Season Champs Named at Stuart Speedway
Stuart, IA (August 24) – A cool, muggy evening and some awesome side by side racing marked night fifteen of the 2018 season at Stuart Speedway. Pat Graham, Curtis Miller, John Watson, Donovan Smith, Austin Luellen and Clint Luellen were the race winners on Plowman/Stanley Trenching Night. Miller, Brandon Cox, Brandon Pruitt and both Luellens were named the Track Champions.
First up for the night was the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks with Patrick Graham and Lucas Richardson on the front row. Graham took the lead over Miles Michehl and Richardson early with Jeff Frevert moving to third on lap four. Michehl took advantage of the bottom side of the track to move past Graham on lap eight as the top two separated themselves from the field. Just as the leaders took the white flag the caution flew for a melee in turn four and set up a two lap dash for the finish. Michehl was up to the challenge and went on to be the first to get to the checkered flag, but post-race tech revealed something illegal in his suspension and the win was given to Graham. Frevert, who had finished third, was also disqualified for illegal suspension and that moved Richardson to second with Rick Clark third, Shonn Mapes fourth and Lou Sipolt Jr fifth. Graham and Michehl were the heat race winners.
Next up was the IMCA Sport Compacts with Curtis Miller and Zak Sickles on the front row. Miller took control early and never let up, cruising to the win and the track title by a margin of 37 points over Sickles. Hunter Patrick finished second with Mitchell Bunch third, Kolby Sabin fourth and John Gill fifth. Sickles and Gill were the heat race winners. Congratulations Curtis!
John Watson and Tommy Killen Jr got the lucky frontstretch draw for the IMCA Hobby Stocks and started from the front row with Watson pulling out to an early lead. Jack Phillips followed in Watson’s tire tracks with Adam Ayers close behind, but Watson maintained his advantage over the fifteen lap race and went on to the win. Phillips finished second with Ayers third, Killen Jr fourth and Solomon Bennett fifth. Ayers and Purdy were the heat race winners. Brandon Cox took home the track title with an 11 point advantage over Purdy. Congratulations Brandon!
IMCA Stock Cars were up next with brothers Dave and Donovan Smith taking advantage of the draw to start on the front row. Dave went for a spin in turn one as Donovan took the lead over Josh Daniels and Brandon Pruitt. The racing was close with Daniels sometimes getting up beside Smith, but Donovan was up to the task and went on to the win. Daniels finished second with Pruitt third, Chris Pruitt fourth and Ty Hill fifth. Cory Bushnell and Daniels were the heat race winners. Brandon Pruitt took the track title with a 25 point lead over Brock Badger. Congratulations Brandon!
Frank Packer and Tommy Hensley started up front for the IMCA Northern SportMods next with Packer leading early over Garrett Nelson and Austin Luellen. Luellen passed Nelson on lap six and sized up Packer, surging into the lead on lap eight and never looking back in taking the win. Packer finished second with Nelson third, Colton Nelson fourth and Matt Webb fifth. Luellen and Colton Nelson were the heat race winners. Luellen finished with a 31 point advantage over Webb. Congratulations Austin!
Last up for the night was the IMCA Modifieds with Jeff James and Josh Cooper drawing the lucky pill to start on the front row. James led early with Clint Luellen and Josh Gilman close behind. Contact between Luellen and Gilman resulted in a flat for Gilman, who came to a stop in turn two to bring out the yellow. Once the green came back out it was James leading Luellen and Matt Meinecke through the halfway point. Luellen began to make some ground and was able to make the pass on lap eighteen and go on to the win. James finished second with Scott Bash third, Meinecke fourth and Chad Andersen fifth. Luellen and Gilman were the heat race winners. Luellen ended the season with a 13 point lead over Gilman. Congratulations Clint!
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our fifteenth event of the year. Our next race is the two day Ron Little Memorial on September 21-22. Friday will see Mod Lites, Micro Sprints, Sport Compacts and Modifieds and Saturday will be Hobby Stocks, SportMods, Stock Cars and Modifieds. See you then!
Story by Josh Reynolds
Category: Iowa
