This was the first season of the Southern Iowa Speedway back under the IMCA (International Motor Contest Association) sanction after spending the previous 8 years under the USRA (United States Racing Association) sanction. The previous 8 years saw the car counts start to decline and this year the Southern Iowa Fairboard was dedicated to bring back some life to the speedway and they did by bring in fellow IMCA and USRA Driver Mike VanGenderen, who has had experience in the past of racing and promoting as many people might not have realized this but along with racing his own Modifieds or Stock Cars, Mike has promoted Figure 8 Races before.
Mike VanGenderen had so many ideas to get people out to the races but having town nights, special events for adults, drivers engaging in some fun in front of the crowd, many kids ideas and i can honestly say i have enjoying attending every night this year and think i attended more racing this year at Osky than the previous 8 years combined, now you can think its because i have something against USRA and the truth is no i don't but truthfully IMCA racing is great sure some may not like the rules but every week there has been some great racing.
The Track has been in great shape week after week and i can only imagine the plans for 2013 but with that being said there is still 3 nights of racing left in 2012 at Osky. The first of those events is this Wednesday Night with Pepsi Cola/KBOE Radio Season Championship Night with a special appearance by the Mod Lites. Also residents from Newton and Grinnell can get in for $5 on Wednesday and just recently added mechanics and powder puff races. Then Friday and Saturday October 5th and 6th the Speedway will host the 26th Annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge.
But it being Season Championship Night this week that means points battles are on the line so lets take a look at the scenarios and some other notes.
Musco Lighting IMCA Modifieds
*The Modifieds would take one night off on June 20th because of the Deery Brothers Summer Series. Average Car Count for the Modifieds is 12.875, Highest Car Count was 27 during the Hawkeye Dirt Tour on July 17th, the Lowest Car Count was 7 on May 16th.
*Car Counts by Race Nights: 11-8-13-11-7-8-18-18-14-DNR-12-12-13-27-18-8-8
*Modifieds were orginally IMCA Sanctioned from 1984-2003 before becoming USRA from 2004-2011 and now back to IMCA.
Cayden Carter: Would make the jump from the SportMods, where he was 2011 Track Champion, into the Modifieds well worth it as he would take the track champion in his rookie season. Carter leads by 91 pts over 2nd place Brandon Banks and picked up 3 feature wins
Brandon Banks: Will finish 2nd in points despite having some issues through out the year. Banks holds a 50 pt lead over Jacob Murray, Banks best finish is 2nd.
Jacob Murray: This is where begin a battle as Murray holds an 11 pt gap over Dakota Hayden, 16 pt gap over Scott Dickey and Andrew Schroeder. Its quite possible if Murray hadn't missed any weeks that he would be contending Cayden Carter for the title as he has been in victory lane 5 times this year at Osky.........the scenario for clinching 3rd is this for Murray if he finishes 12th or better on Wednesday he cliniches 3rd in pts
Dakota Hayden: Had a string if bad luck this season with motor issues and you name it but a top 5 in points would a great way to end the season for Hayden as his best finish is a 2nd place finish..........can clinch 4th in pts if he finishes 5th or better, can grab 3rd palce in pts if he finishes 13 spots ahead of Murray.
Scott Dickey: One of the Drivers having to make the switch over from USRA to IMCA had some good nights for the most part the nights he has been at the track and came away with 1 feature win on May 30th.......Dickey can take 5th in pts with a win and Schroeder finishing 2nd, can take 4th in pts if he finishes 5 spots ahead of Hayden and 1 spot ahead of Schroeder.
Carter's Manufacturing IMCA Stock Cars
* The Stock Cars have seen some fantastic finishes to most of their feature events this year and have proved why they are usually the last class to run their feature on race nights. Average car count for the Stock Cars is 15.882, Highest car count was 28 during the Stock Car Shootout on July 4th and the lowest car count was 13 that occur twice this year.
*Car Counts by Race Nights: 15-16-13-13-16-18-17-20-16-16-15-28-13-14-14-12-14
*Stock Cars also were IMCA Sanctioned from 1984-2003 before being USRA 2004-2011 and returned back to IMCA in 2012.
Matt Greiner: Looking to take his 2nd track championship for 2012 as he most recently picked up the track championship at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson by the 2nd tiebreaker........the simple scenario for Greiner is this: if he finishes 7th or better he will clinch the track championship
Nathan Wood: Has had some strong runs this year early in the year before experiencing some issues in the mid-way part of the season and believes they have gotten it back to were it was at the beginning of the year but he comes in 7 pts behind Greiner in the pts.........the scenario for Wood to win the title is this win and Greiner finishes 8th as the tiebreaker would go to Wood on Wins (if that happen) or Wood must finish 7 spots ahead of Greiner to force a tie, going into the night they each have 2 wins so the 2nd tiebreaker is 2nd place finishes and that would go to Wood with 3 2nd place finishes to Greiner's 2 2nd place finishes.
Corey Stout: Can finish as high as 3rd and as low as 5th for the Driver from Across The Street......Stout holds 8 pts over Todd Reitzler and 30 pts over Damon Murty so barring some issues he will finish 3rd or 4th........the scenario for Stout is too finish 8th or better to clinch 3rd.
Todd Reitzler: Moved up to the Stock Cars in 2011 and his Sophmore season has been pretty good as he has 2 feature wins at Osky and has a shot at finishing 3rd in points.....Reitzler must finish 8 spots better than Stout to grab 3rd because of the tiebreaker on wins.
