OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- The third night of the USRA Casey's General Stores Championship Series was Kids Night at the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, sponsored by the Oskaloosa Herald with the program filled full of activities for the kids. Oskaloosa Herald Kids Night featured a candy dash, a nickel toss, a new bike giveaway and the young race fans getting to ride in there favorite USRA Stock Cars for two laps around the big half-mile racetrack. Three USRA-sanctioned classes were featured on a beautiful night for racing.
In the first feature, the USRA Modifieds took to the speedway for 20 laps of racing action with Eric Fullenkamp of Eldon taking the early race lead, followed by Oskaloosa driver Ron VerBeek running second.
VerBeek closed in on Fullenkamp's No. 12J machine on lap 4, taking the top spot with Fullenkamp running second until motor trouble ended his night.
VerBeek continued to lead until lap 11 when the Pro-Line Buildings No. 33Z machine of Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon took the top spot from VerBeek, then led the final nine laps to take his second win of the season at the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway.
VerBeek took second, followed by Mike Hughes of Rose Hill and Ottumwa driver Ken Bryant.
The second feature of the night was the 15-lap USRA Hobby Stock main event with Eddyville driver Bobby Greene leading every lap for his third win of the 2005 racing season.
Last week's winner, Jason McDaniel of Eldon, started in the 10th starting position and drove to a second-place finish, followed by Nathan Wood of Sigourney, who took third after starting 11th.
The fourth spot went to New Sharon driver Al Bunnell Jr., who ran second until the 10th lap.
In the final feature of the night, the USRA Stock Cars brought the fans to there feet with an exciting finish with four cars battling for the win.
The field was led to the green by Jim Brown of Fremont and Rick Brown of Kellogg, with Jim Brown leading the first 14 laps of the 18-lap feature event.
Brown had several drivers close in on the top spot with Oskaloosa driver Brian Mitrisin closing in several times but unable to make the pass. Brown tried to hang on, working the top side of the Speedway, but Brad Pinkerton worked the bottom side and took the race lead from Brown on the 16th lap and led the final two circuits for his first win of the 2005 racing season.
Zack VanderBeek took the second spot, with Jim Brown in third and Mitrisin taking fourth.
Next week's racing action will be sponsored by Victory Construction and it will be Fan Appreciation Night with kids 11 and under admitted free while all race fans 12 years of age and older admitted for only $5.00 per person. Come out and support the racing action at the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway on Wednesday, May 11, featuring Iowa's best drivers in the USRA Casey's General Stores Championship Series.
An especially strong field of USRA Stock Cars are expected as this will be the final tune-up for the 2nd Annual Great American Stock Car Challenge, set for Monday through Wednesday, May 16-18. The Midwest's biggest Stock Car event of the season will pay $10,000 to the winner of the three-day extravaganza.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USRA Casey's General Stores Championship Series
Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
USRA HOBBY STOCKS
Heat #1 - 1. Steve Landgrebe, Oskaloosa; 2. Tory Mathis, Oskaloosa; 3. Colt Mather, Webster; 4. Bobby Greene, Eddyville; 5. Robert Rupprecht, Oskaloosa.
Heat #2 - 1. Randy Veldhuizen, Oskaloosa; 2. Jason McDaniel, Eldon; 3. Shannon Sherwood, Oskaloosa; 4. Al Bunnell Jr., New Sharon; 5. Chase Mitrisin, Oskaloosa.
Feature - Greene; 2. McDaniel; 3. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 4. Bunnell; 5. Steve Landgrebe; 6. Rupprecht; 7. Veldhuizen; 8. R. Landgrebe; 9. Mather; 10. Sherwood; 11. Tyler Ford, Lovillia; 12. Mitrisin; 13. Bill Gibson, Knoxville; 14. Steve Allen, Oskaloosa; 15. Rodney Fairchild, Oskaloosa; 16. Dave Breuklander, Oskaloosa; 17. Mathis; 18. Jason VanZomeren, Oskaloosa.
USRA STOCK CARS
Heat #1 - 1. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon; 2. Josh Newell, Oskaloosa; 3. Rick Brown, Kellogg; 4. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon; 5. Ross McCombs, Oskaloosa.
Heat #2 - 1. Brian Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 2. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa; 3. Brian Edel, Oskaloosa; 4. Steve Landgrebe, Oskaloosa; 5. Jeff Joldersma, McClelland.
Heat #3 - 1. Matt Greiner, Washington; 2. Jim Brown, Fremont; 3. Lorne Parks, Ottumwa; 4. Eric Flanders, What Cheer; 5. Mark Steinke, Gibson.
Feature - 1. Pinkerton; 2. VanderBeek; 3. J. Brown; 4. Mitrisin; 5. Criss; 6. Newell; 7. Flander; 8. R. Brown; 9. Ryan Cook, West Point; 10. Rick VanDusseldorp, Oskaloosa; 11. Steinke; 12. Joldersma; 13. Brandon Bandstra, Lynnville; 14. Anthony Wagoner, Huxley; 15. Greiner; 16. Landgrebe; 17. Edel; 18. McCombs; 19. Darrin Thompson, New Sharon; 20. Parks; 21. Kevin Boyy, Oskaloosa; 22. Jeff Johnson, Altoona.
USRA MODIFIEDS
Heat #1 - 1. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon; 2. Eric Fullenkamp, Eldon; 3. Brian Edel, Oskaloosa; 4. Steven Blattler, Oskaloosa; 5. Brad Stephens, Bussey.
Heat #2 - 1. Mike Hughes, Rose Hill; 2. Ron VerBeek, Oskaloosa; 3. Ken Bryant, Ottumwa; 4. Steve Stewart, Washington; 5. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon.
Feature - 1. VanderBeek; 2. VerBeek; 3. Hughes; 4. Bryant; 5. Pinkerton; 6. Stewart; 7. Edel; 8. Blattler; 9. Fullenkamp; 10. Toby Vandekamp, Knoxville; 11. Stephens; 12. Brad Moriarty, Des Moines; 13. Roger Baxter, Oskaloosa.
