SPENCER, Iowa (July 24, 2024) – Ethan Braaksma started his Salute to Veterans powered by Performance Bodies trophy collection, while Kelly Shryock and Matt Looft added to theirs Wednesday at Clay County Fair Speedway.
Braaksma led every lap of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified finale at Spencer, while Shryock wired the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car field and Looft raced from 10th starting in topping the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main.
Michael Wade was also a flag to flag winner in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature and Oliver Monson prevailed in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact headliner.
One hundred and twenty-seven cars in the five divisions were entered for the first of three Salute to Veterans shows this week.
Braaksma drew the pole for the $2,000 to win Modified main, seeing leads of three and a half seconds and then a second and a half erased by cautions in the late stages of the race.
Tim Ward ultimately prevailed in the battle for second. Jake McBirnie, Cody Thompson and the 19th starting Shryock completed the top five.
“We were kind of scratching our heads after the heat race and weren’t sure what we were really going to do,” admitted Braaksma, when asked post-race about his setup for the 25-lap feature. “The decision we made turned out to be pretty good and the draw always helps.”
“It’s tough starting on the pole with all these good guys behind you. You don’t really know where to be,” he added. “I just hunkered down, knew I had to hit my marks and not get into the wall or jump the cushion.”
Already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, the win was Braaksma’s 12th of the season. He’d matched his career total of 11 wins with the checkers at Monday night’s Hancock County Fair special.
Shryock weathered three cautions in motoring to his career fifth, and third Salute to Veterans victory at Spencer, outrunning Dylan Thornton and Randy Brands to the stripe in the $2,000 to win 25-lapper for Stock Cars.
“It’s pretty special to pull off a win like this for sure,” said Shryock, as always thanking veterans an active duty military personnel for their service from victory lane. “I think this ‘ol track at Spencer is one of the best we can race on.”
Shryock is already guaranteed a spot on the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational grid.
Already the $1,000 race of champions winner, Looft reeled in Brian Schrage for the lead and checked O-U-T in a Northern SportMod main that stayed green the last 10 circuits. His third Salute to Veterans win came ahead of Kevin Bethke and Justin Klynsma.
“It’s amazing. I love this race track. It’s got to be one of the best in the country,” he said. “This is one of the most coveted trophies in IMCA and I’m blessed to have three of them.”
Wade’s first Hobby Stock win of 2024 also paid $1,000 and came ahead of Dylan Nelson and Drew Barglof. Josh Sidles made his way to fourth from 20th starting.
“Hats off to the track crew, they did a great job,” he said. “We were just going to try out the series, go to some tracks we’ve never been to and we got the win.”
Monson’s $300 Sport Compact checkers came from fifth starting. Tyler Thompson was second, Levi Volkert third.
Round two of the Salute to Veterans powered by Performance Bodies is Thursday at Kossuth County Speedway in Algona, round three on Saturday at Boone Speedway.
Each Salute to Veterans race program is broadcast by IMCA.TV.
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