Choices

The mid-week specials have been stacked the past couple of weeks with two, three or sometimes more events scheduled for the same night forcing fans to choose which one that they will attend. Now don't get me wrong, this is definitely a great "problem" to have, something that only those of us who live here in the Midwest get to experience as weeknight racing simply does not exist in most of the rest of the country, so please don't consider what follows as a complaint, more of just a quandary.

The last three races that I have attended had other options to consider although with two of them I didn't really have a choice to make as one of the announcers for the Sprint Invaders, but I know of several fans who actually waited until the day of the race to decide where they would be headed. It started a week ago on Wednesday when the Deery Brothers Summer Series was making its return to the CJ Raceway in Columbus Junction on the same night that the USMTS Modifieds were back in Oskaloosa for the first time in seven years. I made my choice based upon the fact that I had just seen the Deery series twice in the past month at Vinton and Burlington and that I figured that this would be my only chance to see the USMTS in 2018, so I went to Osky. Did I have second thoughts that night? Of course I did, but I would have had those same pangs of regret of missing the other show had I been wedged into the crowded grandstands at CJ as well.

That's what made the next two events better for me as I didn't have a "choice". Amazingly with the storms that tore through Pella and Marshalltown last Thursday, and of course our thoughts and prayers go out to all who were affected, the races at both Knoxville where the annual Dynamic Drive Lines Dirt Duel for the IMCA Modifeids and Sport Mods was being held and at Bloomfield where the Sprint Invaders were headlining at the Davis County Fair were able to run as both events stayed dry. On my drive over to Bloomfield from Mount Pleasant I was listening to the weather warnings on the radio and when they stated that a tornado was on the ground near the Ottumwa Regional Airport and moving southeast at 25 mph a quick calculation made me realize that I would be driving by Agency on highway 34 at about the same time the twister would be arriving.

I made a quick detour by taking the Eldon exit where a fire truck was on the overpass with its lights on, a couple of storm spotters with the Fire Department on watch, and as I crossed the river in Eldon and headed toward Floris the next tornado warning listed the communities that might be affected and the first one mentioned was Eldon! I could see the sky churning to the northeast even as the sun was still shining and as I turned south onto highway 63 midway between Ottumwa and Bloomfield there was another volunteer fire fighter stationed at the intersection keeping an eye to the sky to the north.

When I arrived at the fairgrounds it was bright, sunny and hot and I was pleasantly surprised to see that 26 Sprint Cars had signed in for competition on the night. Along with the ten to twelve Sprint Invader regulars we had Jamie Ball who now runs the ASCS National Tour, Australian Sammy Walsh driving for California's Harley Van Dyke, Sawyer Phillips made his first visit of the year, Mason Daniel the young Californian who is being mentored by Danny Lasoski was back with us and central Missouri's Ayrton Gennetten, Randy Martin and Evan Martin were in the pits. Evan actually won the Invader race down at Memphis, Missouri, back in June. The field also had a local flair with Dustin Clark, Kelly Graham and Doug Sylvester all making their first appearances for 2018, plus it is always cool to see who will be the guest driver in the Midland Performance #50 and on this night it would be Dominic Scelzi.

After the drivers meeting I walked from the pits that are to the west of turns three and four over to the food court that was just south of the entrance to turn one to grab something to eat and while enjoying my sandwich at a picnic table under a tin roof a heavy downpour came creating quote a scramble as the crowd raced for shelter. As quick as it came the rain was gone, falling for perhaps five to ten seconds at most and when I walked back over to the pits it was obvious that it had only sprinkled at best over there since the dust was still kicking up as drivers warmed their engines. That shows just how close we were to being rained out as the radar showed a big red blob growing just east of the track and moving away.

This was the only race of the year scheduled at Bloomfield and the track was smooth and fast all night. It did not widen out until the middle of the feature though so there wasn't much passing going on, at least for the lead but that also might have been due to the old Chinese proverb that says "Sometimes the fastest guy, he starts up front".

Abe Huls dominated to take the $1,000 winner's check in the Bob Weaklen Memorial for the Stock Cars. I was a bit surprised when only thirteen cars signed in, but I think you might have to blame that one on the weather and the same goes for the crowd on Thursday night as I had really expected the bleachers to fill in as the night went on. It was a busy night out on the fairgrounds, but I am guessing that the Sprint Car fans who would have normally made the drive in from up north and to the east likely checked the skies, and the radar and stayed home instead.

