By Bill W
Donnellson, IA, July 11, 2019 – Mason Daniel claimed his first career Sprint Invaders feature victory Thursday night at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa. The win was worth $1,500 to the Springville, California native and came aboard the Mason Daniel Racing #33m.
Ayrton Gennetten, who had dominated the Golden Eagle Distributors Shake-up Dash, took the early lead from outside row on in the 20-lap main event. Sixteen-year-old Riley Goodno, who was making his first Sprint Invaders appearance, trailed him from his pole position, followed by Daniel, Kaley Gharst and Josh Higday.
Colton Fisher spun with a lap in the books, bringing the first of two cautions. The second came on the restart. Gharst shot from fourth to second on the dry surface, before something went awry in turn three for him, and he spun to the infield and out of the race.
Gennetten led Goodno, Daniel, Higday and Jamie Ball back to green. Daniel quickly ducked under Goodno into second and pursued the leader, while Ball garnered fourth. 2016 series champion, Chris Martin, was on the move as well, having worked from his 14th starting spot to fifth by lap four.
Gennetten entered lapped traffic on the ninth circuit. Two laps later, a lapped car got sideways in front of him. The third generation driver from Missouri checked up, and Daniel seized the opportunity, exploding into the lead. About the same time, Ball worked his way by Goodno into third.
Daniel pulled away to the checkers, ahead of Gennetten, Ball, hard-charger Martin and Goodno. Higday, John Schulz, Carson McCarl, Parker Price-Miller and Harold Pohren rounded out the top ten. Ball, Gharst and Daniel won heat races, and Martin won the B main. Joey Laue took a nasty ride that launched him over the turn three fence. He walked away under his own power.
“Early in the race, I was able to get third, and get to second after a couple yellows,” said Daniel in front of a good Lee County Fair crowd. “It was mainly about saving your tires. Once the rubber came in, I knew if I could stay within somewhat of a distance to him…when we got in lapped traffic, it would be harder for him. That’s what happened, and once we got the lead, we never looked back. I first came here last year and ran fifth. I came hear earlier this year in a 410 and got second. Now, I finally got to get a win here. It’s pretty cool. It’s a very fun race track. It’s up there in my favorites.”
“Both times I’ve been here, the same thing happened,” said Gennetten. “The last time, (Josh) Schneiderman and I were racing for the lead and a lapped car spun out in front of us and took us out. This time, a lapped car just got shoved up in the loose stuff and came down the track. I thought he was going to the infield, so I sort of checked up. That’s all Mason needed to get by me. We were fast all night. I can’t say enough about the help we had tonight. It was great to have Jeff (Mitrisin) helping us. We were fast. Sometimes it just doesn’t go that way. We’ll see what’s in store for us Saturday at Knoxville.”
“We had a really good start the first time before it got called back,” said Ball. “The car was good overall. It got better as the race got going. We really got those guys reeled in to where we could see them again…both Gennetten and Daniel there. A couple lapped cars got in there, and got to racing each other. I just couldn’t squeeze by them. It was a good top three run. Hopefully, we’re starting to hit our stride with the big races coming up.”
The Sprint Invaders next action will be Wednesday, July 24, at the Dubuque Speedway in Dubuque, Iowa during the Dubuque County Fair.
Sprint Invaders A main (started), 20 laps: 1. 33m, Mason Daniel, Springville, CA (5) 2. 3, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (2) 3. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (6) 4. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (14) 5. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (1) 6. 35, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (3) 7. 99, John Schulz, West Burlington, IA (9) 8. 17A, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (13) 9. 50, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (16) 10. 50P, Harold Pohren, Lowell, IA (7) 11. 40c, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA (10) 12. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (15) 13. 81, Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA (11) 14. 9, Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, IA (12) 15. 88, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (19) 16. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (17) 17. 69, Justin Buchholz, Davenport, IA (18) 18. 11, Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA (8) 19. 78, Kaley Gharst, Decatur, IL (4) 20. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (20). Lap Leaders: Gennetten 1-10, Daniel 11-20.. KSE Hard-charger: C. Martin.
Randall’s Performance Heat one (started), 8 laps: 1. Jamie Ball (2) 2. Josh Higday (4) 3. Harold Pohren (1) 4. Colton Fisher (3) 5. Carson McCarl (7) / 6. 4*, Bailey Goldesberry, Springfield, IL (6) 7. Dustin Selvage (8) 8. 17J, Joey Laue, Morning Sun, IA (5)
CenPeCo Lubricants Heat two (started), 8 laps: 1. Kaley Gharst (4) 2. Riley Goodno (1) 3. Jon Agan (6) 4. Tanner Gebhardt (2) 5. Daniel Bergquist (3) / 6. Dustin Clark (8) 7. Justin Buchholz (7) 8. 13, Brayden Gaylord, Wever, IA (5)
Heat three (started), 8 laps: 1. Mason Daniel (1) 2. Ayrton Gennetten (6) 3. John Schulz (4) 4. Cody Wehrle (3) 5. Josh Schneiderman (8) / 6. Chris Martin (5) 7. Parker Price-Miller (7) 8. 11c, Mason Campbell, New Berlin, IL (2)
B main (started), 12 laps: 1. Chris Martin (3) 2. Dustin Clark (2) 3. Parker Price-Miller (6) 4. Dustin Selvage (4) 5. Justin Buchholz (5) / 6. Brayden Gaylord (8) 7. Mason Campbell (9) 8. Bailey Goldesberry (1) 9. Joey Laue (7)
Budweiser King of Beers – Golden Eagle Distributors Shake-up Dash (started), 6 laps: 1. Ayrton Gennetten (1) 2. Josh Higday (2) 3. Kaley Gharst (4) 4. Mason Daniel (5) 5. Jamie Ball (6) 6. Riley Goodno (3)
Contingencies
Pyrotec – Cody Wehrle
Saldana Racing Products – Tanner Gebhardt
Kreitz Oval Track Products – Dustin Selvage