Spring National Night in Memphis

   

The  Friday opening night of the Memphis. Mo. Spring Nationals at the Scotland County Speedway was cancelled a day early due to wet grounds as well as a forecast of unfavorable weather conditions. So we resumed our season for the Saturday night portion of the event. Five classes would be in competition on the wide, fast oval, identified anywhere from a three eighths to a half mile track. And even with cool temps and a steady breeze, the early start time of 5:30 hot laps gave us hope of an early conclusion to the action. Even with the show down to one day, a solid field of eighty competitors signed in from six states, including Minnesota, Kansas, and California.

   Hot laps kicked off about twenty minutes after the 5:30 advertised time, but after the delay the show clicked off quickly, with the final checkers waving about 9:10. Eleven heat races ran off in timely fashion with inspections and redraws in the infield, and after a short ten minute break it was feature time. Stock Cars were up first, with all but one of the sixteen on hand lining up for twenty laps. Derrick Agee shot to the lead for outside row one, holding off hard charging John Oliver Jr. and Maguire DeJong. But on the eighth lap, Agee caught a rut in turn two, allowing both drivers to drive underneath him. A pair of yellow flags kept things tight, but once out front Oliver Jr. was the leader each time by the flag stand, picking up the hard fought win. DeJong won a close battle with Agee for second, while Brayton Carter in the Vandenberg #7V and second heat winner Jason See completed the top five. 

   The hybrid B Mod/Sport Mod class would be next, with all sixteen again set for twenty laps. Brayton Carter climbed from the Stock Car into his #01 Sport Mod, lining up on the front row, and as they used to say, "that was all she wrote!" "Speedy Bray survived a couple of cautions, but was basically unchallenged, driving off to the flag to flag win. Cam Reimers stayed close to the leader in the late going, but could not mount a serious challenge. Dawson David gained four spots to claim third ahead of Colton Livezey and eighth starting Chris Spalding. 

   The A Mod class was a bit light with a dozen entries, but with Clash on the Coast champion Austen Becerra pulling the number two pill, it mattered not. Driving a car lettered to resemble his late father Tony, who turned many fast laps at Memphis, Austen drove off into the Scotland County night in the non stop twenty lapper. Dylan Thornton, who lists Orcutt, California as home, but spends much of the season in the mid west held off Stock Car hot shoe Joel Rust in a Precision Performance #151 for runner up honors. Quad City youngster Charlie Mohr and Troy Corders rounded out the first five. 

   Twenty three Compacts checked in after Dyllan Bonk lost an engine during the pre race afternoon practice session, with nineteen taking the feature green flag. Following a lap one mix up, second starting Kimberly Abbott paced the early laps, with Barry Taft and Brandon Reu in hot pursuit. Jeffery Delonjay, who along with brother Jaden appeared to half throttle through their heat races, perhaps using the show as a "test and tune, " suddenly decided to "go for it," shooting from fourth to the lead in the blink of an eye off turn two.  Halfway through the fourteen laps, Reu made contact with Abbott, who then contacted the tire barrier between turns one and two. Track officials decided to return Kimberly to the second position and send Reu to the tail, so he pulled his #27 to the infield. Back to racing, Abbotts' #71 suddenly slowed on the backstretch, piling up the cars of Caleb Giese and Josh Clark, with Clark ending up on his side. Delonjay then raced on to an apparent win, but was met in victory lane by race director Mike VanGenderen, who after a brief conversation and a hand shake, radioed to the tower that the 32D was a DQ, and the win would go the Barry Taft. So apparently the "test and tune" part was accurate. This would move New York Mills, Minnesota driver Travis Roush to second and lady racer Katelynn Watts to third. Matt Moore stated in row eight and finished fourth in front of twentieth starting Joshua Glaspie. Only eight cars were running at the checkers. 

   Thirteen Hobby Stocks would be the closing act. The dominant driver around these parts, Dustin Griffiths did not have his familiar #10G in the pits, but was instead wheeling a Jim Tull #22X. And wouldn't you know it, Dustin drew the number one pill! Eric Knutson had gotten the better of Griffiths in their heat race, but after starting fourth he could do no more than chase Dustin until he lost the handle on his #12 coming to the "two to go" wave of Kevin Egglestons' green flag. Griffiths picked up the win, with seventh starting Corey VanDerwilt topping Brad Graham for second. Tom Killen Jr. and Preston McDonald also collected top fives. 

