LaCrosse takes $10,000 back to Wisconsin

Saturday was night #2 of the World Nationals at the Marshalltown Speedway.  Mother Nature opted to do some watering of the track before the noon hour.  When the rain stopped, it wasn't long until the equipment was on the track, and the track prep began for the $10,000 to win show for the non-crate Modifieds, plus $1,000 for the Stock Cars and SportMods, and $500 for the Hobby Stocks.  A full house of fans filled the grandstands for a great night of racing.  The weather turned out to be beautiful......until late in the evening, when Iowa's unpredictable weather threw in a little kink!

The IMCA Northern SportMods ran their $1,000 to win feature first.  The 24-car starting field required two B mains, taking two cars from each, to fill in the field.  Track regular Travis Peterson won consy #1, and the second went to Brett Lowry from Montezuma.  The early portion of the 20-lap feature was a fight between the front row starters, Logan Scott from Odebolt, Iowa and track champion, Clint Luellen.  Luellen, who has been having a phenomenal season, held down the point spot as lap one was scored, Scott settling into second for the chase.  The two opted for the low road in turns one and two, and the high line of three and four, but Scott's attempts of a pass never paid off.  Luellen drove the distance to the flying checkers and the win.  Tracy Wassenburg got past Scott late in the race as they went second and third, and Austin Kaplan was a close fourth.  Rounding out the top five was Doug Smith who had started back in twentieth spot.  Luellen, the "Minburn Missile", worked through lap traffic methodically in the final laps of the feature, taking the win by a comfortable margin.  In a post-race interview with announcer Jerry VanSickel, they discussed Luellen now leading the National points race for the IMCA Northern SportMods by 2 points.  He stated that he had not even considered running for that championship until late in the season, but found himself sitting in a good position to give it a shot when the season wound up at his regular tracks of Marshalltown and Stuart. Good luck to the young hot shoe in his quest for bringing home that title.  

The Hobby Stocks had extra money thrown into the pot, and instead of running for the $500 win, it turned into $700.  They also had to have a B main to complete their starting line up for the feature.  That B main went to Garrett Eilander.  When the race went green, it was the front row sitters Dustin Elliott and Kyle Parizek leading the troops.  It didn't take long for Eric Stanton to join in the fun, running in third when a yellow flew at lap three.  Just a couple of laps after the ensuing restart, Stanton dipped under leader Parizek, and took command of the race.  Stanton withstood three more yellow flags and the restarts, motoring home to the checkers and the win.  Following in second place, was track regular Austin Luellen.  A distance behind in third, was track champion John Watson who had won the previous night.  Dustin Elliott held fourth place and rounding out the top five was thirteenth place starter, Benji Irvine.  

The IMCA Stock Cars tagged four cars to the tail of their A $1,000 to win feature.  Damon Murty, who had suffered issues in his heat race, had to attempt to qualify through the consy.  He started dead last in the consy, and won it.  By the time the 25-lap feature came to the track, the weather had taken a turn.  A cold front moved in, the wind turned, coming from the north/northwest and about blew us away!  The flags and signs were whipping and it was not an easy task to keep my always present notebook safe!  

The Stock Cars raced a 25-lap feature, for $1,000 to win for the second night in a row.  The previous night's winner, Kyle Vanover from Beatrice, Nebraska, wasted no time in taking the lead from starting fourth, snatching it up by the time the first lap was scored!  He didn't have an easy go of it in holding that lead in the early going though!  David Brandies, the hotshoe from Atalissa, Iowa and the track champion at the West Liberty track, had started eighth and was hot on Vanover's tail by lap two!  It was a good battle between those two talented drivers, Brandies taking over the lead at lap eight, and keeping a tight hold on it through lap sixteen.....withstanding at least two caution restarts.  Vanover, however, was not done yet, giving constant attempts to regain the lead.  That paid off at lap seventeen, as he took over the coveted spot again.  At the 25th and final lap, Vanover took the comfortable win for the second night in a row.  Brandies had to be content with a second place finish.  Third place went to Churdan's Jason Minnehan, and local racer Dave Atcher was fourth.  Damon Murty flew through the pack from his 21st starting spot, and salvaged his night with an impressive fifth place finish.  Vanover said in his victory lane interview, that he wished the Marshalltown track was about five hours closer to home, as he would run it every week.  He was happy with his two wins and $2,000 over the past two night's run.  He also won the second night of last year's World Nationals after having a good fourth place run the night before.  No wonder he likes the high banks!  

The IMCA Modifieds.....all running non-crate, open motors, ran five last chance heat races, taking the top two finishers to the feature. Winning those five last chance heats were Ryan Gustin, Chris Abelson, Adam Larson, Jon Snyder and track champion, Ronn Lauritzen.  Those cars finishing third through fifth place in those last chance heats, were the ONLY drivers that earned a chance to run a "Final 4" race, later.  The top four finishers of that final gasp race, tagged the field for the big A main for $10,000 to win.  Cayden Carter, Justin O'Brien, Scott Olson (who was a new car on the night) and Darren Duffy earned those rights.  

It was 50 non-stop laps scheduled for the big finale.  By this time, the track had slicked off, a couple of lines coming in, and it was shiny and reflecting in the corners.  Earlier, the top ten drivers who had locked in the night before, drew for their starting positions.  Lucky winner of the pole position, was Green Bay, Wisconsin's Benji LaCrosse.  LaCrosse, a former IMCA National Champion sat along side young and upcoming Hunter Marriott from Brookfield, Missouri.  

Marriott beat LaCrosse to the corner as the green fell, taking the point position and the lead as lap one was scored.  LaCrosse tucked in right behind.  Two early yellows, one at lap 3 and the other at lap 5, still found Marriott with the lead on the restarts.  However, by lap ten, it was LaCrosse in the lead, and then, off he drove.  LaCrosse was cruising along a good length ahead of what was brewing behind him!  Marriott held on to the runner up spot, but was soon to be pressured by Mike Jergens and, who was that in third?  It was the #5 of Arkansas racer, Jeff Taylor!  Taylor had started back in sixteenth, and was digging hard for a top finish.  Several more yellows would fly before the race was completed---LaCrosse pulling off from the field each time on the restarts.  

With the strong north winds coming at the grandstands, you could feel the heat of the pack of Modifieds as they passed the frontstretch, all of them going for all their worth.  After the halfway mark of the 50-lapper, Marriott and Taylor were battling for second and third, LaCrosse driving off in the lead.  But now, all eyes turned to the black #56, piloted by Ryan Gustin.  Gustin had hopped into the IROC house car for the weekend races, a product of Chris Spieker, long time racer from Massena, Iowa down in the southwestern part of the state.  What a show Gustin put on in the closing portion of the race!  Gustin, who calls Marshalltown, Iowa his home, and is one of the talented Gustin racing family, took time off from his late model ride, and showed his talent on the high banks.  It was quite the show between Marriott and Gustin, Gustin throwing sliders out of turn four, but Marriott fending them off at the flagstand......for a while.  At lap 41, Gustin made it work, sliding into the runner up spot, and setting his sights on far ahead leader LaCrosse.

The final few circuits went caution free, LaCrosse happy and content a distance in front of the pack.  He took the win and the $10,000 back to Wisconsin.  Ryan Gustin finished in second place, running out of time for an attempt at the leader.  Third went to last year's winner, Jacob Murray.  Murray made a lot of headway from his seventeenth starting spot, to send his Murray chassis to a third place finish.  Hunter Marriott kept his ride to the front all night, taking fourth place and Jeff Taylor fell back a bit in the waning laps, but still salvaged a top five.

It was a great night of racing, watching a lot of talent circle the Marshalltown track.  We thoroughly enjoyed our two night's of racing there, and adding to the enjoyment was getting to take it in with some great racing friends.  This just may have been our final race of the 2014 season, as my other half is getting a new knee this coming week.  Time will tell on that.  But for all you fans out there, check out some of the great year-end specials coming up.  The calendar at www.positivelyracing.com can lead you to some of them.  Happy racing!  

World Nationals Night #1 wins to Vanover, Gustin and Watson

It was a beautiful September night for racing at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday.  The winds were very strong, and we were thankful they were coming from the south!  Night one of the World Nationals saw complete shows for the Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks and the Modifieds locked some drivers into the big main event coming up tonight---with $10,000 to win.

The Hobby Stock feature paid $500 and it went to no stranger at the High Banks.  John Watson was the track champion at Marshalltown this year and showed his expertise on the oval again.  Dustin Elliott took the lead as the green fell on the 20-lap event, but Watson was immediately on his rear bumper.  Elliott established himself on the high side of the track, and Watson went to work on the lower side.  Watson made it payoff after his relentless hounding, taking the lead at lap thirteen.  By this time, eighth place starter Eric Stanton had worked his way around Elliott and taken over the runner up spot and was now pursuing the leader.  It was to no avail though, as Watson kept his lead and took the flying checkers.  Stanton finished second, Elliott held on to third, fourth went to Austin Luellen who had started twelfth, and Andy Hick completed the top five.

The SportMod 20-lap feature did not start well when pole sitter Johnathon Logue appeared to have his car die as the race went green.  This of course, caused some piling into and the race had to be completely restarted.  It also ended the night for Logue.  When things did get going, the #0P car of Hunter Parsons from Green Bay, Wisconsin snapped up the lead, but it was but one lap later that a familiar #12 of Doug Smith snatched it away.  When just a handful of laps had been scored, all eyes were now turning to the flashy #19J that was making waves.  Jenae Gustin had started fifteenth and was now flying and up to third!  A yellow came out at lap eleven, and no doubt, this was just what "the Mighty Miss Gustin" was wanting!  A couple of laps after that restart, Gustin flew around Smith and into the lead.  Smith faltered in turn one, sending him back in the field, Clint Luellen, the track champion at Marshalltown in 2014, now took over the runner up spot.  Gustin had no trouble in maintaining her lead however, and took the win by a comfortable margin.  Luellen held the runner up spot, and Carter VanDenBerg raced his machine from twelfth starting spot up to third.  His cousin, "Speedy Bray", Brayton Carter had a great run, starting nineteenth and finishing fourth, and Sam Wieben came from eighth to finish fifth.  Gustin was a happy camper in victory lane, and the crowd acknowledged the popular win. The win earned Gustin $1,000.

