BANKS BAGS FIRST VICTORY AT SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY
By Tony Paris

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (May 24, 2006) - Another Wild, Wild Wednesday night of USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series action was held at the Southern Iowa Speedway with Arnold Motor Supply of Oskaloosa sponsoring Kids Night at the Races. Young race fans got an opportunity to snag some candy, along with a money grab on the front stretch while four lucky fans won $10 each.

One driver got to visit victory lane for the first time in his career, while two other drivers graved the winners circle for their second and third times in 2006.

The Musco Lighting USRA Modified feature went 18 laps as three different drivers held the lead, with two drivers having mechanical problems and ending their run for the checkers. Brad Pinkerton of New Sharon looked to have the race under control before a rear-end problem ended his run. Terry Walker of Riverside broke a left-front tie rod on the last lap, causing him to finish second. But second-generation driver Brandon Banks of Washington was in the right spot at the right time, crossing the stripe for his first-ever feature win. Banks was all smiles in victory lane and picked up a nice trophy to remember the special night. Walker took second with Brad Stephens of Bussey and Steve Stewart of Washington battling for the third spot for the final four laps, with Stephens taking third and Stewart in fourth.

In the USRA Hobby Stock feature, Jared Sanders of New Sharon and Dave Breuklander of Oskaloosa led the field to the green for the 15-lap event. Sanders took the early race lead with Chase Mitrisin of Oskaloosa running second and Breuklander in third. Sanders built a three-car-length lead, but Nathan Wood of Sigourney raced his way from 10th to battle for the lead. Wood took the lead on lap 7 and held off several attempts from Joe Ferguson of Tracy for his fifth straight win in USRA-sanctioned competition. Other wins have also come at the Mountain Dew Bloomfield (Iowa) Speedway and the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., to go along with his third triumph at Oskaloosa. The second spot went to Ferguson, with Sanders in third and Shannon Sherwood of Oskaloosa working his way from 15th on the grid to a fourth-place finish.

The final feature of the night was the 20-lap USRA Stock Car feature with rookie driver Colt Mather of Webster leading every lap for his second win of 2006 at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Mather held off the always-tough #17p machine of Pinkerton, who took second. The third position went to Brian Mitrisin of Oskaloosa, who started in the eighth spot, and Matt Greiner of Washington took fourth after working his way from the tail after getting together with another car on lap 5.

The USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series continues with another heart-stopping Wild, Wild Wednesday Night program on tap for next Wednesday, May 31, as Pro-Line Buildings presents the inaugural Faster Pastor Race on the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster.

Gates open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 7:15 and racing at 7:30. General admission adult tickets are $9, Juniors (13-18) & Seniors (62+) are $7, with kids 12 and under admitted FREE each night.

The Southern Iowa Speedway is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information call the track hotline at (641) 673-7004 or visit www.rlpromotions.com/oskaloosa online.

USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat #1: 1. Bill Gibson, Knoxville; 2. Rick Landgrebe, Sigourney; 3. Joe Ferguson, Tracy; 4. Jason VanZomeren, Oskaloosa; 5. Danny Thrasher, Agency; 6. Todd Reitzler, Grinnell; 7. Justin Hook, Oskaloosa; 8. Bill Bonnett, Knoxville.

Heat #2: 1. Jared Sanders, New Sharon; 2. Chase Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 3. Jason McDaniel, Eldon; 4. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 5. Bobby Greene, Eddyville; 6. Kevin Fee, Knoxville; 7. Tyler Ford, Lovilia; 8. Steve Allen, Oskaloosa.

Heat #3: 1. A.J. Johnson, Oskaloosa; 2. Mike Shelton, Ottumwa; 3. Dave Breuklander, Oskaloosa; 4. Randy Hemsley, Sigourney; 5. Shannon Sherwood, Oskaloosa; 6. Jayme Duinink, Pella; 7. Lonnie Greiner, Fairfield.

"A" Feature (15 laps): 1. Wood; 2. Ferguson; 3. Sanders; 4. Sherwood; 5. Shelton; 6. Landgrebe; 7. Fee; 8. Gibson; 9. Thrasher; 10. VanZomeren; 11. Allen; 12. Breuklander; 13. Hook; 14. Ford; 15. Hemsley; 16. Johnson; 17. McDaniel; 18. Mitrisin; 19. Greene; 20. Reitzler; 21. Duinink; 22. Bonnett; 23. Greiner.

USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1: 1. Matt Greiner, Washington; 2. Bobby Greiner Jr., Ottumwa; 3. Steve Landgrebe, Oskaloosa; 4. Trent Vrchotichy, Columbus Junction; 5. Luke Veren, Haverhill; 6. Brian Sterling, Oskaloosa; 7. Les Blakley, Fairfield.

Heat #2: 1. Brian Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 2. Jim Brown, Fremont; 3. Colt Mather, Webster; 4. Pat Rachels, Knoxville; 5. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 6. Bert McDaniel Jr., Eldon; 7. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa.

Heat #3: 1. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon 2. Brian Edel, Oskaloosa 3. Josh Newell, Oskaloosa 4. Darrin Thompson, New Sharon 5. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon 6. Rick Brown, Kellogg.

"A" Feature (20 laps): 1. Mather; 2. Pinkerton; 3. Mitrisin; 4. M. Greiner; 5. Newell; 6. Landgrebe; 7. VanderBeek; 8. Wood; 9. Rachels; 10. Veren; 11. McDaniel; 12. Vrchotichy; 13. Sterling; 14. Thompson; 15. Edel; 16. J. Brown; 17. B. Greiner; 18. Blakley; 19. Criss; 20. R. Brown.

MUSCO LIGHTING USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1: 1. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon; 2. Roger Baxter, Oskaloosa; 3. Steve Stewart, Washington; 4. Brandon Banks, Washington; 5. David Ott, Ankeny; 6. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon.

Heat #2: 1. Steven Blattler, Oskaloosa; 2. Terry Walker, Riverside; 3. Dan Fetters, Montour; 4. Brad Stephens, Bussey; 5. Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa.

"A" Feature (18 laps): 1. Banks; 2. Walker; 3. Stephens; 4. Stewart; 5. Ott; 6. Pinkerton; 7. Lathrop; 8. Baxter; 9. Fetters; 10. Blattler; 11. VanderBeek.