   If any of this information is inaccurate, I apologize, as about halfway through feature racing I lost my notebook to the unknown depths below the bleachers, never to be seen again, as there is no access below!

   VanGenderen and his crew now move on the the Bloomfield, Iowa Speedway next weekend for the Southern Iowa Frost Out, and racing action will return to Memphis on Friday, April 25, as the SLMR Late Models will highlight a "can't miss" show! 

   Not sure what is next for yours truly, indeed this aging computer seems to be hanging on by a thread, but stay tuned and we will hopefully see you at the track soon!

Opening the Season in Grand ( Springfield) Style

    The abrupt change in temperatures came just in time for us to kick off our 2025 racing season. The two full nights of action came at the same venue where we closed out 2024, Springfield, Mo. Raceway. Conceived last fall by track owner/promoter Jerry Hoffman along with racer Justin Wells, the event was originally to be a weekend showcase honoring the roots of southwest Missouri racing, the MLRA, as well as a pair of original series legends, Darrell Mooneyham, and the inaugural MLRA champion from 1989, Ken Essary, with special invitations extended to former series champions. Friday nights' Late Model feature would pay $5,036 to win, a nod to thirty six years of the tour, while the Saturday winner would collect $6,036. Following the shocking announcement that Lucas Oil Racing had disbanded the series, Hoffman decided to soldier on, and even increased the Saturday top prize to a cool $10,036, perhaps reflecting the savings of sanction fees. Cash for Late Model fast time and heat race winners also sweetened the pot. A healthy payout was also on the line for the other four classes on the card, B Mods, Midwest A and B divisions, as well as Legends. Those four groups would run heat races only on Friday, double heats for the B Mods, with B and A mains on Saturday, while Late Models would of course stage two complete shows.

   We expected a solid field of competitors filling the pit area, and came prepared for two exciting nights of action with quickly falling temps, and we were not disappointed!

   Ninety one teams signed in on Friday, topped by twenty eight Super Late Models. Truthfully I expected a few more cars, but then again it was still February in the mid west and many teams are simply not yet ready to go. As it is, I certainly had no complaints about the competition or the show, which began very near the 6:15 advertised start time. 

   Late Model time trials clicked off smoothly, with Chatham, Illinois ace Brian Shirley tripping the clock at 12.041 seconds around the quick quarter mile. The widely accepted though hardly fan friendly line up procedure of fast timers up front reared its ugly head with all four eight lap heats won from the pole position. Shirley, Tony Jackson Jr., Clayton Stuckey and Dillon McCowan picked up the $100 heat race bonus after being the top four timing in. The pattern held as Justin Wells topped the ten lap B Main from the pole, which added four cars to the sixteen heat race qualifiers. Unfortunately, Logan Martin, who was wheeling a second car for the Austin Vincent team after closing down his own operation had already blown an engine and was the only scratch from the "B."

   Starting once again from the pole, Shirley took the lead in the thirty lap main event ahead of Stuckey. The yellow flag flew for the first time on lap four for Kylan Garner. Billy Moyer took advantage of the Delaware restart to climb to second after starting in fifth. The two veterans, Shirley and Moyer quickly pulled away from the pack and were about the catch the back of the field when Jon Kirby spun about lap thirteen. Stuckey then regained the runner up spot as McCowan also slipped past Moyer for third. As the " Squirrel" stretched his margin, McCowan powered to second and appeared to be closing the gap on the leader with a full ten laps to go. But even with slower traffic looming, Shirley maintained a solid lead all the way to the checkers. McCowan settled for second, Jackson Jr. mounted a second half charged to third, and Stuckey nosed out Moyer for fourth. The Gundaker brothers, Trevor and Gordy waged a battle for sixth chased by Sawyer Crigler, Mason Oberkramer and Eli Ross.  

