So it has been awhile since I logged on to the Back Stretch as the first two weekends in September were a busy time both at work and with family. I did mange to get to a couple of shows during that time period though and since my Positively Racing colleague Danny Rosencrans had both of them covered nicely, I stayed on the porch.
The first was our trip to the 300 Raceway in Farley for their Season Championship event held on Wednesday, September 1st. I originally circled this one on my calendar knowing that I would not be attending any races over the Labor Day weekend and I figured that the car count would be solid with drivers perhaps coming in early to get dialed in for the Yankee Dirt Classic that would get rolling the following night with practice followed by two full shows on Friday and Saturday.
As the date neared I saw that the track was only going to allow drivers that had competed in at least one of the three weekly races that had been completed, or that were signed in for a fourth event that got rained out prior to racing. It was an interesting decision considering that one of the benefits of a track hosting a big end of the year event is that you will have drivers drop in from time to time to get "dialed in" for the special, spicing up your weekly racing. Boone and Knoxville are two primary examples of this, but I bet that you could find instances at nearly every facility that hosts a late season event that features one or more of its weekly divisions.
To give up the additional revenue at both the pit gate and the ticket office in respect to your weekly drivers can be looked upon as admirable or odd given that there had only been three races held, but since it was a beautiful evening for racing I made the two plus hour drive north knowing that just a few more than forty cars in four divisions would be scattered about the pits. The racing was well presented and enjoyable with a final checkered flag waving early enough that I was in bed by midnight ahead of another busy day at work. Here is Danny's story from the night that culminated in another last lap pass of Matt Ryan by Justin Kay. Ryan's consolation prize on this night though was the track point championship!
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| Photo montage by Dennis Krieger - DK Imagery |
It was my pleasure to be there in victory lane to do the post-race interview with first time winner Colton Fisher. The young driver from Mediapolis is a low budget racer who is not afraid to hit the road and get his "ass kicked" (his words) in order to improve and it has been fun watching his steady progress over the past few years. This was no easy "start from the font and lead every lap" victory. The kid had to track down and beat one of the best in the Midwest in Jonathan Cornell and his joy in triumph was fully evident as he climbed to the top of the wing to celebrate. Fisher has now broken the ice, I won't be surprised to see him in victory lane again soon.
The Drive for Five finale for the Late Models saw Justin Kay earn the pole position through the two sets of heat races and then lead all fifty laps on his way to a $2,000 payday. Had Kay been at enough of the "qualifying nights" held here earlier in the season it would have been a $5,000 check waiting for him at the pay window instead. Here is Danny's report from the race night.
The Sprint Invaders were part of the program for the Drive for Five finale in the Modified division as well back in August that saw Cayden Carter lead the final forty-two laps to capture the $5,000 top prize as he had met the qualifying night criteria. In fact, fifteen of the sixteen entries that night were eligible for the big money so only one driver showed up to race for what still is a hefty winner's check of $2,000.
The Drive for Five concept is a great promotion by the Lee County Speedway (other than the fact that my spell check keeps wanting to call it the "Driver" for Five), but perhaps the finale needs to be tweaked a bit as both events ran well into the night and, at least this year, did not produce a compelling battle for the lead. Long distance races for expanded purse money was the norm back in the good ol' days, but I have to wonder if the reason why there weren't more cars in attendance with drivers who were only eligible to win $2,000 would be that fifty laps is a long way to go for that payoff. Not to mention the extra ten laps of heat racing to set the lineup. Perhaps a thirty lap feature with a five minute break at the twenty lap mark might lend itself to a better race and only one set of heats using passing points to set the feature lineup might increase the car count while definitely consolidating the show.
Just my opinion that could very well be wrong as promoters Brian and Marcie Gaylord look ahead to continuing this great promotion into 2022. Don't forget that the Lee County Speedway still has three nights of racing on the schedule for October. The Casey's Harvest Hustle will take place on Friday and Saturday October 8th and 9th while my favorite event of the year, Shiverfest will be held on Saturday October 30th. Make your plans to attend now!
Now that we are into the Fall specials season a check of the All Iowa Points shows that realistically we only have one of the nine divisions that is still up for grabs when it comes to crowning the 2021 champions. That is in the Limited Modified class where Logan Anderson and two-time champion Tyler Soppe are in a dead heat right now. Jarrett Franzen, Johnathan Logue and Dan Hovden are still within striking distance while defending champion Brayton Carter may still have a shot as the season runs through the first weekend in November as currently scheduled.
In the other eight divisions championships are all but locked up with Justin Kay on his way to his fourth All Iowa Points Late Model title. After coming close in each of the past two years, Jeff Larson will win his first Modified championship. Dallon Murty is running away with his second straight Stock Car championship. Kaden Reynolds has raced past early leader Daniel Wauters on his way to his first AIP title and Caine Mahlberg is in control of the Four Cylinders for what would be his first championship.
In the three Sprint Car divisions Justin Henderson holds just a three point lead over Austin McCarl in the 410's but I can't see any other races for the division on the schedule for the rest of the year at a points paying track. Henderson was the 2015 champion in the 360's and this would be his first 410 title. With only a handful of events still to be run in the 360 class it looks like Jack Dover will earn his fourth straight and seventh overall All Iowa Points title while Stu Snyder has the 305 class wrapped up for his first AIP championship.
If you are not familiar with the points click on the link above for an explanation of how and why they are now being calculated for the 55th season. Then click on the individual classes to see where you, or your favorite driver currently ranks.
The following week will be a busy one as well with a Thursday night trip to the Dubuque Speedway where promoter Bob Wagener and his crew will present the first of three nights of Hoker Trucking SLMR East Series racing. They will then go to West Liberty on Friday night before closing out the series schedule on Saturday at Davenport. My destination on Friday night will be Memphis, Missouri, for the opener of the 4th Annual Jim Oliver Sr. Memorial at the wide and racy Scotland County Speedway. Then on Saturday night, if you are a Sprint Car fan, 34 Raceway west of Burlington will be the place to be for the $5,000-to-win Fall Haul featuring the Sprint Invaders and a cast of who's who in winged 360 Sprint Car racing joining them. Then on Sunday night it will be back up to East Moline for a $2,500-to-win Sprint Invaders show on the high banked quarter mile oval.
If this itinerary doesn't suit you, I do hope that you will use our Special Events Calendar at Positively Racing to help plan out the remainder of your 2021 racing season. Hopefully we will see you somewhere along the way!
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