VanGenderen out drives Modified field for win at Boone

It was night #2 of weekly points racing at the Boone Speedway on Saturday.  Close racing, and exciting finishes gave the fans their money's worth. 119 cars checked into the speedway and all were hungry to compete.  

In the IMCA Modified division, Mike VanGenderen took the win from his eighth place starting position.  He ran down Josh Truman after several laps of tormenting him.  He would peek high and then low, and finally his constant pestering paid off, taking command at lap ten.  Truman, who started second, kept VanGenderen within striking distance, but to no avail, and had to settle for the runner up spot.  Third place Russ Dickerson charged through the field from starting tenth, to take third place.  Veteran Denny Pittman was fourth and Jimmy Gustin finished fifth from starting twelfth.

The IMCA Stock Car feature win went to Wayne Gifford.  Gifford had the lead at lap two, snatching it away from pole sitter Tyler Brauckman, and never relinquished it the rest of the way to the checkers.  Jay Schmidt had a good battle with Tyler Pickett and Donavon Smith in the early laps, and won the joust for second.  He had leader Gifford in his sights for most of the 18-lap event, but try as he might, was never able to make the pass, and had to be content with second.  Donavon Smith, who last week got his 100th career win, started twelfth and finished in third place.  Fourth went to Tyler Pickett, who barely beat out Trent Murphy, in fifth, at the finish line.

Brandon Williams took home the win in the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod A main.  He had to run down pole sitter Thor Anderson in doing so.  Anderson led the field of cars until the persistent challenges of Williams paid off at lap fifteen, when he took the lead.  Tenth place starter, Randy Roberts, who has been looking really strong this early season,  attempted a challenge at the leader, but fell short for a runner up finish.  Third went to early leader Thor Anderson, eleventh place starter Jake McBirnie, another strong contender this season, was fourth and Jonathan Logue had a great run and finished fifth from his twelfth place starting position.

Solomon Bennett led the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature from start to finish in taking the win.  He was chased the entire distance by John Watson, who finished second.  Third place went to Dustin Lynch, last week's winner, Eric Stanton started tenth to finish fourth, and Dustin Graham took fifth after starting in ninth position. Bennett, who calls Minburn, Iowa home, began running regularly last season at Boone, and snagged a couple of wins.  Things are looking good for this driver again this year.

In the Mod Lite feature, it was Bryan Zehm capturing the victory.  Zehm started fourth and was leading by lap two, when early leader Angelo Montgomery brought out a caution as he tipped his ride over in turn two.  He was okay.  Charlie Brown finished in second place, from starting eighth.  Justin Rankin was third, and Cory Dennis and tenth place starter, Joe Glick were fourth and fifth.  We've noted that last year's track champion Josh May has been MIA so far this season, not only at Boone, but also at Marshalltown.  

Three Texas drivers were in the house last night---the same three we had seen the previous night in Marshalltown.  Two ran in the Modified class, Jerry Frydrych and 13G David Goode, and the 44Z in the Stock Car class was Zach Spillman.  I believe they all run at the Heart 'O Texas  Speedway in Waco, and I've understood that Goode's family is involved with promoting the track.  Perhaps the torrential rain that parts of Texas has been having, prompted them to take a little racing trip up our way.  

Racing in all five divisions continues next Saturday night, April 30, with early start times. Grandstands open at 5, hot laps are 5:45 and racing at 6:30. Starting in May, times will revert to 6 for grandstands, 6:45 hot laps, and races at 7:30.

Get out and attend a race somewhere.  Check the racing calendar at Positively Racing for a race you may like to attend.  We all need to support the sport we love.

Lauritzen takes Modified win at Marshalltown

It was night #2 of points racing at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, and the racing the entire night was nothing short of spectacular.