   It was a quick turnaround as the promise of cool temps persuaded Hoffman to bump Saturday start times up to 3:20 hot laps. With a belly full of Lamberts', we settled in as Late Models again staged time trials. Martin, Jimmy VanZandt, and the heavily smoking #7 of Cole Wells were missing from the lineup, with the addition of Glen Powell and Arkansas driver John Briggs bringing the count to twenty seven. An addition here and subtraction there and the Saturday total tally was plus one at ninety two race teams. The afternoon start left the track a bit slower, with Jackson Jr. leading the way at 12.738 seconds. Once again heat wins went to the pole sitters, Jackson Jr., Stuckey, Gordy Gundaker and Shirley. As an added bonus, long time MLRA director Ernie Leftwich sweetened the pot for what turned out to be heat race number one, and Tony Jackson Jr. walked away with a cool $1,100 for eight laps of racing. The best Late Model prelim of the weekend was the Saturday B Main, with nine cars battling for four qualifying positions. West Plains, Mo. driver Dustin Tiger came from row four to grab the win. A time trial mishap found McCowan unable to make repairs in time for his heat or B main. 

   With the balanced fields, no B mains were needed in the other divisions, so feature racing was staged around the Late Model qualifiers. Mid West B Class opened feature racing with seventeen cars battling for twenty laps. Cody Arnett took the early lead from the pole with his row one mate Gavin Buckley in pursuit. The yellow flag would fly four times in the first half of the race as the less experienced drivers fought for position. As the front duo raced side by side just past the mid point, Buckley took over the top spot. He then pulled away in his black #47, surviving one more yellow at lap fifteen. He would cruise to the win, besting Arnett, Jordon Cater, Braxton Rupp and Darren Burt.

   The nineteen competitors in the Legends class had trouble putting more than two green flag circuits together in their twenty lap marathon. Six times in the first dozen laps the caution flag would wave before one final stoppage marred the final eight trips around. This was not bad for everyone, however. Trenton Simon started fourth in his #72s machine, and was attempting to move up early when he looped his ride and was forced to restart at the tail of the single file lineup. Right away he began picking off cars, gaining a few spots ahead of each caution. At the half way mark, he was back to second, and he grabbed the lead on lap twelve, just ahead of another stoppage. A final yellow flag came with fifteen in the books, and this time the field was realigned Delaware Style, perhaps because it was in the five to go window. In any event, the white flag came one lap later, then Simon held on for a popular win. Jay Reynolds ran up front all race long, edging early leader Tanner Foster for second. J P Harris and back row starter Chance Gilbert completed the top five. 

   The Mid West A division was a bit short, growing from nine cars on Friday to a dozen for the finale. But it was three wide racing for the lead as lap one was scored and the yellow flag flew. Pete Richardson brought his sharp looking #64 to the front from row two, while Ben Newell and Jerad McIntire battled for second. Soon hard charging Mark Simon came from row five to grab the runner up position as a gaggle of cars fought behind the leader. Two more cautions slowed the action, but Richardson remained in charge, taking the win. Sundance Keeper came on strong to finish second, chased by McIntire, Newell, and Carter Harrison. 

   Thirty six laps would be the distance for the Super Lates. Jackson Jr. and Stuckey brought the field to green after Matt Menzie went pit side following a puff of smoke. Gordy Gundaker jumped to the early lead with Jackson Jr. in pursuit. A lap two yellow ended the night for Oberkramer. Looking to double up, Shirley used a power move to advance from fourth to second on lap four, taking along Kirby in third. Along with Stuckey, the top four locked on the low side and began to put distance on the pack before catching the tail of the field around lap twelve. Trying to set up the leader, Shirley looped his #3S with thirteen laps scored. Stuckey took second on the restart, then cleared Gundaker for the lead. Following a caution for Tiger, Kirby shot to the runner up spot., then Jackson Jr. slowed to bring out the yellow with fourteen to go. Back to racing Gundaker retook second and Moyer jumped to third. Meanwhile with apparent fresh rubber Jackson Jr. came quickly charging through the field. There was one final caution as the back of the pack got crossed up with a dozen laps left, but there would be no catching the youngster Stuckey. He cruised to the $10,036 payday in front of Gordy Gundaker. Kirby eased around Moyer at the end while Shirley climbed back to fifth. Ross had a strong run in sixth, trailed by Crigler, Jackson Jr., Trevor Gundaker and crafty veteran Raymond Merrill, making his first Late Model starts in nearly three years this weekend. 

