Anderson, Blessington, Schrim, Gustin, Ramick, and Mordock win on opening night at the Stuart Speedway
- Debbie Sweeney
The Stuart Speedway opened the 2009 season on May 3 with great weather, a great track, and great fans.
A large field of IMCA Hobby Stocks treated the crowd to some outstanding racing action as Shannon Anderson of Atlantic held the early lead, with Brandon Pruitt of Dexter in pursuit. Pruitt passed Anderson as they maneuvered through lap traffic, but Anderson was able to regain the lead with just two laps to go and held on to win the season opener. Pruitt, Clinton Luellen of Minburn, and Steve Anderson of Winterset rounded out the top four. Steve Anderson, Eric Stanton of Hartford, and Steve Clair of Des Moines claimed heat race wins. Brandon Pruitt took home the hardware in the Casey’s General Stores Trophy Dash.
Steve Hill of Des Moines and Brian Bressington of Breda dueled it out in the early laps of the IMCA Stock Car A Main until Hill was involved in a spin in turn one. That opened the door for Tim Bengard to challenge for the lead, but Blessington was able to hold on to claim night number one. Bengard, Cory Bushnell of Madrid, and Josh Daniels of Des Moines rounded out the top four. Heat race winners were Blessington and Steve Campbell of Des Moines.
The IMCA Sport Mods saw a new face in victory lane as Jamie Schirm of Dexter, a rookie in the Sport Mod division, picked up the feature win. Schirm jumped into the lead on lap one and built a convincing lead over the pack while David Schlicht of Des Moines, Joel Bushore of Boone and Kevin Sather of Ankeny tried to reel him in. At the line it was Schirm, Schlicht, Sather and Bushore. Sather, Schlicht, and Jeremy Embrey of Granger picked up heat race wins.
Jimmy Gustin of Marshalltown returned to the Stuart Speedway in fine fashion as he claimed the IMCA Modified main over Josh Gilman of Earlham. Gilman challenged for the lead on several occasions, while Josh Pruitt of Dexter made his way through the field. Pruitt was forced to retire on lap 14 with mechanical problems, paving the way for Gustin, Gilman, Carl Allbee of Grand Junction and Scott Bash of Stuart. Randy Havlik of Waukee and Gustin won their respective heats.
The IMCA Sport Compacts made their first visit to the Speedway, with Terry Ramick of Exira the victor. Colton Nelson of Osceola, Brandon Claussen of Avoca and Garrett Nelson of Osceola were second through fourth respectively.
Ramick also claimed the heat race.
The return of the Dwarf Cars/Mod Lites to the Stuart Speedway saw Johnny Mordock of Creston earn a hard-fought victory over Jimmy May of DeSoto. May paced the field for the majority of the race, with Mordock overtaking him on the white flag lap. Mike Morrill of Des Moines and May were heat race winners.
Modified:
Heat #1-3z Randy Havlick
31r Rex Parkison
14b Scott Bash
78 Josh Pruitt
131s Ed Seibert
Heat #2- 19 Jimmy Gustin
48j Jacob Murray
15A Carl Allbee
14 Ron Bash
83G Josh Gilman
Main:
19 Jimmy Gustin
83G Josh Gilman
15a Carl Albee
14b Scott Bash
131s Ed Siebert
14 Ron Bash
78 Josh Pruitt
48j Jacob Murray
31r Rex Parkison
3z Randy Havlick
Sport Mods:
Heat #1 3 Kevin Sather
20W Shay Woods
56 Jamie Schirm
05 Paul Nagle
24b Brandon Brinton
13d Dan Wetzel
Heat #2 19 David Schlicht
92 Michael Pruitt
12c Kent Croskey
321 Andy Tierman
9t Tim Young
14z Jake Zuercher
Heat #3 41 Jeremy Embrey
87 Joel Bushore
2 Bill Wears
77 Jack Myers
5k Kevin Gyles
Main:
56 Jamie Schirm
19 David Schlicht
3 Kevin Sather
87 Joel Bushore
92 Michael Pruitt
20w Shay Woods
05 Paul Nagle
41 Jeremy Embrey
12c Kent Croskey
77 Jack Myers
24b Brandon Brinton
5K Kevin Gyles
321 Andy Tierman
13d Dan Wetzel
2 Bill Wears
9t Tim Young
14z Jake Zuercher
Stock Car
Heat #1 92b Brian Blessington
55h Steve Hill
25j Josh Daniels
55 Cory Bushnell
32t Tim Feltner
6 Jay Cain
23a Jeremy Gettler
Heat #2 11 Steve Cambell
19b Tim Bengard
3s Bryan Snell
3w Jeff Wollam
23h Rick Houseman
1f Marcus Fagan
Main:
92B Brian Blessington
19b Tim Bengard
55 Cory Bushnell
25j Josh Daniels
32t Tim Feltner
3s Bryan Snell
3w Jeff Wollam
1f Marcus Fagan
55h Steve Hill
11 Steve Cambell
23a Jeremy Gettler
6 Jay Cain
23h Rick Houseman
Hobby Stock
Heat #1 1a Steve Anderson
93 Randy Anderson
78 Shannon Anderson
9r Matt Hudspeth
78B Andrew Burg
21zc Cody Cleghorn
33d Rusty Gyles
b00k Dylan Book
Heat #2 7B Eric Stanton
38 Austin Luellen
5 Keith Minor
7H Adam Hensel
51 Matt Webb
17 Nathan Lange
m19 Shane Christensen
79 Charles Belew
Heat #3 97 Steve Clair
10B Brandon Pruitt
3l Clinton Luellen
11g Nyle Godwin
21 Justin Maschke
59G Joey Gyles
2 Eli Boyd
Trophy Dash:
10b Brandon Pruitt
93 Randy Anderson
97 Steve Clair
7B Eric Stanton
38 Austin Luellen
1a Steve Anderson
Main:
78 Shannon Anderson
10b Brandon Pruitt
3l Clinton Luellen
1a Steve Anderson
9r Matt Hudspeth
7b Eric Stanton
78b Andrew Burg
59g Joey Gyles
51 Matt Webb
21 Justin Maschke
97 Steve Clair
17 Nathan Lange
21zc Cody Cleghorn
5 Keith Minor
b00k Dylan Book
38 Austin Luellen
7h Adam Hensel
11g Nyle Godwin
2 Eli Boyd
m19 Shane Christenson
33s Rusty Gyles
79 Charles Belew
Sport Compact:
Heat #1 5r Terry Romick
95x Brandon Claussen
93n Colton Nelson
31 Blake Barrett
7 Devan Stuve
95n Garrett Nelson
Main:
5r Terry Romick
93n Colton Nelson
95n Garrett Nelson
7 Devan Stuve
31 Blake Barrett
35x Brandon Claussen
Dwarf Car:
Heat #1 6 Mike Morrill
17 Johnny Mordock
99 Josh May
98 Brad Talbert
15 Allen Givig
Heat #2 88 Jimmy May
8m Dusty Masolini
19x Ed Nelson
19 Bob Morgan
Main:
17 Johnny Mordock
88 Jimmy May
99 Josh May
6 Mike Morrill
8m Dusty Masolini
19x Ed Nelson
19 Bob Morgan
15 Allen Govig
98 Brad Talbert