Ronn Lauritzen took the win in the IMCA Modified feature, and while he had breathing room at the finish line, the racing behind him was a shoot out to the finish.  Lauritzen started sixth, and got around early leaders Jon Snyder and Jake Strayer by lap eight. He then set sail on the top of turns three and four, then dove low in turn one, keeping his moment the rest of the way to the checkers.  Tim Ward, with a last second effort, took the runner up spot, after starting ninth.  Brian Irvine started eleventh and took third place, and Jake Strayer and Jon Snyder completed the top five. Lauritzen looked strong in his Star Wars themed car.....perhaps, "the Force" was with him on this night.

The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars proved once again, just why that name sticks.  Three-wide racing, sometimes more, was common through most of the 20-lap feature.  Dave Atcher claimed the top spot from Todd Reitzler at lap four, and was content to let the cars battle for position behind him.  He started sixth, and outran a stout field of cars in capturing the win.  Steve Meyer came from tenth to finish as the runner up, Donavon Smith started eighth and took third place, early leader Todd Reitzler finished fourth and Trent Murphy was fifth.

Clint Luellen took top honors in the IMCA Northern SportMod feature, but had to hold off some hard charging competition.  Luellen grabbed the lead from Jayme Duinink with a handful of laps in the books, and managed to fend off the pack to capture the win.  Jake McBirnie finished in second, just ahead of last week's winner, Jared VanDeest, who had started thirteenth.  Randy Roberts, the Frostbuster winner, came from ninth starting spot, to finish fourth, and Cory Rose rounded out the top five.

Eric Stanton made it back-to-back wins in the IMCA Hobby Stock division.  He started tenth on the field, took command at lap eight, and sailed home to a comfortable win.  Dustin Elliott finished in second, Nathan Ballard came from ninth starting spot, to finish third, and Garrett Eilander and David Simpson finished fourth and fifth respectively. The race went flag-to-flag.

In the Mod Lite feature, it was Charlie Brown visiting the winner's circle at the end of the 15-lap main event.  Brown led the entire race to take the checkers.  Mike Morrill finished in second after starting seventh, Randy Bryan, the winner from last week, was third, fourth went to Travis Stensland and Joe Glick was fifth.

Three Texas drivers were in the house last night.  Joe Stillman, from Austin, Texas was piloting the 44 car in the Stock Car class. Jerry Frydrych #13 from Austin, Texas was in the Modified class as was 13G, David Goode, from Copperes Cove, Texas.   Goode's family promotes the Heart 'O Texas Speedway in Waco.

Racing continues next Friday night at the Marshalltown Speedway.  The green flag drops at 7:30.

Be sure and check the racing calendar at www.positivelyracing.com for both weekly and the special schedules.

Donavon Smith gets win #100 at the Boone Speedway

It was season opening night at the Boone Speedway on Saturday, with points awarded in all classes.  Close racing in all divisions made for an excellent night of competition. The weather was cooperating for a change, and it was a beautiful night to be at the races.

Mod Lites found Joe Glick in the winner's circle after their 15-lap feature.  Glick would lead this one from start to finish, but the racing behind him was a battle.  Charlie Brown would just get by Randy Bryan on the last circuit as they went second and third.  Fourth was Cory Sauerman and Joel Huggins rounded out the top five.

By luck of the opening night redraw, Jonathan Logue was the recipient of the pole starting position for the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature.  He would stay in that #1 spot the entire time on his way to the win.  There were fierce battles waging behind him for position much of the race.  Austin Luellen took the runner up spot after he won the duel with Jake McBirnie, who finished third.  Fourth went to eleventh place starter Randy Roberts, winner of last week's Frostbuster, and Andy Tiernan was fifth.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks had a hard time getting underway with a couple of initial starts called back.  When they finally did go green, they continued the rest of the way caution free.  As luck would have it, Eric Stanton, last year's track champion, would draw the pole position for the start of the 12-lap event. He had no trouble in keeping that top spot all the way to the checkers flying.  Derek Hodges finished a distance behind in second.  Dustin Graham took third place, and Shannon Anderson and Aaron Rudolph were fourth and fifth.

