Fuller, Huls, Gillenwater, Dawson, and Reu Scores Memphis Fair Race Wins
by Brian Neal
Memphis, MO (Friday, July 14, 2017) – It’s was fair time at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri, with Friday July 14th’s grandstand attraction being stock car races. The nice crowd on hand was treated to some good racing in the five classes, plus the vintage sprint were on hand. A lot of work from the track crew and the Scotland County road crew helped get the track ready to race on, as nearly three inches of rains drenched the grounds on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
The first feature to take to the track was the 12 lap Sport Compacts, with Darin Smith and Kenny Smith drawing the front row. On the drop of the green flag Brandon Reu went low, Kimberly Abbott went through the middle, with Darin Smith going high, as the three raced off turn 2 three wide. Coming out of turn 4 to complete lap 1 Reu was able to edge out the lead over Darin Smith and Abbott. While Reu set the pace out front, Abbott, Darin Smith, and Barry Taft, who started 6th, raced two and three wide for the runner up spot. Taft was able to get the runner up spot away from Abbott on the final lap, but didn’t have enough time to get up to Reu to challenge for the win. As Reu held on to claim the win and the $200 top prize to go with it. Taft settled for 2nd, Abbott was 3rd, Darin Smith was 4th, with Brandon Lambert rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 16 lap SportMod feature, with Jim Walker and Jim Gillenwater leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But just as the green was waved the red was brought out to bring the field to a halt. Austen Becerra, who started 11th, got into the backstretch guardrail and spun. Then Michael Benjamin clipped him on the way by. Becerra would climb from his heavily damaged car okay. On the original restart Gillenwater jumped out into the lead on lap 1 over Walker and Cody Agee. Gillenwater then started to pull away from the battles going on behind him, when the second caution of the race appeared on lap 6. Walker, who was running 3rd, slowed in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Gillenwater jumped back out front on the restart, but now had Vance Wilson and Brandon Dale, who started 10th, glued to his back bumper. Dale would slip under Wilson on lap 9 to take over the second spot, and then went to work on Gillenwater for the top spot. But the action was slowed on lap 10, when third place runner Wilson slowed in turn 2 with a right rear flat to end his run up front. Once again Gillenwater moved back out front on the restart, with Dale and Trent Brink following. Gillenwater then started to pull away, as Brink had to work to hold off Logan Anderson, who started 9th, and Blaine Webster, who started 12th, for the battle for third. Dale would get one final chance to challenge Gillenwater for the lead on lap 12, as John Anderson spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Gillenwater jumped back out front, with Dale and Brink close behind. Gillenwater would pull away over the final laps to score the win and the $400 check to go with it. Dale was 2nd, Brink was 3rd, Logan Anderson was 4th, with Webster coming home in 5th.
Louis Lynch and Abe Huls drew the front row for the 16 lap Stock Car feature. But just as the green flag was waved the caution light came on, as Michael Larsen spun in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. On the original restart Michael Jaennette cut a right front tire and got into the guardrail coming off turn 2, and then Larsen clipped him and ended up rolling to bring out the red. Larsen climbed from his car okay. The following restart saw Huls grab the lead on lap 1 over Lynch and Jason Cook. Huls would get high in turn 3 coming to complete lap 3, which allowed Lynch to slip by to grab the top spot away. Huls tried to work back under Lynch over the next 5 laps, when the third and final caution of the race slowed the battle out front on lap 8. Kevin Koontz came to a stop in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lynch jumped back out front, with Huls and Chad Krogmeier close behind. Huls would use the bottom of the track to grab the top spot away from Lynch on lap 10, as Jason See, who started 9th, went to the top of the track to work himself into the battle for second. Coming off turn 4 to get the white flag See would slip past Lynch for second, but ran out of time to mount a challenge on Huls. As Huls held on to pick up the win and the $400 top prize. See settled for 2nd, Lynch was 3rd, Krogmeier was 4th, with Beau Taylor finishing 5th.
