Three divisions, seven heat races, no B-Mains and three feature races with only three caution flags between them made for a quick night Wednesday as the United States Modified Touring Series and the USRA Iron Man Series for Stock Cars and B-Mods visited the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton. In fact the final checkered flag waved just past nine o'clock allowing for my drive home to be mostly in twilight conditions.
The B-Mods were up first for twenty laps and with Tuesday's winner at Stuart, Dan Hovden drawing the outside of the front row, chances were good that we would see a repeat performance. Pole-sitter Josh Roney did not agree with that assessment though as he would take the lead at the drop of the green and while Hovden tried to work the cushion it would be third-starting Brayton Carter who would apply the pressure down low. "Speedy Bray" would take the point on lap three, one lap prior to the first caution of the race needed when Alex Zwanziger went over the top of turns one and two.
Following the restart it looked like Roney surprised Hovden by moving to the cushion in turn three and when the two locked bumpers momentarily that allowed Ben Moudry to move into the second spot. Moudry would stay right with Carter through lap twelve when Tony Kraklio spun just in front of the leaders in turn one and on the restart Moudry again waited for an opening. Carter did not budge off the bottom though and the Oskaloosa driver would get the win here after finishing a close second the night before. Moudry was right there in second, Hovden rode the high line to third, Roney finished fourth and Ryan Walker edged out Ben Chapman at the finish line for fifth.
The Stock Cars were up next for twenty laps with Todd Staley getting past front row starters Troy Hansmeier and Austin Bouzek to take the lead from his third starting spot on the opening lap. Staley's second row companion Kevin Donlan was on the move as well and he would use the middle groove to make his move to the front on lap three. Also making a drive to the front was Mitch Hovden and he was easy to track as the sun was setting beyond the turn two end of the back stretch as his #15 was smoking heavily as he raced through the corners. Whatever the problem though it was not slowing him down as Hovden advanced from seventh to second just before the caution waved on lap thirteen for the Missouri visitor Bouzek who had spun in turn two.
I thought that Hovden might have something for Donlan over the final seven laps, but perhaps the issue causing the smoke did actually slow him down some as he could not mount a challenge as Donlan scored the win. Hovden and Staley went second and third respectively, Pat Graham moved from eighth to fourth and Hansmeier wrapped up the top five.
The twenty-one car Modified field would lay down forty straight laps of green flag racing to wrap up the night and while a few drivers went searching up high early in the distance, by mid-race everybody but the lapped cars were running the bottom around the quarter-mile. Tanner Mullens started on the pole and was able to open up a nice lead, but Zack VanderBeek was able to reel him back in late in the race getting up to the back bumper of the leader with just five laps remaining. One peek to a different line though allowed Mullens to again pull away and capture his second career USMTS feature victory. VanderBeek settled in for second, Jason Hughes was third, fourth went to series points leader Rodney Sanders and Jacob Blees was fifth.
Weather permitting the "Iowa Speed Week" for these series continues tonight at the Mason City Motor Speedway where lights have now been installed for the new track configuration. The action moves to Rock Rapids on Friday night at the Rapid Speedway and on Saturday the five race swing concludes at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City.
My calendar has a pair of Hoker Trucking SLMR East Series events circled for this weekend with Friday night racing at the CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction and then Saturday at 34 Raceway in Burlington.
Get out and support the track of your choice this weekend for some live and in person action!
No comments:
Post a Comment