The IMCA Stock Cars went 25-laps in their $1,000 to win feature.  Last year's winner, Kyle Vanover from Beatrice, Nebraska, took up where he left off.  He shot to the lead from his outside front row starting spot, looking dominate.  He would get a great run out of turn two, hiking the left front up and speeding away down the backstretch.  With a handful of laps in the books, the #81 of Super Nationals winner Devin Smith had now worked his way from eighth into second place, and right behind was the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty.  Smith slipped by Vanover for a brief moment as lap eight was scored, but Vanover was having none of that, and snatched the lead back.  A yellow flew at lap twelve, setting up a restart.  There had been quite the battle brewing behind the leader as now it was two Smith's going at it for position, Devin in second place, and now Donovan Smith was in third after slipping by Murty.  When things restarted, Vanover sped off to the lead again, keeping it the remaining laps to the finish and the win.  Behind him, the jousting continued as several cars were trying everything to establish position.  Damon Murty won the battle of those cars, just getting by Donavon Smith for second at the finish.  Right behind Smith in third, was brother Devin Smith taking fourth place and Trent Murphy was a close fifth.

The open motored Modifieds ran eight heat races via draw, and then ran a second set of eight, lining up in reverse starting order of their first heat. These heats earned them points.....1.66 points for each car passed.  By the end of the evening....the top point getters were announced:  54 Benji LaCrosse and 19G Richie Gustin were tied for first.  Then it was 62 Hunter Marriott, K1 Kyle Krampe, 37 Mike Jergens, 85 Dustin Smith, 02 Andrew Schroeder, 72 Brian Mullen, 99 Mike Mullen,  and77 Kurt Kile.  These drivers are locked in to tonight $10,000 to win feature.  All remaining drivers, will run last chance heats with the top two going to the A main, and I believe a last chance, last chance, or "final 4" race, tagging four cars to the tail to complete the starting field of 24 cars.

It was great to see the drivers that showed for this event.  I counted thirteen different states,(Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, and Arizona)  and drivers we seldom see.  Among those drivers was Jeff Taylor from Cave City, Arkansas.  He is the 2012 IMCA Super National Champion.  Also making a long haul was Dean Abbey from Waco, Texas.  Tonight, racing is to start at 6 p.m. and it should be a great show.  Make plans to attend.  For more information, check www.marshalltownspeedway.com.

Track champions crowned at Southern Iowa Speedway

It was good to get back to Osky on Wednesday night where it was season championship night.  There were new drivers, new winners, and track champions were crowned.  It was a heavy track and it was fast!  A bit of track prep was needed between most of the races to keep the track in good racing condition and with that extra effort, there was some fantastic racing.

All division were brought to the front stretch for introductions prior to their feature race, allowing fans a chance to see the drivers and show their appreciation.

The Sport Compact 10-lap feature went flag-to-flag.  It was led the entire way by Matt Girdley, who won for the first time at Osky.  He won easily over Bill "Happy Feet" Whalen, Jr. who was second.  Third went to John Whalen, fourth was Matt Moore and Nicholas VanHemert was fifth.  Bill Whalen, Jr. is the track champion of 2014.

The Modified feature had a couple of new drivers.  Some of those were trying to get in an extra race and nab some IMCA points before the season is done.  One of those, Troy Cordes is sitting in sixth place in the National point chase.

Veteran driver Jerry Pilcher, was driving the 7W car of Mark Widmar last night.  He sat on the pole of the 16-lap feature and took the lead as the green flew.  Meanwhile, there was a good battle brewing behind him as AJ Johnson, Tyler Groendyk and Andrew Schroeder were going at it.  Schroeder won that duel, taking over second place at lap eleven and then began pressuring leader Pilcher.  Schroeder made it payoff, taking the lead just before lap twelve was scored.  From there on he stretched it out, avoiding lap traffic, and swept to the feature win.  Pilcher held on to score the runner up spot, ahead of Johnson, Groendyk and Brandon Banks, third through fifth.  This was Schroeder's seventh win at the track in 2014 and it earned him the track championship.

The 15-lap Hobby Stock A main was up next.  Mike Kincaid led the charge early on in this one, but was soon harassed by Craig Brown.  Brown finally established the lead at lap nine and was content to let a pack of cars fight it out behind him.  Among those cars was Mike Hughes.  Hughes had been involved in an incident in the opening laps of the race, had to go to the work area, and tagged the field.  As the laps wound down, he had worked his way into that pack of battling cars, and as Brown went under the flying checkers and the win, Hughes stuck it into the runner up spot, just ahead of veteran racer Brad Stephens.  Mike Kincaid was third, fourth went to Dustin Griffiths, and Danny Thrasher was fifth.  This made the third win for Brown in 2014.  The track champion was Dustin Griffiths.

The always entertaining Stock Cars were next.  They had a great field of 21 cars show for the final night of regular racing.  Packwood, Iowa racer Todd Phillips had his #7 on the point position for the start of the 18-lapper and Louis Lynch, "the Hurryin', Scurryin' Missourian", was along side.  The two duked it out through lap nine, when the yellow flew. Lynch then had to start from square one after suffering a flat, and tagging the restart field.  Phillips still maintained his lead but now it was Corey Stout and newcomer of the night, Gary Harward, setting their sites on the leader.  The last eight laps turned into quite the race.  Harward got to second and was trying everything to get around Phillips.  He would peek under him as they raced down the backstretch, appearing to make the pass, only to have Phillips pull back to the lead as they came out of turn four. This happened again, and again, but Phillips never lost that momentum out of turn four, and scored the victory.  Harward took the runner up spot, third was Nathan Wood, who had started in ninth spot, fourth was the #20dub of Shane Weller who had started tenth, and Corey "from just across the street" Stout, was fifth. The Stock Car track championship for 2014 went to Cayden Carter.

The IMCA Northern SportMods closed out the racing and the season at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Colton Livezey took the lead when the race went green but by lap five, he was being pestered by Curtis Van Der Wal, who had started back in row four.  Van Der Wal pressured down the backstretch and then made the pass in corner three, nabbing the lead when lap six was in the books.  The only yellow of the race came at lap eight for Logan Anderson sitting dead in the water in turn four after spinning.  Van Der Wal had no trouble in pulling away when the race went back to green and scored the win by a comfortable margin.  Second place went to Cory VanZante.  VanZante has had his most successful season to date in the SportMod division after jumping into a new ride this year.  Third went to Tony Johnson, fourth was Charlie Weber, Colton Livezey was fifth, sixth went to Brayton Carter and Brett Lowry was seventh.  Lowry, who was really sticking it on the bottom of the track on Wednesday night, was crowned the 2014 track champion.

Another season of racing has come and gone at the Southern Iowa Speedway.  But there is still some racing coming up on the Monster Half Mile.  The 28th Annual Fall Challenge is scheduled for October 3-4.  Friday's show has hot laps at 6:45 with racing to follow.  Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks, Sport Compacts and the Iowa Sportsman Series will be competing on that night.  Saturday's show, which has hot laps at 6:00 with racing to follow, will not include the Sportsman Series but all other classes will be on the docket.  For more information, check www.oskyspeedway.com.

Osky Season Championship - 9-17-14

Unofficial results:

Modified

1. 02 Andrew Schroeder - Track Champion
2. 7W Jerry Pilcher
3. 8J AJ Johnson
4. 9G Tyler Groenendyk
5. 22 Brandon Banks
6. 71C Troy Cordes
7. 40 Scott Dickey
8. 71W Jeff Waterman
9. 10C Cayden Carter
10. 4 Ryan Maitland
DNF:  64 Casey Greubel

Stock Car

1. 7 Todd Phillips
2. 23 Gary Harward
3. 52 Nathan Wood
4. 20dub Shane Weller
5. 94 Corey Stout
6. 62 Brad Pinkerton
7. 22R Todd Reitzler
8. 72 Jerry Pilcher
9. 10CC Cayden Carter - Track Champion
10. 1X Michael Petersen
11. 87 Les Blakely
12. 77T Trent Jeanes
13. 19 Donnie Pearson
DNF:  7K Kelsie Spilman
           4M Mike McClure
           27K Tim Kraber
           31 Jason See
           18 Kris Walker
           85 Doug Sylvester
           71 Louis Lynch
           17 Brock Welch

SportMod

1. 1V Curtis VanDerWal
2. 34Z Cory VanZante
3. 8T Tony Johnson
4. 352 Charlie Weber
5. 29 Colton Livezey
6. 01 Brayton Carter
7. 72 Brett Lowry - Track Champion
8. 40 Dakota Simmons
9. 85 Jason McDaniel
10. 7 Carter VanDenBerg
11. 82 Jake McBirnie
12. 9A Logan Anderson
13. 53 Greg Strohman
14. 20 Danny Brau
DNF:  03 Mike Mundell

Hobby Stock

1. 69 Craig Brown
2. 11 Mike Hughes
3. 55 Brad Stephens
4. 12 Mike Kincaid
5. 10G Dustin Griffiths - Track Champion
6. 84 Danny Thrasher
7. 6S Shannon Sherwood
8. 66 Brandon Cox
9. 31 Adam Bonnett
10. 73 Aaron Martin
11.  32T Bobby Greene
12. 3s Steve Allen
13. 19D Daniel Dyer
14. 224 Gina Greubel
DNF: 3 Travis Bunnell
          21 Nick Ulin

Sport Compact

1. 33 Matt Girdley
2. 00W Bill Whalen, Jr. - Track Champion
3. 77 John Whalen
4. 2M Matt Moore
5. 33X Nicholas VanHemert
6. 118 Trent Orwig
7. 22K Tyler Harring

2014 Super National notes and tidbits

We made it through another Super Nationals.....our 27th straight year and all at the Boone Speedway.  The 32nd Speedway Motors Super Nationals had it all....from 865 plus cars, to torrential rains the night before, flooding parts of the pits, the infield of the track and areas of the camping area.  Then the heat and humidity moved in and later in the week, it got down right chilly at night.  It also had some of the earliest nights we can remember in recent times.  The latest being 12:45 a.m.  There were fans and drivers from far and wide, some drivers repeated their prestigious wins from previous years, and a rookie to his class claimed a Super Nationals title. 

