In an event that started out at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, before moving to the I-35 Speedway in Winston, Missouri, the 6th Annual Summit Racing Equipment USRA Nationals has found a new home at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa. That only makes sense as that is also the hometown of the owners of the sanctioning body, Todd and Janet Staley, who also now promote the historic half-mile on a weekly basis and as this weekend's event opened on Thursday night the infield pit area was overflowing with more than 130 entries in the four divisions. With the USRA National point battles coming down to the wire, this was the only place to earn them this weekend and those at the top fared quite well on a cool and breezy night.
The Hobby Stocks would be up first for sixteen laps with the two drivers battling it out at the top of the standings, Dustin Gulbrandson and Eric Stanton earning the front row by virtue of accumulating the most passing points during the four heat races. This one would get off to a rough start as after Guldrandson led the field on lap one a pair of back markers would spin in turns one and two, but that would be nothing compared to the seven car pileup that was now taking place in turn three. Cory Yeigh nearly cleared the wall during the melee and the event was delayed for several minutes as while there were plenty of wreckers on hand, there were more cars that needed them than were present. In fact the last task for the wreckers was to carry just the rear axle assembly, I assume from Yeigh's car, back to the infield.
Once back to racing Gulbrandson, Stanton and Tyson Overton, who like Stanton is also from Carlisle, would make it a three car breakaway from the rest of the field running nose to tail around the top side of the big half-mile. Contact between the top two in turn two would allow Overton to go to the front on lap seven, but just one lap later when Stanton loosed him up a bit at the exit of turn four that would allow Stanton to drive by on the outside in turn one to take the lead on lap nine.
The caution would wave again on lap eleven when Trevor Kracht spun in turn four and the crowd cheered when Gulbrandson pulled alongside Stanton under caution to exchange pleasantries. Once back to green the top three again pulled away with Stanton out front, Overton in second and Gulbrandson following, but this time the leader was able to put some distance on the challengers as Stanton went on to take the win and not only increase his slim advantage over Gulbrandson in the USRA National points, but also add to his small lead in the
All Iowa Points. Gulbrandson dove to the bottom exiting turn four to nip Overton for second at the checkers while Brandon Nielsen and Brady Link then came in to complete the top five.
Older race fans like me would be quick to notice the paint scheme and car number of the pole-sitter for the twenty lap main event for the B-Mods as the blue with orange numerals and yellow trimmed #56 of Ty Griffith definitely brings back memories of National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame member Gary Webb and Ty would do him proud by racing out to the early lead in this one. The first caution of the event would fly on lap six when Trevor Tesch spun in turn two and on the restart Griffith would have the southwest Missouri duo of Kris Jackson and Ryan Gillmore lined up behind him. These two, along with Decorah's Dan Hovden come into the weekend with less than 70 points separating them in the National points chase and Hovden was also on the move after starting thirteenth.
The hometown hero Griffith would fight them off until the caution waved again when Jeremiah Reed got stuck in the mud in the infield near turn three and on this restart Jackson would nose ahead to take the lead. Griffith was not about to give in though coming right back to regain the advantage on lap twelve only to have Jackson come right back at him in a fantastic race. The two would cross the stripe in a near dead heat on lap fourteen just before the caution waved for a Brock Hess spin in turn two.
A check of the scoring and timing showed that Jackson would be placed out front for the restart and the current National points leader would then pull away for the win. After fading out of the top five in the second half of the race, Gillmore battled back and sailed around the outside of Jared Boumeester in turn four on the final lap to take the second spot as Griffith and Hovden completed the top five.
The USRA National points leader in the Stock Cars, Mitch Hovden appeared to be on his way to another good night leading his heat race by a large margin, but with just two laps to go he slowed suddenly and pulled to the infield. With his car done for the night Hovden then found a seat in Todd Staley's backup car and after missing the transfer from the B-Main he would start as an Ironman Series provisional from the back of a 27-car field that would race for twenty laps.
A first lap caution would slow the field as Kyle Falck set a torrid pace after starting from the second position.On lap four the caution waved again as Cody Frerichs was putting out heavy smoke from the right side entering turn one and then fluid on the back stretch. On this restart the third place car of Reid Keller would go for a spin in turn one sending the field scrambling, but only Todd Staley would come to a stop with the right front of his car perched atop the short wall in turn one.
Once back to green only three more laps would be scored before Andy Jones tagged the wall in turn three and from there everybody settled down and this one then went the remaining distance green to checkers. This would also be a three car breakaway as Falck led fellow Decorah area drivers Dillon Anderson and Lynn Panos. With Falck working the bottom Anderson did his best to pound the cushion and on at least three occasions it looked like he would pull even with the leader in turn three only to have Falck power away again down the front stretch. That would be how they would finish with Falck taking the win over Anderson and Panos leaving me impressed with how versatile the Decorah area Stock Car drivers are as you could probably fit four Upper Iowa Speedways within the Hamilton County Speedway. These guys can do it on a short track or a big one, and they have been doing so for many years now.
Stefan Sybesma made a nice run from fourteenth up to fourth while pole-sitter Jesse Brown finished in fifth. Mitch Hovden, another of those Decorah Stock Car studs drove the borrowed car up fifteen spots to twelfth.
The high speed USRA Modifieds would close out the evening for twenty laps with National points leader Brandon Davis earning the pole position after winning from fourth in his heat race. Ryan Gustin would try to keep pace with Davis early before a lap nine restart saw USMTS Champion Rodney Sanders move to second. Sanders was able to keep the leader in his sights, even peeking to the inside of Davis on a couple of occasions, but there would be no beating the driver out of Medford, Minnesota, on this night as Davis went flag-to-flag for the win. Sanders would chase him in for second, Lucas Schott was third, Dustin Sorenson came from ninth to finish fourth while J.D. Auringer filled out the top five.
It was an entertaining night of racing enjoyed while sitting with my friends Warren & Carol Busse and Bob Litton and I want to thank Todd & Janet Staley as well as announcer Ryan Bergeson for their hospitality. You never know, with the weather affecting my plans I might just be right back in Webster City on Friday or Saturday.
And yes, the heavy rain of Friday morning in southeast Iowa has already changed my plans, and those of many others, as the Deery Brothers Summer Series and the Sprint Invaders Fall Haul at 34 Raceway for tonight has been canceled. They are hoping that they can still get the Saturday night portion of the Fall Haul in on Saturday, but any additional rain today and tonight will make that a tough chore. Expect a decision to be made before noon on Saturday.
That leaves me looking for a dry destination tonight and with several events on the calendar here for the final weekend in September you just never know where you might find me on the Back Stretch.
