Wednesday night I made my first visit of 2021 to the 300 Raceway in Farley, Iowa. We arrived just past the 7:00 hour as the sixty one cars in four divisions hot lapped around the wide and fast 3/8 mile oval. After a mid April rain out, this would be the season opener for the week night four division program. The first eight heat races clicked off caution free before a three car pile up in the second IMCA late model heat race pared the field a bit. Veteran Jeff Aikey was running mid pack early in the event when he appeared to lose power on the front stretch, creating a chain reaction crash. Both Ryan Hill and Bryan Moreland found themselves behind a wrecker, as a result. Hill was able to make repairs and start the feature, but it was the end of the night for both Aikey and Moreland.
Following a brief intermission and some track grooming, it was time to go feature racing. IMCA stock cars kicked things off, fourteen cars battling for a dozen laps. Kyle Merkes lined up on the outside pole and held off Chase Zaruba and sixth starting Johnny Spaw as the front three separated from the pack in the early laps. At the halfway mark, Spaw had moved to the runner up spot and was challenging for the top spot. Once out front, he opened a commanding lead, cruising to the win in the non stop event. Merkes came home second ahead of Zaruba. Doing double duty, Justin Kay ran fourth, with Jason Doyle completing the top five.
A stacked field of twenty two IMCA modifieds signed in for a shot at the $600 winners check, with all of them lining up for a twenty lap feature. It was pole sitter Tyler Madigan setting the pace early, and third starting Jeff "Bone" Larson stalking him in second. Troy Cordes came quickly from row three for the best view in the house, lurking in third. As Larson made his move to the front, the caution flag waved at lap nine, negating his pass. Back under green, he wasted no time moving to the front, with the yellow flying again one lap later. Following this Delaware style restart, Cordes powered to the runner up spot. The caution flag came one more time at the fifteen lap mark, but Larson went unchallenged for the win. Cordes claimed second while double duty Aikey made a late charge to third. Brandon Schmitt made the tow from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin to run fourth, with Kip Siems in fifth. In his victory lane interview, Larson said this weekend will be something of a three state challenge for him, as he will race Friday in Darlington, Wisconsin, Saturday in Maquoketa, Iowa, and Sunday in East Moline, Illinois!
The IMCA sport mod field was surprisingly short at ten entrants, but they all came to the track for fifteen laps. Pole sitter T.J. Fortmann wasted no time opening a nice lead as Jason Roth came from row three to second. The first of four yellow flags came with three laps scored, and Tyler Soppe came from third to first on the restart. Following a lap five caution, Shaine Bennett smacked the turn one wall hard. He continued for another circuit before his #10S began to shed debris, bringing the yellow out again with six laps scored. Soppe now had his hands full as eighth starting Troy Bauer pulled alongside the #3T. Bauer was out front for lap eight when the final caution came as Fortmann rode the backstretch wall, bouncing along while making hard contact. Only five cars were around to take the checkers, with Bauer leading Soppe, Kaylin Lopez, who lists Chowchilla, California as home, Roth, and Michael Heister.
Late models would wind up the evening, with the dozen cars still running lining up for twenty five laps and a chance at $600. Besides Aikey and Moreland, Travis Smock did not come to the grid. A light trail of smoke had been trailing his #98 in hot laps and his heat, perhaps suggesting engine problems. The draw, redraw format in effect for opening night found teenage Logan Duffy and veteran Joel Callahan on row one. Callahan jumped to the front ahead of a lap two caution, with a mix up finding Jim Cruise stopped in turn two. Eric Pollard grabbed second on the restart, but Duffy quickly rebounded to take the spot and Matt Ryan followed to nab third. One more lap was scored ahead of a second yellow, and back to racing Ryan claimed second. Continuing his charge, Matt powered to the front on lap five. At the halfway point, Ryan was comfortably out front, Callahan ran by himself in second, while Duffy, Justin Kay, and Ron Klein ran nose to tail and side by side for third. A final caution came with four laps remaining, as Colton Leal slowed, ending his run, and Pollard ducked to the infield under the yellow. Ryan showed his dominance by again pulling away in the closing laps, while Duffy cleared Callahan for runner up honors. Kay was steady in fourth, and Chuck Hanna edged Klein in an entertaining battle for fifth. Steve Hunter and Cruise filled the final running spots at the checkers.
We were headed for the gates about 10:00 on what turned about to be another unusually chilly May evening. Still it was another night of quality racing, and thanks to the 300 Raceway crew for offering up an entertaining week night show through out the season. We will be watching the weather forecast as the weekend approaches, as there are several good options available. Bundle up and find a track, near or far!
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