Monday, Labor Day, Day 1

The first day of the 2014 Super Nationals was really sounding iffy the night before and all through the night when we heard the rain coming down.  When we arrived at the track, some areas of the pits, the camping areas and the drives were a mess!  We heard that they began working the track at 8:30 a.m. and when we arrived shortly after noon, the infield that had been flooded, was now drained.....all on it's own without pumps, and the track was looking good.  Racing was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (as it was each of the six days) but was about 45 minutes late.  The track was even WATERED, before the racing began. What could have been a really ugly day of racing, turned into a night of good racing, and one that was completed at 10:41 p.m.

That first day of racing was a full show for the 41 IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models, plus qualifying for the 145 Hobby Stocks and 167 SportMods.  The 50 lap Deery Brothers feature saw a familiar face back on the podium as Jeff Aikey led all 50 laps on his way to capturing his fourth Super Nationals Championship.

In the Hobby Stock division, it was Shannon Anderson capturing the first qualifying feature and securing his pole starting spot for Saturday's A feature.  The second Hobby Stock feature was won by Nebraska racer Jesse VanLaningham, earning him a front row starting spot from the middle row on Saturday night.

The IMCA Northern SportMods also had a qualifying feature on the first night of racing.  Ben Kates, the Tonganoxie, Kansas driver who has called Boone, Iowa home this racing season, won that A qualifier, putting him on the pole for the Saturday show.

Tuesday, Day 2

The Super Nationals, had the second Champion crowned, this time in the IMCA Sport Compact class.  Adam Gates was a surprised winner of this Super National's Championship, as he was not aware he was leading at the checkers---thinking instead that Nate Coopman was a runaway.  Coopman had his engine expire with a handful of laps remaining, but Gates did not notice him sitting in the infield.

In the Hobby Stock class on Day 2, Atlantic, Iowa driver, Dusty VanHorn won the A qualifier, putting himself on the front of the outside row come Saturday night.

Two more drivers earned front row starting spots in the SportMod division.  Jerry Hoffman was awarded the front row of the middle row for Saturday night's big show.  This was after finishing second to Bobby Anders, Jr. who had crossed the finish line in first.....but was later found to have an illegal shock.  The second A qualifier, putting the winner on the outside front row, was a popular win.  Hometown boy, Jake McBirnie put his bright metallic blue ride on that coveted position by winning that race.

Wednesday, Day 3

Wednesday was "Ground Pounder" day, the IMCA Modifieds making their first time racing and qualifying as did the Stock Cars.  By my count, 277 Modifieds ran heats and there were 167 Stock Cars.  Things were also beginning to get busier and the crowd was growing.  The Hobby Stocks and SportMods qualified their final six cars to tag the end of their Big Dance, the Stock Cars qualified four cars for the inside row and four cars for the middle row as did the Modifieds.

Taking the win for the final shot in the Hobby Stocks was Andrew Burg, who had been a strong runner weekly at the Boone Speedway all year long.  In the last gasp for the SportMods, it was Chad Ryerson from Wellsburg, happy with his win and a chance to race in the Saturday night feature.

Two Stock Car A qualifiers ran on Wednesday night, and the first one went to a familiar name around the oval.  Jerry Gifford, from right there in Boone, won #1.  The second one, went to Jay Schmidt, another weekly racer at the track who had a successful season at "Iowa's Action Track".

Two qualifiers were run in the Modifieds.  Though Adam Larson took the checkers in the first feature, he was later disqualified for an infraction on the chassis.  This gave the win to Californian, Paul Stone.  Qualifier #2 went to "the Flying Banana", Mike Jergens.  Jergens drove his #37X machine from row seven, to take the checkers.

Thursday, Day 4

Day #4 was a hot one and a humid one! Qualifying for the Stock Cars and Modifieds continued....each running two qualifying features with four drivers from each advancing.  The first of the Stock Car events went to rookie to the class, Devin Smith.  Smith, who moved up from Hobby Stocks this year, looked to be on a mission in taking his solid win.  The second of the qualifiers saw Marcus Fagan make it to the checkers first.  However, he was later disqualified for an infraction, giving the win to Belmond, Iowa driver, Heath Tulp.

The Modified's were qualifying for the middle row on Thursday.  The first A feature went to Earlham, Iowa's Josh Gilman.  It took a while to get through the second A qualifier with at least five yellows flying plus a red flag when a car took a flip.  When it was finally scored complete, Chris Mills from Sioux City took the win.

Friday, Day 5

Mother Nature decided to throw a little curve into the Super Nationals again with rain, rain and more rain in the early morning hours on Friday.  Despite all that "liquid sunshine", racing began just 16 minutes late, at 2:16 p.m.  A few sprinkles returned just about starting time and tried to interrupt the festivities and right before heat #9, it halted the racing as the sprinkles became heavier.  Wheels were kept on the track though, both the hard working "green" farming machines, and the race cars, and after about an hour delay, things picked back up where they had let off, and the roar of the engines resumed.  That rain had also moved in a cold front, and the temperatures began to fall.  The evening turned into a jacket night for sure!

Friday featured the Modified All Star Invitational Race----30 cars for 30 laps.  Kyle Strickler, known as the "high side tickler" pretty much dominated this one after getting to the lead by lap seven and leading the rest of the race to the flying checkers.

There were also two more Stock Car qualifying A's as well as two for the Modifieds.  In the first Stock Car A main, a brand new car and driver showed up and took all the marbles.  Casey Werkmeister from North Platte, Nebraska won his heat as well as the qualifying A, putting his #24W on the outside row of the "Big Dance".  An interesting fact about Werkmeister is that he is a Junior Varsity football coach back home and was not about to let his team down by being absent at their game the previous night!  An Iowa driver won the second Stock Car qualifier.  Justin Temeyer started in row five, and took over the lead before the halfway mark of the 25-lap race and held it to the finish.

Feature one of the Modifieds found De Pere, Wisconsin racer, Johnny Whitman snaring the win and the right to start in the outside row come Saturday night.  Race #2 went to Kyle Strickler, taking the checkers for the second time of the night, after his earlier prestigious All Star Invitational win.  That second qualifying feature had a scary incident on the backstretch, when Billy Davis, Jr. was slowing on the track, when the cars approaching him tried to take evasive action, and the situation did not end well.  Davis took a real hit and rolled just before turn four, his car sitting demolished on the track in the outcome.  It was a big relief to see him emerge from the car and okay.

Saturday, Day 6, - The Big Dance

Saturday was finally here.  There were still some last chance races for the Modifieds and Stock Cars before their "Big Dance" was set as well as Race of Champions features for the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and the Hobby Stocks.  Making it into the main event by winning the Stock Car qualifying A was Derek Green from Granada, Minnesota, and winning each of three final qualifiers for the the Modifieds, were Mike VanGenderen, Ryan Ruter and Joel Rust.

The Race of Champions winners were:
                                                                Hobby Stock - Austin Luellen, Iowa
                                                                SportMod      - Clint Luellen, Iowa
                                                                Stock Car      -  Devin Smith, Iowa
                                                                Modified       -  Keith White, Texas

The Big Dance for the IMCA Hobby Stocks found pole sitter Shannon Anderson lead the entire 30-lap race from start to finish, on his way to his third Super Nationals Hobby Stock Championship.  Anderson motored home to the victory by a comfortable distance.  Second went to Mike Pruitt, who had to fend off third place finisher Jesse VanLaningham.  Fourth was regular Saturday night racer at Boone, Eric Stanton, and Austin Luellen rounded out the top five.

Johnathon Logue made history by winning the IMCA Northern SportMod Big Dance.  Logue, who's father is John Logue, five-time Super National winner in the Modified division, drove his #69jr hot rod from starting inside row four, to snare the coveted win.  Logue passed second place finisher Randy Roberts by lap eighteen, and then held the lead to the finish. Third place went to Algona's Jake Simpson, fourth was Bakersfield, California racer Ethan Dotson, and Jared VanDeest from Holland, Iowa was fifth.

Devin Smith, rookie in the Stock Car class, was dominate most of the week.  After his Race of Champions win earlier in the evening, he didn't let up when it came Big Dance time.  Smith took the lead by lap eight and never looked back.  Smith won comfortably over second place finisher Damon Murty.  Murty started in the middle of row four to take the runner up spot.  Third was Boone track champion Jerry Gifford, fourth went to Hortonville, Wisconsin's Travis VanStraten and Justin Temeyer from Independence, Iowa, completed the top five.

The grand finale of the six-day Super Nationals was the 30-lapper for the Modifieds.  Starting across the 3-wide front row were Mike Jergens, Josh Gilman and Kyle Strickler.  When the race went green, Strickler took immediate command of the lead,  pulling away from all the remaining 32 cars.  Strickler was still leading easily at lap seventeen, when a horrific crash on the frontstretch, right at the flagstand occurred. A car was limping toward the pit exit out of turn four, right up against the wall, when all of a sudden the cars approaching him that were racing for position, were swerving to avoid him, as they had committed to the top line of the track.  It was mayhem as cars piled into each other. Todd Shute rolled and Mike VanGenderen took a late hit to the drivers door, Jimmy Gustin was in the middle of the mess, but quickly emerged from his destroyed car.  Also involved were Adam Johnson, Nick Roberts and Chris Mills.  VanGenderen commented that he was knocked out for a moment.  From the looks of the resulting carnage, we'd say probably at least three race cars were destroyed.  Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt that we heard about.

When racing got back underway after a lengthy clean up procedure, Strickler took up where he left off, distancing himself from the field.  Strickler took the win easily, putting his name in the record books as a Super Nationals winner.  Richie Gustin made a late race pass to take the runner up spot.  Gustin started on the inside of row five to finish in second.  Third went to last year's winner Dylan Smith who started in the middle of row four.  Fourth was Canada racer Aaron Turnbull from Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Mike Jergens finished in the top five after starting on the inside pole.

We mentioned earlier that racing was completed much earlier each night than in recent years.  Monday was done at 10:41 p.m., Tuesday was 12:02 a.m., Wednesday it was 12:45 a.m, Thursday, 12:09 a.m., Friday, 12:32 a.m. and Saturday it was done by 10:21 p.m.  We did stick around for the motor auctioning after the celebrating was done.  Both the Hobby Stock and SportMod motors went for $2,400 and both the Modified and Stock Car, which was a Mopar, went for $6,000.

