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Thornton Wins Durbin Memorial

Stuart, IA (May 15) – An absolutely gorgeous evening and some great side by side action marked night four of racing at Stuart Speedway. Ramsey Meyer, Brayton Carter, Myles Michehl, John Watson, Kyle Brown and Ricky Thornton Jr were the winners at the Elite Electric/DJ Septic Services Jake Durbin Memorial.
After the heats were over it was the Pole Position Challenge on the track first with heat winners from Hobby Stocks, Stock Cars, SportMods and Modifieds spaced out around the track with the Hobbies almost a lap ahead of the rest. Once the dust settled it was Cody Thompson in his SportMod taking the win and the $270 voucher for Pole Position Raceway.
IMCA Sport Compacts were first up with Kolby Sabin and Bruce Hower on the front row. Denny Berghahn Jr took the early lead with Ramsey Meyer knifing through traffic from his twelfth starting spot to get to second by lap three. Meyer trailed Berghahn Jr until an opening on lap eight and he would not look back in taking the win. Berghahn Jr finished second with Jake Benischek third, Travis Graspy fourth and Colton Garside fifth. Mitchell Bunch, Meyer and Tyler Fiebelkorn were the heat race winners.
Mitchell Morris and Cody Olsen brought the IMCA Northern SportMods to green next with Olsen leading Ronnie Hults over the first three laps. Cody Thompson worked some caution flags to get himself into second, but it was eighth starting Brayton Carter who was moving to the front on this night as he overtook Thompson on lap ten and Olsen one lap later. Tyler Inman showed some strength on the bottom side of the track to get to second on lap fourteen, but there was no denying Carter on this night as he went on to the win. Inman finished second with Olsen third, Thompson fourth and Chase Rudolf fifth. Thompson, Olsen and Morris were the heat race winners.
Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks made their first visit to the speedway in 2019 with Rick Clark and Shonn Mapes on the front row. Clark led lap one with Jeff Frevert taking over on lap two. Lap four saw the leader go for a spin in turn three, handing the lead to Myles Michehl and that would be the race as Michehl led the rest of the way to take the win. Lou Sipolt crossed in second but was DQ’d for not going to the tech area. That moved Jeff Johnson to second with Bryan Spangler third, Clark fourth and Lucas Richardson fifth. Michehl and Frevert were the heat race winners.
Dylan Nelson and Adam Ayers led the IMCA Hobby Stocks onto the track next with Nelson leading Corey Madden for the first two laps. Madden moved into the top spot on lap three with Nelson and Jack Phillips close behind. Shannon Anderson got himself into third on lap six and one lap later jumped into the runner up position. Anderson followed Madden until a bobble got him up to the lead as the white flag came out. Anderson shot up the track in turn one and Madden took back the top spot. A lap car came into the mix as the leaders drove through turns 3-4 and as the checkered flag came out Madden went for a spin and Anderson was the first car to the line with John Watson second and Madden BACKWARDS in third. After a review by race officials Anderson was docked 2 spots and the win was given to Watson. Madden finished second, Anderson third, Nelson fourth and rookie Miciah Hidlebaugh was fifth. Madden, Anderson and Phillips were the heat race winners.
IMCA Stock Cars were next up with Mich Ross and Shawn Ritter on the front row. Ritter led Ross and Todd VanEaton through lap five with VanEaton taking over on lap six. Buck Schafroth and Kyle Brown put up quite a battle for the second spot with Brown securing it on lap ten, and one lap later VanEaton was overtaken by Brown for the lead. Brown drove off to the win with Schafroth second, VanEaton third, Ritter fourth and Brandon Pruitt fifth. Ross, Ritter and Jeremy Gettler were the heat race winners.
Last up for the night was the IMCA Modifieds for the inaugural running of the Jake Durbin Memorial. Ricky Thornton Jr and Jesse Dennis drew the front row and it was Thornton Jr jumping out to the early lead. Kyle Brown and Nick Roberts battled for second with Brown holding it down for the first six laps. Roberts got past Brown on lap seven just before a caution flew on lap eight. Two more quick yellows on laps twelve and thirteen allowed Hunter Marriott to get past Brown and Roberts to Thornton Jr’s bumper, but that was as close as anyone was coming on this night as Thornton Jr roared off into the sunset to take the win. Marriott finished second with Dennis third, Brown fourth and Roberts fifth. Josh Most, Thornton Jr and Josh Gilman were the heat race winners.
We’d like to thank all who came out to support the race track at our fourth event of the year. Next Wednesday will be Honor to All Veterans Night sponsored by Pie Five Pizza, all veterans will get free grandstand admission! Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks will return alongside weekly racing for our five regular IMCA classes. See you then!

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