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VANDERBEEK TAKES TWO, MOFFITT AND FRANCIS ALSO SCORE IN
SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY OPENER
by Tony Paris
OSKALOOSA, IA (April 18) -- The 2007 season kicked off at the Southern Iowa
Speedway Wednesday with a new look for the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster.
Tons of new clay around the historic oval, widening of the racing surface and
re-shaping the turns made for a great night of racing on the first night for
USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series.
The addition of the USRA B-Mod division to the regular line-up made for four
exciting classes. The USRA B-Mod feature was won by 14-year-old Brett Moffitt of
Grimes, who held off Raymond Lundry of Maynard for the win. Andrew Schroeder of
Keswick and Ronnie Pumphrey of Batavia battled for the third spot with Schroeder
taking the position, followed by Pumphrey in fourth.
Pete Hutzel of State Center took the early race lead in the USRA Stock Car main
event and paced the field until veteran Bobby Greiner Jr. of Ottumwa took the
lead on lap 6. Greiner led until lap 13 before New Sharon's Zack VanderBeek took
the lead away never looked back. Greiner settled for second, followed by Steve
Landgrebe of Oskaloosa and another Osky driver, Josh Newell, in fourth.
Driving the Mark Ford-owned No. 7s machine, Wade Francis of Oskaloosa
out-classed the USRA Hobby Stock field to take the win. Francis and Jason
McDaniel of Eldon swapped the lead six different times to bring the crowd to
their collective feet numerous times. At the finish, McDaniel took the second
spot with Mike Shelton of Ottumwa in third and Tyler Ford of Lovillia fourth.
The final feature of the night was a thriller as the MUSCO Lighting USRA
Modifieds staged a barnburner on the big half-mile oval. Zack VanderBeek scored
his second win of the night after passing Ryan Gustin coming to the checkered
flag. Gustin, 15, passed VanderBeek after a lap 14 caution and looked to have
the win well in hand, but a flat left rear tire slowed the rookie and perhaps
cost him a $500 payday and winner's trophy. Gustin settled for the second spot
while 2005 track champion Steve Stewart of Washington finished third and early
race leader Stephen Blattler of Oskaloosa took the fourth spot.
Next Wednesday, April 25, the USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series
will return with MUSCO Lighting USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and
USRA Hobby Stocks in action. Pit gates will open at 5 p.m. while spectator gates
open at 5:30. Hot laps will start around 7:15 and the first green flag is slated
to wave at 7:30 sharp. General admission adult tickets are $9 while juniors
(12-17 years old) and seniors (62 and older) get in for $7. Kids ages 11 and
under get in for FREE. Pit passes are $25.
The Southern Iowa Speedway is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3
mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For day-of-race
information, call the track hotline at (507) 634-4281 or visit
www.rlpromotions.com/oskaloosa
online.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series
Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
USRA HOBBY STOCKS
Heat #1: 1. Wade Francis, Oskaloosa; 2. Jared Sanders, New Sharon; 3. Steve
Allen, Oskaloosa; 4. Mark Moore, Ottumwa; 5. Jimmy Hayes, Moravia; 6. Dave
Breuklander, Oskaloosa; 7. Danny Thrasher, Agency.
Heat #2: 1. Bill Gibson, Knoxville; 2. Jason Vanzomeren, Oskaloosa; 3. Jason
McDaniel, Eldon; 4. Dustin Griffiths, Ottumwa; 5. Cory Adams, W. Des Moines; 6.
Shannon Sherwood, Oskaloosa; 7. Wes Almond, Oskaloosa.
Heat #3: 1. Mike Shelton, Ottumwa; 2. Tyler Ford, Lovillia; 3. Rick Landgrebe,
Sigourney; 4. Chase Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 5. Randy Veldhuizen, Oskaloosa; 6. Rick
Wilson, Ottumwa.
"A" Main: 1. Francis; 2. McDaniel; 3. Shelton; 4. Ford; 5. Griffiths; 6.
Landgrebe; 7. Sherwood; 8. Thrasher; 9. Hayes; 10. Vanzomeren; 11. Wilson; 12.
Adams; 13. Breuklander; 14. Mitrisin; 15. Moore; 16. Almond; 17. Sanders; 18.
Veldhuizen; 19. Gibson; 20. Allen.
USRA B-MODS
Heat: 1. Raymond Lundry, Maynard; 2. Brett Moffitt, Grimes; 3. Ronnie Pumphrey,
Batavia; 4. Andrew Schroeder, Keswick; 5. Paul Underwood, Ottumwa.
"A" Main: 1. Moffitt; 2. Lundry; 3. Schroeder; 4. Pumphrey; 5. Underwood.
USRA STOCK CARS
Heat #1: 1. Josh Newell, Oskaloosa; 2. Matt Greiner, Washington; 3. Zack
VanderBeek, New Sharon; 4. Steve Landgrebe, Oskaloosa; 5. Nathan Wood, Keswick;
6. Bobby Greene, Eddyville; 7. Bert McDaniel Jr., Eldon.
Heat #2: 1. Bobby Greiner Jr., Ottumwa; 2. Jared Miller, Des Moines; 3. Pete
Hutzel, State Center; 4. Rich Reed, Des Moines; 5. A.J. Johnson, Oskaloosa; 6.
Corey Stout, Oskaloosa; 7. Colt Mather, Webster.
"A" Main: 1. VanderBeek; 2. B. Greiner; 3. Landgrebe; 4. Newell; 5. Stout; 6.
Miller; 7. Johnson; 8. Reed; 9. M. Greiner; 10. Hutzel; 11. Wood; 12. Greene;
13. McDaniel; 14. Mather.
MUSCO LIGHTING USRA MODIFIEDS
Heat #1: 1. Stephen Blattler, Oskaloosa; 2. Jon Snyder, Ames; 3. Allison Quick,
Redding; 4. Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa; 5. Steve Stewart, Washington; 6. Richie Gustin
Jr., Marshalltown; 7. Brad Pinkerton. New Sharon; 8. Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa; 9.
Gordon Head, Des Moines.
Heat #2: 1. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown; 2. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon; 3.
Brandon Banks, Washington; 4. Jim Lynch, Bloomfield; 5. Randy Killen, Des
Moines; 6. Jesse Dennis, Prescott; 7. Scott Dickey, Packwood; 8. Greg Cox, Des
Moines; 9. Terry Walker, Riverside.
"A" Main: 1. VanderBeek; 2. Ryan Gustin; 3. Stewart; 4. Blattler; 5. Quick; 6.
Snyder; 7. Cox; 8. Banks; 9. Lathrop; 10. Head; 11. Walker; 12. Killen; 13.
Dickey; 14. Harwood; 15. Dennis; 16. Lynch; 17. Richie Gustin; 18. Pinkerton.