The 32nd IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals has come and gone.  We are already looking forward to the 33rd!  Where else can you see cars in six divisions from across the whole United States and Canada, come together for America's Racin' Vacation and run in such an efficient and orderly manner?  We love it and by the size of the crowds and the car count, so do a lot of others!

I know this is late in getting completed.  Thanks in part to an issue with the lap top that put it out of commission for a while.  We are hoping to get just a couple more races in this year before we call it a season.  We usually go racing into October, but my other half is soon to be getting a new knee and then down for some recuperation.  We plan for the Southern Iowa Speedway's season championship tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 17 and we have our fingers crossed for the Marshalltown Speedway's World Nationals on Friday and Saturday. Please Mother Nature, don't rain on our last races of the year!



 

Boone crowns track champions

It was season championship night at the Boone Speedway on Saturday.  Five track champions were crowned, ending the regular season.  But things were already beginning to sprout signs of the 32nd Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals that starts on Labor Day.

The top 20 in points were locked into the mains, with B mains run if needed, to fill in the starting field.  Only drivers that had points previously were allowed to participate in the B's.  The Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks had the consolations, the Mod Lites and the Modifieds not needed. Extra laps were added to all of the A mains.  All features were lined up according to points, brought to the frontstretch of the grandstand and drivers were introduced.  This is always a nice way for the crowd getting to acknowledge the drivers for their year-long efforts.

The Mod Lites saw Bryan Zehm make it to corner one first, taking the lead from point leader James May.  Behind them, a couple of brothers were duking it out---Charlie and Terry Brown.  Zehm continued his ride at the front, looking pretty comfortable until smoke began to rise from a wheel with just a couple of laps remaining.  The wheel then began to glow, and Zehm was shown the black flag for safety reasons, and he exited the race.  This handed first place over to James May, who then went the distance to the checkers and the win.  Charlie Brown  and Terry Brown finished second and third in that order, Randy Bryan was fourth and Joel Keenan completed the top five.  James May is also the 2014 track champion in the Mod Lite division.

The IMCA Northern SportMods ran a 20-lap feature.  Ben Kates led the opening laps with Johnathon Logue in hot pursuit.  Logue kept hounding Kates, peeking to the outside, and at lap five made it payoff with a pass into the lead.  Logue continued his ride at the front the remaining way to the win.  Kates held down the runner up spot, with Tara Longnecker a close third place.  Tim Love and Doug Smith, who started eleventh on the field, rounded out the five top spots.  Ben Kates is the 2014 track champion in the SportMod class.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks went 15-laps in their main event.  Eric Stanton got the drop on John Watson as the race went green.  From there on, Stanton never gave up that point position, and drove it home to the checkers.  Watson held down second place, third went to Andrew Burg and Tyler Pickett was fourth.  Finishing a distance behind in fifth place, was Ross Marshall.  John Watson is the track champion for 2014.  After he was awarded his trophy, he presented it to a young fan in the grandstand.  A classy gesture.

The IMCA Modified 25-lap feature was the most exciting of the evening.  Point leader Jimmy Gustin leaped to the lead as the race went green, Kyle Brown tagging in second.  With just one lap in the books, Gustin experienced trouble with his machine, and exited into the pits.  This handed the lead over to Kyle Brown in his new wrap, with Scott Davis hot on his heels.  By lap six, Mike VanGenderen had pushed his new wrapped car from seventh, into the third spot, and wanting more.  At about the halfway mark of the race, Brown appeared to jump the cushion as he entered turn one, thus allowing both Davis and VanGenderen to slip by him.  The show was now between Davis and VanGenderen.  The two ran closely, side-by-side, door handle to door handle for many laps while Brown lingered a distance in third.  Davis and VanGenderen fought back and forth, with VanGenderen finally get an edge as lap 24 was scored.  Just after that lap was scored, the yellow flew when Brown's machine came to a halt just out of turn four, the left side wheel protruding from a broken axle.  The race was called over and yellow/checkered.  VanGenderen took the win, Davis was second and Russ Dickerson finished third.  Fourth went to Matthew Meinecke and Joel Bushore came from starting eleventh, to finish fifth.  Even with his bad luck on the evening, Jimmy Gustin held on to the track championship.

Finishing the evening's racing was the 20-lap Stock Car main.  Jerry Gifford led Donavon Smith to the first corner and the lead while Jay Schmidt and Wayne Gifford tagged into third and fourth.  Gifford, Smith and Schmidt had quite the battle going for a while, until lap eleven when Smith made his run on the inside of the track work, taking the lead.  From there on, Smith pulled away from the competition and won by half a straight away.  Jerry Gifford held on to the runner up spot, Wayne Gifford got past Jay Schmidt in the closing laps as they went third and fourth respectively, and Mike Goldsberry rounded out the top five.  Jerry Gifford is the Stock Car track champion.

Another season of racing at the Boone Speedway wound up.  Amazingly, all 20 nights of racing were completed without a cancellation.  Add to that, the Memorial Day Deery Brothers Late Model special.  The only blip on the radar the entire year was the opening Frostbuster on April 12th when just one feature was completed.  The remaining features were made up the following week on opening night.

Let the craziness begin!  Now it's time for the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone.  We plan to be there for all six days/nights of the amazing racing marathon that begins tomorrow, September 1.  We look forward to meeting up with drivers, friends and fans who share this crazy love of dirt track racing.  Hope to see you there!


 

Sanders continues his roll in USMTS - locals win USRA Stock Car and B Mods at Marshalltown

It's been a few years since the United States Modified Touring Series has been to the high-banks at Marshalltown.  The race, originally scheduled back in June, was rained out and rescheduled for Wednesday night---but Mother Nature looked to throw a wrench into it.  Thankfully, the rain that was forecast, didn't happen at the Marshalltown Speedway and the USMTS and the USRA Stock Cars and B Mods put on the show as scheduled.

The USRA B Mods raced their 20-lap feature caution free. The current USRA point leader in the Iron Man Challenge,DanWheeler from Savage, Minnesota, leaped to the lead immediately from his pole starting spot.  He was soon to have two local drivers hot on his trail though---Jared VanDeest and Jenae Gustin.  With a handful of laps in the books, those three drivers would make it three-wide racing for the lead.  Things got sorted out by lap seven, and who should be in the lead, but the "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin.  Gustin was letting no one stand in her way on this night, defending her home turf and showing the boys how it's done!  Gustin made it look easy in winning her first USRA B Mod race, a $600 win, and thanked her many sponsors and fans in her post-race interview with announcer Lon Olke.  USRA regular, Jacob Bleess from Chatfield, Minnesota, took the runner up position.  Third went to Joey Schaefer, fourth was another Marshalltown regular, Jared VanDeest, and USRA regular Cory Crapser from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin completed the top five.  Wheeler finished sixth, and after taking a look at the current points in the Iron Man Challenge series, it appears that he now sits second in points to Cory Crapser.

Another local driver defended the home turf in the USRA Stock Car 25-lap feature.  Damon Murty, who had barely made his heat race due to having to change from his usual 2-barrel carburetor, to the USRA required 4-barrel, was the lucky recipient of the pole position, thanks to his son Dallon's draw.  The early laps, Murty was challenged by another Marshalltown regular, Steve Meyer, as they both swung to the topside.  In the final five laps, Murty stretched his lead, but now Meyer was having to contend with Decorah's Mitch Hovden.  Hovden made the pass into second on the back stretch before lap 22 was scored, taking the highroad around Meyer who had now been running the lowside.  Murty took the checkers, and the $750 payoff, Hovden finished as the runner up, and Steve Meyer held on to third.  Fourth went to Tom Schmitt and Dillon Anderson was fifth.

It was a 40-lap feature for the USMTS A main.  Young Cade Dillard out of Robeline, Louisiana got the jump on pole-sitter Joe Duvall from Claremore, Oklahoma as soon as the race went green.  A caution flew at lap four when two local drivers, Derek Riemer and Zach Rawlins got together in turn one.  Dillard was still holding down the point position, Duvall was second and Stormy Scott was sitting in third place.  As the race restarted, things did not go so well for Duvall and Scott as Scott ended up in the outside frontstretch wall just before the flagstand when the two got together. The restart sent Duvall to the tail for the restart while Scott had to retire to the pits.  An area regular who runs the USMTS circuit, Zack VanderBeek from New Sharon, was now sitting in second place and readying for a chance to challenge the leader when the race went green.  Dillard however, was hanging tough and still leading when another yellow flew at lap twenty.  VanderBeek was still lurking in second but it was the #20 of Rodney Sanders up to third place.  Sanders has been hot lately, well on his way to defending his USMTS National title, after starting ninth.  Another yellow flew just a few laps later when local driver Richie Gustin dropped his driveshaft, leaving him dead in the water.  On the restart, Sanders got a tremendous jump and was about to take over the lead, only to have it called back for yet another yellow for the car #77 of Joe Beal from Milan, Illinois.  Leader Dillard was not about to let Sanders get the jump on this restart, but he had made his way into second place around VanderBeek and was in hot pursuit of the leader. It was fight for the lead between Dillard and Sanders as they flew down the backstretch after lap 29 had been scored, and this time, Sanders got the upper hand, scored the leader at lap 30.  From there on, Sanders was never really challenged but the race behind him was intense.  Dillard, VanderBeek and area racer Brad Dierks were locked into a battle.  Sanders took the checkers, marking his 24th feature win of the year in the USMTS, Dillard held the runner up spot, Dierks slipped by VanderBeek in the closing moments to score the third spot, VanderBeek going fourth, and multiple times USMTS champion, Kelly Shryock completed the top five.

It was fun watching the USMTS on the Marshalltown high-banks, an enjoyable mid-week round of racing.  The series was suppose to have a five-night run, but already the second night scheduled for Webster City has been canceled due to the rain.  The series is now scheduled for Lansing, Minnesota on Friday, Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota on Saturday, and Cresco on Sunday---all at Mother Nature's mercy.  

