Saturday night found us at one of our favorite long time venues, 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa. Lucas Oil Late Model Series cars and stars would top the bill, while IMCA Northern Sport Mods and IMCA Sport Compacts would also take a crack at the high banked three eighths mile oval. Friday night the Lucas Oil Series paid a visit to the seldom used 300 Raceway in Farley, Iowa, where Ricky Thornton Jr. topped a field of twenty six competitors. Tonights' event, sponsored by CRST The Transportation Solution would offer up a fifty lap main event paying a cool $15,000 to the lucky winner. With additional sponsors coming on board, the Sport Mod feature winner would collect $850, while $350 would go in the pocket of the Compact victor!
The Late Model count was up a bit with twenty eight teams rolling through the pit gate. Fifteen Sport Mods and thirteen Compacts filled out the field. Hot laps rolled off close to the 6:00 advertised time, and with racing scheduled for 7:00, plenty of time was built in for Late Model time trials, two and three cars at a time. Decorah, Iowa driver Tyler Bruening was the fastest qualifier with a lap of 15.026 seconds.
Four heat races sent the top four in each to the Late Model finale. As is generally the case with "time'em and start straight up" shows, all four eight lappers were won from the front row. Tim McCreadie captured heat one from outside row one, while pole sitters Thornton Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., and Jimmy Owens also scored victories. With a pair of heats in the books for the other classes, ten of the dozen remaining Late Models lined up for a ten lap B main. The top six would move on to the big dance, with pole sitter Garrett Alberson claiming the win. A pair of provisional starters gave us a field of twenty four to do battle for the $15,000 prize.
Following a brief intermission and with no track work needed, Sport Compacts came to the track for a twelve lap feature. A false start resulted in the front row cars moved back one row, then we were racing. Dyllan Bonk paced the opening lap before Justin "Popeye" Stevenson charged from row four to lead lap two. As Stevenson pulled away, a tight four car battle raged on behind him. Tim Schnathorst, one of the earlier penalized drivers cleared that group for second while Bonk, Luke Fraise, and Noah Kayser continued an entertaining contest for third. With nine laps scored, Fraise appeared to get together with a lapped car, ending his run. One more lap was scored before Schnathorst went for a spin, his night also over. The caution flag waved one more time on the restart, but Stevenson stayed in control to take the win. Kayser outdueled a pair of Adams County, Il. regulars, Bonk, and Kyle Weisenberger for second while Darrian Hammitt rounded out the top five.
It was now Late Model time. McCreadie and Thornton Jr. sat on row one. "T Mac" shot out to a commanding lead running low around the inside tire barrier. Early on it was just eleventh starting Hudson Oneal trying to make up ground running the top side, but he would soon tuck in down low after limited success up top. About lap fifteen, McCreadie caught the tail of the field and when he left his preferred line to deal with the traffic he made contact with the turn three concrete, allowing second running Thornton Jr. to erase his lead. Another pair of trips by the flag stand saw those two racing side by side, and soon Thornton used the inside line to grab the lead. McCreadie tried to fight back running a high line, but soon tucked in behind the leader. Clearly the fastest on the track at this point, Thornton checked out ahead of a mysterious yellow flag twenty eight laps in. Back to racing, Pearson Jr. used the Delaware style restart to take second briefly, with McCreadie soon retaking the spot. Again Thornton checked out while Brandon Overton entered the top three. Another questionable caution flag came at lap thirty eight as Daulton Wilson headed off the track possibly to change a tire. On this restart McCreadie jumped the turn two cushion, falling from second all the way to tenth. Three more laps brought out the final caution as Jonathon Davenport slowed on the front stretch with a flat. Inside of ten to go, the field now reset single file, and once again Thornton drove off from the pack, taking over the series points lead with back to back wins. Overton gained five positions as the runner up trailed by Spencer Hughes, Pearson Jr., and tenth starting Chris Simpson. Oneal was I believe around eleventh on the final restart and charged all the way to sixth at the checkers. Mason Zeigler, odd graphics and all, finished seventh ahead of eighteenth starting Tyler Erb, Owens, and Max Blair. It was acraazy weekend for Ricky Thornton Jr., as he had an accident leaving Farley the night before that saw his merchandise trailer upside down on the side of the road. Thankfully there were no injuries to him or his family!
After all the TV hoopla was complete, it was Sport Mod time for those of us hearty fans who remained. Brayton Carter and Tyler Heckart filled row one, and when Carter was scored the leader for the opening lap, it looked like another notch in the belt of the driver of the #01. Heckart said "not so fast," fighting back to lead lap two. Following a caution on the next lap, the front duo pulled well ahead of the other thirteen, racing side by side. Lap after lap "Speedy Bray" tried to stick the nose of his hot rod inside of #42, finally gaining enough momentum to retake the lead on lap ten of the scheduled fifteen. Carter then began to put some daylight on Heckart as John Oliver Jr. and Logan Anderson battled for third. A caution flag with two laps remaining saw Heckart get shuffled back to fifth on the Delaware restart. As the white flag was displayed, Anderson looped his ride in turns one and two, but there was no yellow flag this time, instead the checkers was waved. Carter claimed victory while Shane Paris found his way to second after starting in tenth. Sean Wyett also took a podium spot, while Oliver Jr. and Heckart filled out the first five.
Though nothing like the uncomfortable conditions we encountered the night before, sunset still brought a cool down, so the fast paced show was welcome. In fact, the clock read 9:50 as we fired up our ride in the parking lot! Thanks to Brad and Jessi for their friendly hospitality and for a top notch program. There will be several more special events mixed in with the regular Saturday night shows at 34 Raceway, so be sure a visit ( or more) is on your racing schedule.
From here we will move south to Adams County, Il. Speedway near Quincy on Sunday, where Matt Curls' MARS Late Model and Modified tours will take center stage along with Dewain Huletts' Hart Limited Modified traveling series. Hot laps are scheduled to kick off at 5:30, hope to see you there!
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