5/29/2022
Stuart Speedway
Shryock Shines in Modified Classic
The 2-day Whole Hog 50 fired up Sunday evening at Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway! Feature winners for the night were Justin Kinderknecht, Ben Kraus, Trent Reed, Colby Fett, Kelly Shryock, Gage Hilgenberg, Eric Cross and Cody Yaw. Stock Car qualifying feature winners for Monday’s Whole Hog 50 main event were Jeff Mueller, Troy Burkhart and Damon Murty.
IMCA Mod Lites were up first come feature time with Darrick Knutson leading the first time around. Randy Bryan quickly shot into the lead on lap 2 and set the pace through a rash of caution flags. Justin Kinderknecht marched from his 8th starting spot to grab the lead on lap 10 and that would be the money pass as he went on to the $500 win. Jon Padilla finished second with Bryan third, Joe Glick fourth and Brandon Freeburg fifth.
Outlaw Mini Mods came out next and it was Gage Hilgenberg controlling the race for the first 7 laps. Ben Kraus took the lead on lap 8 and never looked back in taking the easy win. Hilgenberg finished second with TJ Findlow third, Kamdyn Haggard fourth and TJ Stalker fifth.
Three qualifying features set by passing points in the heat races for the IMCA Stock Cars were up next, and after some great 2, 3 and 4 wide racing it was Jeff Mueller, Troy Burkhart and Damon Murty coming out with the wins. Jay Schmidt, Chanse Hollatz, Dustin Vis, Buck Schafroth, Dallon Murty and Luke Lemmens also locked themselves into the Monday main event as the top 3 in each race.
Bryan Vannausdle led the first 2 circuits for the IMCA Sport Compacts, but it was Trent Reed taking control on lap 3 and cruising to the win. Vannausdle finished second, Mitchell Bunch third, Tyler Fiebelkorn fourth and Jeremiah Downing fifth.
IMCA Northern SportMods were up next with Dusty Masolini leading the first lap. Colby Fett muscled into the lead on lap 2 with Brayton Carter following into second a lap later. A lap 5 yellow was the only thing slowing these two down, and they would battle all the way to the end with Fett getting the win. Carter finished second with Ryan Gillmore third, Jake Sachau fourth and Tyler Inman fifth.
Kelly Shryock launched into the lead on lap one for the IMCA Modifieds, and after an early yellow it was Josh Gilman and Todd Shute moving to second and third. The top three separated themselves from the pack by lap 8 and that’s when the show began. Shryock led each time at the line, but between the top three it was less than half a second gap – for every single lap! Gilman and Shute traded second a few times and as the cars took the white flag it was anyone’s race. Shryock used the momentum on the top of the track to sweep to the win by 0.134 over Shute with Gilman a scant 0.055 behind in third. Tanner Black and Jacob Murray rounded out the top five in one of the best – if not THE best – race in the history of Stuart Speedway!
The last 3 runs of the night were dubbed the “First Time Feature Winners” races. To qualify for these the drivers could not have won a race in their class or any other class considered a higher ranked class. Gage Hilgenberg grabbed the win in the Outlaw Mini Mods, Eric Cross in the Stock Cars and Cody Yaw in the Northern SportMods. Congratulations to these three drivers on their first career wins in their respective classes!
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our fifth event of the year. Monday will see the VanEaton Pork Whole Hog 50 finale at the Speedway. IMCA Stock Cars will race for the $5000 to win/$500 to start feature, IMCA Modifieds and Northern SportMods run for $1000 to win– IMCA Hobby Stocks and Outlaw Mini Mods complete the card. See you then!
Photo Credit: Jared Bailey
Article Credit: Josh Reynolds
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