First Boone checkers for Murty, Lynch and Glick, Gustin and Kates return to victory lane

The rain didn't clear out at the Boone Speedway on Saturday until mid-day, and then the heat came. I think you could have wrung out the air when the racing began.  It was Walmart night at the races, there was a bunch of bike giveaways to the kids, racing family helped out one of their own when drivers passed the helmets in the grandstands, and Boone Speedway employees took the ALS ice water challenge! A freak accident at the flagstand also sent the flagman to the hospital for some medical attention.  The night was packed full of racing as well with 163 cars on hand.

The MADCRA Mod Lites hit the track first for their 15-lap A main.  Joe Glick took the lead past early leader Jason Whitehead at lap two, and from there on held command to the checkers.  Bryan Zehm got to the runner up spot and tried to challenge, but to no avail, settling for second.  Third was point leader James May, last week's winner Travis Stensland finished fourth and Mike Kennedy was fifth.  Glick won for the first time ever at the Boone Speedway.

There were 37 SportMods on hand, which meant whittling the starting A main to 24 cars through two B mains.  Those wins went to Robert Moore and Austin Kaplan.  The feature began with JD Robinson taking charge as the green fell, and Rocky Caudle tucked into second place.  By lap three, it was Montezuma's Brett Lowry getting around Caudle and taking over the runner up spot.  Lowry, who has been having a good season, looked to the low side and slid under Robinson, taking over the helm by lap five.  He couldn't get comfortable though, as now all eyes were on the #23K of Ben Kates.  Kates, a familiar face at the Boone Speedway this year, had started eleventh, and by lap six, had taken over the runner up spot......and the chase was on!  Lowry held his ground, Kates taking a look to the outside for a way around.  His persistence paid off just after lap thirteen was scored.  As the cars went down the backstretch, Kates took the lead.  There was a yellow at lap fourteen and on the restart, it was now Lowry bothering Kates, however it didn't work, and Kates took the victory, Lowry having to settle for a close second place finish.  Third went to sixteenth place starter, Sam Wieben, fourth was Jake McBirnie, last week's winner, and Rocky Caudle hung to the front all race, and finished in fifth.  Kates won for the seventh time during the regular season, plus also having a win in the pre-season Frostbuster.

There were a couple of early lead changes in the 12-lap Hobby Stock feature.  Troy Phillips led the troops through the first four laps, then pushed up the track, allowing Dustin Graham to slip by and into the lead.  Meanwhile, another "Dustin" was on the move, Dustin Lynch.  Lynch got to second and was bothering the leader, when Graham suddenly suffered the fate of a tire going down.  Lynch seized the moment and took over the lead.  The last portion of the race, found Lynch holding tight to the lead, being chased by last week's winner, Cody Gustoff all the way to the checkers.  Seth Janssen followed in third place, fourth was Andrew Burg, and Tyler Pickett completed the top five.  This was Lynch's first win ever at the Boone track. This made the 13th different winner in the Hobby Stock class in their regular season.

The starting 20-lap feature for the Modifieds had to be completed with the running of two B mains to whittle the 38 cars to 24.  Those winners were Russ Dickerson and Shay Woods. Two drivers who appeared for the first time at the track last week, the #11V of Alex Hanson from Kensett, and the #29 of Brandon Kern from Des Moines, sat on the front row of the A main.  Lap one got completed, but then Hanson lost the handle as he went into turn two, collecting several cars who could not avoid him.  When things were cleaned up, Tony Cox had inherited the lead, and Webster City's Greg Elliott was sitting in second, and Joel Bushore was in third.  As things restarted, another car was making headway----point leader Jimmy Gustin had moved into fourth, and you just knew he wasn't done yet!  Gustin tightened the screws on Cox and at the halfway mark had made the pass into second place.  The reeling in of leader Bushore began and at lap fourteen when a yellow flew for veteran Denny Pittman at a standstill in turn four, Gustin was no doubt a happy camper in anticipation of the restart.  The green flew for the restart and by lap fifteen, Gustin had taken the lead, as Bushore slipped up the track in turn four.  Gustin kept command in the closing laps, and took the win.  It was a yellow/checkered finish when Scott Davis was sitting on the track in turn four, after the field had taken the white flag. Bushore held on to second place and Tony Cox finished third.  Mike VanGenderen was the last car to qualify for the A main.  He finished second in the second B and tagged the field in 24th place.  He maneuvered his way through the stout field, to finish in fourth place.  Greg Elliott rounded out the top five positions.  Gustin won for the third time this year and leads points going into the season championship next Saturday by a comfortable 23 points ahead of Kyle Brown.

The night ending 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature had to have the final four cars in the starting line up determined by two B mains.  Those wins went to Josh Daniels and Matt West.  Most of this one had Damon Murty and Jeff Deal at the front of the pack and running "up top".  Digging down low, was the #55 of Cory Bushnell, but things never changed from that running order----Murty taking the checkers over Deal in second, and Bushnell in third.  Trent Murphy took fourth place and Donavon Smith moved from starting eleventh, to finish fifth.  This race also ended under the yellow/checkered as the white flag had flown before a car sat idle on the track.  This was Murty's first win at Boone this year, but his 24th over all for the season.

As mentioned earlier, there were many other scenarios going on during the night.  Many kids went home happy with a new bike.  There was a great display of "racing family" during the farming session, as drivers came across the track and into the grandstands, and passed their helmets.  This was for longtime track worker Jerry Denning, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is needing to begin treatment.  Around $2,000 was raised and the track matched it for a $4,000 night's total.  Also during that farming session, several Boone track employees, including the Lawton's, made their way to the infield, as they had accepted the "ice water challenge" in support of ALS.  They did it the Boone track way!  The water was released on them from one of the John Deere bucket scoops.....to the delight of the onlookers!  You can take a look at the video by going to www.raceboone.com and clicking on the video at the right.

Another incident happened that could have been so much worse.  At lap ten of the Stock Car feature, the race was stopped when flagman Nick Breuklander had a solid mud plug come flying at him, hitting him in the side of the head.  He was attended to immediately after staggering from the flagstand, and as he stood up to get on the gurney, head wrapped like a mummy, he smiled and waved to the crowd.  One tough guy. Word later was he got ten staples, and a CAT scan was okay. This just shows what a dangerous job many track workers have. Another track worker, long time employee Rod Robbins, finished the flagging duties of the race.

Next Saturday, August 30, is season championship night.  I believe the top 20 cars in points in attendance will be locked in and any cars that have run during the year with points, will be allowed to try and fill in the 24-car starting fields.  I am sure there will be many, many cars from far and wide there as well, waiting in the wings for Monday's first day of the 32nd running of the IMCA Super Nationals....starting it's six-night run. Can't wait for this "Racin' Vacation" spectacle!  It's something that you must experience!  Hope to see many of you there as well as catch up with racing friends coming from afar.  

  

Gustin beats the rain at Marshalltown

What a hot and muggy night it was at Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night.  Better that than the rain we had at home when we headed there! The threat was all around however, and everyone was hoping it would hold off.  It did.....barely!  There was a first time winner in the Hobby Stock division and the Mod Lites.  It was old hat for the winners of the Modified, SportMod and Stock Cars.

Things did get hurried around for the features....no pictures and interviews again last night. What would we ever do without being able to watch the radar on our cell phones?  The Mod Lites were quickly brought to the track for their 15-lap feature.

Bryan Zehm, the pole-sitter, who had only made a couple of previous appearances at the high banks this year, left no doubt as to what his goal was for the evening.  He shot to the lead immediately, weathered a couple of yellow flag situations, and led all 15-lap on this way to his first victory at the track.  Josh May and his father Jimmy May, chased the leader most of that distance, but had to settle for second and third respectively.  Charlie Brown was fourth and Joe Glick rounded out the top five.

The Mod Lites were barely off the track when the Hobby Stocks were coming out of staging.  Gary Pfantz set the pace in their 12-lap feature through the first six laps.  That's when a yellow flew for a spinning Travis Merical between turns three and four.  By that time, the #56 of Jamie Schirm...who had made his first trip to Marshalltown last week, was up to second.  That caution was what Schirm had been wanting, as he took over as captain of the ship and leading as lap seven was scored.  He led the remaining distance to the finish, chalking up his first win at Marshalltown.  Garrett Eilander finished a distance behind in second place, Pfantz was a distant third, followed by John Watson in fourth and first timer, Travis Staley from Hampton, was fifth.

Up next, the IMCA Northern SportMods.  You know how it goes when things are trying to be hurried along.....not so good.  Their 18-lap feature was slowed five times by cautions.  The early leader, Ryan Ashton was chased by Matt Lettow until lap seven. Lettow was able to take the outside lane around Ashton and took over the lead at that lap seven.  A couple of yellows was not what Lettow was wanting, especially the one at lap twelve.  By that time, he had Jonathon Logue, Jr. breathing down his tailpipes and Clint Luellen and Jenae Gustin were right there as well.  Gustin, who was sporting a brand new ride with a beautiful wrap, was having a great run despite her left rear brake glowing brightly.  As the race restarted, Luellen swung to the outside entering turn one, and by turn two, had gained the lead.  Two more yellows would fly, but Luellen was not hindered and hung on to the top spot and the win.  Lettow finished as the runner up, Jenae Gustin, put her "hot" ride.....left rear glowing/flaming brake into a third place finish, Logue, Jr. was fourth and Sam Wieben completed the top five.  Luellen, who started eleventh, made it to the winner's circle for the second week in a row, and for the eighth time for the year.

The 18-lap Stock Car main had Don Vis leading the first two laps, but what a pack of cars there was fighting behind him!  They were tightly locked into a battle that eventually found eleventh place starter, Donavon Smith spurting out into the lead by lap three.  Two yellows didn't hinder Smith on the restarts, though the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty had made it to the runner up spot, Smith maintained the top spot the rest of the way to the checkers.  Murty chased him across the finish line for second.  Steve Meyer beat out Robert Stofer as they finished third and fourth in that order, and Michael Jaennette fought his way through the pack, to finish fifth. This made nine wins for Smith at Marshalltown this season.

The final feature, the 20-lap Modified main, went flag to flag.  And it's probably a good thing.  Jake Strayer led from lap one through five when Gilman's Richie Gustin took over command at lap six.   Gustin, who had started ninth, wasted no time in getting to the front, and after taking the lead, kept it to the checkers.  Last week's winner, Racer Hulin, chased Gustin across the finish line to take the runner up spot.  Third went to Jon Snyder, early leader Jake Strayer was fourth and point leader Ronn Lauritzen was fifth.  Gustin scored for the fourth time at Marshalltown this year. The closing laps of the race, the raindrops started to fall and the race was just completed as they grew heavier and heavier.