Damon Murty: can grab 3rd if Stout doesn't show up otherwise he can only grab 4th but that is slim as he must finish 22 spots higher than Reitzler so that almost seems impossible to complete.
Pyramid Graphics and Sports IMCA SportMods
*The SportMods have seen won guy win 9 times this year and that is Jesse Sobbing from Glenwood, Iowa, which is 3.5 hours away. The average car count for the SportMods is 17.176, highest car count was 27 on April 18th and the lowest was 10 on August 1st.
*Car Counts by Race Nights: 17-27-24-19-23-15-15-17-20-18-13-19-14-16-11-10-14
*SportMods were added in 2003 as weekly class but known as b-mods from 2004-2011 under USRA before becoming IMCA Sanctioned this year for the first time.
Jesse Sobbing: despite the 9 wins, Jesse only has a 10 pt lead over 2nd place Curtis Vanderwal going into season championship now that means if Sobbing finishes 11th or better he will take the championship
Curtis Vanderwal: has ha a very consistent season as he is the only driver to have finished in the top 10 every week but is currently 10 pts out of the lead meaning he needs to win and Sobbing finish 12th or worst to take the title or finish 11 spots ahead of Sobbing to take the title as any tiebreaker would go to Sobbing.
Carter Vandenberg: has cliniched 3rd place in pts and can grab if for some reason Vanderwal is unable to make the call for the heat race or feature on wednesday.
Eric Flander: Is looking at a 4th place finish in points because all he has to do is finish 14th or better to clinch 4th.
Tony Johnson: Is currently 5th in pts and can clinch it by finishing 2nd or better or finish 1 spots ahead or behind of Brett Lowry.....Johnson could get 4th if he finishes 15 spots ahead of Flander.
Brett Lowry: Is 6th in pts but can grab 5th if he wins and Johnson finishes 3rd or worst or finishes 2 spots ahead of Johnson because of tiebreakers........Lowry can also grab 4th if he finishes 17 spots ahead of Flander.
Tracy Elevator IMCA Hobby Stocks
*The Hobby Stocks have seen 6 different feature winners this year with Points Leader and Former National Champions Shannon Anderson leading the way. The average car count for the Hobby Stocks is 15.353 with the highest of 23 on April 25th and the lowest of 11 happening twice.
*Car Counts by Weeks: 18-18-23-21-13-14-18-18-15-13-15-16-11-14-11-11-12
*Hobby Stocks were IMCA Sanctioned 2001-2003 before going USRA from 2004-2011 before returning back to IMCA Sanctioned this year.
Shannon Anderson: Appears to have the track championship locked up as all we will have to do is start the feature on Wednesday as he holds a 25 pt advantage over Kevin Fee.
Kevin Fee: It looks to have a 2nd place finish in pts if he is able to start the feature as he is 23 pts ahead of Dustin Griffiths.
Dustin Griffiths: Has been on a tear as of late as he has won 3 of the last 4 features to put himself in 3rd in pts and that appears where he will finish in pts barring something doesn't break because he has only a 1 pt gap over Donavon Nunnikhoven and 2 pt gap over Danny Thrasher.........so if Griffiths finishes 2nd or better he cliniches 3rd in pts or if he finishes 1 spot behind Nunnikhoven and 2 spots behind Thrasher he will take 3rd.
Donavon Nunnikhoven: can grab 3rd place in pts if he wins and finishes 2 spots ahead of Griffiths....Can Clinch 4th in points if he finishes 2nd or better.
Danny Thrasher: can also grab 3rd place in pts if he wins and finishes 3 spots ahead of Griffiths, 2 spots ahead of Nunnikhoven.....can get 4th place in pts if he finishes 2 spots ahead of Nunnikhoven....Can clinch 5th just by starting the feature.
Autocrafter/Whalen Racing IMCA Sport Compacts
*The Sport Compacts are the newest of the division at Southern Iowa Speedway. The average car count for the Sport Compacts is 6.118, highest is 8 which had happened 4 times this year and the lowest is 4 which could set some interesting scenarios for the top 2 guys in pts.
*Car Counts by Weeks: 6-5-5-8-5-5-5-7-5-8-6-7-6-8-6-8-4
*Sport Compacts were orginally announced unsanctioned but after drivers and track crew talked sanctioning them was the thing to do so they become the first newly sanctioned division at Osky.
Merv Chandler: Holds an 8 pt lead over Bill Whalen Jr. so it appears that all Chandler has to do is start the feature on Wednesday however if there is more than 8 cars, Chandler can finish 9th or better to clinch the title.
Bill Whalen Jr.: Is sitting 2nd and has clinched 2nd place in pts at least and can get 1st if Chandler is unable to start or he finishes 9 spots ahead of Chandler.
John Whalen: Has clinched 3rd place in pts and barring the top 2 guys in points don't show up that is where he will finish.
Larry Hopkins: Will finish 4th place in pts despite missing most of the 2nd half of the season at Osky.
Trent Orwig: Will finish 5th place in pts by just starting the heat or feature on Wednesday.
That is a look at the points clinching scenarios along with some other notes incase you are wondering what to expect going into tomorrow night at Osky.....Hope to see you all there and for the ones that are waiting for the scenarios for Marshalltown they are coming soon i promise along with some other crazy stats!
