It has been a few seasons since my last visit to 300 Raceway in Farley, but I hold fond memories of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic at this track and going back to the birth of the event at Hawkeye Downs some 48 years ago. So when Jeff offered a ride for opening night, it was an easy decision. Five IMCA divisions as well as Crown Vics would be in action on Thursday with generous payouts including $2,000 for Stock Cars.
The program started on time, with hot laps at 6:30 and the first heat hitting the track about 7:03. Unfortunately the steady pace could not be maintained throughout the night, beginning with the rather curious scheduling of three heat races for the sixteen Sport Mods signed in. Still the seventeen heat races, a brief hot lap session for the Sport Compacts which will race in night two, and a B main for the thirty two strong Stock Car class ran off in decent time considering several yellow flag slowdowns on the very fast three eighths mile oval.
Intermission became a bit of a drawn out affair with an unusual amount of track rework for( I believe) a Ricky and Dr. Al prepared track. Of course I am sure that the lack of races at the facility made it a bit tricky to find the best combination!
Finally it was feature time, with the IMCA Northern Sport Mods up first. All but one of the sixteen lined up for fifteen laps. Cole Stichter would jump to the lead from outside row one, taking along pole sitter Tyler Maschmann. On lap four Maschmann tagged the treacherous turn three wall, which would jump up and bite more than a few cars during the night. Levi Heath would take up the chase next, but nine laps in eighth starting Jason Roth had worked his way forward to clear Heath for second. Following a quick caution, Heath and Roth would battle side by side behind the leader. Roth was finally able to clear Heath, and on the backstretch of the final circuit he drove around Stichter, holding on for the win. Stichter led fourteen and one half laps before settling for second. Josh Starr ran third ahead of Rusty DeShaw, while Maschmann came back from the tail to finish fifth.
With the IMCA Stock Car field whittled to twenty four, they came to the track for twenty laps. After a delay at the start, Curt Lund assumed the lead from the third starting spot. Four times the yellow flag would fly, and each time the Redwood Falls, Minnesota driver would pull away to a commanding lead. Tom Schmitt and Kodey Miles waged a back and forth duel for the runner up spot throughout. Pulaski, Wisconsin racer Devin Snellenberger was charging through the field in his plain black #21X, coming from row seven before he went up in smoke late, ending his top five challenge. Lund cruised to the win over Schmitt. Johnny Spaw made a late move to slip around Miles for third, and eleventh starting Gage Neal also made a late charge to complete the top five.
Twenty eight IMCA Hobby Stocks contested three heat races with all but two still around for their fifteen lap feature. Another Wisconsin wheel man, Blaise Watters was the early leader ahead of a lap four yellow. Another quick caution followed and on that restart a car clipped the tractor tire in turn four. Trailing behind, Corey Cullen drove over the tire, vaulting him in the air and into a series of at least four barrel rolls. He was a bit shaken, but apparently not seriously injured. Back under green, ninth starting Nathan Ballard had been moving quickly through the field, and he now challenged Watters for the lead. With just three circuits remaining, Ballard executed a successful slide job in turns one and two to grab the lead. Then Watters became the latest victim of that pesky turn three wall, ending his good run. Ballard would survive yet one more stoppage, driving off to a convincing win. Jordon Miles advanced fourteen positions to finish behind Ballard, followed by Carsen Udelhofen and Wisconsin drivers Jimmy Doescher and Mark Neis, who both gained nine spots. Only a dozen cars took the checkered flag.
The IMCA Modified count was nineteen, with seventeen left at feature time. With just one of twenty laps scored the first yellow came, and during the reset pole sitter Jed Freiburger ducked to the infield to change a flat. Jeff Larson raced to the front from row two, with National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Jeff Aikey in pursuit. Ethan Braaksma was wheeling the #12TC this night, and by lap five he had come from row four to battle Aikey for second. The top three pulled ahead, and at the half way mark, Braaksma powered to the front. As Ethan stretched his advantage, Tim Ward joined the leaders in the Eckrich Racing #151. Twice the caution flag would fly in the second half of the race, but it was only a momentary setback for Braaksma, who scored the victory. Ward hustled to take runner up honors with Larson in third. Veteran Kelly Shryock moved up ten spots to outgun sixteen year old Jace Eckrich to round out the top five.
Not to disparage the fledgling class, but a collective groan went through the hearty crowd as the Crown Vics came to the track while the IMCA Late Models lined up in staging. Fifteen of the solid sixteen car turnout raced for a dozen laps, not counting those under caution. Wisconsin drivers continued to show their strength as Brandon Riedner came from row three to grab the win. Travis Nesteby, and Jacob Welter followed. Fourth went to the 80085 car of last starting Jon Merfeld, with Rob Culbertson in fifth.
And lastly it was twenty trips around for all but one of the twenty two IMCA Late Models. It was an early ending for Dustin Smith who was a no show following hot laps. Eric Pollard took off from the pole with his row one mate Curtis Glover in tow. Seventh starting Late Model rookie Logan Veloz showed strength early, wheeling his pink #43LV to fourth ahead of a lap ten caution. Possible contact between Brandon Hamburg and Dave Wadsager sent Wadsager hard into the infield concrete barriers, ending the night for both drivers. Back to racing Veloz charged to third while Matt Ryan moved to fourth. Pollard appeared to be in control as Veloz and Ryan both gained one more spot on laps thirteen and fourteen. With just five circuits left Veloz seemed to be closing on Pollard, but the leader appeared to have a little extra power, as he crossed the line by a comfortable margin. Glover chased Veloz and Ryan in fourth while Nebraska hot shoe Robbie Jorgensen scored a top five run. Jesse Bodin paced the second five in front of Zach Zeitner, twentieth starting Cody Thompson, Joel Callahan and Ryan Hill.
It was an entertaining night with an interesting mix of drivers from as far away as Wyoming. However the final checkers flying about 11:30 made for a challenging drive home! Racing will resume tonight with more money on the line at the 48th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic.
Edit: Night two has been cancelled due to weather.
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