   B Mods would round out the fast paced show, nineteen strong for twenty laps. Matt Brookshire led Waylon Dimmitt early as veteran Ken Schrader came from row three to third. Following a lap three caution, Schrader took the runner up slot, then powered to the front on about lap six. Four more times the yellow flag would stop the action, but Schrader appeared to be a day early for his Sunday drive. Each time he would pull well ahead, and the NASCAR and mid west legend cruised to a crowd pleasing victory. Dimmitt settled for second while Cole Campbell made the trip from Mexico, Missouri to claim third. Top competitor Kris Jackson struggled a bit on Friday, but came back in the finale to climb seven positions to fourth ahead of Anthony Ferrara. 

   It was just past 7:30 when the final checkers flew, much appreciated on a chilly evening!

   A fun weekend spent with good friends Jeff, Darryl and Barry marked the beginning of year number seventy spent going to races for yours truly. Although no one could have imagined the changes from 1930's style coupes to the "store bought" machines of today, I still get a thrill watching these warriors challenge each other on the ovals. Hope to see you all soon at the races!

Saying "Good Bye" to a Legend

       It is a sad time for the racing community here in the Tri State area as we mourn the passing of Bob Scott. Since it's inception in 1975, Bob Scott, alongside his Father Albert was the face of Quincy Raceways for most of its many years of operation. I had the pleasure of working for and with Bob and his family for several years as a very small part of the success of the speedway. In addition to serving the racing community, Bob and his family are well known for 89 years of continuing operation of roller skating facilities in Quincy. In recent years, Bob had become well known  as a top tech inspector for Go Kart racing nationally. He was 78 years old.

   R.I.P., Bob.

Anothe Successful Season in the Books

     2024 was another exciting year for yours truly and my trusty companions. Although my total races were down a bit, I still managed to log fifty three nights at nineteen different tracks in five states. Adams County, Il. Speedway/ Quincy Raceways led the way with fifteen nights followed closely by Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Ia. at fourteen. Both of these I consider my "home tracks," as I can be standing at the pit shack in about thirty five minutes from home. Davenport Speedway takes more effort, but the quality offering of Late Model specials was an attraction on five occasions this season. Two visits each came at a long time favorite, 34 Raceway in West Burlington, along with Independence Motor Speedway and Cedar County Raceway in Tipton. Single nights were enjoyed at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, West Liberty Raceway, Benton County Speedway in Vinton, all in Iowa. East Moline Speedway, Peoria Speedway and Tri City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Il., along with Scotland County Speedway, Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Moberly Motorsports Park, and Springfield Raceway in Missouri were also visited once. 

   Thanks to my Positively Racing cohort Jeff Broeg, I was able to add three new to me venues in three different states. Our season opened at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, South Dakota, and we made a late season pilgrimage to Grain Valley Speedway near Kansas City, Missouri and Tri State Speedway just across the state line near Pocola, Oklahoma. This brought my total tracks to a somewhat modest (compared to my P.R. colleagues) seventy six. 

  Changes are afoot for 2025. Seven nights in 2024 were spent chasing MLRA Late Models, a now defunct wing of the Lucas Oil Racing family. Fortunately it appears the rejuvenated MARS series has picked up several of those events, including the uber popular Slocum 50. As schedules continue to drop, the upcoming season is shaping up to be both varied and busy. For several seasons in the early 2000's our racing would begin and end at the same facility, the long closed  Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. Now we hope to recreate that scenario. Having wrapped up 2024 at Springfield Raceway, we now look forward to the two night opening extravaganza at the quick quarter mile on February 28 - March 1. That is IF Mother Nature will cooperate! In the meantime, enjoy the holidays. Merry Christmas to all!

