Curtis Van Der Wal captured the USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mod main event.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- The regular season at the Southern Iowa Speedway didn’t begin until after the middle of May. What with several rain outs, the season seemed even shorter. Wednesday night concluded the 2011 regular season at the Mahaska County Monster with the track champions being crowned in all four divisions during Pepsi Season Championships.

In the USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mod feature, it was appearing to be one of those “ho-hummers” as Carter VanDenBerg shot to the lead on the very first lap and continued to put a lot of distance between himself and any competition. Not so fast on the assuming! Drew Lawson, Cayden Carter and Curtis Van Der Wal were vying for the second spot behind VanDenBerg for much of the race (which went flag to flag) and when Van Der Wal finally established that second position in the final few laps, he began reeling in the leader. VanDenBerg was still leading with the checkered flag in his sight, but at the line, it was Van Der Wal nosing him out for the win. VanDenBerg had to be content with the runner-up spot, third went to Lawson, Carter was fourth and Bill Gibson rounded out the top five.

Cayden Carter is the 2011 USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mod track champion.

Van Der Wal was thrilled with his win ... the first we can recall for him. We do remember his racing in the mid-90s on the asphalt at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, though the class he ran escapes us. It was an emotional Van Der Wal who was interviewed by announcer Tony Paris after his win as he thanked many people.

The USRA RHS Modified feature followed with another caution-free 15-lap feature. A “bad” start occurred at the drop of the green, and as Tony Paris so often calls those “anxious” drivers, “bad dog, no biscuit,” and it was called back for a “try again.” When the real start of the race began, it was Colt Mather absolutely gone. He pulled away to take the convincing win – his fourth of the year. Scott Dickey finished a distant second, followed by Josh Truman and Steven Blatter (the only real contest on the track) for third and fourth in that order. Fifth went to Ron Ver Beek and Zack VanderBeek finished in sixth.

Steven Blattler was crowned the 2011 USRA RHS Modified track champion for the second year in a row.

The USRA Hobby Stocks ran next. Calvin Dhondt, the young driver from Kellogg who just a few weeks ago was called away from the track at Osky with the devastating news that his father had been involved in a motorcycle accident (he continues his long road to recovery at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines) led the early portion of the race. Dustin Griffiths overtook Dhondt for the lead and Kris Walker followed suit making his way into second. A close battle ensued for the third spot as Dhondt, Craig Brown and Donovan Nunnikhoven diced it out. On the white flag lap, with Griffiths in command, Kris Walker let loose with a cloud of smoke on the backstretch, losing his second position, but managed to limp across the finish line many positions behind. Griffiths took his fifth win at Osky this year, followed by Dhondt, Brown, Nunnikhoven and Todd Reitzler finishing second through fifth in that order.

With his large point lead, Walker was still able to hold on and take the 2011 USRA Hobby Stock track championship for 2011.

The final event of the evening was 15 laps in the USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Car class. As lap 1 was scored, Kyle Harwood found himself against the frontstretch wall, bringing out a yellow flag and out of the race. There was a three-car breakaway at the front of the pack as Corey Stout (from just over by turn 1) the 20dub car of Shane Weller and Nathan Wood going at it hot and heavy. Wood later went to the work area for a quick tire change and joined the tail of the field after a caution flew. That left the 94 of Stout and the 20dub of Weller being the show of the field up front. A slight jump of the cushion by Weller in turn two, lost him a bit of momentum with a lap or two to go, giving Stout a bit of breathing room. He was able to keep the lead to the checkers and the win – his second of 2011. Weller finished in second, third went to Wood who worked his way through the pack after tagging the tail earlier, fourth was first-time visitor Mike Harward in the #01 and Steve Jackson finished in fifth.

Weller emerged as the 2011 USRA Karl Chevrolet track champion.

The 2011 racing season will conclude on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15, with the 25th Annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge featuring USRA RHS Modifieds, USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks.

The Southern Iowa Speedway is a half-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, call 515-832-6000 or visit www.raceosky.com online. Race day info is available by calling the track hotline at 641-673-7004.