Next Friday, August 29, is the season championship at Marshalltown Speedway, bringing the regular season to a close.  This week, on Wednesday, August 27, the speedway will host the make up race for the USMTS that was weathered out earlier this year.  They will also be racing USRA Stock Cars and USRA B Mods. Then on September 19-20, it will be the 9th Annual World Nationals.  The Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks will be in competition. The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks will also race on September 20. The Modifieds can only run a built motor---no crates. There will be an open practice on September 18.  Don't miss these final races of 2014.

Sobbing snares HDT win at Tipton, Deery to Kay, and Brandies bags IMCA Stock Car victory

The Cedar County Raceway in Tipton was the scene of the Xsan Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds, the Deery Brothers IMCA Late Models and the IMCA Stock Cars on Tuesday night. Justin Kay left little doubt as to why he is leading the Deery Brothers series AND the IMCA National points race, as he took the 40-lap caution free win by leading the entire race.  Jesse Sobbing stayed over in the area after racing the HDT race at Vinton the previous night, and made his stay over a good one by snaring the win in that series.  The IMCA Stock Cars, that we understand were not on the weekly show at the track, found area hot shoe David Brandies standing in victory lane.

The 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature was led initially by Shane Paris---with a clump of cars fighting it out right behind him for position.  By lap six, David Brandies, Atalissa racer, had put his #71 in command of the lead, Tim Current tucked into second and Elberon, Iowa's Scott Pippert, (I believe a letter had been left out of the listing for the announcer, as our group sitting in the stands had to chuckle each time the town was announced) ran in third, Damon Murty in fourth. There was still a lot of close fought battling going on the rest of the way to the finish, giving the local fans a taste of just what IMCA Stock Cars are all about.  Brandies was able to hold off Current, who tried a peek to the outside in the closing laps for a way around but fell short, Brandies taking the checkers and Current settling for the runner up spot.  Scott Pippert held third place, Murty was fourth and Jerry Miles rounded out the top five.

There was a nice field of 45 IMCA Modifieds on hand for the Hawkeye Dirt Tour.  That was quite surprising, since the night before at the Vinton show, there were twenty-two.  The local racers came out in full force for sure.

An interesting draw for the top 12 starting positions was held on the frontstretch.  The Modified drivers were paired up with a Late Model driver and they had to agree on what to do with their original "unknown" number, keep it or pass it to another duo of drivers.  Steve Stewart, who was paired with Justin Kay, ended up with the #1 for the pole start for each and Patrick Flannagan and Late Model driver Kyle Hinrichs got the outside pole.

Steve Stewart took advantage of his pole starting spot, jumping to the lead as the green flag flew.  But by lap two, he had company in Glenwood, Iowa's Jesse Sobbing who was hot on his heels.  Sobbing made his persistent pestering pay off at lap ten, flying to the lead.  The race had it's first yellow at lap twenty-two for the 19G of Richie Gustin sitting off the bank of turn four.  When thing restarted, Sobbing was still in command with eighth place starter Darin Duffy running in second, and ninth place starter Brad Diercks in third, who had gotten around Stewart.  It was but one lap later at lap twnety-three that the final yellow flew for Durant's Dusty Kraklio.  The final run to the checkers was no problem for Sobbing, holding his lead easily, and taking his first win in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour series.  Brad Diercks held on to the runner up spot, the #6 of Brian Webb (we understand he is the son of veteran racer Gary Webb) had a great late race run after starting sixteenth, taking third when he passed fourth place finisher Darin Duffy in the closing lap of the race.  Kyle Brown started tenth, and had a good run to complete the top five.

It's looking like point leader Mike VanGenderen has the series title locked up going into the final race during the annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic in mid September.  Jesse Sobbing and Jeremy Mills tightened the screws in the late season, but it appears they fell just short.

There were 34 Deery Late Models in the house last night.  As mentioned earlier, point leader Justin Kay got the lucky draw for the pole.  Kyle Hinrichs sat along side. The two front row starters took off immediately---Kay getting the drop on Hinrichs who tucked in behind him.  Fourth place starter Tyler Bruening established third spot.  The race at the front would continue in that order the rest of the caution free 40-laps.  Kay looked comfortable in his win, second place Hinrichs was pressured by Tyler Bruening in the waning laps, but had to be content with a third place finish.  Brian Harris started fifth, and took fourth place, after getting by fifth place finisher, Brian Beaudry.

We will not be getting to our regular Wednesday night show at the Southern Iowa Speedway tonight as they have been washed out by today's heavy rain in that part of the state.  We will cross our fingers and hope that rain is not going to be a pattern in the closing part of the racing season.  We still need to be getting our racing fix before things come to a halt.  

"G Money" does it again at HDT in Vinton

Monday night, we traveled to the Benton County Speedway for some early week racing.  It was the rescheduled Hawkeye Dirt Tour race that had been weathered out earlier in the season.  They also had the IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Stock Cars and the IMCA Hobby Stocks on the program.  All classes were running for National points, but not for track points.

The Northern SportMod 15-lap feature was first.  Kip Siems was the recipient of the pole spot after Colby Heishman was a scratch.  Siems took command when the green flew, with Tony Olson tucked into second.  Olson was able to make the move into the lead at lap six, and from there on, pulled away for an easy victory---his second at the track in as many nights.  Siems finished as the runner up, Sam Wieben was third, and a good distance behind was Kyle Olson in fourth and Troy Burkhart in fifth.  The race went flag to flag.

Scott Pippert looked well on his way to nabbing a victory in the IMCA Stock Car class.  Pippert led from the start with Damon Murty running in second the entire distance.  That is until the final lap!  That's when Pippert got loose in corner four, and that was all Murty needed.  He flew around the outside of Pippert who was struggling to retain control, and scored the win....his 23rd of the year.  Pippert held on to take second, and a good distance behind in third was Norm Chesmore, followed by Justin Stander and Mike Galli.  

The Hobby Stocks saw Matt Pohlman lead the opening laps of the 12 lap event.  By lap five, Justin Wacha had taken command.  A lap later, Jacob Keiser passed Pohlman to take over the runner up spot and then started to reel in Wacha.  Keiser got close enough to try a couple of peeks on the outside of the leader, but it was to no avail, as Wacha held the lead and scored the win.  Keiser took second over Brian Happel in third and Matt Pohlman in fourth.  Scott Siems was fifth but did not finish.

It was now time for the 30-lap Hawkeye Dirt Tour for the IMCA Modifieds.  Tyler Droste and veteran Vern Jackson redrew the front row starting spots.  Jackson jumped to the lead with Droste tucked in behind him.  They would run in that order until a yellow flew at lap four when Glenwood, Iowa's Jesse Sobbing ended up off of the racing surface on corner three, bringing out a yellow.  When things picked up again, running in third behind Jackson and Droste was seventh place starter Richie Gustin, and defending HDT series champion, Ronn Lauritzen was in fourth.  Jackson and Droste were going at it hot and furiously, Droste briefly taking the lead, only to have Jackson snatch it back.  Five cars broke away from the field, Jackson, Droste, Gustin, Lauritzen and Joe Docekal had joined them for the tussle.  After many attempts, Droste finally made the pass around Jackson and took over the top spot at lap twenty.  The race was halted at lap twenty-three when local favorite, "Iceman" Scott Hogan somehow ended up on a tire in turn two.  The race was restarted and two more yellows would fly, one at lap twenty-four when Jacob Murray was off the track in turn four, and another at lap twenty-six for Troy Cordes who also took a trip off the track in turns three and four.  The final run to the checkers when the race restarted at lap twenty-six went caution free but there was some shuffling for sure.  Droste was holding down the point position, but now he had Richie Gustin to contend with in second place, and Ronn Lauritzen had taken advantage of the late race restarts, and gotten to third.  Gustin, who is known as "G Money" as he has often won races for the big pay offs, was more than happy for those late race restarts---and once again, it worked for him.  With two laps to go, Gustin had made the pass into the lead, and then drove home to the checkers and the $1,000 win.  Droste held on to take second place, Ronn Lauritzen went third, fourth was Vern Jackson and Joe Docekal rounded out the top five.

The Hawkeye Dirt Tour travels to Tipton tonight, where they will join the IMCA Late Models for a Deery Brothers race.  It's $3,000 to win for the "Boys of Summer" Late Models, and another $1,000 pay day for the Hawkeye Dirt Tour Modifieds.  We plan to make the trip to watch another good night of week night racing.  Hope to see you there!  

New winners at Boone as Prochaska, Richards and Gustoff take checkers

It was evident Saturday night that the season is winding down, many tracks have already concluded their season of racing, and the drivers are heading to the Boone Speedway for some testing for the quickly approaching Super Nationals.  There were 168 drivers checked into the five weekly classes, plus six Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks came for some playtime.  By the end of the evening, there had been 20 heat races, six B mains and six features completed.  More new drivers took home wins as well, adding to a long list of many different winners at the track this year.

The MADCRA Mod Lites were the only weekly class not requiring a B main, but still with a strong field of 23 cars.  Travis Stensland led from the get go, of the 15-lapper.  He was content to let Mike Kennedy and Randy Bryan hash it out behind him as he stretched out a lead.  In the closing laps, Bryan Zehm joined Kennedy and Bryan, and as Stensland easily took the win, it was three-wide behind him as they approached the checkers.  Randy Bryan won the battle for second, finishing just ahead of Kennedy in third and Zehm in fourth.  Joel Keenan completed the top five.  This was Stensland's third win this year.

Bruce Egeland led the early portion of the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature, but by lap seven, he had Jake McBirnie to contend with.  McBirnie, who had started back in ninth, quickly got through the pack and was hounding the leader. McBirnie made it work a couple of laps later, taking over the lead and pulling away.  That lengthy lead ended at lap thirteen when Randy Roberts dropped his drive shaft, setting up a restart and tightening up the field.  Egeland still ran in second place, and Chad Ryerson and Bryan Johnson had been locked in a battle for third and fourth.  When the race restarted, McBirnie simply drove off from the field again, and won by a comfortable margin as the checkers flew.  Egeland held the runner up spot, and Ryerson won out over Johnson as they finished third and fourth in that order.  Fifth place went to point leader Ben Kates, who had started back in thirteenth spot.  This was McBirnie's second win at Boone this year.

