By Josh Reynolds
STUART, Iowa (June 1) – Shane Paris and Elijah Zevenbergen prevailed in their respective qualifying features on opening night of Stuart Speedway’s Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel.
Qualifying for Wednesday’s 50-lap Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature was set by four heats and two “B” features. Paris and Dylan VanWyk put on a show through lapped traffic until a caution bunched everyone up with just a handful of laps left, and it was Paris pulling away to the comfortable win.
Cody Thompson finished second with VanWyk third and Carter VanDenBerg fourth. Those four drivers will make up the inside of the front four rows for the main event on Wednesday.
IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars followed the same exact format as the SportMods and this was a barnburner with Jake Masters setting the pace early. After two cautions slowed the pace it was Elijah Zevenbergen using the top side of the track to take control and cruise to the win.
Abe Huls, Luke Lemmens and Masters rounded out the top four and those drivers will make up the inside of the front four rows for Wednesday’s big feature.
Thompson and Johnathon Logue stormed through the pack from 12th and 10th, respectively, in a great Manufacturer’ Race for the SportMods. Thompson’s Razor Chassis worked the high side of the track to take the win over Logue in a Rage.
Last up on the night was the Manufacturers’ Race for the Stock Cars, and it was quite the finish to an awesome evening of racing. Lemmens started 14th on the field and used mainly the bottom side of the speedway to take the lead around lap 18. Lemmens and his GForce chassis went on to the win by about a car length over youngster Dallon Murty.
Tuesday night brings round two of the Dirt Duel with qualifying for the outside of the front four rows for SportMods and Stock Cars. Mach-1 Sport Compacts are also on the card.