Three Titles Still Up For Grabs This Saturday at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway
by Brian Neal
Memphis, MO (Aug. 21) – It’s hard to believe that it is season championship time of the season already, but this Saturday, August 25 will be Cunningham Fertilizer Season Championship Night at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway.
Two close track points battles will be decided in the USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series Hobby Stocks and Outlaw Hobby Stocks, while the first ever Late Model national champion will be honored at the track where the season began back in April. The other four divisions, the USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Modifieds and Hornets, have all but locked up there 2007 titles.
In the battle for first ever USRA Late Models National Champion, Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, IA currently leads Lancaster, Missouri’s Chris Smyser by a mere one point, while two time winner for 2007 Tommy Elston of Keokuk, IA sits third. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, IA holds a 6 point lead over Des Moines, Iowa’s Curt Schroeder for the fourth position. Todd McKee of Massena, IA, Chris Fontana of Pella, IA and Oxford, Iowa’s Chris Simpson rest in the 7th thru 9th place in points. While Columbus Junction, Iowa’s Jason Utter has a slim 4 point lead over Justin Reed of Quincy, IL for the battle for the tenth place finish in the national championship. But all this could change before they reach the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO, as they will do battle on Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, IA and then head to the Mt. Dew Bloomfield Speedway in Bloomfield, IA on Friday.
Michael Long of Quincy, IL has to sign in for competition on Saturday and his first ever USRA Modified Track Title at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway will be his for 2007. Long currently leads Ankeny, Iowa’s Martin Bennett by 66 points, with 45 show up points for Long being good enough for him to earn the title. The defending track champion, Ryan Meyer of Liberty, IL holds down the third spot, with Tony Fraise of Donnellson, IA leading Mt. Ayr, Iowa’s Dennis Elliott by 11 points for the battle for fourth. Elliott, who sits fifth in points, has a 21 point advantage over Jody Wood of Donnellson, IA for the spot. Gorin, Missouri’s Bob Dale currently holds a 15 point lead over Matt Greiner of Washington, IA for the battle for seventh in points. While David Snyder of Greentop, MO has a 22 point advantage over Kirksville, Missouri’s Jerry Asher for the ninth place finish in points. Asher who will try to over come Snyder for 9th has, will also have to try to hold off Jerry Reese of Baring, MO for the tenth place finish in points.
The USRA Stock Car Champion for 2007 is Matt Greiner of Washington, IA, his 288 point advantage over Mark Holt of Memphis, MO is more then enough to lock up the title for 2007. But Holt has to work to hold off Troy Alexander of Memphis, MO for the second place finish in points, as the two are separated by 29 points. Quincy, Illinois’ Kale Foster leads Colt Mather of Webster, IA by 30 points for the battle for fourth. While Clell Evans of Kirksville, MO holds a 13 point cushion over Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, IA for sixth in points, with Novelty, Missouri’s Butch Bailey leading Kyle Chinn of Clarence, MO by 13 points for the battle for ninth. But Chinn has to work to hold off Doug Huls of Carthage, IL and Kirksville, Missouri’s Mark White for a top ten finish, as 14 points separate the three drivers.
Wyatt Lantz of Bowen, IL has locked up his first ever USRA B-Modified track title at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, as he leads Canton, Missouri’s Adam Birck by 159 points, more then enough to give him the title. But Birck, a rookie in the B-Modified class for 2007, has to work to hold off Quincy, Illinois driver Jeff Waterman for the second place finish, with 15 points separating the two drivers. Jason Riegel of Memphis, MO holds a 13 point advantage over Keokuk, Iowa’s Jim Gillenwater for the battle for fourth in points, with Jared Fuller of Memphis, MO, Brian Clark of Canton, MO, another rookie driver in the B-Modified class, Keokuk, Iowa’s Josh Larson, Ron York of Edina, MO holding down the sixth thru ninth place in points. While Larry Newman of Kirksville, MO will work to hold off Mendon, Illinois’ Joe Hooper for a top ten in points, with 26 points separating the two drivers.
One title still up for grabs is the USRA Hobby Stock division, as Mike Shelton of Ottumwa, IA and Knoxville, Iowa’s Bill Gibson are separated by 19 points. Shelton needs a fifth place finish or better and the 2007 title will be his, a sixth place finish a a win by Gibson will have the two drivers dead locked. Derek Kirkland of Centerville, IA holds down the third place in points, with Oskaloosa, IA driver Steve Allen currently sitting in fourth. The battle for the fifth place in points will be a hot one, as Curtis Barnes of Greentop, MO, Tim Kraber of Ottumwa, IA, Bob Lynch of Ottumwa, IA and Eldon, Iowa’s Jason McDaniel are all separated by 11 points. With Robby Sands of Centerville, IA and Clayton Robbins of Liberty, MO will battle for the ninth and tenth place in points, with only one point dividing the two drivers.
