Reitzler, Sachau, Gulbrandson top Hamilton County Speedway thrillers

Todd Reitzler won the Medieval USRA Stock Car main event.

Todd Reitzler won the Medieval USRA Stock Car main event.


The best weather so far this year graced the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, on Saturday, and racing fans witnessed what will likely be remembered as some of the best racing of the year.

Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series action started with Mensink Racing Products USRA Hobby Stocks setting a high bar for the classes to follow. And when it comes to high bars, none are higher than the one set by six-time USRA national champ Dustin Gulbrandson.

Zack Smidt got by polesitter Scott Dobel on the first lap and held the top spot through the first two-thirds of the feature race. Erasing a huge deficit, Dobel finally pulled alongside Smidt with 10 laps in the books when Jeremy Crimmins launched over the wall between turns one and two to bring out the red flag.

Back underway, Smidt was able to hold off the defending track champion for one more lap but the 12th lap was led by Dobel, who led the rest of the way except the final few hundred feet as Gulbrandson stuck his nose underneath Dobel and beat him to the finish line by a nose.

Meanwhile, Tyler Schlumbohm nearly got by both as he emerged out of nowhere to claim the third spot over Smidt. Not far behind. Dylan Fitzpatrick claimed the fifth position.


Dustin Gulbrandson won the Mensink Racing Products USRA Hobby Stock main event.

The USRA B-Mods had a tough act to follow, but the racers were up to the task.

After the redraw it looked like the race would likely be for second as two-time defending track champion Ty Griffith set the pace from the pole for the 18-lapper but somebody forgot to tell Jake Sachau.

Sachau, who started eighth in the talent-riddled field, had secured second place by the end of the fourth lap and fought to keep Griffith in his sights. Trailing by five car lengths at the white flag, Sachau was on Griffith’s rear bumper by the time they exited turn two and then the leaders split a lapped car entering the final corner.

With Griffith staying faithful to the bottom of the half-mile oval, Sachau went high and then cut across the corner to pull wheel to wheel with Griffith, forcing him to keep his car on the low side while Sachau bolted around the outside for the thrilling victory.

While Griffith settled for the runner-up paycheck, Dan Hovden raced from 10th on the grid to claim the third spot with Friday night winner Tyler Inman fourth and defending USRA B-Mod national champion Jim Chisholm completing the top five.


Jake Sachau won the USRA B-Mod main event.

The Meieval USRA Stock Cars were up next, and if not for Todd Reitzler the final lap might have been a mirror of the first two features.

Reitzler started on the pole but had his hands full early on with Todd Staley. As the laps clicked off, Kevin Donlan and Mark Elliott narrowed the gap behind Staley as Reitzler pulled away for an easy win.

The action behind the winner was intense, however, with Staley just nipping Donlan for second, Elliott and Chanse Hollatz were fourth and fifth as one second separated second through fifth at the checkered flag.

Season opener next Saturday: One week from tonight on Saturday, April 10, the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway will host Kids Night plus the first Stock Car Challenge of the 2021 season with $1,000 to win for the too-tough-to-tame full-fendered Stock Cars and $500 to win the Hobby Stock feature. Also on the racing card will be USRA Modifieds, USRA B-Mods and USRA Tuners, plus car rides, a candy toss and a coin dash for the kids too.

About the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway: Opening in July 1910, the Hamilton County Speedway is the oldest speedway in the state of Iowa. In 1938, work began on the current location at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The semi-banked half-mile dirt track was completed in the spring of 1939, and the first races were held on the track in September of that year.

One of the many new improvements to the facility is a new 170-foot-long infield catwalk along the front-stretch. New lights and much more are already finished, underway or in the planning stages.

The Hamilton County Speedway is located off US 20 at exit 140, then 1.2 miles north, then 0.5 mile east on Bank St., then 0.4 mile south on Bluff St. to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Webster City, Iowa. The physical address is 1200 Bluff St, Webster City, IA 50595.

For more information, call (515) 832-6000 or check out HamiltonCoSpeedway.com. You can also follow us through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa
Saturday, April 3, 2021

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

MEDIEVAL USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1:
1. (4) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn.
2. (5) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa
3. (6) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa
4. (1) 43 Calvin Lange, Humboldt, Iowa
5. (3) 21X Xander Treichel, Greene, Iowa
6. (7) 10 John Ades, Rippey, Iowa
7. (2) 7C Jason Purvis, Boone, Iowa

Heat #2:
1. (4) 22R Todd Reitzler, Grinnell, Iowa
2. (7) 6 Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake, Iowa
3. (3) 7SR Shawn Ritter, Keystone, Iowa
4. (2) 1 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
5. (6) 10J Justin Ades, Webster City, Iowa
6. (1) 67 Darin Toot, Albert Lea, Minn.
7. (5) 67II Chris Toot, Albert Lea, Minn.

Heat #3:
1. (2) 33 Kevin Donlan, Decorah, Iowa
2. (3) 21 Myles Michehl, Fort Dodge, Iowa
3. (6) 12 Mark Elliott, Webster City, Iowa
4. (1) 38 Joe Schmit, Ventura, Iowa
5. (5) 19 Reid Keller, Webster City, Iowa
6. (4) 23 Brayden Gjere, Mabel, Minn.

