Tuesday night, September 12th would be the first of two nights of dirt track racing during the annual Clay County Fair is Spencer Iowa. The first night of racing would feature some traveling divisions including the Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series West and the ASCS 360 national traveling Sprint Car series with the IMCA Stock Cars also being a part of the action. On Wednesday, the five local divisions that race at the track regularly would be putting on their own show.
It was an excellent early Fall night for racing and my fist visit to the Clay County Fair. I, of course, have been to the races at Spencer a number of times but this would be the first time I was there for a race when the Fair was actively in session. I had heard much about what a big Fair this is and the grounds alone would indicate just how big this Fair is. I was not, however, too impressed with the food offerings that were available, based on what I was led to believe would be a spectacular variety. That, however, is subject material for another blog on perhaps the Food Channel website.
As far as the racing was concerned, there would be a nice variety of classes entered with the Malvern Bank Late Models making their first visit to the Fair here. The ASCS would satisfy the winged Sprint fans, of which there are apparently quite a number given Spencer's proximity to both South Dakota and Nebraska where Sprints are big along with a place called Knoxville. For the local fans, the Stock Cars are always a treat.
The Sprint Cars, running for the largest purse, would also bring the biggest field of cars. The top seven in ASCS points would be on hand but were fortified by a number of Iowa, South Dakota and southern Minnesota winged 360 teams.
The Late Models were a tad light on cars I thought, with only eighteen and several of that number were cross over cars from the Malvern Bank East Hoker Trucking series.
Twenty six Stock Cars were able to make it to Spencer on this Tuesday night as they raced for a grand as the top prize.
We were lucky? enough to be favored with two sets of time trials on this night as both the Sprints and Late Models would qualify, Interestingly enough, the quick qualifier in each class would later also be the feature winner. The Sprints were about two and a half second quicker in times as the track quickly went away during qualifying. With double time trials, the scheduled start time was shot to pieces with the first race not seeing the track until just after 8 pm. However, after that they moved things right along in all three divisions.
The only class that needed a B Feature was the Sprints so after that event was completed, it was time for the first feature race of the night which would be for the Stock Cars. Unfortunately, when you watch any class enough times, they occasionally have a clunker, and that would be the case for the Stock Cars on this night. Yellow flag fever would strike quickly and never take leave from the competitors once inflicted.
When they were able to keep the green unfurled, things were pretty interesting but the racing was in short bursts. Mike Albertsen would take the early lead and hold off challenges from Brock Badger and Cory Bosma but the race was slowedfour times in the first four laps for spins and such. This, plus a fast race car, would allow Jake Masters to advance from the eleventh starting spot to up to second by lap five. This worked well for Masters and following yellow number four, the restart order would be single file the rest of the way.
Masters would take advantage of this, driving under Albertsen on the green to move into the lead and even though the yellow would wave three more times, he would never be challenged after that. Things even got so bad that the race was shortened from twenty to fifteen laps to try and get it over.
Masters would drive home for the win over Albertsen and David Smith who started eighth. It seemed that fifth place finisher Jim Horejci would express his frustration after the white and then checkered came out surprisingly early as he revved his car after the completion of the race.
The Sprints would have no such problems as they would run off a nonstop twenty five lap main that would be done seemingly before it was hardly started. Terry McCarl would use the preferred high side to take the early lead and he would cruise from there, leading all laps on his way to a nice five grand payday. Matt Covington and Blake Hahn would battle for second before Covington took over the spot and he would close some on McCarl but never be able to provide a stiff challenge.
Just as McCarl took the checkered flag, the red was waved when Lance Moss' car caught fire in turn four and Moss was rolling around on the track in flames. Since McCarl had taken the checkered, the race was called complete with Covington second and Zane DeVault charging up to third.
After a scary few moments, Moss appeared to be OK but no further word was given on him although it was a good sign when the ambulance did not leave the track.
The Late Models would put on the best show, even though they got on the track last. And they would provide a great two car battle between Derrick Stewart and Andrew Kosiski that went right down to the wire. Stewart would lead the opening lap before Kosiski would drive under him to take over the lead. Stewart would not give up though, and would stay within striking distance of the leader.
A single yellow on lap sixteen for debris would bunch the field and Stwart would battle Kosiski for the lead from that point on. Finally, Derrick would get a good run on the outside and drive by Kosiski to retake the lead with only six laps to go. Andrew would try to fight back but he suddenly had to deal with Tad Pospisil who was marching forward.
Pospisil would take over second from Kosiski and charge toward Stewart but Derrick would hold on for the win in an entertaining race. Bill Leighton and Corey Zeitner would complete the top five in a race that saw only two drivers not complete the run.
It seemed to be about a 50/50 crowd tonight with some leaving after the Sprints were done but most still stayed to watch the Late Models. There was a very nice crowd on hand for a Tuesday night. All racing was complete just after 11 pm so they ran off a quick show but just like several tmes here this year, they just get started a little too late.
As always, thanks to Trent Chinn and his staff for all their help this year. They have been most helpful whether it was here at Spencer, Alta or Britt where Trent is in charge at all three. He was a busy guy tonight and I didn't get to talk to him so I have no updates on his plans for 2024. But I certainly do plan to visit all three tracks again next year.
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