The IMCA Modifieds ran next with their 20-lap A main.  John Logue established the lead at lap one but it was but a short time later that he had Jon Snyder to contend with.  The two would then go at it, swapping the lead back and forth until a caution flew at lap eleven, ending the thrilling battle between the two drivers.   Snyder had gotten around Logue to claim the lead as the race restarted, with Matthew Meinecke and Jimmy Gustin waiting in the wings.  The race continued caution free to the finish, with Snyder snatching up the victory.  Jimmy Gustin started sixth, and finished in second, just ahead of John Logue in third.  Fourth went to Russ Dickerson who had started seventeenth on the field, and tenth place starter, Matthew Meinecke completed the top five.

The always exciting IMCA Stock cars capped off the night's racing with their 18-lap feature race.  They too, had a hard time getting underway with two initial starts called back.  When the race did begin, pole sitter Rod Richards jumped to the lead, only to have Brandon Pruitt snatch it away.  When a caution flew at lap five, it was now Terry Pruitt at the helm, Opheim was second and Smith had moved to third and Brandon Pruitt had dropped back to run fourth.  The scrambling began once again as the race went green, and soon it was Smith putting pressure on leader Pruitt.  Smith's persistence paid off as he made the pass for the lead on lap nine.  From there on Smith stretched his lead, taking the comfortable win over Kevin Opheim, a distant runner up.  Terry Pruitt finished in third, Rod Richards took fourth and Brandon Pruitt was fifth.  Smith may have had a little extra adrenaline flowing on his way to the front, as the night marked his 100th career Stock Car win.

Regular weekly racing continues next Saturday night at the Boone Speedway. There are early start times for the remaining races of April.  Hot laps are 5:45 and racing at 6:30. 

The racing in the area is starting up in full force now.  Get out and attend a race in your area and help support the sport we all love.  Happy racing!

Irvine takes season opener at Marshalltown Speedway

Marshalltown Speedway got it's season point's night started last night, and the comfort conditions were a whole lot better than one week ago for the Frostbuster!  A good field of cars was on hand, 115 by my count, plus ten Micro Sprints that were added to the show.  With added payouts in most of the classes, it bought out a contingency of excellent cars. The Modifieds paid $1,000 to win courtesy of Speed Shift TV.  The Stock Car winner got $600 and the Hobby Stock paid $400, courtesy of Sleeping Angels Foundation.

The Micro Sprints ran a 12-lap feature race.  The 23T of Travis Rewerts dominated this contest, leading it from start to finish.  

The Mod Lites ran a 15-lap main event.  Jason Whitehead led this one for the first two laps, but it was Randy Bryan taking the reins by lap three.  From there on, Bryan held that top spot, all the way to the checkers.  Mike Morrill chased Bryan much of the race, but could only watch from a distance at the checkers with his runner up spot.  A close third place went to Eric Turner.  Joe Glick and Justin Rankin rounded out the top five.

The IMCA Northern SportMod ran 20 laps and there was close racing throughout the entire race.  When all was said and done, it was Jared VanDeest standing in victory lane....his steady run at the top of the track paying off.  He took the top spot away from Sam Wieben at lap 11 and kept it to the finish.  Much scrambling went on behind him, cars swapping positions 2-5 constantly.  In the end, it was last week's Frostbuster winner, Randy Roberts holding down second spot.  Third was Austin Luellen, who out dueled fourth place finisher Sam Wieben, and Clint Luellen was fifth.

The $400 pay day in the Hobby Stocks went to Eric Stanton.  Stanton drew the pole and kept that #1 spot the entire 15-laps.  He held second place finisher Nathan Ballard at bay all contest long.  Third was Tim Barber, Gary Pfantz was fourth and eleventh place starter, Gene Nicklas was fifth.

