By Jerry Mackey

Oskaloosa, Iowa: The 2022 racing season got underway on Wednesday night with a infield packed with race cars. The racing season in Iowa has been plagued by mother nature, and it showed as drivers traveled great distances to get a night of racing in at the Mahaska County monster ½ mile on KBOE night at the races.

The Mid States Machine Stock Cars ran their main event as the featured class on Wednesday night. A couple early race minor incidents shuffled the field forcing hot shoes Dustin Vis and Nathan Wood to the back. This set up lots of exciting racing action throughout the 16 lap main event. Derrick Agee showed his mastery of the ½ mile, shooting to the front from his 6^th starting position. Agee took the lead from Keystone, Iowa (by way of California) driver Dylan Thornton near the midway point of the race and went on to score the win. Agee is the defending track Champion and he has shown he is going to be a front runner again in 2022. Thornton ran second ahead of Vis and Dustin Griffiths.

The Oskaloosa Quality Rental Sportmods main event was dominated by hometown driver Dylan VanWyk. The 117 of VanWyk started up front and was never seriously threatened throughout the 16 lap feature. VanWyk recorded the opening night win ahead of one of Oskaloosa’s perennial front runners, Curtis VanDerWal. Kyle Harwood started deep in the field but steadily worked his way to the front in crossing the finishing line third.

A strong field of 20 drivers took the green flag for the Parker Tree Service Hobby Stock main event. The lead was hotly contested the entire distance of the feature. When the checkers flew it was Tyson Overton pulling his 42T machine into victory lane. Overton battled early with Brad Stephens for the lead, before Ryan Havel made a late race charge to second ahead of Keaton Gordon and and Stephens.

Terry Bickford advanced from a 5^th row start to score the Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compact opening night feature win ahead of a strong running Matt Moore. Bickford battled with Moore for several laps before scoring the ten lap feature win. Seth Meinders ran third on Wednesday night.

Jonathan Hughes flexed his muscle on opening night in taking the ten lap feature win in the Clow Valve Non-Wing Sprint car class. Hughes despite a leaking valve cover was able to take the win ahead of Ben Woods and Tyler Graves.

Wednesday, May 4^th will be DeJong Manufacturing Popcorn night at the Southern Iowa Speedway, All patrons will receive free popcorn, hot laps will get underway at 7:15 pm.

Southern Iowa Speedway Feature Results (top 5) 4/27/2022

Mid State Machine Stock Cars

1. 14 Derrick Agee-Moberly, MO.
2. 38T Dylan Thornton-Keystone
3. 20V Dustin Vis-Martelle
4. 10G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
5. 22R Todd Reitzler-Grinnell

Oskaloosa Quality Rental Sportmods

1. 117 Dyaln VanWyk-Oskaloosa
2. 1V Curtis VanDerWal-Oskaloosa
3. 15K Kyle Harwood-New Sharon
4. 53 Logan Anderson-Eddyville
5. 7V Carter VanDenberg-Oskaloosa

Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks

1. 42T Tyson Overton-Carlisle
2. 0 Ryan Havel-Iowa City
3. 77 Keaton Gordon-Ottumwa
4. 55 Brad Stephens-Bussey
5. 73 Aaron Martin-Delta

Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compacts

1. 63b Terry Bickford-Shannon City
2. 2 Matt Moore-Ottumwa
3. 16 Seth Meinders-Ottumwa
4. 29 Kevin Garrett-Bloomfield
5. 00B Braelynn Long-Martinsdale

Clow Valve Non-Wing Sprints

1. 67 Jonathan Hughes-Knoxville
2. 11 Ben Woods-Newton
3. T4 Tyler Graves-Chariton
4. 25 Kelly Graham-Hedrick
5. 717 Garrett Alexander-Russell