7/27/2022
Stuart Speedway
Kaplan Takes Thriller at Clint Walrod Memorial
Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway had 125 cars in the pits for the Clint Walrod Memorial this past Wednesday night. Feature winners were Michael Hotze, Ben Kraus, Cam Reimers, Austin Kaplan, Todd Cooney, Cody Laney and Dylan Nelson.
The first feature on the track was the IMCA Sport Compacts with Michael Hotze, Tyler Fiebelkorn and Kolby Sabin battling over the top 3 spots. Hotze stretched his lead out to just over a second and went on to the $1000 feature win, his first in the division. Sabin came out on top in the battle for second with Fiebelkorn third, Jake Walding fourth and Ryan Brown fifth.
Outlaw Mini Mods were up next and it was Troy Ihrke looking strong out front until Ben Kraus came calling on lap 5. Kraus held strong through a few caution flags to take the $1000 win. Ihrke held on for second with TJ Stalker third, Nathan Kilwine fourth and Lucas Daniels fifth.
IMCA Northern SportMods came out next and it was Bryan Morris leading one lap before the yellow flew. Tyler Inman blasted into the lead on the restart and held it until Cam Reimers moved by on lap 7. The fight was on for second between Inman and Brayton Carter, but out front it would be Reimers using the top of the track to go on to the win and the $1000 top prize. Inman took the runner up spot with Carter third, Izac Mallicoat fourth and Josh Sink fifth.
Austin Kaplan used his drawing luck to start on the front row and jumped out to the lead on lap one for the IMCA Stock Cars. After a quick caution it was Kaplan, Buck Schafroth and Austin Meiners the top 3, but while they were doing battle it was Tom Berry Jr charging to the front. Berry Jr made it to third on lap 5, then worked a lapped car to his advantage to get by Schafroth on lap 14. Lap 16 saw a caution fly and a 4-lap shootout was lined up as Damon Murty joined the top 3. Berry Jr threw a slider or two and even held the lead on the white flag lap, but Kaplan worked the track like a seasoned veteran and went on to grab the $1000 and the win. Berry Jr finished second with Schafroth third, Murty fourth and Brandon Pruitt fifth.
Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks were next up with Bill Davis Jr leading lap 1. Teammate Jeff Johnson took over on lap 2 and held that spot with Davis Jr second until a yellow came out on lap 10. Contact under caution between Davis Jr and Shawn Cooney left Davis Jr with a flat tire and sent Cooney to the tail. Johnson led through lap 15 until Todd Cooney sailed by and drove off to the win. Johnson finished second with Rick Clark third, Shawn Cooney fourth and Shonn Mapes fifth.
California driver Cody Laney started out front and stayed there for all 20 laps as he drove off to the $1000 IMCA Modified win. Tim Ward finished second with Josh Gilman third, Chase Rudolf fourth and Zack Rawlins fifth.
The last race of the night was the IMCA Hobby Stocks, and it would be Dylan Nelson getting by Skylar Pruitt on lap 4 to cement himself in the top spot. Pruitt stayed in his tire tracks, but it was Nelson getting the win and the $1000 that came with it. Pruitt finished second with John Watson third, Brandon Cox fourth and Eric Stanton fifth.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our ninth event of the year. Next Wednesday is the Jake Durbin Memorial with all of our regular classes running for increased purses while remembering a popular central Iowa Modified racer. See you then!
Article Credit: Josh Reynolds
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