The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars ran a 20-lap feature for their $600 to win event.  Steve Meyer snatched up the lead at lap one from starting outside the front row.  He had plenty of challengers during the race however.  David Brandies and Devin Smith (younger brother of Donavon who runs the same class) were looking for anyway around leader Meyer, but he held fast to the coveted top spot.  Seventh place starter, Tyler Pickett threw his hat in the ring as well, When a caution flew at lap thirteen, it was Meyer still leading, and Pickett had moved to second ahead of Devin Smith, Trent Murphy and Donavon Smith.  Meyer was able to fend off the advances on the restart and maintained the lead to the checkers flying.  Devin Smith took the runner up spot, getting around Tyler Pickett in third.  Donavon Smith, who started fourteenth, was fourth, and Trent Murphy came from twelfth starting spot, to finish fifth.

The 25-lap IMCA Modified A main, completed the night's racing, and it was a fight to the finish between two #26 cars.  Joel Rust was the lucky recipient of the redraw, getting the #1 spot to start the race.  He took advantage of that, flying to the lead, and stretching it out.  Fifth place starter, Tim Ward, the young gun from Arizona who is calling Iowa his home this summer, began to slowly reel in Rust.  A yellow flew at lap fourteen, drawing Ward close for the restart, and Brian Irvine was lurking in third.  The restart worked to Irvine's advantage, getting the drop on Ward, and now he set his sights on leader Rust.  The two 26 cars gave the crowd a thrilling contest to watch as they dug for all they were worth, swapping leads back and forth.  Irvine made his determination work, taking the lead for good at lap twenty-one, and keeping it for the win.  Rust finished what had to be a disappointing second place after leading most of the race.  Tim Ward hung on to third and Kyle Brown, last week's Frostbuster winner, finished fourth after starting in eleventh.  Tom Berry, the driver out of Oregon, completed the top five.

Regular season points racing continues next Friday at the Marshalltown Speedway.  Hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30.  

Thornton continues winning ways at Osky season opener

The season opener at the Southern Iowa Speedway is now in the books after a week's delay....thanks to moody Mother Nature.

A larger than normal field of IMCA Sport Compacts led off the feature racing.  Thirteen cars came to try their hand on the big old half-mile.  Iowa City driver, Shane Evans, led the ten lap, caution free race from start to finish.  He crossed the finish line well ahead of John Whalen.  Jake Benischek, Durant, Iowa, raced from his ninth starting position, to finish third.  Jason Brueklander and John Gill completed the top five.  As a note, the 9H car of Levi Heath crossed the finish line in fifth, but was penalized two spots for jumping the start.

The IMCA Stock Cars followed up with their own flag-to-flag, 18-lap main event.  Cayden Carter made it look easy getting to the lead by lap one, passing front row starters Derrick Agee and Greg Gill, and his second-row starting partner, Nathan Wood.  Carter purred along, circuit after circuit, stretching his lead on his way to the win.  Sixth place starter, Todd Reitzler chased Carter from a distance most of the race, to finish in second.  Third was eighth starter, Todd Inman from Altoona,  Mike Hughes was fourth and Derrick Agee was fifth.  Carter, who was driving the "other car" of owner Roger Kelderman, with the #33Z seen on one side, had no trouble in handling the reins of this ride.  

The Northern SportMods went 16-laps for their feature.  Jason "Mighty Mouse" McDaniel led the pack of cars through lap eight when a caution flew.  Meanwhile, Curtis VanDerWal had been on the move, splitting cars through the field, to get to second.  When the race went back to green, VanDerWal seized his moment, getting a run on McDaniel as they flew down the backstretch, and claiming the lead at lap nine.  He would then pull away from the field, capturing yet another win at the Monster half-mile.  Jake McBirnie, the Boone, Iowa driver who has been having a successful start to his 2016 season in his Harris chassis ride, fought his way from fifth place to finish a distant runner up.  McDaniel held on to third place, fourth was eighth place starter, Carter VandenBerg, and Logan Anderson rounded out the top five.