Turkey Bowl Puts a Wrap on 2024

    Saturday we wrapped up our 2024 racing season with our annual pilgrimage to Springfield, Mo. Raceway for the final night of the 18th annual Turkey Bowl. B and A mains for the Midwest Mods, B Mods, A Mods, and Legends, plus a full show for open Late Models would make up a very full card of action in front of a large crowd. Only the Late Models would hot lap, kicking things off about 4:15 on what would slowly become anticipated chilly conditions. At least that is what was on the schedule. But checking once more after arriving in town, hot laps had been pushed back one hour. Perhaps the bright sunshine and stiff breeze would have made track prep more challenging, but whatever the reason, we were gifted with a smooth and fast racing surface helped along by several spritzes of water and a couple of somewhat lengthy "farming" sessions. The good news is there was side by side racing all night long with plenty of passing. The bad news is with 277 cars checked in for the evening, the thirty two race program (complete with a fireworks display!) took about eight hours to complete, with the final checkers waving about 1:12 A.M., leaving us well chilled, but happy. And, hey, we were racing in November! With three other classes having wrapped up competition on Thursday or Friday, the forty nine Super Late Models signed in swelled the weekend car count to a record 404 cars in this the eighteenth year of what had became known as the Turkey Bowl!

   If I may be permitted  small criticisms, I do think the twenty two B main qualifiers could have been staged with fewer laps. Twelve circuits for Legends and Midwest Mods, fifteen for the other divisions seemed a bit long, and having qualified only eight feature starters in the five Late Model heats  (as well as the other classes on prior nights) also seemed a bit light. On the plus side, the vastly improved track lighting, upgraded speaker system and parking attendants were steps in a positive direction. 

   But now, on to the racing. With all qualifying and a brief intermission in the books, twenty four Legend cars would run the first feature, twenty laps around the quick quarter mile. Chance Gilbert would lead the first seven laps after his pole start. Just as Glenn Mitchell grabbed the lead, the first caution came for a spinning Gilbert. Row six starter Jackson Lewis would charge to the front on the restart, while Trenton Simon and Sean Johnson locked in a tight battle for second. A second and final yellow came with five laps to go, but Lewis was not to be denied, making the long tow from Lakeville, Minnesota pay off, collecting the unique Turkey Bowl trophy and getting to set off a firework, as did each feature winner. Simon won the fight for second ahead of Johnson, Mitchell, and Ty Olson. 

   Twenty Midwest A class cars came out next for twenty laps. Mike Striegel started on the pole and was well out front working the inside line. As the race came to the mid point and the leader approached slower traffic, Mark Simon suddenly slowed, bringing out the yellow flag and ending his top five run. Back under green, ninth starting Pete Richardson used the Delaware Style restart to jump from third to the runner up position and began to hound the leader. With the leaders working the low line, Jerad McIntire took his #9X to the cushion, moving quickly to third. As the pack came through the final set of turns to the checkers, McIntire made a final charge, but slipped off the tricky cushion, recovering to cross the line in fifth. However, he apparently did not survive post race tech, earning a DQ. The final rundown had Striegel with the win followed by Richardson, Daniel Anders, Ben Newell, and JC Newell. 

   Track work was followed by the A Mod thirty lapper, twenty cars strong. The star studded field saw Kyle Steffens outrun his row one mate Zack VanderBeek and row two starters Kenny Wallace and Terry Phillips to turn one. On lap six Phillips moved to third ahead of a yellow flag, and he then took second on the Delaware restart. VanderBeek returned the favor following another stoppage with a dozen laps scored. Again the caution came at lap fourteen, and now it was Phillips moving once more to second. California transplant Trevor Fitz was now on the move to fourth after lining up in row six while Chase Holland used the high line to enter the top five. Phillips worked close around the tall inside berm while Steffens preferred a middle groove in the nip and tuck battle. Steffens held the lead by inches with six laps remaining, but Phillips nosed ahead the following trip across the line. In the closing circuits, the second generation hometown star increased his lead, and as the checkers flew it was Phillips scoring his fifth Turkey Bowl crown. Steffens would settle for second in front of VanderBeek, a late charge by Darin Duffy, and Wallace. 

