Track Champions Named for 2017 at Stuart
Stuart, IA (August 25) – Awesome weather and even better racing made for a terrific night at Stuart Speedway! John Gill, Austin Luellen, Jeff James, Marcus Fagan and Solomon Bennett were the feature winners and Gill, Chase Rudolf, Clint Luellen, Fagan and Jamie Schirm were crowned as Points Champions on Plowman-Stanley Trenching Season Championship Night.
IMCA Sport Compacts were first up with John Gill and Curtis Miller on the front row. After introductions and a special redraw, Gill took the lead with Miller and Scott Ellis close behind. Two cautions slowed the race, the last one coming on lap ten when Nathan Castellano lost a wheel and came to a stop on the front stretch. Gill was up to the challenge and went on to take the win. Miller finished second, Matt Oberhelman third, Ellis fourth and Dean Richards fifth. Gill and Miller were the heat race winners. Gill ended the season with a 7 point advantage over Miller. Congratulations John!
Next up was the IMCA Northern SportMods with Chase Rudolf and John Watson at the front. After the redraw it was Austin Luellen taking control with Colton Nelson and Dusty Masolini in tow. Lap nine saw the yellow fly for the spinning car of Kevin Gyles, and this gave the field one last shot at Luellen. John Watson and Masolini battled it out for fourth, but no one was able to mount a challenge for the top spot as Luellen went on to the win. Nelson finished second with Masolini third, Watson fourth and Rudolf fifth. Luellen and Watson were the heat race winners. Rudolf ended the year with a 4 and 5 point lead over Luellen and Watson respectively. Congratulations Chase!
Clint Luellen and Josh Gilman brought the IMCA Modifieds out next, and after the redraw it was Jeff James leading the field to the green flag. James, Luellen and Gilman put on a show as there were slide jobs, a lot of bumper tag and wide open through the corner racing! Luellen and Gilman swapped positions at the line a few times but it was James leading all twenty laps to take the feature win. Luellen finished second with Gilman third, Tony Hilgenberg fourth and Bob Daniels fifth. Gilman was the heat race winner. Luellen ended the season with an eight point advantage over Gilman. Congratulations Clint!
IMCA Stock Cars came out next with Marcus Fagan and Josh Daniels at the front. Brandon Pruitt was the beneficiary of the redraw and took the lead early with Fagan and Daniels in second and third. Fagan showed his muscle on lap three as he took over the top spot, and Brock Badger passed Daniels on the high side a lap later for third. The top three stayed in formation for the next sixteen laps as Fagan went on to the win. Pruitt finished second with Badger third, Cory Bushnell fourth and Daniels fifth. Fagan, the heat race winner, finished up the season with a 29 point lead over Daniels. Congratulations Marcus!
Last up for the night was the IMCA Hobby Stocks with Jamie Schirm and Jack Phillips at the front. Solomon Bennett and Brandon Cox moved to the front after the redraw and it was Bennett taking the early lead over Cox and Schirm. Schirm made the pass on Cox on lap five and set out for the win, tracking down Bennett within a couple of laps and getting up beside him. Schirm would take the lead on lap eleven only to have Bennett get it back a lap later just before the caution came out. That set up a three lap dash to the finish and Bennett was up to the challenge and went on to take the win. Cox made a last lap pass to finish second with Schirm third, Gregg Anderson fourth and David McQuiston fifth. Jack Phillips and Cox were the heat race winners. Schirm ended the year with a 41 point advantage over Korbin Nourse. Congratulations Jamie!
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our fourteenth and final regular season event of the year. Our next race will be a two day show on September 22-23. The Clint Walrod Memorial for Mod Lites, Fever Heat 2 for IMCA Stock Cars, Kylie Hunter Memorial for Micro Sprints and Sport Compacts will be racing on Friday and the Ron Little Memorial for Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks will be on Saturday. There is sure to be some big names and great side by side action at the bullring and you won’t want to miss it! See you then!
Story by Josh Reynolds
Category: Iowa