There was a strong field of competitors in the IMCA Modified ranks for their 20-lapper.  Cayden Carter and Josh Foster sat on the front row for the start.  Foster, who now calls Newton, Iowa home, and who is back in competition after taking a bit of time off from racing, snapped up the lead immediately.  Foster has looked strong this early season, and was showing it again as the race went on.  Veteran racer, Kelly Shryock slipped into second place by lap two and went to work running down the leader.  Meanwhile, the 20RT of Ricky Thornton was in the hunt, and picking off cars from his seventh starting spot.  A yellow flew at lap twelve, bunching the field for the restart.  Foster held the top spot, Shryock ran second with Thornton now in third and Zach VanderBeek sitting in fourth place.  Another yellow flew at lap fifteen when Shryock suffered a flat tire, and had to retire to the pits.  Things were looking interesting for an exciting restart with five laps remaining!  Foster still held the top spot, Thornton had moved to second after getting around Shryock, and Colt Mather was now riding in third place.  Thornton, the young gun out of Arizona, who is calling Iowa home this summer, wasted no time in flying to the lead on the restart.  He easily pulled the field the last five laps, taking the win in easy fashion.  Mather took the runner up spot, VanderBeek was third, Foster fell back on the restart to finish fourth and Tyler Groenendyk started tenth and captured a top five finish.  Thornton, who is living in the small town of Harcourt, Iowa, located near Fort Dodge, has already had great success this early racing season, winning two of the Frostbuster's as well as a couple of other early season races.  He is piloting the Victory chassis "house car" and making noise in doing so.

The 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature completed the night's racing.  It was a "no go" when the race took the initial green. when pole sitter Christian Huffman went into spin mode just out of turn two.  Luckily, all cars avoided him as he sat facing traffic, diverting what could have been a real disaster. 

Action did go green then, with four-wide scrambles.  Emerging at the top of the heap, was Nick Ulin, who snatched up the lead.  He had to fight off the advances of Danny Thrasher most of the race, with Dustin Griffiths joining in the fray in the closing laps.  The three cars ran tight for the final circuits, but it was Ulin not about to relinquish his race-long lead, as he took the checkers first for the win.Thrasher held second spot over Griffiths in third.  A distance behind them was August Bach in the 19X car, and Jared Stephens finished in fifth.

The racing came to a close at 9:25 p.m., allowing fans an early exit on a weeknight.  Thanks to promoter Mike VanGenderen for moving the show along and for giving the drivers free admission for the night.  

Racing continues next Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway.  Hot laps at 7, and racing at 7:30.  Come see some weeknight racing at the historic half-mile.   

Thornton captures Boone Speedway Frostbuster victory

After a week's postponement, the Frostbuster at the Boone Speedway is finally in the books.  Saturday, with an early starting time of 5 p.m. for racing, the show wrapped up by 8:20 p.m. The weather was still not a pleasant night to be sitting outside, but the crowd that was on hand saw some excellent racing.  There were 121 cars checked in to vie for a Frostbuster win in the IMCA Modified, Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock classes.

The SportMod had 32 cars competing.  A B main had to be run to complete the final four starting spots.  That win went to Randy Roberts, who had been the winner the previous night at the Marshalltown Speedway Frostbuster.

In the A feature, Doug Smith got by initial leader Robert Moore at lap three, to take the top spot and it appeared then that he would be a runaway winner.  However, Jake McBirnie had other thoughts in his head.  He slowly and methodically began reeling in the leader, weaving in and out of the lap traffic that they encountered.  It was a game changer when a yellow flew with two laps remaining in the 20-lap feature, drawing McBirnie to the rear spoiler of Smith.  Smith took the white flag with McBirnie on his tail.  As often can be the case, that fateful last corner was the nemesis for Smith, as McBirnie made the inside pass, beating him to the checkers and taking the win.  Smith had to settle for the runner up spot.  Crete, Nebraska driver, Brandon Spanjer came from eighth starting spot to finish in third place, fourth went to early leader Robert Moore and Randy Roberts started twenty-first to make it to a top five finish.

