New Owner, New Night for Season 58 at Stuart

 

Stuart, IA (April 17) – A brisk night didn’t do anything to cool off the action on opening night for the 58^th season of racing at Stuart Speedway. Luke Daniels, Shannon Anderson, Kody Havens, Denny Berghahn Jr, Josh Daniels and Ricky Thornton Jr were the feature winners at the first annual Tim Stevens Memorial sponsored by Big Load Trailer Sales & Interstate Power Systems of Altoona.

New owner Mike Van Genderen has made a few changes to the racetrack for 2019, the biggest being a change in race night from Friday to Wednesday. Dirt has been moved on the track, and the first race after heat races on the revamped surface was a special event with four classes on the track at once. The heat race winners from the Hobby Stocks, SportMods, Stock Cars and Modifieds were spaced evenly around the track with the Hobby Stocks having a 1 lap lead over the Modifieds. Richie Gustin took the win in the 10 lap race.

Batwing Mini Mods were the first feature race on the track with Luke Daniels and Gage Hilgenberg on the front row. Daniels took the lead on lap one and never looked back in taking the win over Hilgenberg and Bobby Daniels. Hilgenberg was the heat race winner.

Next up was the IMCA Hobby Stocks with Adam Ayers and Aaron Rudolph on the front row. Multi-time National Champion Shannon Anderson made his return to SIS and jumped to the lead from his third starting spot on lap one. Ayers and Dylan Nelson traded the second spot over the next few laps while slide jobs were flying for the lead, but Anderson was able to hold the top spot at the line each time. Corey Madden made his presence known after a yellow on lap thirteen brought him to second. As the white flag flew Madden held the lead, but Anderson was too strong out of turn two and went on to the feature win. Madden finished second with Ayers third, John Watson fourth and Brandon Cox fifth. Kaden Reynolds and Madden were the heat race winners.

Kody Havens and Bryan Morris brought the IMCA Northern SportMods to the green flag with Havens jumping out to a good sized lead over the first few laps. The lead went away three times in the first six laps as the caution flag came out, but each time Havens was up to the task. Colton Nelson and Hinter Longnecker battled it out for second until Doug Smith made it past both of them on lap ten. Smith worked high and low, but never seriously challenged for the lead as Havens went on to the win. Smith finished second with Chase Rudolf coming from fifteenth to finish third, Nelson fourth and Longnecker fifth. Ronnie Hults, Longnecker and Havens were the heat race winners.

IMCA Sport Compacts were up next with Denny Berghahn Jr and Mitchell Bunch on the front row. The front row stayed side by side over the entire fifteen laps with Bunch leading the first seven. Berghahn Jr led laps eight through ten with Bunch back in front for the next two. Berghahn Jr found enough in turn four the last three laps and took the win by less than a car length! Bunch finished a strong second with Jake Benischek third, Colton Garside fourth and Nathan Castellano fifth. Benischek and his brother Luke were the heat race winners.

Anthony Goldsberry and Josh Daniels led the IMCA Stock Cars to the track next with Daniels taking the lead early over Goldsberry and Todd VanEaton. Buck Schafroth caught a tractor tire in turn four and went for a tumble to bring out the red flag on lap seven. Schafroth was ok, but his night was over. Once the action picked back up it was Daniels firmly out front, VanEaton in second with a familiar face in third as Mike Nichols began to creep into the picture. Nichols took advantage of a lap twelve caution to sneak into the runner up spot, but Daniels was the class of the field on this night and went on to take the feature win. Nichols finished second with Brandon Pruitt third, VanEaton fourth and Chad Legere fifth. Daniels and Nichols were the heat race winners.

Last up for the night was the IMCA Modifieds with Ricky Thornton Jr and Tony Hilgenberg showing the way. Thornton Jr, Hilgenberg and Richie Gustin ran 1-2-3 for the first two laps with Gustin getting to second on lap three. Try as he may, there was no touching Thornton Jr on this night as he went on to dominate the twenty lap feature event. Gustin finished second with Josh Gilman third, Kyle Brown fourth and Scott Bash fifth. Gustin and Thornton Jr were the heat race winners.

We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our first event of the year. Next week will be Sauerman Trucking/Affordable Quality Roofing & Exteriors Night at the Races with our six regular classes in attendance along with the return of the Cruiser Cars. See you then!

 

Story by Josh Reynolds

Category: Iowa