This years qualifying night used a two heat race format, with points being awarded for each finishing position. In all five classes the drivers would draw for there starting spot in the first set of heats races. Then the second set of heats races would be inverted, using the same draw numbers. When both sets of heat races were finished the points were totaled up, with the top eight being locked into Saturday nights big features. Saturday all non qualified drivers, including any new cars, drew for there starting spots for the B mains. Then any driver not qualifying out of the B mains got one more chance to make it by running last chances races. Dashes were ran for the those who earned enough points to lock them in from Fridays heat races to determine the first four rows of the features. After all the qualifying races were over it was time to go feature racing to see who would take home the big money.
The first feature up on the night was the 18 lap Sunline Auto Parts Sport Compacts, with Adam Gates and Merv Chandler leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But just as the green flag was dropped the caution light would come on, as Kimberly Abbot spun in turn 2 after contact from Brandon Reu. On the restart Gates jumped out into the lead, with Josh Barnes and Chandler battling for the runner up spot. While Gates was pulling away from the field, the action for the second spot was heating up. Barnes, Chuck Fullenkamp, Chandler and William Michel, who started 11th, were running two and even three wide for the spot.The only thing to slow down Gates on the night was a second caution on lap 15, as Rob Kibbe came to a stop off turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Once again Gates moved out front on the restart, leaving John Whalen, Austen Becerra, who started 16th, and Fullenkamp battling for the second spot. Gates would hold on over the final 3 laps to pick up his second consecutive Fall Extravaganza win and the $500 top prize. Whalen held on to finish 2nd, Fullenkamp won the battle for 3rd, Becerra finished 4th and claimed the Dunker Concrete $50 hard charger award, with John Richardson coming from 13th to round out the top 5.
Mike Hughes and Dustin Griffiths led the field to the green in the 20 lap Coor’s Light Hobby Stock feature, with Griffiths grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Hughes and Bill Richards. Hughes would put pressure on Griffiths for the top spot over the next 10 laps, while Richards worked to hold back Bill Bonnett, who started 6th, in the battle for third. But when Gina Greubel spun in front of the leaders on lap 11, both Griffiths and Hughes went for a spin cycle to avoid plowing into her car. Since the yellow was called for Greubel’s spin, both Griffiths and Hughes were giving there spots back. On the restart Griffiths jumped back out front, with Hughes close behind in second. Despite pressure from Hughes over the final 8 laps, Griffiths was able to hold on to claim his second consecutive Fall Extravaganza win and picked up a $1,000 top prize. Hughes settled for 2nd, Bonnett won the battle for 3rd, Richards was 4th, with Jason See taking home a fifth place finish.
Up next was the 25 lap Donnellson Tire Stock Car feature, with Louis Lynch and Todd Reitzler making up the front row for the event. Lynch would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over John Oliver Jr. and Reitzler. Oliver Jr., who was running the bottom of the track, slipped under Lynch coming of turn four on lap 2 to take over the top spot. While Oliver Jr. led the field, Lynch was working to hold back Reitzler, Abe Huls, who started 5th, and Cayden Carter in the battle for the runner up spot. Huls would work his way into the second spot on lap 9 and then went to work on Oliver Jr. for the lead, that is until the first caution of the event came out on lap 10. Troy Brierton would spin in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Oliver Jr. moved back out front, with Huls, Reitzler and Carter battling for the runner up spot. Going into turn 3 to complete lap 16 Oliver Jr. slipped up enough to allow Huls to slid under him, while Carter worked to the top of the track to make it three wide coming out of four. Huls would edge out front to grab the lead on lap 16, leaving Oliver Jr., Carter and Reitzler battling for the second spot. Reitzler used the bottom groove to slid into second on lap 18 and then went to work on Huls for the top spot. Reitzler would pressure Huls over the final 7 laps, even getting up beside him coming out of turn four for the checkered. But Huls was able to hold on to pick up the win and the $1,500 top prize. Reitzler settled for a close 2nd, Oliver Jr. held on for 3rd, Carter was 4th, with Les Blakley coming from 8th to round out the top 5.
