Smith repeats Suter Memorial Stock Car heroics

By Steve Zwemke

ALTA, Iowa (July 1) – Wednesday’s headline feature at Buena Vista Raceway could not have been more exciting as David Smith repeated as $1,000 winner of the Kyle Suter Memorial for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars.

Smith grabbed the early lead and raced among a five-car pack that included Chris Ullrich, Roger Verdoorn, Derek Green and Devin Smith until the first caution.

After the restart, Smith continued to lead while Ullrich and Green kept pace. Meanwhile, Devin Smith and Donavon Smith were joined by Randy Brands, Jason Minnehan and Brian Blessington who came from farther back in the field.

The race’s final caution came with just a couple laps remaining when Donavan Smith and Derek Green where fighting for the same piece of real estate in turn one. The call was on Green who then exited the race.

On the restart, Brands drove his car hard to the bottom of turn one and overtook David Smith be­fore they exited turn two. Brands stuck to the bottom of the track while Smith continued to run the high side.

As they came out of turn four for the checkered flag, Smith used the cushion to shoot past Brands for the win and a check for $1,000.

Donavon Smith finished third, Minnehan took fourth and the 14^th starting Blessington completed the top five in the 20-lap special.

Other feature winners were Dustin Smith in the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds, Mike Bailey in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, Merle Bass in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Kaytee DeVries in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts.

Feature results – 1. David Smith, Lake City; 2. Randy Brands, Boyden; 3. Donavon Smith, Lake City; 4. Jason Minnehan, Churdan; 5. Brian Blessington, Breda; 6. Chris Ullrich, Kiron; 7. Devin Smith, Lake City; 8. Roger Verdoorn, Sibley; 9. Josh Suhr, Alta; 10. Mike Vondrak, Galva; 11. Allan Schmidt, Holstein; 12. Nick Woodard, Elkhorn, Neb.; 13. Matt Mahoney, Pierson; 14. Dale Woodard, Elkhorn, Neb.; 15. Jason Mickelson, Storm Lake; 16. Justin Bromert, Vail; 17. Preston Schmidt, Holstein.