Story by Debbie Sweeney,
The point championship in two classes was up for grabs at the Stuart Speedway season finale on Sunday, September 28. The front row of all IMCA classes were offered the opportunity to start from the rear of the Season Championship A Main for the chance to win an additional $100, but track position won out as there were no takers.
Defending track champion Mike Nichols of Harlan held a slim 9 point lead over Josh Daniels of Des Moines in the IMCA Stock Cars. Nichols took a commanding lead over the field from the start and was poised to take home a win until he was forced to the work area on lap 9 with a flat tire. Lady Luck was on his side, however, as at the same time Nichols was headed to the work area, Cory Adams of Urbandale went up in smoke, dropping fluids on the back stretch. While track clean-up was underway, Nichols’ crew was able to get the tire changed in time for him to tag the rear of the field before the restart. Brian Blessington of Breda took charge at the restart, with Daniels and Bryan Snell of Bayard not far behind. Blessington opened up a several car length advantage over the field and held on for a return visit to victory lane. Snell held on for second, with Nichols making a charge from the rear to third, and Daniels fourth. Nichols’ third place finish netted him the track championship for the second straight year. Josh Daniels, Tim Bengard, Brian Blessington and Bryan Snell finished second through fifth in points respectively.
Shannon Anderson of Atlantic and Nyle Godwin of Redfield paced he field for the IMCA Hobby Stock finale. Godwin took a half-car lead over Anderson at the start and the two continued to battle door to door for the remainder of the caution-free 15-lap event. While that battled continued, Doug Smith of Lake City was working his way from his sixth row starting position to challenge Nate Lange of Menlo for third. At the flag, it was Godwin the victor, Anderson second, Smith in third and Lange fourth. Anderson claimed the point championship by 17 points over Godwin. Lange, Charles Belew of Adel and Steve Anderson rounded out the top five in the point standings.
The IMCA Sport Mod A Main saw Joel Bushore of Boone with the lead over Kevin Sather of Ankeny through the first 9 laps of the 15-lap event. Jeremy Embrey of Granger made his way toward the front using the low side of the track and was able to duck underneath Bushore and Sather on lap 10 to capture the lead. Embrey never looked back as he took home the hardware over Sather, Bushore, and Luke Wanninger of Jefferson. Sather is your 2008 track champion for the IMCA Sport Mods, with Bushore, Michael Pruitt of Redfield, Kent Croskey of Polk City and Josh May of DeSoto rounding out the top five respectively.
The top 5 in the IMCA Modified points in attendance plus Nick Deal of Walnut competed in a 6-lap Hawkeye Auto Salvage Australian Pursuit, with Rex Parkison of Earlham claiming the cash.
Randy Havlik of Waukee and Todd Shute of Des Moines came into the night tied in points for the IMCA Modified track championship. Havlik had the lead at the start, but it was short-lived as Shute moved past Havlik to lead lap one, with Rex Parkison of Earlham in pursuit. Nick Deal of Walnut, last week’s feature winner, overcame Parkison as Parkison brushed the front stretch wall. Shute continued his domination of the field to the finish, with Havlik coming home second, Parkison third and Scott Bash of Creston fourth. Shute’s victory awarded him the 2008 track championship by just one point over Havlik. Josh Gilman of Earlham, Parkison and Chris Pruitt of Stuart complete the top five in points.
Results:
Hobby Stock:
Heat 1. 11g Nyle Godwin
Redfield, IA
Heat2. 12x Doug Smith Lake City, IA
Main:
11G Nyle Godwin Redfield, IA
78 Shannon Anderson Atlantic, IA (Track
Champion)
12x Doug Smith Lake City, IA
17 Nate Lange Menlo,IA
33d Rusty Gyles Norwalk, IA
5 Keith Miner Granger, IA
51 Matt Webb Des Moines, IA
59G Joey Gyles St. Charles, IA
93 Randy Anderson Atlantic, IA
3x Patrick Pellman Creston, IA
99 Adam Hersel Atlantic, IA
79 Charles Belew Adel, IA
10B Brandon Pruitt Dexter, IA
Stock Cars:
Heat 1. 3s Bryan Snell
Bayard, IA
Heat 2. 55 Cory Bushnell Madrid, IA
Main:
92b Brian Blessington Breda, IA
3s Bryan Snell Bayard, IA
63 Mike Nichols Harlan, IA (Track
Champion)
25J Josh Daniels Des Moines, IA
19B Tim Bengard Exira, IA
11 Steve Campbell Des Moines, IA
23H Rick Houseman Winterset, IA
32t Tim Feltner Earlham, IA
55 Cory Bushnell Madrid, IA
02 Mike Goldsberry Runnells, IA
76 Norman Belew Redfield, IA
27c Cory Adams Urbandale, IA
711 Michael Walrod DeSoto, IA
Sport Mods:
Heat 1. 41 Jeremy Embrey
Granger, IA
Heat 2. 92 Michael Pruitt Redfield, IA
Main:
41 Jeremy Embrey Granger, IA
3 Kevin Sather Ankeny, IA (Track Champion)
87 Joel Bushore Ankeny, IA
20x Luke Wanninger Jefferson, IA
92 Michael Pruitt Redfield, IA
99 Josh May DeSoto, IA
5J Jimmy May DeSoto, IA
12c Kent Croskey Polk City, IA
13b Brandon Brinton Nevada, IA
64 Nick Hemser Omaha, NE
3B Paul Nagle (DNS)
Modifieds:
Heat 1. 3Z Randy Havlik Waukee,
IA
Heat 2. 31r Rex Parkison Earlham, IA
Main:
5 Todd Shute Des Moines, IA (Track Champion)
3z Randy Havlik Waukee, IA
31r Rex Parkison Earlham, IA
14B Scott Bash Creston, IA
14 Ron Bash Stuart, IA
131s Ed Seibert Dexter, IA
83G Josh Gilman Earlham, IA
55d Nick Deal Walnut, IA