Murray Wins 14th Ron Little Memorial

-Story by Josh Reynolds


Stuart, IA (May 25) – Wow. Just wow. That is about all I can say about what went down Sunday night at Stuart Speedway. After 114 cars signed in to race, the rain came. Promoter Chuck Vanderheiden made the announcement that he wasn’t giving up unless we had 3-4 inches of rain, and they DID NOT GIVE UP!!!!! Along with a TON of help from volunteers in the grandstands bringing their personal vehicles in and packing the pits in, the guys slowly but surely got the pits to the point that race cars could make it to the track, and from there the drivers stole the show! Dusty Masolini, Clint Luellen, Bob Daniels and Jason Murray were the winners at one of the longest races I’ve ever been a part of – the 14th annual Ron Little Memorial.
This night is a special one as we pay tribute to a man who meant so much to the racing community. Ron Little was a husband, dad and friend to so many people. He passed at the Speedway in 1999, and we hold this race in memory of him. We also had a prayer and moment of silence for Richard “Bones” Welch. Richard was killed in a tragic accident at the Iowa State Fair Speedway last Friday night. He was our track preparation expert along with our turn 3 spotter. All of us will miss Bones tremendously, and not just for the work he did at the track. He was always willing to help anyone with anything, would sit and talk until the end of the night and never had a bad word to say about anyone. Our hearts are heavy, and we offer our prayers and condolences to Richard’s family. Both of these men will live on in the hearts and minds of all of us.
After all of the work in the pits, the first feature finally came to the track around 12:30 am, and it was the Mod Lites with Travis Brandt and Dusty Masolini on the front row. The race would go green to checkered with Masolini dominating the 12 lap event and picking up the win. Brandt came home the runner up with Charlie Brown third, Josh May fourth and Jimmy May fifth. Josh May and Randy Bryan were the heat race winners.
Jason Mason and Clint Luellen brought up the IMCA Northern SportMods next and Luellen wasted no time in taking the lead. Mason hung in second until lap five when Jerry Hinton powered by with Brandon Williams and Ty Luellen in tow. Hinton was strong in second, but was no match for the 3L on this night as Clint Luellen led the event all the way to the checkered flag. Hinton crossed in second with Ty Luellen third, Williams fourth and Taylor Musselman recovering from an earlier wreck to finish in fifth. Mason, Clint Luellen and Brian Miller were the heat race winners.
IMCA Stock Cars were up next with Bob Daniels and Brian Blessington on the front row. Daniels blasted out to the lead with Blessington and Brad Derry hot on his heels. This race was only slowed one time on lap five for a spin by Andrew Knode, and that was the only thing slowing Daniels as he led the race flag to flag to pick up the win. Blessington finished second with Marcus Fagan third, Derry fourth and Josh Daniels fifth. Terry Pruitt and Blessington were the heat race winners.
With weather threatening yet again, the decision to move the IMCA Modifieds up in the running order was made with Matthew Meinecke and Jason Murray leading the 14th Ron Little Memorial to the green flag. Meinecke took the lead early with Murray close behind. There was some great racing for third with Cole Ferguson, Nick Roberts and Todd Shute battling hard, but up front Meinecke continued to lead Murray as the two cars came into lap traffic. That would be the thing Murray was looking for as he used a lap car for a pick to take the lead on lap twelve. The hot battle for third was stopped cold on the front stretch on lap sixteen when Roberts and Shute were caught up as they were lapping Rex Parkison. This caution would be the last thing slowing the action, and Murray picked up where he left off, pulling away for the win. Luke Wanninger took the second spot with Meinecke settling for third. Randy Havlik and Josh Gilman rounded out the top five with Shute, Roberts and Wanninger picking up the heat race wins. This was Murray’s third win in this event as he had previously won in the IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Stock Cars.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our second event of the year. This was no ordinary event, and our fans and drivers are the absolute BEST!!! We especially want to thank the families of Ron Little and Richard Welch. Next week is Roy Sargent Building Night at the Races. There will be double features for IMCA Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts along with 6 Cylinder FWD’s. Also this will be the first night of four for the IMCA Late Models. See you then!

Modifieds - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 49J    Jason Murray    Hartford , Ia
2 9 20    Luke Wanninger    Minburn , Ia
3 1 5M    Matthew Meinecke    Madrid , Ia
4 5 3Z    Randy Havlik    Madrid , Ia
5 6 83G    Josh Gilman    Earlham , Ia
6 3 3F    Cole Ferguson    Dexter , Ia
7 10 18    Jake Durbin    Perry , Ia
8 13 43S    Scott Simatovich    State Center, Ia
9 14 19    Jimmy Gustin    Marshalltown , Ia
10 15 25    Tyler Vandekamp    Ankeny , Ia
11 11 10B    Brandon Pruitt    Dexter , Ia
12 4 23JR    Nick Roberts    Des Moines, Ia
13 18 31R    Rex Parkison    Earlham , Ia
14 17 14B    Scott Bash    Windsor Heights, Ia
15 7 5    Todd Shute    Des Moines, Ia
16 16 131S    Ed Seibert    Dexter , Ia
17 8 1F    Marcus Fagan    Adair , Ia
18 12 12C    Kent Croskey    Polk City, Ia DNS
19 19 4    Tony Hilgenberg    Waukee , Ia DNS
20 20 22H    Clay Hale    Cameron , Mo DNS
21 21 58    Dennis Pittman    Jamaica , Ia DNS
22 22 5D    Devon Havlik    Iowa Falls, Ia DNS
 

