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.
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