There were six of the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks on hand for their second trip to the Boone Speedway in 2014.  Carl Knight jumped to the lead from his pole starting position, and it was Kevin Sather following along to tag him in second.  Those two drivers raced in the one-two position for the entire race, until they approached the checkers as they came out of turn four.  Sather swung to the outside of Knight and just beat him to the checkers first, snatching up the win.  Knight had to settle for second, Lou Sipolt had run at the front of the pack the entire distance, and went away with a third place finish.  Fourth was AJ Nelson, fifth went to Bret Moyer and Oskaloosa driver Pat Gordin was sixth.

Over half of the 12-lap Hobby Stock feature was led by Ryan Grochala.  By lap seven, Cody Gustoff had moved to the runner up position from starting ninth and began pressuring the leader.  With just two laps remaining, Gustoff pulled off the pass into first, and then stretched the lead to win comfortably.  Grochala finished second, well ahead of Ross Marshall who just held off point leader John Watson for third and fourth, and Andrew Burg took home a fifth place finish after starting tenth.  Gustoff won for the first time this year at the track.

Tyler Prochaska got revenge this week by taking the win after his second place finish last week.  Prochaska led the entire 20 laps and secured his first win of the year at Boone.  A lap fourteen caution worked to Mike VanGenderen's advantage when he restarted the race in sixth spot and shot past cars to finish in second place.  Third went to Devon Havlik, fourth was Joel Bushore, who recovered after an early race slip up the track, and point leader, Jammin' Jimmy Gustin took fifth after starting in eleventh place. Prochaska made the thirteenth different winner in the Modified division.

The IMCA Stock Cars started off immediately with three and four wide racing.  Veteran Larry Crocheck held down the lead the first three laps, but the #55 of Cory Bushnell was the guy in command at lap four.  The tussling up front was furious from there on.  "Hotrod" Rod Richards made the move to the point spot by lap six, passing Bushnell and right on Bushnell's tail was Jay Schmidt.  A yellow flew at lap eight when Bushnell and Cody Frerichs got together, bringing out a yellow. When things got back underway, Richards was in command, but now Jay Schmidt was in second place.  Three cars were going at it three-wide for third through fifth, Jerry Gifford, Donavon Smith and Larry Crocheck.  Crocheck was out of the game when he went spinning in turn two, bringing out another yellow flag.  On the restart, Richards was having to contend with Schmidt and Smith behind him, all three cars running ever so closely together.  Smith briefly got to second around Schmidt, but Schmidt made it back around him to take it back.  Just after the white flag flew, Schmidt's car would erupt into a cloud of smoke in turn one, sitting high in the corner out of harms way as the rest of the field completed the race to the checkers.  Richard kept that top spot, scoring his first win of the year, Smith took the runner up spot, Wayne Gifford came from sixteenth starting spot to take third, Robert Stofer was fourth, and fifth was eleventh place starter and point leader, Jerry Gifford.

Two regular weeks of racing remain at Boone.  Then on Monday, September 1, the 32nd IMCA Super Nationals will begin their six night run.  Check www.raceboone.com for more details.

  

A "Racer" wins at Marshalltown, and Luellen Brothers add to their victories

Friday was a dreary, and rainy day, but it didn't stop the racing at the Marshalltown Speedway.  By race time, the rain had passed and racing started right on time.  This would be a night of many caution flags flying and a couple of roll overs.  A returning driver chalked up a victory for the first time this year, and all other classes saw repeat winners.

The Mod Lites came to the track first for their 15-lap A main.  Travis Stensland was in a new car last night, and led the first handful of laps.  Josh May ran down leader Stensland, and took over the top spot by lap six.  On lap seven, the #94 car of Dustin Marshall took a hard roll in turns one and two, bringing a red flag.  He was okay.  When the race restarted, May was still in command, Stensland was running second, and Tim Hennigar was third.  It was but a couple of laps later when the track went red again.  This time, Stensland lost the handle in turn one, Jimmy May clipped him, and that in turn sent May tumbling.  May was also okay, but his night was done.  In the waning laps, Josh May continued his run at the front, Tim Hennigar taking peeks for anyway around him, but to no avail.  May took the checkers, Tim Hennigar finished second, brother Andy Hennigar was third, DJ Schmalzried took fourth, and Dusty Masolini completed the top five.  Andy Hennigar keeps his track point lead.

The 12-lap Hobby feature had the familiar #3A of Austin Luellen at the front by lap three.  The rest of the race found Eric Stanton trying to catch Luellen.  Stanton, could do no better than the runner up spot on this night however, finishing behind winner Luellen.  Third went to visiting driver, Jamie Schirm who had started in tenth spot, fourth was Calvin Dhondt, who has been absent from the racing scene the last couple of years--- was piloting the car formerly owned and driven by Eric Larson, and point leader John Watson took fifth, driving the borrowed car of Riley Songer.  Luellen won for the third week in a row, and took his eighth win of the season at Marshalltown.  

We had another marathon race in the SportMod 18-lapper.  For the first six laps, it was one lap at a time before the yellow was waving again.  It was a no go on the start, and then there were six more yellows by lap six.  At that lap six, it was decided that there would be only single file restarts, and laps under caution were counted. Again, the caution came out on a restart, this time for debris....one of the corner tires rolling onto the track. Up to this time, Ryan Ashton and Shawn Ritter had been the front runners, but lurking in third was Clint Luellen.  When racing got back underway at lap thirteen, it was Ritter now leading, but Luellen quickly made his move into second around Ashton and was pressuring Ritter.  The final couple of circuits, Luellen tightened the screws, was able to make the pass for the lead, and sealed the victory.  Ritter had to settle for the runner up spot.  Third went to Jenae Gustin, fourth was Adam Shelman and Jared VanDeest was fifth.  Clint Luellen chalked up his seventh win at the track this season.  

Up next came the 18-lap A main for the IMCA Stock Cars. Though this one did not go caution free, just two yellows was refreshing after the previous race.  Dave Atcher took his #2 hot rod to the front immediately but who should be in second place by lap two except the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty.  Murty, who had spent much of his season on Friday's running the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway, returned to the high banks, and showed he was still darn familiar with the track.  Murty, who started tenth, swung to the top of turns three and four, and dove low in corners one and two, reeling in leader Atcher.  By lap seven, Murty was in the lead, and from there on he slid through heavy lap traffic without a hitch, and sailed home to his first win at Marshalltown this year. Atcher held on to second over Michael Jaennette in third. Fourth went to the previous three weeks winner, Donavon Smith and Scooter Dulin was fifth.  This was Murty's 21st win over all for the 2014 season.    

The night's racing ended with the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. Dubbed the "ground pounders" by announcer Jerry VanSickle, it was Jake Stayer, last week's winner, making the move into first when lap one was scored.  Strayer, who slipped under pole sitter Joel Bushore when he slid high in corner four, as lap one was about to be scored, was then looking to be the man to beat.  Strayer was pulling away from the pack when a yellow flew at lap five for debris, and by this time, Bushore had recovered from his earlier slip up, and was back to second.  Strayer and Bushore fought it out for the next several laps, both circling the top of the track.  Another yellow at lap ten for debris, set up a restart situation, Strayer still leading, Bushore in second, and Racer Hulin had moved up to run third.  Only one more lap was scored when again a yellow flew.  By this time, point leader Ronn Lauritzen, who had been involved in an incident in his heat race that resulted in his retiring to the pits, started fourteenth, and had just taken over the runner up spot, when yet another yellow flew at lap eleven. On the restart, Racer Hulin dove low and took over second place from Lauritzen.  Again a yellow flew at lap twelve when one of the infield barrier tires was hit and came out onto the racing surface.  Hulin was ready and eager for this restart, diving under Strayer in turn two and taking the lead.  He immediately took to the top of the track and set sail seeking the checkers.  Hulin was successful in his quest, taking the win a comfortable distance ahead of Strayer in second place.  Ronn Lauritzen maintains his healthy point lead, finishing third, Adam Larson came from starting near the end of the starting field, to finish fourth, and Tyler Droste completed the top five.  This was Hulin's second win at Marshalltown this year.  

Two weeks of regular season racing remains at the Marshalltown Speedway---August 22 and August 29.  Also mark your calendar for Wednesday, August 27 when the make up for the USMTS will be in town.  Also running with them will be the USRA Stock Cars and USRA B Mods. Then on September 18-20, it will be the World Nationals.  This one you won't want to miss, with $10,000 to win on the line.  For more information, check www.marshalltownspeedway.com.  

First wins at Boone for Krampe and Janssen

There was a big crowd on hand Saturday night at the Boone Speedway and 152 race cars filled the pits.  The youngsters were having a blast with the carnival atmosphere----playing games, winning prizes, and Ditzy the Clown there making balloon animals and painting faces.  It was also Zylstra Harley Davidson Night and many were observed drooling over the cool bikes on display.  All but one of the five classes had to run B mains and by the end of the evening, two drivers went home with their very first wins at the speedway.  It was also a big old full moon night!  More on that later.

The Mod Lites were the only class not having to run a B main.  Joe Glick took the lead when the green fell, but Terry Brown was quickly up to challenge him by lap four.  Brown hounded Glick until he was able to make the pass on the backstretch, and was scored the leader at lap ten.  Brown kept the lead the rest of the way, and took the win.  Glick held on to second place, Bryan Zehm came from eleventh starting spot to take third, fourth was Joel Keenan, and point leader James May rounded out the top five.  The race went flag to flag.  This was Brown's fifth win at Boone this year.

There were 33 IMCA Northern SportMods, thus requiring a B main to complete the 24-car feature's starting grid.  Johnathon Logue came home with the win in that consolation.  Shawn Albers, Wellsburg, Iowa driver, jumped to the immediate lead and was still holding it down after the third yellow at just lap two.  Lynn Brockett was on his tail by then, and running third was Ben Kates.  Kates had hurried through the pack from his eleventh starting spot and he was ready to challenge the two front runners when the race got back underway.  At lap nine, Kates took the lead and a couple of laps later, he had the bright blue #82 of Jake McBirnie to contend with.  The closing laps were a shoot out between Kates and McBirnie but Kates held steadfast to his lead, and took the win.  McBirnie had to be content with the runner up spot, Albers held on to take third, Brockett was fourth and Tim Love rounded out the top five.  This was the fifth win for Kates in the season.