The other title up for grabs is the Outlaw Hobby Stocks, with Kahoka, Missouri’s Jeff Soper holding a 8 point lead over Brandon Symmonds of Keokuk, IA. Many possibilities will give either driver the title for 2007. Rodger Dresden of Keokuk, IA will work to hold off Donnellson, Iowa’s Jim Lynch, as the two drivers are separated by 21 points. The defending track champion, Beau Taylor of Canton, MO hold down the fifth spot, while Josh Soper of Kahoka, MO and Larry Hooper of Wyaconda, MO are divided by 7 points in the battle for a sixth place finish. Tim Pettibone of Moravia, IA and Hamilton, Illinois’ driver Justin Hamelton have a 5 points difference for the battle for eighth, with Brian Howerton of Hurdland, MO rounding out the top ten.
Luke Davidson of Argyle, IA has to sign in for competition on Saturday and his first Hornet title will be his, as he has a 78 point lead over J.D. Murphy of Cincinnati, IA. Defending tack champion, Andrew Hustead of Rutledge, MO sits in third, with Ethen Hustead of Rutledge, MO, Lew Aikman of Hannibal, MO and Brian Lemen of Cincinnati, IA holding down fourth thru sixth in points. Ottumwa, Iowa’s Jim Garrett and Kirksville, MO Dalton McCartney are separated by one point in the battle for seventh, while Michael Grossman of Keokuk, IA and Dale Porter of Pulaski, IA are divided by 5 points in the battle for ninth and tenth.
The final race for the USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series track points will be one you won’t want to miss. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing to follow this Saturday at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway.
Current Top Ten In Points as of August, 18, 2007:
USRA Modifieds
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
18
Michael Long
1014
2
99
Martin Bennett
948
3
82m
Ryan Meyer
887
4
45
Tony Fraise
812
5
29
Dennis Elliott
801
6
z4
Jody Wood
780
7
12
Bob Dale
716
8
29x
Matt Greiner
701
9
5s
David Snyder
578
10
97
Jerry Asher
556
USRA Stock Cars
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
29
Matt Greiner
1246
2
11
Mark Holt
958
3
7a
Troy Alexander
929
4
44
Kale Foster
697
5
8
Colt Mather
667
6
13
Michael Browning
623
7
1L
Clell Evans
404
8
33z
Zack VanderBeek
391
9
111
Butch Bailey
337
10
81c
Kyle Chinn
322
USRA B-Modifieds
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
22
Wyatt Lantz
1225
2
12
Adam Birck
1066
3
71
Jeff Waterman
1051
4
19
Jason Riegel
961
5
10
Jim Gillenwater
948
6
77
Jared Fuller
852
7
88
Brian Clark
780
8
44
Josh Larson
731
9
6y
Ryan York
623
10
20
Larry Newman
473
USRA Hobby Stocks
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
16
Mike Shelton
1178
2
38
Bill Gibson
1159
3
2k
Derek Kirkland
905
4
3s
Steve Allen
841
5
21x
Curtis Barnes
686
6
27k
Tim Kraber
683
7
4j
Bob Lynch
680
8
85
Jason McDaniel
675
9
34f
Robby Sands
614
10
8r
Clayton Robbins
613
Outlaw Hobby Stocks
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
43s
Jeff Soper
1190
2
8
Brandon Symmonds
1182
3
1
Rodger Dresden
1154
4
4L
Jim Lynch
1133
5
2t
Beau Taylor
1023
6
8s
Josh Soper
918
7
23
Larry Hooper
911
8
47
Tim Pettibone
771
9
24j
Justin Hamelton
766
10
89
Brian Howerton
721
Hornets
Rank
Car #
Driver’s Name
Points
1
6
Luke Davidson
1172
2
77q
J.D. Murphy
1088
3
20
Andrew Hustead
1022
4
62
Ethan Hustead
901
5
66
Lew Aikman
454
6
84L
Brian Lemen
281
7
26
Jim Garrett
240
8
11d
Dalton McCartney
239
9
2
Michael Grossman
200
10
31
Dale Porter
195
