SHELTON, WALKER, MATHER SCORE AT SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY
By Tony Paris

OSKALOOSA, IA (July 12, 2006) - Racing action was held at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for Wild, Wild Wednesday sponsored by the Oskaloosa Chamber of Commerce featuring the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series with three classes in action.

The USRA Hobby Stocks saw a new face in victory lane for 2006 at the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster. Mike Shelton of Ottumwa took the lead from his front row starting spot and paced the field all 15 laps, holding off national points leader Nathan Wood of Sigourney. Wood worked his way from eighth to second but couldn't get close enough to contend for the top spot and settled for the runner-up finish. Chase Mitrisin of Oskaloosa took the third spot, with a battle between Rick Landgrebe of Sigourney and Wade Francis of Oskaloosa going wheel-to-wheel at the finish. Landgrebe snagged fourth and Francis was fifth.

In the Musco Lighting USRA Modified feature, Brad Pinkerton of New Sharon used his pole position to take the lead and pace the field the first six laps before Riverside driver Terry Walker powered his #12 machine past Pinkerton coming off of turn 2. Walker then held off Pinkerton for the win. Pinkerton settled for a close second with Steven Blattler of Oskaloosa taking third and Brad Stephens of Bussey in fourth. This was Walker's second win of the 2006 season at the Southern Iowa Speedway and was a good spirit lifter after having trouble the last couple of weeks at his home track in West Liberty and the Southern Iowa Speedway.

The third and final feature was the USRA Stock Car main event going 18 laps with Nathan Wood of Sigourney and Brian Mitrisin of Oskaloosa leading the field to the green flag. Wood grabbed the lead off of turn 2 but Mitrisin captured the lead exiting turn 4. Mitrisin led the first eight laps with Matt Greiner putting some pressure on the #4B machine with the two going door-to-door and wheel-to-wheel for the next seven laps with Greiner making the pass on lap 15 and would extending his lead over Mitrisin to four car-lengths. The caution flag waved for the defending track champion T.J. Criss of Oskaloosa, who stopped in turn 2 with a flat tire. This closed the field up with only three laps remaining. Greiner led the field to the green on the restart with Mitrisin and Colt Mather of Webster on the back bumper of Greiner's #29 machine. On the restart, Mather worked the bottom side of the track and made the pass on Greiner for the lead. Mather led the final two laps for the win after starting 10th, with Greiner taking second and Mitrisin in third. The battle for the fourth spot went to Pinkerton, who battled with veteran driver Jim Brown of Fremont who took fifth.

Next Wednesday, July 19, will be Eric Palmer Racing Night featuring the USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series, plus a FREE copy of the latest issue of Speedway Illustrated magazine will be distributed to the first 800 fans through the gates. It's another supercharged Wild Wednesday Night program featuring Musco Lighting USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA Hobby Stocks. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the mud starts flyin' at 7:30.

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.sispeedway.com  online.


USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat #1: 1. Rick Landgrebe, Sigourney; 2. Danny Thrasher, Agency; 3. Mike Shelton, Ottumwa; 4. Jason VanZomeren, Oskaloosa; 5. Lonnie Greiner, Fairfield; 6. Dave Breuklander, Oskaloosa; 7. Justin Hook, Oskaloosa; 8. Ben Van Wyk, Pella; 9. Bobby Greene, Eddyville.

Heat #2: 1. Chase Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 2. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 3. Wade Francis, Oskaloosa; 4. Shannon Sherwood, Oskaloosa; 5. A.J. Johnson, Oskaloosa; 6. Tyler Ford, Lovilia; 7. Jared Sanders, New Sharon; 8. Bill Gibson, Knoxville.

"A" Feature: 1. Shelton; 2. Wood; 3. Mitrisin; 4. Landgrebe; 5. Francis; 6. Sherwood; 7. Johnson; 8. Greene; 9. Thrasher; 10. Ford; 11. Sanders; 12. Greiner; 13. VanZomeren; 14. Gibson; 15. Breuklander; 16. Van Wyk; 17. Hook.



USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1: 1. Colt Mather, Webster; 2. Matt Greiner, Washington; 3. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 4. Jim Brown, Fremont; 5. Mark Steinke, Gibson; 6. Josh Newell, Oskaloosa; 7. Bobby Greene, Eddyville; 8. Bert McDaniel Jr., Eldon.

Heat #2: 1. Brian Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 2. Brain Edel, Oskaloosa; 3. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon; 4. Steve Landgrebe, Oskaloosa; 5. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa; 6. Pat Rachels, Knoxville; 7. Rick Brown, Kellogg.

"A" Feature: 1. Mather; 2. Greiner; 3. Mitrisin; 4. Pinkerton; 5. J. Brown; 6. Steinke; 7. Rachels; 8. Landgrebe; 9. Newell; 10. Wood; 11. Greene; 12. McDaniel; 13. Criss; 14. R. Brown; 15. Edel.



MUSCO LIGHTING USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1: 1. Terry Walker, Riverside; 2. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon; 3. Brad Stephens, Bussey; 4. Brandon Banks, Washington; 5. Gordon Head, Des Moines; 6. Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa.

Heat #2: 1. Steven Blattler, Oskaloosa; 2. Steve Stewart, Washington; 3. Jack Housley, Des Moines; 4. Barry Sandeman, Creston; 5. Scott Dickey, Packwood; 6. Tom Lathrop, Oskaloosa.

"A" Feature: 1. Walker; 2. Pinkerton; 3. Blattler; 4. Stephens; 5. Sandeman; 6. Housley; 7. Lathrop; 8. Stewart; 9. Head; 10. Banks; 11. Dickey; 12. Harwood.