For rules or other information about the United States Racing Association, check out the USRA website at www.usraracing.com.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Pepsi Season Championships
Wednesday, August 24, 2011

USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat #1:
1. 22R Todd Reitzler, Grinnell
2. 18 Kris Walker, Oskaloosa
3. 558 Jim Hughes, Beacon
4. 69 Craig Brown, Eldon
5. 10G Dustin Griffiths, Ottumwa
6. 73 Aaron Martin, Sigourney
7. 31 Dale Porter, Bloomfield

Heat #2:
1. 85 Jason McDaniel, Eldon
2. 3S Steve Allen, Oskaloosa
3. 69X Calvin Dhondt, Kellogg
4. 21 Nick Ulin, Agency
5. 2N Donavon Nunnikhoven, Sully
6. 33 Justin Hook, Oskaloosa
7. 77 Doug Gordan, Drakesville

Feature:
1. 10G Dustin Griffiths, Ottumwa
2. 69X Calvin Dhondt, Kellogg
3. 69 Craig Brown, Eldon
4. 2N Donavon Nunnikhoven, Sully
5. 22R Todd Reitzler, Grinnell
6. 558 Jim Hughes, Beacon
7. 31 Dale Porter, Bloomfield
8. 3S Steve Allen, Oskaloosa
9. 18 Kris Walker, Oskaloosa
10. 33 Justin Hook, Oskaloosa
11. 85 Jason McDaniel, Eldon
12. 73 Aaron Martin, Sigourney
13. 21 Nick Ulin, Agency
14. 77 Doug Gordan, Drakesville

USRA KARL PERFORMANCE PARTS B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. 1 Curtis Van Der Wal, Oskaloosa
2. 38 Bill Gibson, Knoxville
3. 27 Bryon Weyer, Des Moines
4. 72 Brett Lowry, Montezuma
5. D1 Drew Lawson, Oskaloosa
6. 8 Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa
7. 55 Bobby Greene, Eddyville
8. 50X James Krier, Ollie

Heat #2:
1. 7 Carter VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa
2. 10 Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa
3. 2 Andrew Schroeder, Keswick
4. 3 Mark Mundell, Ottumwa
5. 8T Tony Johnson, Oskaloosa
6. 3K John VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa
DNS - 8X Brad Iverson, Grinnell

Feature:
1. 1 Curtis Van Der Wal, Oskaloosa
2. 7 Carter VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa
3. D1 Drew Lawson, Oskaloosa
4. 10 Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa
5. 38 Bill Gibson, Knoxville
6. 27 Bryon Weyer, Des Moines
7. 2 Andrew Schroeder, Keswick
8. 55 Bobby Greene, Eddyville
9. 8 Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa
10. 50X James Krier, Ollie
11. 72 Brett Lowry, Montezuma
12. 3K John VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa
13. 8X Brad Iverson, Grinnell
DNS - 3 Mark Mundell, Ottumwa
DNS - 8T Tony Johnson, Oskaloosa

USRA KARL CHEVROLET STOCK CARS

Heat #1:
1. 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City
2. 15K Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa
3. 73C Carl Yaw, Des Moines
4. 01I Mike Harward, Floris
5. 7X Todd Phillips, Packwood
6. 98 Brock Welch, Oskaloosa

Heat #2:
1. 20DUB Shane Weller, Agency
2. 52 Nathan Wood, Keswick
3. 94 Corey Stout, Oskaloosa
4. 7 Rick Todd, Des Moines
5. 4M Brian Mitrisin, Oskaloosa

Feature:
1. 94 Corey Stout, Oskaloosa
2. 20DUB Shane Weller, Agency
3. 52 Nathan Wood, Keswick
4. 01I Mike Harward, Floris
5. 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City
6. 4M Brian Mitrisin, Oskaloosa
7. 7 Rick Todd, Des Moines
8. 73C Carl Yaw, Des Moines
9. 7X Todd Phillips, Packwood
10. 98 Brock Welch, Oskaloosa
11. 15K Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Heat:
1. 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon
2. 8 Colt Mather, Webster
3. R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa
4. 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood
5. 47 Josh Truman, Indianola
6. 94 Steven Blattler, Oskaloosa
7. 22 Brandon Banks, Washington
8. 4B Scott Boles, New London
DNS - 15K Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa

Feature:
1. 8 Colt Mather, Webster
2. 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood
3. 47 Josh Truman, Indianola
4. 94 Steven Blattler, Oskaloosa
5. R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa
6. 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon
7. 15K Kyle Harwood, Oskaloosa
DNS - 22 Brandon Banks, Washington
DNS - 4B Scott Boles, New London