Veteran Parrott Scores Another W, Teenager Flannagan Gets First Win
To kick off Memorial Day weekend, Hawkeye Downs Speedway hosted a Friday night event schedule full of racing despite the heavy rain throughout the week. There was a small delay while track officials worked to dry the track, but the scheduled lineup went as planned, with the late models and Sprint Series enduro cars included in the night’s racing program.
For the first time since July 2023, defending Legends.Direct Legends Series champion Kacey Korsmo went back to Green State Credit Union Victory Lane. Korsmo was able to snag the lead early on and hold off his father, Kevin, throughout the race. Kevin Korsmo had strong corner exit speed but was not able to generate enough to complete the pass.
Photo by Ed Siems
After having two races with mechanical trouble this year, Derek Parrott was able to find a win in the Sunline Hornets. Parrott had enough speed to finish three-tenths ahead of Corey Crispin, who had Chad Vozenilek behind him. Brad Chandler and Duane Hochstedler filled out the top five. When asked what made the difference for Parrott, the answer was simple.
“The car ran until the end of the race,” he said, chuckling. “I think it’s going to be one of us three (Crispin and Vozenilek) about every night this year.”
In the Performance Concepts Late Models, birthday boy Brian Gibson was back in the car. Gibson did not quite have the pace to battle Griffin McGrath, who captured his second win in as many races. A lap one incident saw light contact between Greg Hentrich and Michael Weber, with neither hitting the wall. Weber would finish third in the event.
It was smooth sailing again for Adam Petrzelka in the Anderson Automotive Hobby Stocks, as he continues to sweep the season thus far. Brad Chandler and Jason Sherman battled for the remainder of the podium spots. Reggie Mitchell rebounded to 4th after making contact with Korey Lana, which saw Lana fall out of the feature.
A spectacular crash took place with five laps remaining in the All Seasons Automotive Sportsman class when Greg Hentrich and Gary West collided on the backstretch resulting in Hentrich briefly climbing the #27 of West. It would be the end of the night for Hentrich while West finished 6th. Brandon Herb led the majority of the race up until that point, but on the following restart, Todd Ness took over the lead to earn his second win of the year.
Things got rowdy in the Cassill Motors Sport Mods, with bumping and banging happening between several cars. The number of incidents led race control to call the race after 9 laps of the scheduled 15. Teenager Beckett Flannagan had taken the lead five laps earlier and took the early checkered flag for his first feature win. Flannagan’s father, Patrick, finished behind him. Chad Siems, Steve Wimer, and Stacy Olson rounded out the top five.
“I just wanted to get out front as quickly as possible,” shared Beckett Flanngan. “I told my dad tonight I was going to win tonight, and it was great that it happened like that.”
Lastly, Brad Chandler pulled off the victory in the Interstate Power Systems Sprint presented by Marion Tire Co. and Mt. Vernon Tire Co. Chandler led every lap and made quick work of the rest of the field. Eric Legue, Justin Neff, Corey Crispin, and Zach Sedlacek finished out the top five finishers.
Photo by Ed Siems
Next Race: Friday, May 31st
This Friday, summer racing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway continues with our NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series, plus the HD Dawgs and American Iron Racing Series. There will be NO Hobby Stocks racing on Friday, May 31st. Gates open at 6:00pm and racing begins at 7:05pm.
