brayton Carter, who started 8th, over taking Birck for the runner up spot. While Howes worked the bottom of the speedway, Carter went to the top. Carter would use the momentum off the top of the track to take the top spot away from Howes on lap 6. Three laps later, lap 9, Brandon Symmonds would spin in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Carter moved back out front, with Birck and Howes racing side-by-side for the second spot. The action up front was slowed on lap 11, as Steve Berry spun in turn 4 to bring out the caution. Carter once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Birck and Howes continuing their battle for the runner up spot. Just when it looked like Cater would pull away to an easy win, the final caution of the race appeared on lap 16. Casey Lancaster would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Carter jumped back out front, with Howes over taking Birck for second. While Howes and Birck battled for the runner up spot, Carter would pull away to claim the $1,000 victory. Birck edged out Howes for 2nd, with Howes 3rd, Daniel Fellows was 4th, with Brandon Lennox coming from 11th to finish in 5th.

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