VanderBeek sweeps Memphis Fall Nationals

MEMPHIS, Mo. -- What a difference a day or night makes. As the crew was able to get on the track after the final checkers fell on Friday night and all day Saturday to produce a great surface for Saturday night's finale at the 8th Annual Memphis Fall Nationals at the Scotland County in Memphis, Missouri. All that paid off with 136 cars signed in from 6 states, including 34 Modifieds, 31 SportMods, 30 Stock Cars, 23 Hobby Stocks and 18 Sport Compacts.

Cayden Carter and David Brandies led the field to the green in the 22 lap Stock Car feature, with Carter grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Brandies and Jeff Mueller, who was driving Don Fenton's #3 machine. Carter then started to pull away from the battle behind him, until the first and only caution of the race appeared on lap 4. Tim Kraber spun in turn 2 and collected Todd Inman to bring out the yellow. On the restart Carter moved back out front, with Mueller slipping under Brandies to grab the second spot. Once again Carter started to pull away from the battle going on behind him between Mueller, Brandies, John Oliver Jr. and Zack VanderBeek, who started 8th. VanderBeek used the bottom of the speedway to slip into second late in the race. But there was no chasing down Carter, who cruised to the win and the $1,000 top prize to go with it. VanderBeek settled for 2nd, Mueller was 3rd, Oliver Jr. was 4th, with Brandies in 5th.

The final feature to take to the track was the 24 lap Modifieds, with Kelly Shryock and Zack VanderBeek on the front row. Shryock would use his front row starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over VanderBeek and Michael Long. But VanderBeek, who was using the top of the track, went around Shryock coming off turn 4 to take the top spot away on lap 2. VanderBeek then started to pull away from the field, even entering lapped traffic on lap 9. Cayden Carter, who started 9th, worked his way into second on lap 15, but was still over a straight-away behind VanderBeek. That was until the first and only caution of the race appeared on lap 18. Carter VanDenBerg, who was running 8th, slowed to a stop in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart VanderBeek jumped back out front, but now had Carter glued to his back bumper. Despite Carter getting beside VanderBeek on lap 19. VanderBeek would hold on to claim his second win on the weekend and another $1,000 to go with it. Carter settled for 2nd, Shryock was 3rd, Tyler Droste came from 10th to finish in 4th, with Andrew Schroeder rounding out the top 5.