Elston, Fraise and VanderBeek Among Winners on Opening Night at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway
by Brian Neal

MEMPHIS, Mo. (April 22, 2006) - The Pepsi Scotland County Speedway finally got there 2006 season started, after mother nature rained out the first five nights of racing. Taking home feature wins on the evening included Tommy Elston (Keith's Foods Late Models), Tony Fraise (Bentz GM Country USRA Modifieds), Zack VanderBeek (USRA Stock Cars), Tony Dunker (Toni Dunker Farm Marketing USRA B-Modifieds), Nathan Wood (USRA 9:1 Hobby Stocks), Jeff Soper (Outlaw Hobby Stocks) and Brent Hartley (Hornet).

Before the night started, they drivers took there helmets thru the crowd to take a collection for the family of the fallen Bleu Taylor. Bleu was taken by a heart attack during practice day on April 8. He left behind a wife and a 10 month old baby, along with another one on the way. The crowd at Memphis was very generous, as over $1,500 was collected for his family.

The Bentz GM Country USRA Modified feature was the first of the evening. Charles Baker and Zack VanderBeek led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 20 lap event. VanderBeek took advantage of his front row start to jump out into the lead on lap 1. VanderBeek would build up a sizable lead, until a caution on lap 9. On the restart, Tony Fraise,the 2005 track champion who started 10th, slipped under VanderBeek coming out of turn two to grab the top spot. Fraise then held off VanderBeek over the final 10 laps to claim his first win of 2006 at Memphis. Michael Long came home in third, fourth went to Kevin Peters, with Ryan Meyer rounding out the top five. Fraise and Meyer picked up the heat race wins.

Nathan Wood took home the checkers in the new USRA 9:1 Hobby Stock class at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway. Bill Gibson and Wood led the field to the start of the 12 lap feature, with Wood grabbing the top spot on lap 1. Wood would lead all 12 laps to pick up the feature win. Jason McDaniel came home second, Mike Shelton was third, Gibson fourth, with Daniel Robbins coming home fifth. Heat race winners were McDaniel and Wood.

Up next was the USRA Stock Car 18 lap feature. Chris Wibbell and Jason Cook, the 2005 track champion, started on the front row for the event, with Cook moving out front on lap 1. Cook, Colt Mathers and Zack VanderBeek, who started seventh, battled three wide for the top spot throughout the first half of the feature. VanderBeek would grab the advantage on lap 9, on the bottom of the speedway, and then held on for his first win of 200s at the track. Cook held on for second, Mathers was third, Matt Greiner was fourth, with Bobby Greiner Jr. completing the top five. Mathers and VanderBeek claimed wins in the heat races.

Jeff Waterman and Brandon Symmonds took the Toni Dunker Farm Marketing USRA B-Modifieds to the drop of the green in there 18 lap feature. With Waterman moving out in the lead on lap 1, with Jim Gillenwater, who started 7th, moving quickly up to second. Gillenwater would slip under Waterman on lap two, to take over the top spot. Gillenwater continued to lead, as Tony Dunker, who started 9th, and Jack Evans Jr, who came from 17th, moved up to put the pressure on him. Dunker would take advantage of a restart on lap 14, to grab the lead away from Gillenwater. Dunker then held off Evans Jr over the final four laps to claim his first win of 2006 at Memphis. Joe Hooper came home third, Jerry Poor was fourth, with Gillenwater coming from the rear after a lap 14 spin to take home fifth. Heat race wins went to Gillenwater and Hooper.

Brent Hartley and Andrew Hustead led the field of Hornets to the drop of the green in there five lap feature. Hartley took advantage of his start to jump into the lead on lap 1 and then held on for his first career feature win at the speedway. Hustead was second, Cody Martin was third, with Bill Young coming home in fourth. Hartley also picked up the heat race win.

The Outlaw Hobby Stocks had to be the best feature on the evening, as the lead was exchanged six times within the first 14 laps. Adam Birck and Jeff Soper started the 18 lap feature on the front row, with Birck grabbing the lead on the drop of the green. Jeff Soper, who was working the bottom of the speedway, slipped under Birck, who was working the top side, on lap 5 to take the lead. But Birck would come back on the next lap to take the top spot back, that would only last until the next lap. As Soper slipped back by Birck to take the lead back. Soper and Birck would run side by side for the next six laps, before Birck took a slight advantage on lap 13. But Soper wouldn't give up, as he slipped under Birck on the next lap to take the top spot again. Soper then held on for the final four laps to pick up his first win of 2006. Brian Clark came home in second, Josh Soper was third, Birck held on for fourth, with Jim Lynch rounding out the top five. Josh Soper, Dresden and Jeff Soper each picked up heat race wins.

