MAQUOKETA, Iowa – No matter the obstacle, Tyler Soppe cranked the steering wheel one way and then back the other while at full speed.
Because of that, it was no surprise he was at the front of the 15-lap B&D Pit Stop IMCA SportMod Season Championship feature Saturday evening at Maquoketa Speedway.
The Rocketman already had clinched the track championship before the green flag ever flew.
“This is what we’re here for and the championship tops it off,” Soppe said in C&W Trucking / Hoker Trucking / Kam Koncepts / Husco International Victory Circle. ““We like the track and what Nick (Promoter McCrady) has done with it. We’ll be back next year.”
Soppe’s victory was the ninth at Maquoketa and 26th overall in 2019. It also was his 100th IMCA victory.
“The car wasn’t really that good tonight,” Soppe added. “We tried the top early and able to make it work when we got out front.”
Jerry Miles, Bob Silaggi, Jacob Ellithorpe and Scott Williams rounded out the top five. Miles was the runner up in points.
Jeff Larson launched from midpack at the start and then to the lead about halfway through the 20-lap QCJeeps.com IMCA Modified feature. “Bone” dominated the rest of the way for his 25th win of the season, five of those now at Maquoketa.
Ray Cox, Jr. charged up to second ahead of early leader Timmy Current, Steve Johnson and Jaden Fryer. Bryce Garnhart was part of an early caution, finished 15th, but still won his second straight track title. Johnson defeating Fryer settled fourth place in the final standings by just two points.
Jimmy Comins was the model of consistency all season in the GRE / REV Chassis IMCA Stock Cars. That paid off with his first track crown and he got his first ever 15-lap feature win in a Stock Car to top it off.
Point runner up Tim Bader, Bob Ahrendsen, Chris Hinrichs and Rick Zaruba followed.
After destroying his car in a rollover early in the season Comins jumped behind the wheel of his cousin Brandon’s machine to finish off the season run.
The Shawn’s Auto Service IMCA Hobby Stocks 12-lap Season Championship finale was the only main to settle the track bragging rights. Point leader Daniel Wauters pulled out of the feature early. So Kile Vohringer made up the single point deficit with his second place finish behind first time winner Brandon White to take the title.
White stormed to the front and held off Vohringer for his first win of 2019. Lane Vohringer, Shane Oberbreckling and Roger Winkers came next.
Tyler Shady took home his second consecutive Obie’s Bar and Restaurant / B&C Liquor 4 Cylinder 12-lap win. Ashley Reuman only needed to start her heat race to clinch the championship and then topped it off with a run right behind Shady. The 2017-18 champ Brett Marshall, Jamie Wood and Tim Sibley followed.
Reuman did not finish out of the top three in points at any track she competed in 2019 and won her first track championship.
A total of 59 race teams competed in 14 events plus Kids Trick or Treat Night activities and the last checkered flag flew before 9:30 p.m.