Thirty-seven Hobby Stocks called for two B mains to round out their starting line up for the 12-lap feature.  Marengo, Iowa's Jacob Keiser and Storm Lake's Justin Nehring took those wins.  Just as the race was initially started, the #6 of Bryan Keeney ran head on into the concrete wall in turn two and no lap was scored.  It was a hard sudden stop, but he was okay.  When the race did get started, Seth Janssen claimed the lead.  By lap four, he had Cody Gustoff pestering him.  From there on to the checkers, the two drivers duked it out.  They ran many laps side-by-side, but Gustoff was never able to pull off the pass.  Janssen claimed the win, Gustoff scored in second.  Third was Tyler Pickett who had started eleventh, fourth went to Eric Stanton who started twelfth, and point leader John Watson completed the top five.  This was Seth Janssen's first career win and he celebrated by taking the checkered flag in a backward victory lap. He was also the twelfth different winner in the Hobby Stock class at the track this year.

The IMCA Modified's had 30 cars on hand, also requiring a B main.  Jimmy Gustin won it. In the 20-lap feature, it was a no go situation as veteran Lloyd Henderson and John Logue ended up tangled at the top of turn three before a lap was scored.  The front row was Tyler Prochaska and Kyle Krampe, and Krampe nabbed the lead when the race went green.  Prochaska tucked into second place, and Joel Bushore took third.  Those three drivers put on the show up front for the fans, as they jockeyed for position, each of the three at one time or another, claiming the top spot.  A caution flew at lap fourteen when Randy Havlik's car shut down at the top of turn two, and on the restart it was still Krampe in the lead, Bushore and Prochaska in second and third.  The closing laps had a bit of a shake up behind the leader, but it was Krampe maintaining his lead and scoring the win.  Prochaska took the runner up spot, Scott Davis made a late race charge to finish third, as did Russ Dickerson in fourth.  Bushore fell back in the final couple of circuits, and held on for a fifth place finish.  This was Krampe's first ever win in the Modified division.  He made the eleventh different winner in the Modified class in the 2014 season.

The IMCA Stock Cars ran their usual 18-lap feature.  After their B main, won by Don Vis, the starting 24 car field was set.  This one had the opening lap called back too, as Ty Hill was spun in lap two, bringing out a yellow.  The early portion of the race was led by Scott Bailey as he was content in the captain's seat as the competition behind him fought three and four-wide.  After a restart for a caution at lap three, Bailey still held the lead and sitting second was eighth place starter Trent Murphy, Eric Brown was third and tenth place starter Jay Schmidt was waiting in the wings for the green to drop again.  It didn't take long for Schmidt to get his Black Betty ride to the lead, He overtook Bailey on the backstretch before lap five was scored, taking over the point position. Another yellow at lap six, took Brown out of contention when he had to check up to avoid hitting a stopped car sitting in turn three.  He was penalized for stopping on the track under a yellow, sending him to restart at the back of the pack.  A couple of laps later, Bailey was also out of the running when his car expired.  The race for the lead was between Schmidt and Murphy, Schmidt running the high line, Murphy choosing the lower.  Murphy pulled off the pass in the closing laps, and as the white flag was flying, contact was made when Murphy pulled up in front Schmidt at the flagstand, possibly with a tire going down, as he then was off pace and Schmidt took the lead.  Schmidt led the final lap, and took the flying checkers and the win.  Robert Stofer finished second after running in third for half the race, third went to Donavon Smith, Jerry Gifford was fourth, and Murphy hung on to finish fifth.  Schmidt won for the fourth time this year at the track.

There seemed to be many things going on last night during the races,----cars shutting down, blown motors, cars rolling (the 77C of Craig Carlson rolled over the bank between turns three and four during the heat, but was able to start the Main) mechanical woes, and a good number of yellow flags as well as a number of black flags flown for "questionable driving".  As we left the track and headed toward home, we noticed the bright, full moon shining!  We will blame those issues on the curse of the full moon!

There are just three weeks of regular season racing remaining at Boone.  Hard to imagine that the season is winding down at most tracks in our area.  Try and take in some of those races remaining and support the sport we all love.....dirt track racing!

Strayer and Stensland take first Marshalltown wins, Gustin, Smith and Luellen victorious again

The Marshalltown Speedway had a lot of rain prior to Friday night's racing, and the track did not behave very well in some instances.  That didn't hinder three drivers who just keep racking up the wins though and two other drivers, won for the very first time at the high banks.

A little Quad racing was thrown in to add to the night's entertainment and they were first to the oval for their feature.  It was appearing that one driver was going to have a clean sweep.  Travis Brandt, who also races a Mod Lite, won his heat and was sailing easily ahead of his competition at the final lap.  As he approached the finish line, his machine shut down, and Michael Rupe beat him to the checkers.  Brandt coasted across the line in second.

The Mod Lites ran their 15-lap feature next.  This race went green to checkers with Travis Stensland leading the entire way.  Terry Brown, last week's winner, finished as the runner up, though a good distance behind the leader, Tim Hennigar was third, fourth went to Mike Morrill, and James May rounded out the top five.  Charlie Brown had been running with the leaders until the final run to the checkers, but ended up on his lid at the top of turn four as the race completed. He was okay.  This was Stensland's first win at the Marshalltown track.

The Hobby Stock 12-lap A main was a fight to the finish among several cars.  When a yellow flew with just two laps remaining, it was the 3A of Austin Luellen, and the 5A of Tyler Pickett vying for the top spot.  Behind them, it had been a three-wide battle between Eric Larson, Tyson Overton and Eric Stanton. An incident between Larson and Overton on the frontstretch, left them blocking the track and bringing out the yellow.  When the green-white-checkered restart began, it was Luellen claiming the top spot, with Pickett in second, Stanton was third and visiting Kyle Parizek from Belle Plaine, was fourth.  The final circuit found Luellen holding down that top spot to the checkers and the win.  In the final wild scramble behind the leader, Eric Stanton sneaked around Pickett as they finished second and third.  Parizek held on to finish fourth and Brice Udelhoven took fifth after starting 17th.  This made it two in a row for Luellen at Marshalltown, his seventh for the season.

In the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature, it was "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin taking the lead in turn two just after the green fell.  Gustin, who started fourth, wasted no time in making her move to the front, and sailed off.  However, it wasn't a done deal yet.  By lap five, the #38X of newcomer Logan Scott out of Odebolt, Iowa, had moved into second from starting twelfth on the field, and was starting to pressure leader Gustin.  A lap car was coming into play for the leaders, but it was Gustin sliding through like hot butter, but Scott had to hold up just a bit, allowing Gustin a bit of breathing room.  Scott was able to catch Gustin again just a lap or two later, and was able to briefly take the lead.  That all ended when the rough track caused him to slide up, he bounced through some bad ruts, smoke arose, and he had to exit the track.  This put Gustin back in command the rest of the way to the checkers.  Second place went to Sam Wieben.  Wieben had fought hard with the front runners most of the race after starting eighth.  Third was Kegan Scott, that we believe to be Logan Scott's brother and also from Odebolt.  Scott started eleventh and had a good run for his first appearance at the track.  Fourth was Clint Luellen, and talk about a run!  Luellen had not finished his heat race, and was listed as 26th on the starting lineup.  His #3L ride was picking off cars left and right on his run to the front of the pack.  Fifth place finisher, Brett Lowry made up a lot of ground as well.  Lowry started 27th and worked his way smoothly through the field for a top five finish.  This was Jenae Gustin's third win in a row at Marshalltown and fifth over all for the season. She said in victory lane, that this was win #14 in total for the year.

Veteran racer, Jeff Wollam appeared to be on his way to visiting victory lane in the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature.  Wollam took command from Robert Stofer at lap three after quite a battle.  The battle continued even after cautions flew at laps four and six.  Wollam held tight to his number one position as Stofer continued to try and find a way around him.  Meanwhile, someone else had entered the picture.  It was the familiar #35 of Donavon Smith.  Smith, who patiently had worked the bottom of the track per usual, was now up to third and tightening the screws on second place runner Stofer.  Stofer slammed the door shut on the bottom and after several attempts failed Smith down low, he moved to the top of the track.  This worked for Smith, as he flew around Stofer and took over second place.  The final couple of laps was tight, but Smith finally established the lead for good with two laps remaining.  Smith took the checkers and the win, and Wollam had to be content with a runner up finish.  Trent Murphy made his move in the final laps as well, getting around Stofer as they finished third and fourth in that order.  Rounding out the top five, was Jay Schmidt, who brought back his snazzy Black Betty ride after she got a "face lift".  Smith made it three in a row at the track and captured his eighth feature at Marshalltown this season.

After last week's marathon race in the Modified feature, it was great to see the 20-lap main go flag-to-flag....especially on the rough track.  Jake Strayer got under polesitter Rod Clement and took the lead by lap one.  From then on, Strayer kept that number one spot all the way to the checkers.  There was battling going on behind him however, as point leader Ronn Lauritzen quickly got to second place and started his quest to catch the leader.  Joel Rust also came calling for a top finish, getting to third by lap seven.  Just before lap seventeen was scored, Rust was able to take over the runner up spot, getting around Lauritzen on the backstretch, but there was no catching Strayer.  Strayer took the win, his first ever at Marshalltown and I believe only his second career Modified win over all.  Rust held on to finish as the runner up, Lauritzen was third, Clement finished fourth and Scott Simatovich was fifth.  Strayer, who had a short stint in a sprint car, returned to the Modified class this year, thanked his sponsors and especially his father for helping him.

The track was not kind last night, as cars seemed to bounce around in all classes, not only causing incidents on the track, but causing some mechanical issues as well.  We were surprised at how much rain had fallen at Marshalltown during the week, as we had not had nearly as much.  Next week, it will be another night of racing at the track, hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30.  Just three nights of regular racing remains at Marshalltown, as the season is quickly winding down.