The final feature of the night was the 18 lap Keith's Foods Late Models. Chris Smyser and Dick Weber took the field to the drop of the green flag, with Smyser jumping out front on lap 1. Smyser looked to be heading for his first win of 2006 at Memphis, until a late caution on lap 14. Tommy Elston took advantage of the restart, as he jumped to the outside of Smyser to take the top spot. Elston then held off Smyser on the final three laps to claim the victory. Thad Trump finished in third, Jeff Gerhardt was fourth, with Todd Johnson completing the top five. Heat race win went to Smyser.

Coming up next week at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway will be another regular night of racing, as the battling for Casey's General Stores USRA weekly and national points continues. Gates next week will open at 4:30, grandstand at 5:00, hot laps at 6:30, with racing to follow.

Official Results
Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO
USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series
April 22, 2006 - Kirksville Brake & Muffler Night

Keith's Foods Late Models

Heat: 1. 25s-Chris Smyser, Lancaster, MO; 2. 45-Tommy Elston, Keokuk, IA; 3. 69-Dick Weber, Kirksville, MO; 4. 46-Thad Trump, Kahoka, MO; 5. F14-Chris Fontana, Pella, IA; 6. 21G-Jeff Gerhardt, Niota, IL; 7. 0-Todd Johnson, Mitchellville, IA; 8. 15-Curt Schroeder, Des Moines, IA
Feature: 1. 45-Elston; 2. 25s-Smyser; 3. 46-Trump; 4. 21G-Gerhardt; 5. 0-Johnson; 6. 69-Weber; 7. F14-Fontana; 8. Schroeder

Bentz GM Country USRA Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. 45-Tony Fraise, Donnellson, IA; 2. 33z-Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA; 3. 18-Michael Long, Quincy, IL; 4. 105-Kevin Peters, Monmouth, IL, 5. 71-David Holder, Clarence, MO; 6. 20-Jared Durbin, Ft. Madison, IA; 7. 7R-Jerry Pilcher, Ottumwa, IA; 8. 14-Tyler Cale, Donnellson, IA; 9. 05-David Wietholder, Liberty, IL; 10. 5s-Dave Snyder, Greentop, MO
Heat 2: 1. 82M-Ryan Meyer, Liberty, IL; 2. 24v-Mark VanWinkle, Hannibal, MO; 3. 0-Ron Gough, Monroe City, MO; 4. 29-Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, IA; 5. 9-Charles Baker, LaBelle, MO; 6. 12-Bob Dale, Gorin, MO; 7. 7x-Tommy Elston, Keokuk, IA; 8. 5-Tim Sands, Conesville, IA; 9. 91M-Jerry Mullenix, Unionville, MO
Feature: 1. 45-Fraise; 2. 33z-VanderBeek; 3. 18-Long; 4. 105-Peters; 5. 82M-Meyer; 6. 7R-Pilcher; 7. 24v-VanWinkle; 8. 29-Elliott; 9. 71-Holder; 10. 7x-Elston; 11. 12-Dale; 12. 20-Durbin; 13. 0-Gough; 14. 5-Sands; 15. 91M-Mullenix; 16. 9-Baker; 17. 14-Cale; 18. 05-Wietholder; 19. 5s-Snyder

USRA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. 8-Colt Mathers, Webster, IA; 2. 29-Matt Greiner, Washington, IA; 3. 99-Bobby Greiner Jr., Ottumwa, IA; 4. 27J-Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 5. 6s-Jody Small, Rutledge, MO; 6. 7A-Troy Alexander, Memphis, MO; 7. 26-Greg Harsch; 8. 04-Steve Steinkuhler, Camp Point, IL
Heat 2: 1. 33z-Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA; 2. 27R-Ryan Cook, West Point, IA; 3. 52-Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, IL; 4. 95-Jeremy Hamlin; 5. 11-Mark Holt, Memphis, MO; 6. c4-Dave Warner; 7. 30c-Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 8. 55H-Brandon Elenbaas, Memphis, MO
Feature: 1. 33z-VanderBeek; 2. 27J-J.Cook; 3. 8-Mathers; 4. 29-M. Greiner; 5. 99-B. Greiner Jr.; 6. 11-Holt; 7. 52-Wibbell; 8. 6s-Small; 9. 95-Hamlin; 10. 27R-R.Cook; 11. 7A-Alexander; 12. 55H-Elenbaas; 13. c4-Warner; 14. 26-Harsch; 15. 30c-Huls; 16. 04-Steinkuhler

