8/7/2019
Stuart Speedway
SIS Names 2019 Track Champions
Stuart, IA (August 7) – After a week off due to rain the cars returned for Season Championships at Stuart Speedway! Colton Nelson, Logan Richards, Luke Daniels, Shonn Mapes, Corey Madden, Hunter Longnecker, Bryan Snell and Josh Gilman were the winners on Anita Lumber Company & Karl Chevrolet of Stuart night at the races. Mitchell Bunch, Luke Daniels, John Watson, Tyler Inman, Brandon Pruitt and Josh Gilman were named 2019 Stuart Speedway Track Champions, congratulations to all!
For the first time on a regular night the Autocross cars took to the track with Colton Nelson leading from start to finish to take the win and the $200 prize. Josh Stonehocker, Tom Bobbett and Bill Atcheson rounded out the top four.
Once the track was cleared it was time for the induction of the first four members of the Stuart Speedway Hall of Fame. Gail Miller, Bill Davis, Dave Farren and Ron Little were the four inaugural inductees, and there wasn’t many dry eyes as their families carried their banners from the infield to the front stretch. We are happy to have started this tradition and look forward to it for many years to come.
IMCA Sport Compacts came to the track next with Owen Richards and Nikole Kimmel on the front row. Richards led the first three laps over Tyler Fiebelkorn and Kolby Sabin, but it was Jamie Reeves powering past the top three to take the lead on lap four. Reeves looked strong out front, but Logan Richards made it to second on lap seven from his tenth starting spot and took the top spot a lap later. Richards went on to take the win with Fiebelkorn second, Reeves third, Owen Richards fourth and Nathan Castellano fifth. Owen and Logan Richards were the heat race winners. Mitchell Bunch finished with a 23 point advantage over Colton Garside to claim the track championship. Congratulations, Mitchell!
Next up was the Outlaw Mini Mods with Chase Daniels and Gage Hilgenberg on the front row. Daniels led the first four laps until spinning out and putting Bobby Daniels in front. Bobby looked to take the win, but a slip up on lap nine put Luke Daniels in the lead and he wouldn’t relinquish it as he went on to take the win. Bobby finished second with Hilgenberg third and Chase, the heat race winner, fourth. Luke Daniels also claimed the track title with the win, breaking a three-way tie with Hilgenberg and Bobby Daniels. Congratulations, Luke!
Shonn Mapes and Bryan Spangler brought the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks to green next with Mapes leading Myles Michehl and Spangler on lap one. Michehl took over on lap two with Jeff Frevert passing Mapes a lap later for second. The leaders put quite a distance on the field, and coming down the backstretch on the last lap Frevert made a move to the inside of Michehl. The two made contact in turn three with Michehl spinning as the rest of the field made its way to the checkered flag. After track staff determined Frevert would be scored behind Michehl it was Mapes that was declared the winner. This was Mapes’ first career win! Lou Sipolt finished second with Spangler third, Del Enos fourth and Lucas Richardson fifth. Michehl and Frevert were the heat race winners.
IMCA Hobby Stocks were up next with Matt Wahl and Nick Foster on the front row. Foster led the first lap with Chuck Madden Jr getting by on lap two. Brandon Cox was strong on the bottom side and took over the lead on lap four with Madden Jr and Adam Ayers not far behind. Ayers made a power move on lap seven to get to second, but lurking behind him was Corey Madden. Madden made it to second on lap eleven, but it looked like time had run out with Cox out to a sizeable lead. That lead was erased with two laps remaining as a caution flew, bunching the field for a green-white-checkered finish. Madden blasted out to the lead on the restart and went on to the win over Cox, John Watson, Jason Kohl and Ayers. Madden and Foster were the heat race winners. Watson finished the year with a nineteen point lead over Cox to claim the track title. Congratulations, John!
Next up was the IMCA Northern SportMods with Brandon Patava and Daniel Baudler on the front row. Not a lap was completed before Ronnie Hults went tumbling down the front straightaway to bring out the red flag. Hults was ok, but would be done for the night. After the track was cleared it was Colton Nelson leading Baudler and Hunter Longnecker over the first ten laps until the second caution slowed the field. Once they got going Tyler Inman began to creep into the picture as he made a few stabs at second with Nelson still out front. Longnecker found a quicker lane on lap fourteen and took over the lead with Inman taking second a lap later. Inman worked high and low but Longnecker would go on to the win. Inman finished second with Baudler third, Nelson fourth and David Schwartz fifth. Inman and Patava were the heat race winners. Inman ended the season with an eleven point advantage over Longnecker to snag the track title. Congratulations, Tyler!
Brock Badger and Chad Legere brought the IMCA Stock Cars to life next with Badger leading the first two laps. Bryan Snell moved into the top spot on lap three with Brandon Pruitt sliding into second on lap four. Josh Daniels worked on Badger for third until finally getting the position on lap nine with Snell still leading Pruitt at the halfway point. Pruitt patiently worked the back bumper of Snell as Daniels began to close on the leaders. Daniels snuck under Pruitt with two laps to go, but Snell kept the line as he went on to take the win, his first at Stuart this season. Daniels finished second with Pruitt third, Marcus Fagan fourth and Legere fifth. Jeremy Gettler and Pruitt were the heat race winners. Pruitt claimed the track championship by the slimmest margin of all our classes with a three point lead over Daniels. Congratulations, Brandon!
IMCA Modifieds were the last race on the track with Ethan Braaksma and Scott Bash on the front row. Braaksma held a good sized lead over Austin Kuehl and Cory Sauerman until the yellow came out on lap seven. This gave Josh Gilman the break he needed as he shot to second on the restart and began to hound Braaksma for the lead. It took him a few laps but Gilman, the Pole Position Challenge winner from earlier in the evening, blasted into the lead on lap fifteen and went on to the win. Braaksma finished second with Kuehl third, John Oliver Jr fourth and Shane DeMey fifth. Gilman and Braaksma were the heat race winners. Gilman ended the season with a 47 point lead over David Brown to take the track championship. Congratulations, Josh!
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our thirteenth event of the year. Next Monday will see the second IMCATV Monday Night Spotlight sponsored by Big Load Trailer Sales and Hicklin Powersports. All of the winners from this show will be part of a documentary done by IMCA TV next year! See you then!
Article Credit: Josh Reynolds