Every year, I try to make it back to the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, a track I called home on Wednesday's from 2012–2017. On Wednesday night, I did just that as I attended the Gary Wilson Memorial presented by Outer Limits Truck Repair. Racing action was exciting all night, and it was a rather fun night. Final checkered flag waived at 11:13 p.m. You can watch the replay from last night on Done Right TV.
Ninety cars signed in to tame the monster half mile during the Gary Wilson Memorial, including 23 Malvern Bank SLMR Late Models. Besides the Gary Wilson Family and Outer Limits Truck Repair, there were other great sponsors to help increase the purse in the four weekly classes: the Southern Iowa Fairboard & Race Committee, the Wilson Family, C&C Carpentry, Vans Racing, Bunnell Trucking, Bryan & Dakota Claussen, and Big Blue Nutrition of Albia.
The first feature to take to the track was the Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compacts 10-lap feature event. Trent Fowler led the first lap, but Matt Moore took the top spot on lap two. Moore led until lap six, when Nathan Moody worked his way from nineth to the race lead. The field saw the caution come out on lap eight when Moore had his right rear wheel barring break in turn two, ending his night. Moody held off Seth Meinders and Tyler Haring on the restart to take the feature win. Meinders finished second, Haring in third, Fowler in fourth, and Colton Zaputil in fifth.
Andrew Schroeder grabbed the top spot early in the Midstate Machine Stock Cars feature event, fending off Dustin Vis and Cayden Carter. Carter refused to go away and took the top spot away on lap ten. The caution came out for the only time on lap 11 for Brett Maasdam spinning in turn two. Carter held off Schroeder and Maguire DeJong for the final four laps to take the feature win. DeJong finished second, ninth-place starter Nathan Wood in third, Schroeder in fourth, and Vis in fifth.
The Malvern Bank SLMR Late Models 25-lap feature event started off in a wild fashion, as Luke Pestka hit the wall, rode the wall exiting turn two, and when the wall ended, went for a tumble before landing on all four wheels. Pestka climbed out of the car and was okay. On the race restart, Chad Holladay jumped out to the race lead right away, fending off Jeff Tharp and Jason Hahne. The caution came out again on lap 2 for Nick Marolf slowing and then on the restart for Derrick Stewart spinning on the backstretch. Holladay got a great restart and pulled away from the field. The caution came out on lap 23 for Fred Remley in turn four, bunching up the field one final time. Hollada was determined to not be denied the win, his second of the season on the East Series. Tharp, Kyle Berck, Hahne, and Tad Pospisil rounded out the top five.
"Speedy Bray" Brayton Carter's cousin's Carter VanDenBerg hot rod outwrestled Andrew Schroeder for the race lead in the Oskaloosa Quality Rentals Sport Mods 14-lap feature event. Carter remained smooth out front until the caution came out on lap seven for Schroeder spinning in turn two. Carter now had to contend with Maguire DeJong and Logan Anderson on the restart, holding them off initially. DeJong managed to get by Carter on lap nine, though. DeJong went on to take the feature win ahead of Anderson, Carter, Kyle Harwood, and Cory Van Zante.
The final feature of the night was the Parker's Tree Service Hobby Stocks 14-lap feature event. Rick Van Dusseldorp grabbed the top spot earlier, but it was only a matter of time before Dustin Griffiths worked his way from eighth to the top spot. Griffiths took the race lead on lap five and was followed by Eric Stanton. Stanton tried to apply pressure to Griffiths but came up short, allowing Griffiths to pull away. The only race caution came out on lap 13. Griffiths held off Eric Stanton and Peyton Stephens on the restart, meaning the Bounty continues. Stanton finished second, Stephens was third, Tommy Luft was fourth, and Van Dusseldorp fell back to fifth.
Southern Iowa Speedway takes off next Wednesday for the 4th of July Holiday but returns on Wednesday, July 10th, for Dickey Transport and Middlekoop Seed Kids Night. It will also be the rescheduled Hall of Fame induction night for this year's Hall of Fame: Roger Dolan, Howard Gorden Jr., Jake Hughes, and Gary Morse. Midstate Machine Stock Cars, Oskaloosa Quality Rentals Sport Mods, Parker's Tree Service Hobby Stocks, Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compacts, and Tharp Enterprises NAPA Auto Parts Non-Wing Sprints fill out the card. Pits Open at 5 p.m.; Grandstands Open at 5:45 p.m.; Drivers Draw and Hot Laps at 7:15 p.m.; Racing at 7:45 p.m. Pit Passes are $30 for Ages (14 & Up), $15 for Ages (0-13). Grandstands are $10 for Ages (16 & Up), $5 for Military / Veterans, $5 for Students (6-15), and Kids (5 and Under) are Free.
Then the following Wednesday, July 17th, is the Annual Caleb Hammond Memorial during the Southern Iowa Fair, presented by Copeland Auto Body. Extra money will be on the line in all classes, and that information is to come in the next few days.
