Cody Morris, Eagle, Nebraska (4-21-2012) Returning for the Saturday night finale of Eagle Raceway's Icebreaker Challenge, the Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region produced a particularly illustrious fourth Midwest feature winner in as many early contests.
Columbus, Indiana's three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart delighted a standing room only crowd, emerging the hard fought victor of a caution free 25 lap Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest main event.
Starting inside third row in the initial running order, "Smoke" quickly moved up to challenge Waverly, Nebraska's Stu Snyder, who had battled past polesitter Adam Gullion on the 2nd round.
Snyder held a slight advantage over Stewart, taking to the top side with the two-time Chili Bowl Midget Nationals Champion keeping to the bottom berm.
The pair exited each turn side by side, with Stewart efficiently mastering his low line to take a short lap 11 lead. Snyder battled back by on the top to lead the next 3 laps, but Smoke had found his groove, taking the lead for good on the 15th circuit.
Shadowed by Snyder the final 10 laps, Stewart nevertheless nabbed his first career Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region victory aboard his Kistler powered, Office Space and Mobil One sponsored no. 14 Maxim.
The victory signaled Smoke's first career ASCS regional triumph and 2nd overall, following a late 2010 ASCS National Tour score at Las Vegas.
Snyder settled for the runner up spot at the finish line with two-time and defending ASCS Midwest Champion Jack Dover claiming show position honors.
Lake Havasu, Arizona's Logan Forler battled past Decatur, Illinois' Friday night winner Kaley Gharst for fourth, with Ghasrt completing the top five running order.
Jody Rosenboom, Thomas Kennedy, Logan Forler, and Kaley Gharst earned heat race wins over the 32 car field, with Weston, Nebraska's Ryan Kitchen taking winning style in the evening's sole 12 lap B Feature contest.
Featured Photo: Joe Orth Photos
Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region
April 21st, 2012 / Event 4 of 18
Eagle Raceway / Eagle, Nebraska
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 14-Tony Stewart[5]; 2. 23s-Stu Snyder[2]; 3. 53-Jack Dover[4]; 4. 5h-Logan Forler[7]; 5. 6x-Kaley Gharst[3]; 6. 18-Ryan Roberts[11]; 7. 4j-Lee Grosz[9]; 8. 20k-Thomas (T.J.) Kennedy[6]; 9. 14R-Jody Rosenboom[8]; 10. 51-Mike Boston[10]; 11. 4-Jordan Boston[12]; 12. 31-Mark Pace[15]; 13. 32-Adam Gullion[1]; 14. 57-Eric Lutz[16]; 15. 44-Doug Lovegrove[19]; 16. 35-Trevor Grossenbacher[14]; 17. 12-Tyler Drueke[18]; 18. 21-Ryan Kitchen[17]; 19. 24b-Chad Ely[13]; 20. 2A-Randy Hibbs[20]
Lap Leaders: Gullion 1, Snyder 2-10, Stewart 11, Snyder 12-14, Stewart 15-25
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 21-Ryan Kitchen; 2. 12-Tyler Drueke; 3. 44-Doug Lovegrove; 4. 2A-Randy Hibbs; 5. 77-John Klabunde; 6. 0-Jeff Osborn; 7. 76-Jay Russell; 8. 14G-Gene Ackland; 9. 25-Dylan Peterson; 10. 17-Gage Dorr; 11. 28-Ken Klabunde; 12. X29-Roger Sluka; 13. 6g-Bryan Gossel; 14. 6-Nick Bryan; 15. 5-David Glennon; DNS 82-Jason Danley
Top 4 advance to A Feature
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 14R-Jody Rosenboom; 2. 51-Mike Boston; 3. 4-Jordan Boston; 4. 32-Adam Gullion; 5. 21-Ryan Kitchen; 6. 2A-Randy Hibbs; 7. 14G-Gene Ackland; 8. 28-Ken Klabunde
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 20k-Thomas (T.J.) Kennedy; 2. 53-Jack Dover; 3. 24b-Chad Ely; 4. 31-Mark Pace; 5. 5-David Glennon; 6. 77-John Klabunde; 7. 6g-Bryan Gossel; 8. 17-Gage Dorr
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 5h-Logan Forler; 2. 18-Ryan Roberts; 3. 4j-Lee Grosz; 4. 23s-Stu Snyder; 5. 44-Doug Lovegrove; 6. 76-Jay Russell; 7. 25-Dylan Peterson; 8. X29-Roger Sluka
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 6x-Kaley Gharst; 2. 14-Tony Stewart; 3. 35-Trevor Grossenbacher; 4. 57-Eric Lutz; 5. 12-Tyler Drueke; 6. 0-Jeff Osborn; 7. 6-Nick Bryan; DNS 82-Jason Danley
The 2012 Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region campaign resumes Memorial Day Weekend with a May 24th one night battle against the ASCS National Tour presented by MavTv at Greenwood, Nebraska's I-80 Speedway. The Midwest Region forces will then venture alone to Junction Motor Speedway for a May 25th Memorial Day Weekend finale.
2012 Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region Point Standings: 1. Stu Snyder 476; 2. Lee Grosz 457; 3. Jody Rosenboom 435; 3. Jack Dover 435; 5. Ryan Roberts 427; 6. Jordan Boston 406; 7. Trevor Grossenbacher 398; 8. Mark Pace 380; 9. Robby Wolfgang 374; 10. Jason Danley 332