Friday night the MARS Super Late Model mini tour moved south to 34 Raceway near West Burlington, Iowa for the Prelude to the Slocum. $5,000 would be the top prize for the opening night of the popular tribute weekend. Only one "support" class would be in action on the night, with the 305 Sprint Cars, a regular weekly division, vying for $1,055 to win. In case you have been living in a cave, you likely know that Brent Slocum was a popular and successful area racer who tragically lost his life in a pit accident in 2005. Incredibly, it has been nearly twenty years since his passing, but through the efforts of track owners Brad Stevens and Jessi Mynatt as well as the Brent Slocum Foundation they formed, this race has become a "can't miss" event as well as raising funds for many local causes during its seventeen runnings. Over the years, the Late Models have raced under a few different sanctions, and this was the first time since the 2016 season under the MARS umbrella.
On a day when it would have been easy to cancel, with off and on showers and a biting northwest win, track officials persevered. Indeed, it took thirty minutes or so of dedicated track packing, but when the moisture was worked in we were presented with a fast and amazingly smooth surface that needed no further manicuring during the night!
Thirty five of the Thursday night Late Models competing at Tipton made the trip south, and with four new additions, there were thirty nine of the high powered machines set to do battle on the high banked three eighths mile clay oval. A surprisingly small field of ten 305 Sprint Cars completed the field in front of a crowd no doubt held down a bit by the less than ideal weather conditions.
Time trial qualifying for the MARS cars was split into two groups, and the fourth car out, #22* driven by Pennsylvania youngster Drake Troutman turned a lap of 15.409 seconds to lead group"A." As the track became faster, Thursday quick timer Carson Ferguson, racing out of North Carolina rolled out fifth in Group "B" and circled the oval at 15.136 on his way to another fast time bonus. But the final car out, New Mexico racer Garrett Alberson, driving the Quad Cities based Roberts Motorsports #58, and one of the four "newcomers," blistered the track with a lap of 15.053 for the overall quick time.
Four eight lap heat races were again won from the front row, helped along by the "straight up" starts. Troutman, Bobby Pierce, Brian Shirley, and Dennis Erb Jr. were victorious. Those four would redraw to set the first two rows of the 40 lap feature. Two ten lap B mains would then advance only the top two finishers in each. Pole sitter Justin Duty from Molalla, Oregon, and outside row one starter McKay Wenger would capture those checkered flags. The race of the night came in the first of these last chance qualifiers, as Dylan Thornton, who lists Orcutt, California as home, and Iowa racer Matt Furman traded paint and slide jobs in a battle behind Duty. Thornton finally prevailed, with his #38T showing some battle scars afterwards! Two MARS series points provisional starters would then round out the twenty two car starting field.
Following a very brief break, all but one of the Sprint Cars lined up for fifteen laps of action. From outside row one, heat two winner Colton Fisher shot to the lead ahead of his row one mate, first heat winner Jeff Wilke. Fisher had opened a commanding lead when his engine appeared to let go with billowing smoke and a few flames as he crossed the line to complete lap six. Tanner Gebhardt was able to move around Wilke on the restart. With close racing behind the leader, Donnie Steward saw his strong run come to an end on lap eleven, again with possible engine woes. Gebhardt was able to build a comfortable lead and cruise to the win. Wilke, McCain Richards, Riley Scott, and Cole Helmerson completed the top five.
It was now Late Model time.Troutman and Pierce would lead the field to green, with Drake setting the pace. On lap three, Pierce jumped to the cushion and powered to the front, quickly moving back to the inside line around the oval. The first caution came at lap seven for Justin Reed, who rejoined the field at the tail. Erb Jr. cleared Troutman for second on the restart as Pierce began to stretch his advantage. With most of the field liking the low line, Troutman was pounding the cushion, holding his own, but unable to move forward. Wenger would bring the the next yellow flag with a flat tire sixteen laps in. Back to racing eighth starting Ferguson climbed to fourth and two circuits later Troutman drove around Erb for second ahead of a multi car scrum in turns one and two. Now Erb regained the runner up spot and Shirley shot to fourth. Troutman would bring a caution at lap twenty one, his run over, as his bad luck continued for a second straight night. The final yellow flag waved with twenty seven in the books as Bob Gardner slowed on the track and sixth running Tanner English went to the infield hot pit for a tire change. As the green flag flew for the final laps, Erb made a strong bid for the lead, pulling alongside Pierce. Bobby then went topside once again, found a fast line, and cruised home to the win. With all the cautions, only one of the remaining nineteen cars failed to finish on the lead lap. Erb would stay strong in second, followed by Shirley, Ferguson, and fourteenth starting Shannon Babb. Brandon Sheppard led the second five after a back and forth battle with Alberson and seventeenth starting Duty. Jason Feger and provisional starter Tony Jackson Jr. rounded out the top ten.
The win was worth $5,000 for the second generation hot shoe Pierce, but he has his eye on the bigger prize tonight, the coveted Slocum 50, of which he is a four time winner! $10,555 is up for grabs in honor of the driver of the "High 5". If you are in attendance tonight remember the high five show of hands in the air on lap number five! Modifieds for $1,000 to win and Stock Cars will also be on the card in what should be an awesome show.
Thanks to Jessi, Brad and the gang for their hospitality!
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