Up next was the 16 lap Modified feature, with Charlie Baker and Mike Van Genderen leading the field to green when David Snyder chose to go to the rear for the start. Just as the green flag was waved the caution light would come on, as Colton Prevo spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the original restart Van Genderen grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Baker and Dakota Simmons. The action up front was slowed for the second and final time on lap 2, as debris down the front stretch brought out the yellow. Van Genderen moved back out front on the restart, with Simmons and Jerad Fuller close behind. While Van Genderen worked the middle to the top of the track, Fuller worked the bottom of the track. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 11 Fuller was able to slip under Van Genderen to grab the top spot away. This left Van Genderen to battle Jeff Waterman for the runner up spot. With the battle going on for second Fuller went on to score the win and the $500 check. Van Genderen held on for 2nd, Waterman was 3rd, Simmons was 4th, with Kelly Buckallew coming from 10th to finish in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track was the 14 lap Hobby Stocks, with Tim Dawson and Steve Allen drawing the front row. Dawson would take advantage of his front row starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Allen and Nick Ulin. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 3, Ulin was able to use the momentum off the top of the track to edge out Dawson at the line by inches to get the lead. Two laps later, lap 5, disaster would strike the top two cars, as Dawson got into Ulin in turn 4. Ulin would spin to bring out the yellow, and sending both drivers to the rear. On the restart Allen inherited the top spot, with Ulin and Dawson quickly moving back up to second and third. Allen then held the lead until lap 9, when he got out of shape in turn 4 and allowed Dawson to go by for the top spot. Then just after the lap was scored complete the final caution of the race came out for debris in turn 4. Dawson jumped back out front on the restart, with Ulin over taking Allen for second. Ulin would put pressure on Dawson over the final laps, but Dawson was able to hold him off to claim the win and the $250 top prize. Ulin settled for 2nd, Allen was 3rd, Eric Glass was 4th, with Sierra Wilsey rounding out the top 5.
Racing action returns to the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri on Thursday, August 17th, as the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) returns to the track. For more information about this event please visit www.usmts.com.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Missouri
Friday, July 14, 2017 – Fair Race Night
MODIFIEDS
Feature: 1. Jerad Fuller, Memphis, MO; 2. Mike Van Genderen, Newton, IA; 3. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 4. Dakota Simmons, Douds, IA; 5. Kelly Buckallew, Memphis, MO; 6. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, IA; 7. Martin Bennett, Ankeny, IA; 8. Colton Prevo, Bloomfield, IA; 9. Charlie Baker, LaBelle, MO; 10. David Snyder, Greentop, MO; 11. Jardin Fuller, Memphis, MO; 12. Robert Thompson, Colchester, IL
STOCK CARS
Feature: 1. Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 2. Jason See, Albia, IA; 3. Louis Lynch, Glenwood, MO; 4. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, IA; 5. Beau Taylor, Canton, MO; 6. Mike Harward, Floris, IA; 7. Scott Jordan, Wapello, IA; 8. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 9. Kevin Koontz, Memphis, MO; 10. Chase Exline, Centerville, IA; 11. Michael Jaennette, Kellogg, IA; 12. Michael Larsen, Monroe City, MO
SPORTMODS
Feature: 1. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk, IA; 2. Brandon Dale, Arbela, MO; 3. Trent Brink, Bussy, IA; 4. Logan Anderson, Eddyville, IA; 5. Blaine Webster, Ottumwa, IA; 6. Cody Agee, Huntsville, MO; 7. Daniel Fellows, Keokuk, IA; 8. Brandon Symmonds, Keokuk, IA; 9. Brandyn Ryan, Coatsburg, IL; 10. Rick Barlow Jr., Keokuk, IA; 11. Kevin Skaggs, Kirksville, MO; 12. John Anderson, Novinger, MO; 13. Mack Ray, Fayette, MO; 14. Vance Wilson, Quincy, IL; 15. Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa, IA; 16. Jim Walker, Mystic, IA; 17. Hugh Eddy, Milan, MO; 18. Austen Becerra, Bowen, IL; 19. Jonathan Lucas, Fayette, MO; 20. Michael Benjamin, Montrose, IA; 21. Hunter Gainer, LaBelle, MO; 22. Dean Kratzer, Ft. Madison, IA; 23. Jason Riegel, Eldon, IA
HOBBY STOCKS
Feature: 1. Tim Dawson, Callao, MO; 2. Nick Ulin, Agency, IA; 3. Steve Allen, Oskaloosa, IA; 4. Eric Glass, Memphis, MO; 5. Sierra Wilsey, Keokuk, IA; 6. Riley Meinders, Oskaloosa, IA; 7. Jason Rindom, Moberly, MO; 8. Jerry Flanders, Corydon, IA
SPORT COMPACTS
Feature: 1. Brandon Reu, Donnellson, IA; 2. Barry Taft, Argyle, IA; 3. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, IL; 4. Darin Smith, Wapello, IA; 5. Brandon Lambert, Carthage, IL; 6. Kenny Smith, Donnellson, IA; 7. Kevin Garrett, Bloomfield, IA; 8. Ashton Blain, Burlington, IA; 9. Alyssa Steele, Keokuk, IA; 10. Ricky Miller, Gorin, MO; 11. Mike Hornung Jr., Keokuk, IA
Category: Missouri
