132 Cars at Memphis Finale

Saturday night a big crowd and 132 race cars came through the gate at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis,Mo., as night two of the Fall Nationals wrapped up the abbreviated 2016 race schedule at the fairgrounds facility. Although temps dipped below 50 degrees as the final checkers waved just past 11:00, the action stayed hot on the track. A total of 17 heat races and four B mains set the starting field for the six feature events, which began after a brief intermission. First up, 16 of the 17 hobby stocks took the green for 15 laps. One of several double duty drivers, Mike Hughes took off from the outside pole position. He was never seriously challenged in leading the distance. Meanwhile, Dustin Griffiths won a spirited battle for the runner up spot over Clint Nelson. The sport mods turned out a whopping 40 cars, and 24 of them came to the track for their 20 lap finale. Local favorite Brandon Dale grabbed the lead on the opening lap, but soon had Curtis Vanderwal applying pressure. On lap seven, Curtis grabbed the top spot, and began to stretch his advantage. Two laps later Tim Plummer pulled ahead after a duel with Austin Powell and began to stalk Dale. As the laps wound down, Dale began to fade, with Plummer and Powell taking up the chase of Vanderwal. The lone caution period came as the white flag waved, setting up a green, white, checkers finish. Although it wiped out a commanding lead, Vanderwal picked up the win, with Plummer, Powell, and Jim Gillenwater rounding out the top four. Although Curt Marks of Dubuque, Iowa Moving and Storage came on mid week as a sponsor to bump the late model winners check to $1,000, a disappointing total of nine Lee County and IMCA late models signed in, including Marks himself. Marks and Tommy Elston started in row one for the 25 lapper, but third starting Todd Frank looped his # 21 in the first set of turns. Sam Halstead was piloting the Lynn Richard # 26, and he was forced to take evasive action, smacking the guardrail. Although he was able to drive away, he retired to the pits while Frank restarted on the tail. Back under green, Elston jumped to a big lead and was soon lapping cars. Soon his lead was 1/2 lap, and with the race now going green to the checkers, Elston lapped all but the second place finisher, Derek Liles! Gunner Frank turned in a third place finish, with Pat Gordin and Charles Vanzandt completing the top five. All 23 stock cars lined up for 20 laps, with Kurt Kinsley leading the first circuit. The caution waved as lap two was completing, as Jeff Mueller had mechanical problems in turn four, spinning his ride, then retiring to the pits. As racing resumed, Cayden Carter took over the lead, with Johnny Spaw powering to third. Lap four saw Spaw in second, with John Oliver Jr began a charge to the front from a mid pack starting spot. Oliver nabbed second on lap six, and double duty Hughes took over fourth. The yellow waved on lap seven, and following the restart, Spaw spun out of turn two sparking a five car pile up. Going green again, Hughes took second, setting up a three car scrum along with Cater and Oliver. All three leaders ran the high line until the 14th circuit, when Hughes moved to the low side as he looked for the lead. Meanwhile, Carter began entering the turns on the low side, then sliding up to the middle line on exit. One more yellow cam on lap 16, but Carter was up to the challenge. He took the win over Hughes, while Nathan Wood slipped past Oliver for third. Tom Bowling Jr. completed the top five. A dozen sport compacts checked in, and it was Kimberly Abbott with the hot hand. She jumped to the first lap lead from row two. Soon it was Brandon Reu moving to her rear bumper, and lap after lap the two ran inches apart. But Abbott never gave up the top spot, taking the 15 lap win. Reu settled for second, with Darin Smith in third. The final race of the night, weekend, and season saw the 30 modifieds whittled down to 24 starters for 25 laps. It was Cayden Carter pacing the opening circuit before a lap two caution. Michael Long had taken the green in row nine after a rare spinout in his heat relegated him to the second B main, which he won handily. With racing back underway, Long shot to fourth on lap two. It was lap seven when Long won a hard fought duel with Zack Vanderbeek to take over third. Three more trips past the flagstand saw the 18L in second, and now the leaders were in slower traffic. On lap 16, Carter and Long swapped slide jobs in turn four, but as the two entered turn one on the 17th go around, Long took over the lead. From there he stretched his lead, and with no more caution periods, Michael farly cruised to the win. Carter completed a good night in second, with Vanderbeek in third. Dakota Hayden stayed in the mix to take fourth, and veteran Bruce Hanford edged out Kurt Kile and Kelly Shryock for fifth. Promoter Mike Vangenderen and crew do an outstanding job of creating a great racing surface on a track that is used only a handful of times during the season, and Saturday night was a perfect example. With the season quickly winding down, I am hoping for one more race night, next Saturdays Shiverfest event at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa. If you have never attended Shiverfest, I do recommend it, and if you are coming, do so early, as many of the well over 100 cars come to the front stretch about 4:30 for trick or treating for the kids, and it is a good opportunity to see many of the cars and drivers up close before the night of racing. See you there?!?