Toni Dunker Farm Marketing USRA B-Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. 10-Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk, IA; 2. 17-Chris Leathers, Macon, MO; 3. 86-Jerry Poor, Novelty, MO; 4. 7s-Brandon Savage, Keokuk, IA; 5. 39-Brandon Symmonds, Keokuk, IA; 6. 88s-Jerry Shoemaker, Kirksville, MO; 7. 7-Josh Larson, Keokuk, IA; 8. 11s-John Shaffer, Memphis, MO; 9. 00-Jack Evans Jr., Keokuk, IA
Heat 2: 1. 1-Joe Hooper, Mendon, IL; 2. 71-Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 3. 4-Tony Dunker, Quincy, IL; 4. ko99-Kelly O'Haver, Kirksville, MO; 5. 13-Michael Browning, Edina, MO; 6. 38-Tom Bowen, LaBelle, MO; 7. 44H-Gordon Hudson, Arbela, MO; 8. 14-Jeremy Baker, Canton, MO; 9. 27-Jesse Garrett, Moravia, IA
Feature: 1. 4-Dunker; 2. 00-Evans Jr.; 3. 1-Hooper; 4. 86-Poor; 5. 10-Gillenwater; 6. 71-Waterman; 7. ko99-O'Haver; 8. 88s-Shoemaker; 9. 27-Garrett; 10. 38-Bowen; 11. 39-Symmonds; 12. 17-Leathers; 13. 13-Browning; 14. 7s-Savage; 15. 14-Baker; 16. 11s-Shaffer; 17. 7-Larson; 18. 44H-Hudson

USRA 9:1 Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. 85-Jason McDaniel, Eldon, IA; 2. 16-Mike Shelton, Ottumwa, IA; 3. 8UP-Daniel Robbins, Greentop, MO; 4. 34H-Chris Hudson, Memphis, MO
Heat 2: 1. 52-Nathan Wood, Sigourney, IA; 2. 38-Bill Gibson, Knoxville, IA; 3. 2k-Derek Kirkland, Centerville, IA; 4. 8R-Clayton Robbins, Liberty, MO
Feature: 1. 52-Wood; 2. 85-McDaniel; 3. 16-Shelton; 4. 38-Gibson; 5. 8UP-D.Robbins; 6. 34H-Hudson; 7. 8R-C.Robbins; 8. 2k-Kirkland

Outlaw Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. 8s-Josh Soper, Kahoka, MO; 2. 88-Brian Clark, Kahoka, MO; 3. 25c-Ryan Crandall, Braslear, MO; 4. 12B-Jessie Buss, Quincy, IL; 5. 2T-Beau Taylor, Canton, MO; 6. 24J-Justin Hamilton, Hamilton, IL; 7. 23-Jimmy Hooper, Wyaconda, MO
Heat 2: 1. 1-Rodger Dresden, Keokuk, IA; 2. 4L-Jim Lynch, Donnellson, IA; 3. 47-Tim Pettibone, Moravia, IA; 4. 20-Keith Reed, Fowler, IL; 5. 6s-Earl Six, Keokuk, IA; 6. 29-Rick Hutcherson; 7. 34H-Dave Hudson, Memphis, MO
Heat 3: 1. 43s-Jeff Soper, Kahoka, MO; 2. 3-Michael St. Clair, Kahoka, MO; 3. 89-Brian Howerton, Edina, MO; 4. 12-Adam Birck, Canton, MO; 5. 80c-Kevin Cheney, Quincy, IL; 6. 11B-Jeremy Buss, Quincy, IL
Feature: 1. 43s-Jeff Soper; 2. 88-Clark; 3. 8s-Josh Soper; 4. 12-Birck; 5. 4L-Lynch; 6. 2T-Taylor; 7. 47-Pettibone; 8. 89-Howerton; 9. 3-St. Clair; 10. 80c-Cheney; 11. 23-Hooper; 12. 12B-Jessie Buss; 13. 25c-Crandall; 14. 20-Reed; 15. 6s-Six; 16. 29-Hutcherson; 17. 24J-Hamilton; 18. 1-Dresden; 19. 11B-Jeremy Buss; 20. 34H-Hudson

Hornets

Heat: 1. 00-Brent Hartley, Dallas City, IL; 2. 20-Andrew Hustead, Rutledge, MO; 3. 21-Bill Young, Drakesville, IA; 4. 21x-Cody Martin, Queen City, MO
Feature: 1. 00-Hartley; 2. 20-Hustead; 3. 21x-Martin; 4. 21-Young