7/2/2019
Stuart Speedway
Final Ride Goes to Marriott
Stuart, IA (July 2) – Fireworks in the sky and fierce racing on the track highlighted the tenth night of racing at Stuart Speedway. Buck Schafroth, Doug Smith, Hunter Marriott, Chris Vannausdle and Solomon Bennett were the winners at the 20th and final Ron Little Memorial sponsored by Karl Chevrolet of Stuart and Ganoe Excavating.
Once the heat races and B-features were completed it was the IMCA Stock Cars taking to the track for their twenty five lap A-main with Brandon Pruitt and Buck Schafroth on the front row. Schafroth took the early lead over Pruitt and Mike Nichols with Todd VanEaton and Chris Pruitt in a slugfest for fourth. Brandon Pruitt and Nichols were side by side for most of the first half of the race with Nichols securing the spot each time at the line. Just as Schafroth looked to have the race in hand a caution flew, bunching the field up for a four lap dash to the finish. Brandon Pruitt got up beside Schafroth twice but couldn’t seal the deal. Nichols used the higher groove to get past Pruitt for second, but it was Schafroth going on to lead every lap and take the $1000 win. Nichols finished second with Brandon Pruitt third, Kyle Brown fourth and Chris Pruitt fifth. Schafroth, Damon Murty, Bryan Snell and Chris Pruitt were heat winners with Jeremy Gettler taking the B-feature win.
After a spectacular fireworks show put on by Tony Wenck with Factory Outlet Fireworks the IMCA Northern SportMods came out next with Thomas Egenberger and Doug Smith leading the pack to green. Smith led Egenberger and Brayton Carter on lap one with Carter coming to second on lap two. Egenberger fought back and got back around Carter on lap four as Smith continued to lead. Hunter Longnecker began to battle with Carter for third on lap ten, but that was the last tough battle at the front as Smith drove off to lead every lap and take the $1000 win. Egenberger closed the gap some and had to settle for second with Carter third, Longnecker fourth and Jake Sachau fifth. Daniel Fellows, Carter, Cody Olsen and Tyler Inman were the heat race winners and Brandon Patava took the B-feature victory.
Next up was the one everyone came to see, the 20th and final Ron Little Memorial for the IMCA Modifieds dubbed “The Final Ride” by Ron’s family, who have helped this race become a premier event since his passing at the track in 1999. Mary, Joe, Lacy, Damon and countless others have worked so hard over the years and we would like to thank them for everything they’ve done. I speak for everyone that works at the track when I say it was our honor to help you carry this out each year. When the missing man four wide parade laps were over it was Hunter Marriott and Travis Hatcher showing the way with Marriott leading Josh Most and Hatcher early on in the thirty lap race. Cody Laney came to third on lap four and with three and even four wide racing back in the pack it was still Marriott out front at the halfway point. Lap traffic started around this time, but Marriott was smooth and strong as he went on to lead the entire way to pick up the $2000 check and the win in the caution free event. Jeff Aikey came from tenth to second in his first ever visit to the track with fourteenth starting Jesse Sobbing third, Most fourth and Laney fifth. Hatcher, Most, Nick Roberts, Ryan Jenkins, Laney and Tim Ward were the heat race winners with Ethan Braaksma and Todd Shute winning the B-features.
IMCA Sport Compacts came out next with Hunter Patrick and Logan Richards on the front row. Mitchell Bunch led lap one with Chris Vannausdle and Richards close behind. Vannausdle got around Bunch for the lead on lap two as Ramsey Meyer came from tenth to second on lap three. Tyler Fiebelkorn got to third on lap five with the top two separating themselves from the pack. Meyer got to the leader’s bumper each lap but couldn’t seal the deal as Vannausdle went on to take the win. Meyer finished second with Fiebelkorn third, Bunch fourth and Colton Garside fifth. Meyer, Fiebelkorn and Shannon Mahlberg were the heat race winners.
Last up for the night was the IMCA Hobby Stocks with Nick Foster and Miciah Hidlebaugh on the front row. Hidlebaugh led Foster and then Corey Madden through three yellows over the first half of the race, meanwhile eleventh starting Solomon Bennett was creeping through the field on the bottom of the track. Bennett flexed his muscle on lap twelve, going from third to first before the final caution flew on lap thirteen. Once the green came back out it was all Bennett as he went on to take the win. Chuck Madden Jr finished second with Jack Phillips third, Zach Hemmingsen fourth and Adam Ayers fifth. Tanner Dixon and Corey Madden were the heat race winners.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our tenth event of the year. Next Wednesday we’ll have the Clint Walrod Memorial for Mod Lites sponsored by Wyfells Hybrids & Motorsports Warehouse. See you then!
Article Credit: Josh Reynolds
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