By Greg Parent
Jimmy Kouba of Byron, Minnesota has years of experience racing sprint cars, but most of that has been in a winged sprinter. Prior to running full-time with the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series this season, Kouba had 20 starts over the past two years in a non-winged sprinter. On Sunday night August 2 at the Granite City Speedway, Kouba picked up his fourth win of the season. Kouba drove around the outside of Chase Viebrock on lap 3, got a “wake up call” from his son Jake during the late stages of the race, and ended up defeating current TSCS point leader Rob Caho, Jr. and Jake Kouba in the nonstop 25 lap feature event.
Commenting after his win, Jimmy said “I saw Jake get underneath me once and I figured I better step it up or I might be looking at the rear end of his sprinter.” On this night father knew best, as Jimmy drove a solid race on the dry, smooth Granite City surface. It was also the third straight time at Granite City that the Traditional sprint cars have run their feature race nonstop.
Setting the lineup for the feature race saw heat race wins go to Scott Brandt and Mike Mueller. Mueller was looking to make it three straight at Granite City. Viebrock and Jimmy Kouba drew the front row with Mueller and Brandt starting in row two. Young Chase Viebrock led the opening couple of laps before Jimmy Kouba took control up front. Soon Jake Kouba was in second and slowly closing the margin on his dad. The “wake up call” came and Jimmy answered the “alarm clock” with a strong push to the checkers. Caho got by Jake Kouba on the final lap to finish second. Jake was third ahead of Viebrock and rookie driver James Giossi. Mueller slipped back to sixth, as the high side was the preferred line instead of his favorite bottom groove. Scott Brandt, rookie Ty Sampair, Jori Hughes and Mike Walters completed the top ten.
The Traditional sprints have a weekend off before returning to action at their home track St. Croix Valley Raceway on Friday August 14. Then it’s a big double header weekend for the Traditional sprints on August 21 at the Princeton Speedway and a return to the Ogilvie Raceway on August 22. Those two races will be part of the Minnesota Summer Heat Tour with the winged sprints on the program each night as well. The Princeton race features the Ethel Kouba Memorial. Last year, that event drew a large crowd.
UMSS Traditional Sprint Race Results, Granite City Speedway, August 2, 2015 (Race #18):
GRP Motorsports A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[2]; 2. 78-Rob Caho Jr[8]; 3. 6-Jake Kouba[6]; 4. 50-Chase Viebrock[1]; 5. 11-James Giossi[5]; 6. 87-Mike Mueller[3]; 7. 7B-Scott Brandt[4]; 8. N1-Ty Sampair[14]; 9. 21J-Jori Hughes[9]; 10. 27-Mike Walters[13]; 11. 24-Brian Vanmeveren[7]; 12. 95-Kevin Bradwell[12]; 13. 69S-Jon Lewerer[11]; 14. (DNF) 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[10]; DNS 48-Neal Matuska
Lap Leaders: Viebrock 1-2, Jimmy Kouba 3-25. No cautions!
Lap Leaders: Viebrock 1-2, Jimmy Kouba 3-25. No cautions!
Meeks Video Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 7B-Scott Brandt[3]; 2. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[6]; 3. 24-Brian Vanmeveren[2]; 4. 50-Chase Viebrock[7]; 5. 21J-Jori Hughes[5]; 6. 95-Kevin Bradwell[4]; 7. N1-Ty Sampair[8]; 8. (DNF) 48-Neal Matuska[1]
Lap Leaders: Matuska 1-3, Brandt 4-10. Cautions (2) Note: Matuska into turn 3 concrete wall, done for the night.
Lap Leaders: Matuska 1-3, Brandt 4-10. Cautions (2) Note: Matuska into turn 3 concrete wall, done for the night.
Track Rat Photos Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 87-Mike Mueller[2]; 2. 11-James Giossi[1]; 3. 6-Jake Kouba[4]; 4. 78-Rob Caho Jr[5]; 5. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[3]; 6. 69S-Jon Lewerer[6]; 7. 27-Mike Walters[7]
Lap Leader: Mueller 1-10. No cautions.
Lap Leader: Mueller 1-10. No cautions.