Clay County Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights IMCA Modified checkers fly for Abelson
SPENCER, Iowa (Aug. 3) – The top side of the big Clay County Fair Speedway oval took Chris Abelson to victory lane in Monday’s Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour IMCA Modified main event.
Forty entries from nine different states vied in the fourth round of the 2020 tour and after Tanner Black led the first two laps, Abelson took charge on the high groove. Kelly Shryock made a charge of his own from 11th starting but ran out of laps and ended in second.
“The cushion kept getting closer and closer to the wall. You had to negotiate it just right,” Abelson said. “He’s (Shryock) a tough competitor and always one to look for.”
Abelson had started fourth and quickly drove past Brandon Beckendorf, Nick Meyer and Black to take over the front spot.
Cautions on laps six and 10 brought the field back together briefly before Abelson was pulling away. Jesse Rogotzke worked his way to third late in the 25-lapper, Nick Meyer was fourth and tour point leader Ethan Braaksma was fifth.
Meyer ran second most of the night; Braaksma had started 10th.
The $1,000 checkers were Abelson’s career seventh, putting the 2016 Dirt Knights champion alone in second on the all-time tour wins list. He was already a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidate.
Other Monday night winners at Spencer were Derek Green in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Cory Probst in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Brian Osantowski in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Kaytee DeVries in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts.
The Harris Clash at Deer Creek Speedway is Tuesday night for both the IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods while next up for the Dirt Knights Tour is the $1,000 to win Bob Shryock Memorial show on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at Fairmont Raceway, the 98th event in tour history.
Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and racing follows 7 p.m. hot laps. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts complete the Shryock Memorial program.
All Dirt Knights event are broadcast by Speed Shift TV.
Feature results – 1. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 2. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 3. Jesse Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn.; 4. Nick Meyer, Whittemore; 5. Ethan Braaksma, Newton; 6. Tanner Black, Otis, Kan.; 7. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.; 8. Zach Dockter, Norwich, N.D.; 9. Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.; 10. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.; 11. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.; 12. Cody Knecht, Whittemore; 13. Jesse Sobbing, Malvern; 14. Kyle Brown, Madrid; 15. Jaxon Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 16. Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz.; 17. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz.; 18. Bob Moore, Sioux City; 19. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 20. David Brown, Kellogg; 21. Jason Brees, Meriden; 22. Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.; 23. Al Hejna, Clear Lake; 24. Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.