It is hard to comprehend but we are already talking about race tracks wrapping up their 2021 campaigns and that was the situation on Wednesday night, August 11th as the Stuart International Speedway held its last race of the 2021 racing season. Track champions would be crowned in all classes plus point champions were also introduced to the crowd on what would be a busy night as some awards left over from the 2020 season were also handed out since the track couldn't have a banquet off season plus three more folks were inducted into the Stuart Speedway Hall of Fame.
Added to the Hall were Jeff Anderson, Michael Walrod and Steve Jackson. It was interesting to hear them talk about their careers and brought back memories to me of a volatile period of racing that was largely the result of the infamous claim rule used by multiple sanctioning bodies back then and all the trouble and grief the claim caused. They sort of looked back on it tonight through a different color of lenses but back then it was a very stormy issue as both Jackson and Anderson stated that they had lost over a hundred engines a piece due to being claimed and all the drama caused by them being claimed and then they returning the favor to some people that perhaps used to be their friends! I can't imagine such a thing in this day and age when everyone is so on edge to begin with. Claims these days would probably be settled by having a duel, winner takes all, loser joins the crowd on Boot Hill!
Seventy five cars signed in to race on Wednesday night plus the Mini Mods and Mod Lites which were both racing also. Mini Mods had multiple heats and a feature while the Mod Lite group was rather small on this night.
At the driver's meeting before the program began, Mike VanGenderen addressed several issues but the most important words he had for the drivers was to announce that despite rumors to the contrary, Stuart would be running a weekly program again in 2022 and not just special events which is apparently the rumor that has been floated recently.
It was another steamy night in central Iowa with the race time "feels like" temperature at 97 degrees with an especially nice dose of humidity. This would make the race track quite different than it has been for most nights. Instead of getting slippery from top to bottom like it often does, it was very tacky and produced some very high speeds. Even several packing sessions failed to knock down the berm so for those drivers that like bite and plenty of speed, it was their night as right to the end, the cushion held. I would say they were racing just as much side by side as normal, just at higher speeds with some banging hard off the cushion. It was a nice change of pace in that it still didn't affect the quality of the racing.
Action started early on as Solomon Bennett caught the dirt berm during hot laps and barrel rolled his Hobby Stock down the back chute. Despite this, and even though he had a badly bashed up car, he would make the call for his heat. It did probably affect the quality of his racing though as he would finish deep in his heat and pull off during the feature race for the Hobbies.
As usual, the program screamed through at high speed with all the heat races being knocked off in forty minutes after which the ceremonies took some time. Crowned as track champions were Colby Sabin, Brayton Carter, Eric Stanton, Buck Schafroth and Josh Gilman. Of the five, only two would go on to victory lane later in the evening.
The Stock Car feature race would produce a stunning upset, at least in my mind. Scott Bailey would lead the first few laps in his bright green machine. He was challenged by young Rowdee VanGenderen until a motor issue sent Rowdee to the infield.
Coming up strong on the inside was the #69 car, seen by me before with Johnathan Logue behind the wheel but driven on this night by Matt Avila. He drove under Bailey and took over the lead and was flying in the low groove as he put distance on the field with many of them engaged in some pretty heavy duels. Brock Badger would break into second and try to hunt down Avila, but Matt continued to lead past the halfway point and deep into the contest.
Just when it looked like he would be home free, a late spin set up a two lap sprint to the finish and I thought he might be in trouble. However, he took off with the calm of a veteran and using that fast low groove, pulled away from both Badger and Brandon Pruitt to score and impressive win.
Here's where things got very interesting. I have to admit that I had never heard of Matt Avila before and I had to contact Tony Paris and MVG in the tower to try and find out the story on this winner. From what I could gather quickly, Matt is a crewman for the three car team of Todd Van Eaton and Buck Schafroth for which Logue also drives for. Apparently, while Logue drives the car at Boone, Avila has been driving the car on Wednesday nights recently at Stuart and despite just a handful of appearances, he drove it like a veteran on this night as he recorded his first ever feature win! Looks like they might have to expand that team to a four car operation.
A couple drivers scored wins with remarkable efforts on Wednesday night too. Todd Shute had a miserable heat race and would start tenth in the Modified feature. However, in the feature race he was ungodly fast, coming from the fifth row to challenge for the lead very quickly. By the halfway point of the race, he made a pass on Randy Foote and then drove off into the Iowa sunset as there was no one that could even begin to stay with him. It was impressive to say the least. A great battle for second saw Gilman fight off Tom Berry Jr for that spot with Paul Nagle close behind.
The other outstanding performance took place in the Sport Mod feature where Brayton Carter drove the wheels off his car as he came from tenth to win the main event, much like the charge Shute had put on. However, it took Carter longer to get to the front as he was mired in heavy traffic for a number of laps and even at the halfway point of the race, was still back in fourth.
However, he kept digging and digging, working the low groove while most hammered the cushion and eventually it began to pay dividends when some holes opened up for him.
He was still third with five laps to go but worked inside Colton Nelson and Josh Sink, who had led most of the race and with only two laps to go, made the winning pass in what was an outstanding drive to the front. Hunter Longnecker would come from fourth in the last five laps to grab second away from Sink.
One lap into the Hobby Stock feature, Stanton would get turned on the front chute and spun in front of the several cars, all of which managed to avoid him. When Stanton was given his spot back and another driver sent to the back, this highlighted the profound change that has taken place in Iowa racing in the last couple of years.
Back in the day, if you were stopped when the yellow waved, you went to the back no matter if you were turned by someone else. Now, however, Race Directors and those in charge of the program try to determine who caused the yellow and punish them which is something that has been being done for ever in my home area. Both methods have their good and bad points but as usual, it depends on the skill of the Race Director to make the right calls in these situations.
Colby Christensen would lead the first half of the Hobby Stock main off the front row before being tracked down by Luke Stanton who moved up after starting eighth. Just past the halfway point, Stanton would bore low in turn four and make the pass on Christensen, perhaps not a very esthetic maneuver but effective nevertheless. He would then pull away as the race remained under the green and drive home for the win. Late in the contest, Rusty Bates would get past Christensen for second.
Even though there was a small field of Sport Compacts(is there any track that gets more than ten or so?), their main event came right down to the wire. Mark Smith led the opening laps before being overtaken by Mitchell Bunch. He was in turn challenged by Curtis Masterson and Sabin and the last few laps saw those two go side by side for the win. Sabin pulled off a tough outside pass with just two laps to go and would drive on for the win over the same driver that he edged out for the track title. Bunch would settle for third. Things must have gotten a bit rough in this class lately as several of the drivers were in different rides than when I saw them earlier this year.
While I didn't make it to Stuart as many times as I did last year, every trip was a good one with close short track racing at its best being featured. It is also most enjoyable to watch good racing being carried out in a quick and efficient manner and they specialize in that here. So thanks to MVG and all his staff and employees here at Stuart. MVG is carrying on a break neck schedule, commuting to Texas weekly to do track prep down there that will last right past the Super Nationals. Special thanks to Logan of the Stuart staff for tracking down my camera which some moron(that would be me), nearly lost. I look forward to seeing what promotions MVG has up his sleeve for 2022.
One last thing, drivers, are you checking your trailer lights before you pull out of the pits? Last night on my way back to Des Moines I passed two race trailers with no working lights and that is the second time that has happened this year leaving Stuart.
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