The Marshalltown Speedway had some exciting racing on Friday night--- one feature event being determined at the finish line by three cars thundering to the checkers in unison. The Stock Car class had a driver win for the third time in a row, a new face came to victory circle in the Hobby Stock class, and other classes had repeat winners from earlier in the season. The pleasant weather was also a welcome change for drivers and fans alike.
Four IMCA Sport Compacts ran their 8-lap main, kicking off the night's feature racing. It was led start to finish by Dave Moorman. Aaron Miller held off John Gill as they finished second and third. Jacob Reiter did not finish.
The MADCRA Mod Lite's ran 15-laps. James May led the first two laps, until seventh place starter Andy Hennigar took over the following lap. The two raced closely, sometimes going back and forth for the lead on the backstretch, when at lap nine, action was halted when a caution flew. When the race restarted, Hennigar was still leading, James May in second, and eighth place starter, Josh May was now in third. One lap later, Josh May flew around his dad James, taking over second and now pressuring Hennigar for the lead. Things began to change a little further back in the field in the next few laps, as Mike Morrill and Charlie Brown had taken flight on the topside in an attempt to gain positions. When another caution flag flew at lap thirteen, it set up a green-white-checkered finish. Hennigar still maintained his lead with Josh May still holding down second. After the final sprint to the finish, Hennigar took the win....his second of the season; May keeping the runner up spot. Mike Morrill and Charlie Brown's running the topside paid off, as they went third and fourth, and James May fell back a bit, and finished fifth.
It was now time for the Hobby Stocks to take to the track. Dustin Elliott, Carlisle's Tyson Overton, and Aaron Rudolph held down the top three spot when a yellow flew at lap three. As lap seven was completed, Rudolph appeared to momentarily take the lead...only to have that fleet away when he went spinning and pulled into the infield. Elliott still maintained his lead, but non other than the "Wild Woman", Jennifer Hulin was now in second place. Eilliott pulled away at the finish, scoring the win. Jennifer Hulin had her best run of the year with a runner up finish, third went to Tyson Overton, fourth was Brice Udelhoven and Austin Elliott, the two previous race winner, completed the top five. Elliott was a happy camper in his victory lane interview with announcer Jerry VanSickle. He said it had been a long time since he had last won, but we were really astounded to hear that that last win was way back on April 24, of 2009.
What an IMCA SportMod feature! Three cars went at it for much of the race---anyone's guess as to who would prevail. Neil Follett led the first two laps, when a caution flew. His night ended when under that caution, fluid poured from his car. Jenae Gustin was handed the leader position for the restart. Gustin soon had company as Carter VanDenberg and last week's winner Clint Luellen were hounding her. The rest of the race was a free for all! Those three drivers put on such a show for the fans! Each time across the start/finish line was a blur of those three cars. VanDenberg inched ahead for the lead, this time ahead of Luellen with a lap to go, Gustin right there as well. As the three raced to the checkers, it was anybody's race as they came off of turn four. The crowd rose to it's feet as they approached the flagstand, and watched as Clint Luellen took the win, getting the momentum on the outside that carried him to the checkers first. Luellen, who started tenth, took his second consecutive win. VanDenberg was scored second and Gustin was third. Jared VanDeest came from tenth starting spot to finish fourth over Travis Petersen in fifth. Luellen, "The Minburn Missile" exclaimed in victory lane, that was about the best race ever. Much of the crowd agreed.
After the SportMod race had left the crowd breathless, it was the always exciting Stock Cars next. It was looking as if Michael Jaennette was going to score his second win of the year, but, as I've said before, never count out Donavon Smith! Jeannette led much of the race by six car lengths, but Donovan Smith had been consistently and methodically gaining ground as he dug hard on the very bottom. Smith had nabbed second away from Jay Schmidt, who had his "Black Betty" ride sailing on the topside. A caution bunched the field, putting Smith close at hand on the restart. In the closing laps, Jaennette was doing his darnedest to hold off Smith, succeeding until lap fifteen. Smith managed to nose under Jaennette and nabbed the lead. Smith continued the lead to the checkers, scoring a win for the third week in a row. Jaennette had to be content with the runner up spot. Trent Murphy came into the picture late in the race, passing Schmidt as they finished third and fourth. Steve Meyer rounded out the top five.
The last two races went down to the wire, and the 20-lap modified race nearly matched it. Joel Bushore started on the pole and led the first two laps when a yellow rag reared it's ugly head. On the restart, Bushore seemed to experience mechanical issues, and exited the track just after Luke Wanninger took over as captain of the ship. Wanninger continued his lead, but soon had company after another yellow flew on lap six. Adam Larson, who had started ninth, had followed eighth place starter Wanninger through the field and into second, after the restart. The race went green the rest of the way to the finish, Wanninger in first and Larson glued to his bumper as they circled the top of the track. The race ended with Wanninger taking his second win of the regular season (he also won the Frostbuster) and Larson, second. Point leader, Ronn Lauritzen had skillfully fought through the field from starting twelfth, to finish in third...a distance behind the two front runners. Kyle Brown ran toward the front all race, and took a fourth place, and Joel Rust had a good run and finished fifth.
It was a surprise to hear a name from the past racing in the Hobby Stock Class.....Steve Fricke. It was announced that the last time he had raced, was 1995!
It has not been a good week for the local dirt tracks. We were saddened to hear of a racing accident at the Iowa State Fair Speedway last night. A long-time track worker, Richard "Bones" Welch was hit by a bumper that came off of a rolling race car, and he sadly, did not make it. Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, a fan in the stands who had been a fixture for years and years, suffered a seizure and the racing family lost Jeff Groenenboom. Things like this, puts life in prospective, as things can change in the blink of an eye.
Racing continues next Friday at the Marshalltown Speedway, racing at 7:30. Then on Tuesday, June 3, the doors are thrown open again at the track, when the USMTS Modified show comes to the High-Banks. Hot laps are scheduled for 7 o'clock with racing to follow. The USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods are also on the docket.
Thanks for reading and happy racing!
No comments:
Post a Comment