   Another rework of the surface preceded $6,064 to win Late Model headliner. Forty nine entrants had been whittled down to twenty for thirty laps of action. Daniel Hilsabeck and Dillon McCowan brought the field to green. Tony Jackson Jr. followed Hilsabeck as lap one was scored while Justin Zeitner and Ryan Gustin trailed McCowan in the first five. With a lap three restart, McCowan and Gustin took up the chase. Gustin would bring out another yellow as he slowed nine laps in, his run finished. As the green flag waved once again, Jackson Jr. jumped the cushion and was shuffled all the way back to tenth. Logan Martin had started in eleventh, but he powered to third ahead on lap twenty, one circuit before another stoppage for Hilsabeck, who had a tire go down nine laps from payday. McCowan would inherit the lead and survive one more caution on lap twenty three. From there he would cruise to the win, besting Martin, Louisiana driver Clayton Stuckey, Zeitner, and hard charging and row nine starter Dustin Hodges. Hilsabeck was able to bounce back to run sixth, topping Rich Bell, Kylan Garner, Scott Crigler, and John Briggs. 

   B Mods would wrap up the night and the season after seventy six entrants were pared down to twenty for twenty five laps. Pole sitter Ryan Gilmore led early, passed by Glenn Styres ahead of a major pileup that brought out a red flag three laps in. Colson Kirk would grab the front position as racing resumed, pulling well ahead before a second caution with eight in the books. Logan Anderson drove from fifth to second on the restart taking along fellow Iowan Brayton Carter. Talan Willis was working near the front before going over the top of turn four just after the halfway mark to bring a final yellow. Carter would take over the top spot with nine laps to go, pulling away to collect the Turkey in his first visit to Springfield. Kirk finished second, chased by Anderson, Gilmore, and twelfth starting Logan Hickerson from Linden, Tennessee. 

   Before the short trip to our hotel was complete, we were well along with plans for Turkey Bowl XIX in 2025!

   As I type on Monday morning, a pair of phone calls informed me that shockingly Lucas Oil has decided to shut down the iconic MLRA series as of today. This will certainly shake up the mid west Late Model landscape in ways we hesitate to hazard a guess! So grab the popcorn and hold on!

   Although the Racin' Down the Road tour is probably complete for 2024, there is still one major mid west event to go, the indoor Gateway Dirt Nationals at the Dome in St. Louis December 5-7. When that is in the books, we will follow with our 2024 season recap and perhaps a look ahead to 2025. Stay tuned!

Honoring the 2024 Hall of Famers

    Our racing experience this weekend was a bit different. Along with my friend Fred, I was fortunate to be able to attend the annual Iowa Dirt Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This event took place in Webster City, where fourteen very deserving persons received such a special honor. Being present as my good friend and Positively Racing colleague Jeff Broeg delivered his acceptance speech was a highlight of the evening. I have followed and admired Jeffs' media contributions since his teenage days with Hawkeye Racing News, being fortunate to spend the last nearly fifteen years playing a small part on this site, one of his many successful ventures.

   Among the other inductees were a couple of gentlemen for whom I have plenty of admiration. Lynn Richard had a long career as a successful dirt track racer before taking the reins as a co promoter of the struggling dirt track on the Lee County Fairgrounds in Donnellson, Iowa in the 1990s. In short order under his watch, Lynn turned the track into a Saturday night racing destination. Along the way he was a patient and generous employer for many racing enthusiasts, including my son, Brent, who offered up his media skills after working as a writer for Broeg as a teenage racing fan. 

   Doug Haack is likely the most in demand flagman in the state of Iowa, working regular gigs four nights per week in addition to many special events.  More than just waving the sticks, Doug is a no nonsense, take charge field general from his perch above the track, while maintaining respect and friendship from the racers he directs. Although I only met Doug a few years ago, I consider him a part of my racing family. And by the way, he has an awesome collection of photographs from the "old" days of mid west racing.

   Growing up in Keokuk, once known as the "Racing Capital of the World," it is somewhat ironic that I never got to personally know one of my Hometown Heros. Ron Hutcherson was the younger brother of Dick, both being a few years older than yours truly. I spent more than a few nights watching Ron follow in his big brothers footsteps as a force on the Tri State area dirt before heading to the "big time" of ARCA and NASCAR. Ron was inducted posthumously in 2024, having past away just a couple of years ago. 

   Ten other individuals were admitted to the hall on this very special night before a packed house. It was my first time to attend the ceremony, and I look forward to hopefully doing so again. Thanks, Jeff, for the invitation, and congratulations to all the members, past and present.

   Weather permitting, we have one more race on our schedule, the Turkey Bowl at Springfield, Mo. Raceway in two weeks. This is an event we look forward to each season, and if you are so inclined, bundle up and join us there!