Stock Cars - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 25    Bob Daniels    Des Moines, Ia
2 2 92B    Brian Blessington    Breda , Ia
3 8 1F    Marcus Fagan    Adair , Ia
4 4 37D    Brad Derry    Bedford , Ia
5 5 25J    Josh Daniels    Carlisle , Ia
6 7 98    Derrick Rohe    Audubon , Ia
7 9 78P    Terry Pruitt    Dexter , Ia
8 3 22    Chris Pruitt    Stuart , Ia
9 12 52    Ben Walding    Des Moines, Ia
10 11 11G    Nyle Godwin    Redfield , Ia
11 13 3S    Bryan Snell    Coon Rapids, Ia
12 6 64    Scott Bailey    Carlisle , Ia
13 10 25B    Steve Byers    Indianola , Ia
14 16 7K    Andrew Knode    Adel , Ia
15 14 55    Cory Bushnell    Madrid , Ia DNS
16 15 33D    Rusty Gyles    St. Charles, Ia DNS
 

SportMods - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 3L    Clint Luellen    Minburn , Ia
2 8 34    Jerry Hinton    Adel , Ia
3 9 32L    Ty Luellen    Minburn , Ia
4 7 67X    Brandon Williams    Des Moines, Ia
5 10 13T    Taylor Musselman    Norwalk , Ia
6 4 24    Brian Miller    Grand Junction, Ia
7 11 99K    Kody Havens    Wiota , Ia
8 20 CH19    Colby Heishman    Brooklyn , Ia
9 5 14    Daniel Latture    Omaha , Ne
10 1 6M    Jason Mason    Melcher , Ia
11 15 30    Shawn Cooney    Des Moines, Ia
12 6 99RE    Arie Schouten    Blair , Ne
13 3 8CR    Randy Rudolf    Norwalk , Ia
14 18 92    Duane Seibert    Dexter , Ia
15 12 23    Jared Hansen    Audubon , Ia DNS
16 13 33R    D.j. Robinson    Des Moines, Ia DNS
17 14 13    Thomas Van Dyke    Carroll , Ia DNS
18 16 1    Kendall Davis    Des Moines, Ia DNS
19 17 29    Colton Livezey    New Sharon, Ia DNS
20 19 51X    Matt Webb    Des Moines, Ia DNS
 

Hobby Stocks - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 3 78    Shannon Anderson    Urbandale , Ia
2 1 3A    Austin Luellen    Minburn , Ia
3 4 7B    Eric Stanton    Hartford , Ia
4 5 92P    Michael Pruitt    Redfield , Ia
5 6 96R    Jamie Songer    Ankeny , Ia
6 7 78B    Andrew Burg    Adel , Ia
7 13 56    Jamie Schirm    Dexter , Ia
8 2 60M    Mike Powell    Norwalk , Ia
9 10 77    Derek Hodges    Des Moines, Ia
10 9 7C    Chad Legere    Des Moines, Ia
11 12 42T    Tyson Overton    Carlisle , Ia
12 8 5H    Andy Hick    Adel , Ia
13 11 7P    Jordan Peters    Des Moines, Ia
14 15 5    Dustin Lynch    Boone , Ia
15 14 17    Andy Peck    Newton , Ia DNS
 

Spt Compact - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 21ZC    Cody Cleghorn    Des Moines, Ia
2 3 43H    Jacob Reiter    Des Moines, Ia
3 1 181    Randy Walker    Omaha , Ne DNS
4 4 411    Curtis Miller    Lewis , Ia DNS
    

6 cyl. FWD - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 4 43H    Jacob Reiter    Des Moines, Ia
2 5 21ZC    Cody Cleghorn    Des Moines, Ia
3 1 12    Korbin Nourse    Dexter , Ia
4 2 17    Andy Forcht    Stuart , Ia DNS
5 3 39    Jeff Overholser    Redding , Ia DNS
 

Mod Lites - Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 8    Dusty Masolini    Des Moines, Ia
2 1 4    Travis Brandt    Des Moines, Ia
3 6 82    Charlie Brown    Nevada , Ia
4 10 99    Josh May    Desoto , Ia
5 3 5J    Jimmy May    Desoto , Ia
6 5 64    Randy Bryan    Ames , Ia
7 4 17    Cory Sauerman    Grimes , Ia
8 9 28    Terry Brown    Nevada , Ia
9 8 46    Kevin Grishom    Ogden , Ia
10 7 3G    Joe Glick    Des Moines, Ia
11 11 95    Mike Kennedy    Boone , Ia
12 12 4L    Larry Sorenson    Ames , Ia DNS
13 13 15    Andy Hennigar    Ankeny , Ia DNS
14 14 11    Mike Stoker    Des Moines, Ia DNS