The last regular season event was held on Monday night, August 1st at the Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer Iowa. Left to be run on their 2022 schedule are only the two Fair races that will be run in September . This night would be the Clay County Clash presented by Farmers Trust & Savings Bank and Abel Drainage & Excavating and would use their typical format which seems to be so popular in that the four top IMCA classes racing on this night all race for a thousand dollars to win while the Sport Compacts race for two hundred dollars for first.
Perhaps because there has been so much racing going on recently or perhaps because this was the first night of a whole week of racing scheduled for North Iowa with most of the shows paying even more than this event or perhaps a combination of factors but the car count for this show was down considerably from what it was for just about all the other shows run here this season. No B Features would be necessary in any of the five classes but two or in some cases three heat races were still run for all except the Sport Compacts which continue to turn out lousy car counts, almost to the point of being a joke.
Racing got started just a little bit late once again as the track needed a few extra minutes of packing and the hot laps for all took their jolly old time. However, after that, between the fact that few less races were needed on this night and the fact that the racing was so smooth, the show moved on at a very fast pace and ultimately, the final checkered flag of the night flew before 10 pm., making it the quickest show of the year here.
The second race of the night to hit the track saw Connor VandeWeerd stand his car on its nose in turn three, triggering a red flag. However, after that the sixteen race program saw only a total of five yellow flags all night, including three green to checkered feature races as some smooth racing prevailed which helped to create a quick night of racing for the good sized crowd by most tracks standards, but smaller than the other crowds here this year.
Green to checkered dominating performances by Jacob Hobscheidt and Elijah Zevenbergen highlighted the racing action but there were also some races with battles for the lead, including the Hobby Stock feature that saw a remarkable five different leaders during their eighteen lap finale.
Heat race went smoothly and with all making the main, it was a matter of racing one's way into a redraw position and then hoping for the best come feature time as seven of the eleven heat race winners came right off the pole as it took a while for the track to slick up and help to make the racing groove wider.
Sport Compacts, or what there were of them, would run their main event first. Only six were on hand and one failed to make the grid for the main. Despite having the top two Sport Compacts in current IMCA national points on hand, the race itself was farcical. Camden Nehring led the opening lap before being overtaken by Kaytee Devries who would then pull away and lead the rest of the race without much drama. National point leader Nate Coopman would pull off the track early and that took care of any competition. Only two cars would actually finish after apparent runner up Brooke Osler was DQ'd for some transgression of the rules so Nehring would be scored second with Jerry Coopman and Nate Coopman finishing next, even though they were loaded up and out the gate before the checkered had hardly waved. They will probably find out how they did on My Race Pass later.
However, the Hobby Stock feature was everything that the Sport Compact wasn't and more. There was a large swarm of drivers in the lead pack and then seemed to swap the lead on just about every lap. One would take the lead, slide up the track and then someone would replace them by cutting to the bottom and taking the top spot. This happened on just about every turn for the first half of the race until Cory Probst would finally take over command.
First it was Josh Sidles, who was replaced in front by Evan Schettler. He was passed for the lead by Brandon Nielsen but Dylan Nelson would get by him and there were four different leaders in the first four laps. Probst started ninth but moved forward quickly into the lead swarm and they he navigated the opening, taking spots when he could until he eventually was up to second and pressuring Nelson for the lead. Just past the halfway point, Schettler spun while trying to stay with the leaders which triggered the only yellow of the race.
It was Nelson, Nielsen, Sidles and Jim Johnson trailing at this point. The last part of the race would see Probst sneak away from the pack while they continued to battle. Johnson got hot toward the end of the race, picking off a car a lap until he passed Nelson to take over second at the end. Nielsen and Chris Krug would round out the top five. It was a good win for Probst, currently second in national points.
The Sport Mod feature would go nonstop, green to checkered and John Klynsma would lead the opening lap. In fact, Klynsma would lead the first six laps until Matt Looft would blow by him on the outside to take over the lead. Looft started eighth on the grid but quickly moved to the front as he found the high side to his liking as he drove past car after car on his way to the front.
Once Looft blew past Klynsma, he was gone and with no yellow flags to give the rest of the field a chance, he drove on to an easy win. Alec Fett also used the high groove successfully and he drove around Klynsma late in the race to get second. Colby Fett and Zech Norgaard would complete the top five. It was a good win for Looft, given that he is leading the national points at this juncture.
Hobscheidt would start on the outside pole and he would lead from start to finish to take the bucks in the Modified feature. He would pull out to a comfortable lead while Chris Abelsen would work his way to second by the halfway point of the race. However, Abelsen was not able to cut into the leader's advantage as Jacob would ride to a relatively easy victory. Tripp Gaylord would start six and finish third, ahead of Tim Ward and Nick Meyer.
Twenty cars would start the Stock Car feature after Texan Dan Day scratched out of the main. Zevenbergen started on the pole, took the immediate lead and then would drive on for the win. He was never severely challenged for the lead but there was an excellent battle for the second spot with a group of about six drivers in a pack and swapping positions.
Tim Rupp would hold on to second for many laps as he fought off Justin Nehring, Cody Nielsen and Chanse Hollatz. Finally, Hollatz would make the low side work and he would drive past Rupp and take over second.
One late yellow when Nehring got turned bunched the pack but Zevenbergen was able to pull away and strengthen his lead as he drove on for the win. Hollatz would hold on for second while Randy Brands would come from twelfth to finish third with Nielsen and Rupp next in line.
Late Models, 360 Sprints and the regular weekly clases will all be featured during the Fair races and with this being the biggest county fair in the state, it would be an excellent time to see some racing and enjoy a great fair at the same time.
Thanks to promoter Trent Chinn and his staff for their help throughout this season and also to the Clay County Fair Board. The regular season has been most successful for this track and I would guess that that crowds will be massive for the Fair events.
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