Malvern Bank SLMR Late Models continued their four races in four nights swing, 3 on the east series and 1 on the west series. Thursday night, they head to the Cresco Speedway in Cresco for the Mighty Howard County Fair Races, then Friday night at the Fayette County Speedway in West Union on the East Series side. Saturday Night, they head to the Adams County Speedway in Corning for the Gail and Karen Hampel Memorial. The remaining SLMR Races this week will all be live on Dirt Crown TV.
If you can not be there in the person you can listen on Hot Country KBOE 104.9 FM or online at kboeradio.com.
For more information about the Southern Iowa Speedway check out and like the Facebook page Southern Iowa Speedway - Osky.For more information about the SLMR Series check out slmrseries.com, or like the Facebook page Super Late Model Racing (SLMR) Series or call the SLMR office at 402-342-3453.
Gary Wilson Memorial
Wednesday June 26th, 2024
presented by Malvern Bank
Heat 2 (8 Laps) : 1. Wyman; 2. Stewart; 3. Tharp; 4. Hahne; 5. Andy Eckrich; 6. Goedert; 7. Boyse; 8. Glendenning.
Qualifying (2 Laps) : 1. 38 Dylan Thornton [19.024]; 2. 56 Andy Eckrich [19.032]; 3. 04 Tad Pospisil [19.102]; 4. 14 Kyle Berck [19.124]; 5. 76H Jason Hahne [19.143]; 6. 15C Curt Schroeder [19.367]; 7. 33 Nick Marolf [19.401]; 8. 10T Jeff Tharp [19.407]; 9. 32C Chad Holladay [19.462]; 10. 58 Dave Eckrich [19.533]; 11. 43 Derrick Stewart [19.551]; 12. 32G Curtis Glover [19.592]; 13. 99 Luke Pestka [19.626]; 14. 4 JC Wyman [19.722]; 15. 53 Andrew Kosiski [19.769]; 16. 22 Charlie McKenna [19.771]; 17. 44 Luke Goedert [19.803]; 18. 99D Darrel DeFrance [20.160]; 19. 20 Zach Less [20.175]; 20. 74 Ron Boyse [20.200]; 21. 42 Fred Remley [20.332]; 22. 77 Jeremy Petty [20.370]; 23. 33G Paul Glendenning [21.676].
presented by Midstate Machine
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. Vis; 2. Reitzler; 3. Schroeder; 4. Wood; 5. Schrage; 6. Chad Keller; 7. Goff; 8. Sammons; 9. Bryant.
presented by Oskaloosa Quality Rental
A Feature (14 Laps): 1. 30M Maguire DeJong (Montezuma); 2. 53 Logan Anderson (Eddyville); 3. 7V Brayton Carter (Oskaloosa); 4. 15K Kyle Harwood (New Sharon); 5. 34Z Cory Van Zante (Sully); 6. 29 Colton Livezey (New Sharon); 7. 84B Trent Brink (Bussey); 8. 68 Will Wolf (Grinnell); 9. 55R Steven Berry (Ottumwa); 10. 3Z Jason Vanzomeron (Fremont); 11. 8 Tom Lathrop (Ottumwa); 12. 24 Chase Johnson (Agency); 13. 04 Andrew Schroeder (Ottumwa); 14. 8T Tony Johnson (Oskaloosa); 15. 15RS Reid Sammons (Kahoka, Mo.).
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. DeJong; 2. Carter; 3. Schroeder; 4. Vanzomeron; 5. Chase Johnson; 6. Livezey; 7. Wolf.
presented by Parker Tree Service
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. Van Dusseldorp; 2. Barnes; 3. Gorden; 4. Brad Stephens; 5. Long; 6. Dooley; 7. Overton; 8. Wilson.
presented by Dirt N Asphalt
A Feature (10 Laps): 1. 41 Nathan Moody (Oskaloosa); 2. 65 Seth Meinders (Ottumwa); 3. 2H Tyler Haring (Oskaloosa); 4. 12T Trent Fowler (Ottumwa); 5. 1Z Colton Zaputil (Agency); 6. 22c Jeremy Williams (Oskaloosa); 7. 27k Kaden Pollock (Fremont); 8. 14P Jason Petersen (University Park); 9. 22 Greg Franklin (Oskaloosa); 10. 83 Cejay Whisler (Des Moines); 11. 18A Kyle Rysdam (Palaski); 12. 7 Brandon Pickney (Ottumwa); 13. 2M Matt Moore (Ottumwa); 14. 11 Caleb Hildebrand (Oskaloosa); 15. 4C Collin Covey (Oskaloosa); 16. 21 Corwyn Whisler (Des Moines); 17. 2K Katelynn Watts (Oskaloosa).
Heat 2 (5 Laps): 1. Moore; 2. Meinders; 3. Moody; 4. Rysdam; 5. Fowler; 6. Williams; 7. Corwyn Whisler; 8. Pollock.
