The hot, humid July weather was in full force on Friday night for the races at the Marshalltown Speedway. Nearly 100 cars came to play in the oppressive weather. Several traveling drivers who had been in the area for the canceled Harris Clash stuck around and came to the high banked 1/4 mile. The Modifieds were racing for $1,000 and a chance to put their name on the Fast Shafts Qualifiers ballot for the 2015 Super Nationals. The Hobby Stocks were racing for an increased pay of $400 to win.
The Mod Lites ran their main event first. Josh May went home with the title to this one. May led from lap seven after getting around early leaders Mike Morrill and Travis Stensland and motored home untouched the remaining way to the checkers and the win. Stensland finished in the runner up spot, Randy Bryan was third, Mike Morrill fought back to a fourth place finish after recouping from a spin early in the race and having to tag the field, and Jason Whitehead was fifth. May got his fifth win at Marshalltown this season.
The fans, and drivers both suffered through the 18-lap SportMod feature. Eight yellows plagued this race. The fans at least had a breeze to help with the heat and humidity, but those drivers in their fire suits must have been miserable! When it was finally all said and done, it was Sam Wieben standing in Victory Lane. Wieben passed Jayme Duinink by lap three, and from there on held it to the checkers. Wieben threw off the challenges of Jared VanDeest who finished in second place. Third went to "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin who had started in row five, fourth was Travis Peterson and Jason Hall came from row six to garner a fifth place finish. Wieben won for the first time since season championship night back in August of 2013.
The Hobby Stock 15-lap feature went to John Watson. Watson pestered leader Andy Hick from lap three, finally getting around for the lead just after lap ten went in the books. Watson held that lead the rest of the way to the finish and the win. Hick held second place, third went to Eric Stanton, fourth was Austin Luellen and Tyson Overton rounded out the top five. Watson finally broke the string of only Luellen and Stanton winning at Marshalltown in the division for 2015. Watson went home $400 richer thanks to extra sponsor money for the class.
Michael Jaennette got back on track and back in the winner's circle in the IMCA Stock Car class by taking the glory in that 18-lap feature. Jaennette started sixth and took the runner up spot behind leader Tyler Pickett when lap two was scored. By lap four, Jaennette was in command. He would continue his run at the front the remaining distance to the checkers and score the win. A hard charging Donavon Smith tried running down the leader but had to settle for second on this night. Third went to Dave Atcher, fourth to early leader Tyler Pickett and rounding out the top five was Steve Meyer. This was Jaennette's second win, his first since opening night of the 2015 track season.
There were 29 IMCA Modifieds on hand last night. It was a draw/redraw format and a $1,000 for the winner. By luck of the draw, Californian Ethan Dotson and North Carolinian, Kyle Strickler sat on the front row for the start of the 25-lap feature.
Strickler took the lead at the drop of the green, and when the first of seven yellow flags flew on lap two, Eric Elliott was tucked into second for the restart. More contenders were making head way behind the front two as well, as Jon Snyder, Ronn Lauritzen and Tim Ward from Arizona were battling it out. Strickler had no trouble in hang on to his lead however, and took the $1,000 back to North Carolina. The final laps were a battle for top positions behind him however. The "Frozen" car of eighth place starter Ronn Lauritzen won the joust for the runner up spot. Lauritzen had to battle back past third place Ward who started eleventh and fourth place Josh Gilman, who started fifteenth, in the final three laps. Fifth place was hard charging Jimmy Gustin who had started 26th.
Several other drivers made a lot of headway in the Modified feature as well. Scott Simotavich started thirteenth and finished sixth, Richie Gustin started seventeenth and was seventh after tagging the field when involved in a yellow at lap five, and 27th and last place starter Kyle Brown was eighth.
Racing continues next Friday night at the Marshalltown Speedway, with hot laps at 6:50 and racing at 7:30. It was also announced last night, that the Late Models will be visiting the high banks on August 14 and 21. Mark your calendars Late Model fans!
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