Twenty Five Years of Shiverfest in the Books

    With cool temps we felt right at home as the Shiverfest event at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson continued a tradition that began in 1999 as the Grand Millenium Finale before transitioning to Shiverfest the following year. A Halloween celebration for the youngsters as well as a nightcap for Iowa racing, it is a melting pot of competitors from far and wide, including states as far away as Wyoming. Under first year promoters Neal Kohlmorgan and Patrick Profeta, the highly anticipated Hay rack Rides, front stretch Trick or Treating from the gathered race teams, and Box Car Races for the youngsters continued, and oh, by the way, there would be seven divisions of competitive racing!

   One hundred thirty seven cars would be the final tally, a mixture ranging from sixteen Late Models to twenty eight Sport Mods / B Mods.

   Heat race action clicked off in quick fashion, and it was a welcome turn to see qualifying events with as many as ten cars involved, creating some real racing for redraw positions. 

   Intermission included the Box Car Races and some track work, as the late week rain left the three eighths mile oval with a bit of "character," particularly between turns one and two. In fact, most of the caution periods throughout the night began with competitors failing to navigate that set of turns successfully!

   Feature racing began with the American Iron Racing Series rolling out for fifteen laps. Robin Atkins would grab the lead in the early laps, then hold off first Doak Allen Jr., who retired early, then Bart Miller, to notch the win. Atkins pilots a 1967 Ford Fairlane. In fact, the top five finishers were all wheeling FoMoCo products.

   A solid field of twenty Stock Cars signed in, with all but two lining up for twenty laps. John Oliver Jr. has sold his 2024 machine, but was behind the wheel of the Chad Krogmeier #12. Oliver redrew the pole position, then took off, leading row one mate Andrew Burk in an early two car race. The lone yellow flag came on lap four when Leremy Jackson spun on the back chute and had the nose of his #35LJ ripped apart. Back under green, heat one winner Tony Olson in the Kaden Reynolds #1 charged to the runner up spot as Oliver began to put distance on the field. Dustin Griffiths would drive to third on lap seven before giving way to heat two winner Keegan Wells with four laps remaining. Meanwhile, Oliver Jr. would cruise to the win, besting Olson, Wells, Griffiths, and Burk. 

   Cyle Hawkins claimed heat one in the Compact division, started on the pole of the fifteen lap feature, and drove on to win number one hundred of his 4 Cylinder career. Four yellow flags would slow the action, mostly for debris. Three drivers would trade the runner up spot and take a run at Hawkins, who had built a commanding lead ahead of the final yellow flag with just four laps remaining. Josh Barnes, Spencer Coats, and Chuck Fullenkamp had all held the second position throughout the race, and they would follow Hawkins across the line in that order, with Tim Schnathorst holding off heat two winner Michael Snyder for fifth. Top contender Travis Demint was the only one of the eighteen signed in to miss the feature call. 

   Wisconsin visitor Lance Mish was unable to answer the bell in the Late Model twenty five lapper. The two most dominant drivers at the speedway, pole sitter Austen Becerra and third starting heat two winner Tommy Elston would shoot to the front at the drop of the green. Heat one winner Jeremiah Hurst, wheeling the Joel Callahan #40 would power around rookie Jackson Frankel for third before Frankel looped his ride in turn two on lap three, bringing out the yellow. On the restart, Dubuque hot shoe Ron Klein grabbed third away from Hurst. Elston continued to stalk Becerra, and they crossed the line nearly side by side as lap five was scored. Becerra was still in control, but he smacked the guard rail on lap seven, badly damaging the spoiler on his #22, allowing Elston to take over the top spot. Now Hurst was again on the move, charging to third on lap nine, then second one lap later. With Becerra falling back in his now ill handling car, Klein took third on lap eleven. When the caution came at lap twelve for debris, Becerra decided to call it a night. Back to racing it was Elston and Hurst in a tight battle, with Jeremiah moving to the front on lap fourteen, as eighth starting C. J. Horn advanced to third. One last caution came on the next circuit for a Dustin Smith spin, and Klein retired at that point with front end issues. As the green flag waved once again, Hurst opened a sizable advantage, and with just three laps left Horn cleared Elston for second. Jeremy Pundt drove a steady race to claim fourth, while Frankel rebounded to fifth, nipping veteran Iron Man Darrel Defrance. Smith bounced back to seventh ahead of Austin Poage and Jerry Johnson. Klein was credited with tenth.  

