Friday night at Marshalltown Speedway, extra cars filled the pits for the draw/redraw format and for the prize of $1,000 to the Modified winner. This has become an annual thing for several years now, on the night after the Harris Clash. Drivers from Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Kansas were represented at the Speedway. But on this night, it was a racer from "just down the road" who went home with the smile on his face and the $1,000.
Seventeen Mod Lites came for some fun around the high banks last night. After two tries, the feature finally got its first lap in the books---Joe Glick leading the field. Glick continued to hold down the top spot through two more yellows. At that second yellow at lap seven, Glick had Travis Brandt sitting in second behind him, but Jimmy May had been pressuring as he rode in third. After the restart, May made the pass on Brandt and into the runner up spot and was now in hot pursuit of leader Glick. May kept peeking to the outside and finally made it pay off, leading at lap thirteen. May kept hold of that point spot and took the checkers and the win. Glick took home the runner up prize, Terry Brown finished third, Andy Hennigar came from starting ninth, to finish fourth, and Travis Brandt fell back a bit and took fifth. May won for the third time at the track this year.
The Hobby Stock 12-lap feature went flag to flag. Veteran racer, Steve Fricke who has just returned to the racing scene this year after being absent for quite some time, led the opening laps. He had some FAST company behind him though. Eric Larson started in the fifth row, and took over the point at lap four. By this time, Eric Stanton was fighting his way around Fricke for second and looking for more. By lap six, Stanton had established the lead, Larson falling to second. Stanton maintained that coveted spot to the checkers flying and nabbing the win. Larson held second, John Watson came from starting eleventh, to finish third.
Fourth place went to Austin Luellen who just beat Garrett Eilander in fifth. Stanton was a happy camper in victory lane, getting his fourth victory of the season at Marshalltown.
The SportMods went 18-laps. It looked as if visiting Wisconsinite Tracy Wassenberg was going home with a win under his belt, looking strong in the lead in the early portion of the race. It was a yellow plagued race for sure, and after one of those yellows at lap nine, Jared VanDeest made his way around Wassenberg and into the lead. From there on, he withstood more yellows and finished with the win. The racer really making an exciting charge through the pack, was Clint Luellen. Luellen had to go to the pits to change a tire after a car spun out right in front of him, and he had no place to go. He tagged the field and FLEW through the pack to take the runner up spot. He finished just ahead of Wassenberg in third. Fourth was Travis Petersen and Chad Shaw, from Missouri, had a nice run after starting well back in the field, and finished fifth. VanDeest repeated his win from last week.
The IMCA Stock Cars went their usual 18-laps. The feature was pretty much dominated by Newton's Michael Jaennette. Jaennette led by lap two and held it to the checkers. He survived an unusual amount of yellow flag situations in the Stock Cars, but held off any challenges on the restart. As laps wound down, Trent Murphy mounted a challenge for a front position, and at lap thirteen, Jaennette, Murphy and Donavon Smith went at it three-wide down the back chute. At the checkers, Jaennette won comfortably, and Murphy held of Smith as they finished second and third in that order. Visiting Jason Minnehan was fourth and Steve Meyer recovered from a near spin earlier, and took fifth. Jaennette took his third win of the season at Marshalltown.
The evening was capped off with a 25-lap Modified feature and a $1,000 waiting for the winner. All 26 cars started the race. It was a draw/redraw----Eric Elliott, and Joel Rust getting the front row. Elliott held the advantage for lap one, but Adam Larson quickly took over by lap two. Luke Wanninger tucked into second place and tenth place starter Richie "G Man" Gustin was running third by lap four. Larson was holding tight to the top spot as Wanninger and Gustin duked it out. Gustin took the runner up spot at lap fifteen and a couple of laps later, made a slide job in turn four work to his advantage, slipping in front of Larson as they came to the flagstand. A yellow at lap twenty-one was no hindrance to the Gilman, Iowa driver as he sped off at the restart. He motored home comfortably to the checkers and the win. Larson held on to the runner up spot, Wanninger was third. Point leader "Uncle" Ronn Lauritzen looked good on his more comfortable short track, racing from starting eighth to take fourth, and visiting Missouri racer, Hunter Marriott rounded out the top five. Richie Gustin isn't called "G Money" for no reason. He often takes home the big bucks at a high paying race. It was no different on this night, as he went home $1,000 richer.
The Marshalltown Police force was represented at the track last night. They had a nostalgic old police cruiser on display behind the stands, as well as two other new units. One was a "K-9" unit and a police dog---that they explained was also called "an officer". He demonstrated some of his skills in front of the stands....going at a person with a padded sleeve when given the command....immediately and aggressively. It was explained that he knows when he is "working" and when not. He is with the officer and his family at home and is a gentle, family pet/member there.
Last night completed our fifth straight night of racing.....tonight at Boone Speedway will end a six-night run. We've enjoyed our travels for "Iowa Hawkeye Speed Week", but will look forward to a little R and R until our next race. Thanks for reading and happy racing!
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