On Wednesday night, August 7th, the Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour made their first stop ever in the state of Minnesota at the big, half mile speedway in Fairmont. Appropriately, it was home state driver and current track point leader Brandon Beckendorf who led all twenty five laps and dominated the main event.
Forty nine Modifieds were on hand to race Wednesday on another beautiful day for racing with just enough of a West breeze to keep the air moving. The Modifieds are in the midst of a huge week of racing in northern Iowa and across the border here in Minnesota after running at another Gopher State track last night. With cars on hand from all parts of the country, they carried a strong field of cars here to Fairmont and perhaps one of the biggest fields ever to race at this Martin County Fairgrounds half mile.
A full show was held for the other four IMCA sanctioned classes that normally race at Fairmont too. Thus, it made for a pretty long evening of racing as there was some appropriate ceremony too since it was the Bob Shryock Memorial Race with son Kelly on hand to race and many of the Shryock family members on hand to help the celebration. One of Bob's old wedge Late Models had been restored and was on hand for Kelly to drive in a match race with the old timer cars.
The Dirt Knights race was the high light of the evening with twenty four cars slated to go twenty five laps. The track was very fast but the high groove was clearly the line to be in and after starting on the outside pole, Beckendorf never relinquished the lead. Beckendorf would receive his strongest challenge from Jay Noteboom who had started right beside him in the lineup. Things got tight as the leaders raced through lapped traffic with Beckendorf almost getting caught in the wrong lane on the track but he managed to hold off Noteboom. The yellow changed things dramatically on lap seventeen for a spin when Noteboom retired to the pits with some sort of issue and Beckendorf lost his most severe challenge.
He would go on to lead the last nine laps without a serious challenge and drive on for his first Tour win on this series. Tom Berry Jr would finish second for the second straight night while Richie Gustin protected his point lead with a third place finish.
The other four divisions were somewhat short on cars on this night and with the evening getting later and the track officials wanting to get the Modifieds on the track for their main, most of the other features were shortened in length.
Only eight Stock Cars took the green for their main and Luke Saathoff was the winner with Shryock trying his hardest to get at least one feature win for the Shryock Memorial night but settling for second. He would advance from nineteenth to seventh in the Modified feature later.
The Sport Mod feature would see Troy Gochanaur start on the pole and lead for all twelve laps as Jared Boumeester attempted to make up for Tuesday night's disappointment at Deer Creek but settled for second.
The Hobby Stock ten lap feature saw a big crash in turn four eliminate several of the top running cars early and allow Cory Probst to drive on for the win. Greg Sidles drove a borrowed car to the second place finish.
The Sport Compacts had two yellows before they finished a lap so they were reprimanded by having their main event cut to six laps as several cars fell out early. Terry Blowers won the race with R.J. Esqueda second.
Lonn Oelke was on the microphone calling the action on this night as the voice of the Fairmont Raceway and my first opportunity to hear Lonn working since his days with the USMTS. As usual, Lonn was his irreverent self, taking turns pointing jabs at everyone from the track officials to the spectators and to himself. I believe he has a more sardonic sense of humor than ever Mr Meyer.
It was a good night of racing and my first chance to catch a race in Fairmont in quite a few years. Thanks to everyone and especially the pit gate workers for their assistance.
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