Feature:
1. (1) 22R Todd Reitzler, Grinnell, Iowa
2. (5) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa
3. (7) 33 Kevin Donlan, Decorah, Iowa
4. (6) 12 Mark Elliott, Webster City, Iowa
5. (2) 6 Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake, Iowa
6. (10) 21 Myles Michehl, Fort Dodge, Iowa
7. (4) 7SR Shawn Ritter, Keystone, Iowa
8. (9) 1 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
9. (11) 43 Calvin Lange, Humboldt, Iowa
10. (20) 67II Chris Toot, Albert Lea, Minn.
11. (13) 21X Xander Treichel, Greene, Iowa
12. (17) 67 Darin Toot, Albert Lea, Minn.
13. (16) 10 John Ades, Rippey, Iowa
14. (8) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn.
15. (14) 10J Justin Ades, Webster City, Iowa
16. (3) 38 Joe Schmit, Ventura, Iowa
17. (15) 19 Reid Keller, Webster City, Iowa
18. (12) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa
DNS – 23 Brayden Gjere, Mabel, Minn.
DNS – 7C Jason Purvis, Boone, Iowa

USRA B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (1) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa
2. (3) 1 Doug McCollough, Webster City, Iowa
3. (6) 56H Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa
4. (5) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
5. (8) 33S Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn.
6. (7) 29H Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
7. (9) 77 Colton Kaskie, Sheldon, Iowa
8. (2) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
9. (4) 30V Dustin Von Hagen, Glenville, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (3) 14 Jake Sachau, Manning, Iowa
2. (1) 5T Tyler Inman, Altoona, Iowa
3. (5) 56 Ty Griffith, Webster City, Iowa
4. (7) 49 Nate Whitehurst, Mason City, Iowa
5. (4) 10N Keegan Nordquist, Beresford, S.D.
6. (6) 90 George Nordman, Mason City, Iowa
7. (2) 18 Corbin Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
8. (8) 27 Michael Parcel, Bondurant, Iowa

Heat #3:
1. (6) 476 Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
2. (4) 1S Justin Klynsma, Hospers, Iowa
3. (7) 85T Brandon Toftee, Otho, Iowa
4. (8) 1Z Zach Davis, Lonsdale, Minn.
5. (1) 87 Clint Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
6. (5) 88 Bryer McCoy, Webster City, Iowa
7. (3) 07 Logan Alseth, Winona, Minn.
8. (2) 40 George Gilliland, Lehigh, Iowa

Feature:
1. (8) 14 Jake Sachau, Manning, Iowa
2. (1) 56 Ty Griffith, Webster City, Iowa
3. (10) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa
4. (7) 5T Tyler Inman, Altoona, Iowa
5. (12) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
6. (3) 476 Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
7. (5) 1S Justin Klynsma, Hospers, Iowa
8. (2) 1 Doug McCollough, Webster City, Iowa
9. (11) 49 Nate Whitehurst, Mason City, Iowa
10. (9) 56H Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa
11. (17) 90 George Nordman, Mason City, Iowa
12. (13) 33S Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn.
13. (4) 85T Brandon Toftee, Otho, Iowa
14. (22) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
15. (14) 10N Keegan Nordquist, Beresford, S.D.
16. (18) 88 Bryer McCoy, Webster City, Iowa
17. (20) 18 Corbin Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
18. (23) 27 Michael Parcel, Bondurant, Iowa
19. (16) 29H Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
20. (15) 87 Clint Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
21. (21) 07 Logan Alseth, Winona, Minn.
22. (6) 1Z Zach Davis, Lonsdale, Minn.
23. (24) 40 George Gilliland, Lehigh, Iowa
DNS – 77 Colton Kaskie, Sheldon, Iowa
DNS – 30V Dustin Von Hagen, Glenville, Minn.

MENSINK RACING PRODUCTS USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat #1:
1. (3) X Tyler Schlumbohm, Sioux Falls, S.D.
2. (4) 6 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. (5) 8 Levi Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. (6) 83 Scott Dobel, Manly, Iowa
5. (8) 82 Dylan Fitzpatrick, Magnolia, Minn.
6. (2) 50 Bryce Sommerfeld, Fort Dodge, Iowa
7. (1) 16C David Crimmins, Dubuque, Iowa
8. (7) 14 Brady Williamson, Rushford, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (2) 27H Austin Hoeft, Charles City, Iowa
2. (4) 15 Jeremy Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa
3. (6) 81 Zack Smidt, Mason City, Iowa
4. (8) 4D Daniel Ayers, Webster City, Iowa
5. (3) 86 Tracy Halouska, Worthing, S.D.
6. (5) 18Z Zac Smith, Manly, Iowa
7. (1) 77 Samuel Hodges, Des Moines, Iowa
8. (7) 76 Justin Jones

Feature:
1. (8) 6 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
2. (1) 83 Scott Dobel, Manly, Iowa
3. (6) X Tyler Schlumbohm, Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. (3) 81 Zack Smidt, Mason City, Iowa
5. (4) 82 Dylan Fitzpatrick, Magnolia, Minn.
6. (10) 8 Levi Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.
7. (12) 18Z Zac Smith, Manly, Iowa
8. (7) 27H Austin Hoeft, Charles City, Iowa
9. (11) 50 Bryce Sommerfeld, Fort Dodge, Iowa
10. (9) 86 Tracy Halouska, Worthing, S.D.
11. (2) 4D Daniel Ayers, Webster City, Iowa
12. (13) 16C David Crimmins, Dubuque, Iowa
13. (15) 14 Brady Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
14. (14) 77 Samuel Hodges, Des Moines, Iowa
15. (5) 15 Jeremy Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa
DNS – 76 Justin Jones