   Fifteen laps would be the distance for the twenty seven Sport Mod / B Mods able to make the call, with Jason Riegel absent. A yellow on the opening lap was followed by four more as several cars had issues on the challenging track. Hazel Green, Wisconsin ace Jason Roth took off from the pole with outside row one starter Brandon Lennox in pursuit. With two laps and three cautions in the books, Dylan VanWyk moved to second. Roth opened a several car length lead, but struggled a bit as he caught a slower car at lap nine. A timely yellow flag created an open track ahead, but Van Wyk powered to the high line and cleared Roth for the lead ten laps in. Dylan then stretched his margin, while Lennox came charging back to second. One final yellow set up a two lap, single file restart, with an excited VanWyk holding on for the win. Lennox claimed second, while double duty Tony Olson ( one of several racing multiple classes), finished third. Tanner Klingele came on strong late, advancing five spots to fourth, topping Jarrett Franzen and a fading Roth. Lennox, Franzen, and Reed Wolfmeyer claimed heat wins. 

   Hobby Stocks turned out sixteen entries. Back to racing after a twenty year layoff, Harley Hill could not make the call for the feature, along with Derek Kirkland, who took a vicious multiple time rollover in his heat race after apparently clipping a tractor tire in turn two. Jason Schutterle led Daniel Campbell early, with undefeated track champion Dustin Griffiths charging to third on lap two. It took just two more trips around the oval for Griffiths to move to the lead and set off on his own. Meanwhile there were good battles behind the leader, as cars raced multiple grooves around the oval. Griffiths held a full straightaway lead before the only stoppage came three circuits short of the fifteen lap distance when a small fire erupted underneath the #H2O of Daniel Wauters. As racing resumed, Griffiths drove on the victory, declaring in the winners' circle it was his fifty second checkers in two divisions this season!Tucker Richardson had the drive of the night, gaining a dozen spots to finish second. followed by Tom Killen Jr., Campbell, and thirteenth starting James Pilkington. Heat winners were Jeremy Dooley and Griffiths.

   The finale of the night and the season was the twenty lap Modified money race for the twenty four car field ( featuring long distance traveler Daniel Miller, Bar Nunn, Wyoming!) Again, the open wheel cars seemed to have extra trouble on the night, with three yellow flags in the first two laps. But the green light would then remain on until the closing laps. Denny Eckrich would lead heat two winner Mark Schulte, then Blaine Webster early, with Schulte back to second and first heat winner Becerra moving from row four to third on lap three. Becerra got a strong run off turn four as lap eight was completed, taking second at the line, then powering to the lead down the front straightaway. Austen was soon in heavy traffic, but was moving through seemingly effortlessly. But four laps from the finish, his #22 showed a broken left front end, with the tire and wheel unable to turn. He was able to muscle the car around the track, but with just three circuits left, the caution flag would wave. Lining up behind the leader, Schulte would take second from Eckrich on the restart, but Becerra remained out front. Then coming to the white flag, Austen nearly lost the handle in turn four, with Schulte and Eckrich making it a three car battle. Somehow Becerra held on for the final lap, a dramatic finish to say the least. Eckrich and Schulte followed, chased by heat three winner Kurt Kile, who came back from an early spin to finish fourth. Garrett Wilson would round out the top five. 

   It was exciting racing, with good turnouts in all classes on a cool but enjoyable Saturday night, made special spent with racing friends from far and wide. Thanks to Neal, Patrick, and everyone at LCS for a seasons' worth of hospitality and a plan for more of the same in 2025!

  Next up, we will journey to Webster City, Iowa to celebrate the much deserved  induction into the Iowa Dirt Racing Hall of Fame of my good friend and Positively Racing, All Iowa Points founder, Jeff Broeg. Then, weather permitting, we have at least one more event on our racing calendar, the Turkey Bowl at Springfield, Mo. Speedway in mid November. If you have not been there, it is worth the trip, but dress warm!