By Anddy Veltman

(Newton, IA) Midwest short track action was on the ticket for the ASRS Sam Maxwell Customs Truck Series this past Tuesday night. Congregating in the Hawkeye State, teams would prepare for the Iowa 125. As named, the event would consist of 125 laps under the lights on the 0.875-mile D-shaped oval.

Main event qualifying would see 8 teams pack-up and lead as the field would be limited to 36 drivers, with 20 locked-in via 2018 season points. Scott Smith (21) would emerge as the perch’n Pole Award winner, posting a top lap time of 22.846s in his 2nd start of the year. Troy Haydt (28) would claim 2nd-fastest at 22.876s to start alongside.

Taking it away at the green, Smith emerged with the advantage by Turn 1, breaking away from the remainder of the field with Jared Mogard (00) in tow. Within a few laps, Devin Serra (20) would separate himself as well, leaving most of the side-by-side battles in the 2nd half of the Top-10 trucks.

Smith continued to lead through the first caution flag on Lap 21, waved for an incident involving Nick Kerling (45) and Blake Near (167) on the backstretch. Already feeling the effects of tire wear, Smith lead the field down pit road. Mogard edged Smith for the lead at the exit of pit road to trigger the first lead change of the race.

Mogard restarted the field on Lap 28, bringing Brian Yaczik (55) ahead of Smith from the 3rd spot, as the outside line had stacked up coming to the green flag. Taking advantage of the extra clearance to the following trucks, Yaczik began to work on Mogard for the lead by way of the inside lane, making multiple attempts to take the postion. Wearing nearly 20 laps into their tires, Yaczik’s hard work would eventually pay off, making the pass on Mogard while coming to Lap 46.

Yaczik held the lead until Lap 68, where he would slow for the sideways truck of Josh Walker (58) on the front stretch. Walker regained control by way of a passing truck to keep the racing under green flag conditions, but Yaczik’s loss of momentum would allow Jordan Ashelin (27) to sneak by to pick up the lead.

After leading for 10 laps, Ashelin hit pit road, returning the lead to Yaczik. Yaczik held the lead for a couple more laps, but would then follow suit to pit road for new tires and fuel. The lead would turn over to Tom Giannini (44), with Ashelin and Yaczik shuffled into the field.

As Giannini continued to lead through the pit cycle, Yaczik would catch and pass Ashelin for the presumptive post-pit cycle lead. Both drivers would have to wait for pit stops to conclude, however, to determine whether or not they would top the running order.

Lap 94; Evan Black (99) passed Giannini for the lead, as both drivers continued to remain on track. Without the relief of a caution flag, however, Black and Giannini eventually slowed for pit road, turning the lead over to Yaczik once again.

Jordan Ashelin had remained on Yaczik’s rear bumper, holding off until 6 to go before diving to the inside of Yaczik in challenge for the lead. Ashelin inched ahead of Yaczik, but would not be able to clear his nose, allowing Yaczik to carry high-side momentum back around Ashelin. Ashelin would mount no more attempts, as Yaczik would only slow at the sight of the checkered flag.

At the line, Brian Yaczik picked up the win in the ASRS Sam Maxwell Customs Truck Series Iowa 125, his second of the 2018 season. Yaczik lead a race-high 38 laps en route to victory. Jordan Ashelin held to for the runner-up spot, leading 10 laps in his third Top-5 of the season. Jared Mogard would celebrate for 3rd after leading 22 laps earlier in the event. Pole-sitter Scott Smith comes home 9th, with 22 laps lead. Tom Giannini and Evan Black also received credit for laps lead.

With 11 races down, Jared Mogard holds on to the series point lead, 5 points over new 2nd-place Brian Yaczik. Yaczik bumps Devin Serra to 3rd place via his victory. Jason Stewart (7) climbs one position to 4th, with Mitch Brown (18) up two to 5th. Scott Smith gains the most spots, up 15 to the 46th position.

June 19th the ASRS Sam Maxwell Customs Truck Series heads to Gateway Motorsports Park for the Driven Designz Gateway 125. Teams will prep for night race action, with 100 laps standing in the way of victory lane. Coverage by series partner LSRTV begins at 9:00 EST.

Race feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIJTtyR3OGk