Jon Agan started from the pole position and was an absolute rocket in the feature opening up a big lead over Randy Martin and soon was driving through lapped traffic like they were standing still. The leader himself was actually involved in a late caution when he made contact with Sawyer Phillips as he lapped him in turn three and Agan then drove over the left rear wheel of Harold Pohren as the red flag came out when Phillips tipped over onto his side.

Martin made a bid with a calculated slide job in turns one and two on the restart, but Agan shrugged it off and then stormed to the dominating victory. Martin finished second followed by Dash winner Mason Daniel who had started fifth, Jarrod Schneiderman had a solid showing in fourth and Jamie Ball was fifth. It was a tough night mechanically as five drivers were scratched after the heats including Scelzi, something you very rarely see with the 50 car and Brayden Gaylord had his night come to an early end when he smacked the fence in turn one on the start of the Dash. Unfortunately that attrition would effect the Invaders' next event five nights later, but before I get to that let's just say that the Bloomfield Speedway is too nice of a track to only have one race a year. I have a concept in mind where Bloomfield might just be the perfect place to try it out so if any of you over there want to talk, just me know.

Back to choices. On Tuesday night this week my destination was set as the Sprint Invaders were scheduled to return to the Dubuque County Fair for Open Wheel Tuesday along with the Modifieds and Sport Mods. Meanwhile just a little over an hour down the road the World of Outlaws Late Models were at the Davenport Speedway and not that far away over in Britt the Dirt Knights Tour for the IMCA Modifieds were in action at the Hancock County Speedway.

Yes, I was disappointed in the car count at Dubuque with only fourteen drivers signed in as series regulars such as John Schulz, Dave Getchell and John Greenwood were unable to make the trip, but when you look at the talent of those fourteen drivers that were on hand you had to be impressed. And, like we did a couple of years ago when only thirteen cars signed in at Dubuque, it was decided to run two sets of heat races with the second set inverted by passing points and once again that provided some great Sprint Car racing action at Dubuque!

Dominic Scelzi was back in his own #41 tonight and was on a mission to repeat his victory here last year winning the opening heat and the Dash where he would draw the fourth starting spot for the feature. Many time IRA Sprint Car champion Bill Balog was driving the 50 car this night and he would lead the thirty lap feature to the mid-race point before Scelzi drove under him exiting turn four. A late caution would give Balog the opportunity to try a higher line in the closing laps and while it looked like he had the momentum to make a pass, Scelzi was just too strong off the bottom and he would take the $2,000 win. Balog was second, young Tanner Gebhardt was impressive coming from seventh to third while Ryan Jamison was equally impressive coming from tenth to fourth. Jamison who is on crutches right now has some hairline fractures in the tibia of his left leg from a crash at Fairbury a few weeks back, but toughed it out here at Dubuque after scratching last Thursday in Bloomfield. Jamie Ball would finish in the fifth sport. Cody Wehrle would finish sixth and that should put him back in the points lead as Jon Agan had a night to forget with a DNF in 13th. Sammy Walsh was with us again and was putting the pressure on Balog for the lead early before spinning in turn four.

No more mid-week races remaining for the Invaders in 2018 as their next action comes on Friday August 17th at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson and Saturday August 18th at 34 Raceway in Burlington.

The choices continued last night as well as Todd Cooney edged out Justin Kay for the Deery win at West Union. Jeff Tharp, Bryce Garnhart, Scott Busch and Jamie Pfeiffer were winners on race night number two of three at the Dubuque County Fair. Hunter Marriott won the Dirt Knights race out at Alta and a heavy thunder storm wiped out the rest of the program at the Hamilton County Fair in Webster City. I understand that there will be double features now on Saturday.

A family commitment will keep me from making a racing choice this Friday and Saturday, but you can be sure that I will do everything possible to be at 34 Raceway in Burlington Sunday night when the Arctic Cat All Stars come to town and that will in essence be the first night of "Sprint Car Heaven" for the next two weeks with the Knoxville Nationals taking center stage.

Always know that you can see where all of your choices are at the Calendar Page at Positively Racing and when you choose to attend a short track race anywhere, can you really go wrong?

See you on the Back Stretch!