The 29th running of the Gary Reinhart Memorial race was hosted by Darkside Promotions front men Ryan Duhme and Timmy Current at the Cedar County Fairgrounds Speedway in Tipton, Iowa. In cooperation with Brian and Marcie Gaylord from Lee County Speedway, IMCA late models were added to the card, and the event also served as a Lee County Drive for Five qualifier for modifieds as well as late models. Sport mods, outlaw stock cars, and 4 stocks would be in action, while a visit by the American Iron Racing Series would fill out the lineup. There is considerable prestige associated with winning the race honoring the popular Reinhart which also boasts a $1,500 top prize. Combined with a $1,000 payday for the late model victor and the fact that Davenport Speedway has the night off for the Mississippi Valley Fair as well as Lee County not racing, and this would seem a winning formula for attracting solid car counts in all classes.
One hundred and five race teams rolled through the pit gate, however I must admit to being a bit surprised at the counts in the headline divisions. Seventeen modifieds and sixteen late models seemed a bit light considering the opportunities presented, especially on a night where the weatherman gave us a break with comfortable temps. Davenport weekly drivers did a pretty good job at turning out, but I counted only three Lee County regulars on hand. Of course Tipton is about a forty five minute haul from Davenport, and you would need to add about an hour to that total coming from Donnellson. It is reality, however that racers do not travel as much as in past years, and while fuel prices are certainly a factor, this was the case before the current economic conditions set in. But enough pontificating. let's move on to the racing, which was quite entertaining!
A tribute to long time driver Kelly Meyer, who recently passed on after a motorcycle accident opened the proceedings. Hot laps and heat races clicked off in good time, and after a short intermission, it was feature time. By now, the blinding sun had begun to set off turn two, and viewing the entire track became less challenging!
Outlaw stock cars kicked off feature racing, eleven strong battling for fifteen laps. Shad Murphy paced the opening circuit ahead of a caution flag for Scotty Pratt. Back to action, it was Jeff Struck moving up to challenge for the lead, and he was out front as lap four was scored. Murphy saw his bid for a win end when he looped his #63 on lap seven. Back under green, Struck, Landen Chrestensen and ninth starting Jerry Miles broke free from the pack. Struck remained glued to the inside line while Chrestensen worked one lane higher searching for the front. At the checkers, it was Struck holding on by one car length over Chrestensen. Miles was right there in third, with Kyler Hickenbottom and Kodey Miles completing the top five.
A whopping twenty two A.I.R.S. cars took the green flag for fifteen circuits. R.J. Lank put his Edsel out front from row one, and held the top spot for thirteen laps. On the white flag lap, Robin Atkins was able to race ahead in his Mopar to claim the win. In truth, the gathered throng seemed to get more enjoyment out of this race than any others on this night!
They call them 4 Stocks, and a dozen lined up for twelve laps. Keokuk hot shoe, an Adams County, Illinois Speedway regular, Michael Grossman and Dustin Forbes from Rock Falls, Illinois sat on row one, and they quickly distanced themselves from the field. Forbes was hugging the low groove while Grossman did business in the middle line. As the laps clicked off, Cyle Hawkins worked his way into the conversation in third after starting in row four. After the white flag indicated one lap to go, Grossman was able to make the pass for the lead down the backstretch, then he quickly moved down low in the final set of turns to secure the win. Trent Labarge and Colton Stewart filled out the first five spots.
All sixteen IMCA late models came to the track for twenty five laps, although Dustin Schram ducked to the infield as the green flag waved. He had been involved in a heat race incident that found him spinning hard into the front stretch concrete wall protecting the judges' stand. Matt Ryan had redrawn the pole position, and he quickly jumped out front with fourth starting Justin Kay in tow. As the race stayed green, Ryan built a sizable lead running the high side of the quarter mile, and by lap nine he was approaching slower traffic. With a pair of cars running side by side, Ryan was forced to slow up a bit, and Kay began to close in on the leader. Working the inside line, Kay pulled even and with nine laps to go - stop me if you have heard this before - Kay snatched the lead from the #07. But wait, it was too early in the race for this dramatic move, and as those two worked through traffic, Ryan regained the lead. For several laps Kay stayed glued to the low line, finally moving up the track in the closing laps. But there would be no late heroics for the #15K this time, as Ryan held on for the win in the non stop event. Kay came home second, with Nick Marolf coming from row four to claim third. Fred Remley and Chuck Hanna rounded out the top five. Gary Webb was steady in sixth, topping Andy Nezworski, rookie Doug Burkhead, Don Pataska, and Michael Hines.
With twenty seven IMCA sport mods on hand, it was announced early that all would start the fifteen lap feature, so P.A. man Jerry Mackey urged them to race smart in the four qualifying heats. And they did! As it turned out, there were three scratches for the feature, leaving us with a field of twenty four. The first three laps were a struggle, with a yellow flag each lap, but after that only one more caution period slowed the action. Ben Chapman sat on the pole, and held the top spot for all fifteen circuits. Behind him the racing was intense. Brayton Carter, Justin Becker, and Logan Anderson sliced and diced throughout the race, with each holding the runner up spot at various times. Those four were well out front as the final stoppage came, creating a four lap shootout. Chapman was able to take advantage and open a bit of breathing room, as the others battled behind him, and as the laps wound down, eleventh starting Tyler Soppe came up for a look. At the checkers, it was Chapman, Carter, Anderson, Becker, and Soppe.
The IMCA modified thirty lap $1,500 to win headliner would close out the night. All seventeen cars made the call, with outside row one starter Joel Rust powering to the lap one lead ahead of pole sitter Matt Werner. Only two yellow flags slowed the action, as Rust found the very bottom line to his liking. Behind him, cars were racing all over the track, but he continued to stretch his lead. Meanwhile, Werner had his hands full as he ran side by side with Brad Dierks for the runner up spot lap after lap. On the outside looking for room to challenge those two was Beaver Dam, Wisconsin ace Brandon Schmitt. There would be no catching Rust as he went flag to flag for the coveted win. Dierks eventually claimed the second spot ahead of Werner and Schmitt. Lee county regular Austen Becerra lined up in row five and spent many laps working his way into the fifth position but could not close on the leaders. In the very talented field, veteran Denny Eckrich ran sixth in front of Jaden Fryer, Eric Barnes, Jeremiah Hurst in the #21T, and Rod McDonald.
Although I failed to check the exact time, racing action was over shortly after 10:00P.M. Thanks to Ryan, Timmy, and the gang for a fun Friday night!
This will be all the racing for yours truly this weekend. A reminder that Adams County Speedway is taking this Sunday night off for the county fair. Next up for us is the Flo Racing Night in America event Tuesday at Brad and Jessi's 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa. A whopping $22,022 top prize will draw an all star lineup of super late models, with IMCA sport mods the only other class on the midweek card. Hope to see you there!
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