Curtis Van Der Wal and Brett Lowry made up the front row for the 22 lap Shottenkirk Parts Express SportMod feature. But just as the green flag was waved the caution light would come on, as Dakota Simmons spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Van Der Wal jumped out front on lap 1 over Lowry and Bobby Anders. Van Der Wal then started to pull away from the battle for second, until the second caution of the event appeared on lap 4. This time Bradley Holtmeyer spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Van Der Wal once again grabbed the top spot on the restart, with Lowry working to hold back Anders in the battle for second. The action up front came to halt on lap 5, when contact from Anders sent Lowry spinning off turn four. But Lowry would stay in the gas and did a complete 360 to keep going, which caused the field to take action to avoid Lowry. As a result of that 9 cars, which included Bard Iverson, Tony Johnson, Brandon Dale, Scott VanBuskirk, Carter VanDenBerg, Holtmeyer, Dustin Crear, Bobby Six, and Simmons, ended up piled up down the middle of the front stretch to bring out the red flag. Once back to green Van Der Wal moved back out front, with Lowry now working to hold back Jim Gillenwater and Tony Dunker. Another caution on lap 6 slowed the action, as Creston Williams got into the back of Chris Larson who spun in turn 4 and collected Jeremy Pundt. Van Der Wal once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Dunker coming from 4th to second. Dunker tried to stayed glued to Van Der Wal’s back bumper, until the fifth caution appeared on lap 12. This time Anders, who was running 5th, clipped a tire in turn four and spun to bring out the yellow. On the restart Van Der Wal again jumped back out front, with Dunker close behind in second. Dunker again tried to stay glued to his back bumper, when another caution came on on lap 17. This time Phillip Cossel spun in turn 4 to bring the yellow light on. Van Der Wal once again grabbed the lead on the restart and looked to be heading to the win, until the final caution came out on lap 20. Tony Johnson spun his machine in turn 4 to bring out the yellow and set up a two lap dash to the finish. On the restart Van Der Wal moved back out front and held on over the final 2 laps to claim the $1,500 top prize. Dunker finished 2nd, Lowry was 3rd, Gillenwater was 4th, with Rodger Dresden coming home in 5th. Logan Anderson, who started 24th and passed 18 cars to finish 6th, won the $50 hard charger bonus from Dunker Concrete.
The final feature up on the night was the 25 lap Budweiser Modifieds, with Scott Hogan and Ronn Lauritzen making up the front row. Lauritzen would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Hogan and Jeff Mueller. Lauritzen, who was working the bottom of the track, Hogan who was up top, and Mueller who was working the bottom started to pull away from the field. While the lead trio battle out front, Kyle Brown, who started 5th, and Jimmy Gustin, who started 8th, were working there way towards the front. There progress was helped on lap 12, when Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lauritzen jumped back out front, with Brown over taking Hogan for the runner up spot. The action up front was slowed for the final time on lap 14, as Dugan Thye spun in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. Lauritzen once again grabbed the lead on the restart, leaving Brown and Hogan to battle for the runner up spot. While Lauritzen and Brown worked the bottom of the track, Hogan found something up top to make it a three car battle for the lead. Coming to the white flag Hogan was able to get up beside Lauritzen, who was working to hold back Brown. Lauritzen was able to hold on off of turn four coming to the checkers to take home the $1,500 top prize. Hogan settled for 2nd, Brown was 3rd, Gustin finished in 4th, with Brandon Rothzen coming from 12th to take home a 5th place finish.
Coming up on Saturday, October 26th will be the Farmington Tax & Accounting Shiverfest. Rides thru the pits will start at 3:00 pm, Trick-Or-Treating (sponsored by the drivers) will started at 3:30 pm, then Box Car races will be held at 4:00 pm, with Hot Laps starting at 4:30 pm. Grandstand admission will be adults $10, students (7-17) $5, and kids 6 & under FREE! Pit passes are $25, ages 7-13 $15, and ages 6 & under $10.
For more information about the last event of the 2013 season at the Lee County Speedway you can call Mike Van Genderen at 641-521-0330 or visit the tracks website at www.leecountyspeedway.com.