Thirty IMCA Hobby Stocks were on hand which called for a B main in their class.  Chad Legere won that consy race.  Shannon Anderson got to the front of the 15-lap A feature early, from his fourth starting spot, passing John Watson for the lead.  He never looked back from there on.  A caution flag with a lap to go, set up a green-white-checkered finish and with Watson on his tail, an interesting finish was anticipated.  Watson had nothing for him however, and Anderson took the victory...Watson going second.  Ninth place starter, Solomon Bennett finished third, fourth was Vinton, Iowa's Justin Wacha, and Eric Stanton, who had destroyed his car at the Frostbuster in Oskaloosa back on March 30, had a different ride, and finished fifth.

Thirty-two IMCA Modifieds were hungry for a chance at the $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts Qualifier.  They too had to run a B main to complete the 25-lap 24-car starting field in the A main.  Joel Rust was the winner of that B.  Blue Grass, Iowa's Mitch Morris was the lucky pill recipient for the pole of the feature, with Nick Roberts sitting along side.  It was a "no go" situation when the race initially went green, as cars piled up just out of corner two.  When the race did start, Nick Roberts grabbed the lead, only to have another caution come out with just one lap in the books.  Another yellow would follow at lap two.  Lap three found Jimmy Gustin at the helm, and when yet another yellow flew at lap five, the field of cars just could not seem to get their racing rhythm.  When things picked back up, the car on the move had been the 20RT of Ricky Thornton, Jr. who had started eleventh.  He challenged Gustin, looking high, then low, making it pay off by lap eleven, establishing the lead.  Two more yellows would rear their ugly heads on laps 12 and 14, Thornton still holding fast to the top spot, and Gustin still trailing him.  When action went green after the lap fourteen caution, it was Gustin and fifth place starter Mike VanGenderen dueling it out for the runner up spot.  VanGenderen gained the upper hand at lap sixteen, and would then wage a thankless task of trying to reel in Thornton.  Thornton went on to the checkers and the win, VanGenderen going second.  Gustin held third place.  Another interesting scenario had also been going on in the race as the familiar #69 that is usually piloted by John Logue, had the High Side Tickler, Kyle Strickler behind the wheel.  He moved from the sixteenth starting spot, to finish in fourth place with an impressive run.  Kyle Brown, who had won the Southern Iowa Speedway and the Marshalltown Speedway Frostbusters, finished in fifth, from his eighth place starting spot with an ill handling car due to a front right toe out.

Twenty-seven IMCA Stock Cars came to play on the chilly Saturday.  Only 22 cars were able to start their 20-lap feature due to attrition in the heats.  Trent Murphy led the field from the pole position, but he had company with Norm Chesmore challenging.  Chesmore made the pass for the lead, and now it was ninth place starter Jay Schmidt already dueling Murphy for second. Laps six and seven found Schmidt in second place and putting the heat on leader Chesmore.  An easy swing to the outside on lap seven put Schmidt into the lead by the time lap eight was scored.  From there on, it was clear sailing for the defending track champion, who went on to the comfortable win.  Murphy finished in second, while Chesmore fell back a bit to score a third place finish.  Fourth went to eleventh place starter, Donavon Smith, and Carroll, Iowa's, Adam Klocke came home in fifth.  Schmidt was a happy camper, pleased with his new chassis ride this year.

Sunday will be the fourth and final Frostbuster Series race scheduled at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton.  As of 11 a.m., the races are still on as a text was just received saying it was dry there, no rain, and the track was ready to go.  Hot laps are 5 p.m., with racing to follow.  We shall see if Mother Nature let's this one get in, as we have rain right now.

The season opener is next week at the Boone Speedway.  Please note that there are early starting times for the month of April.  Hot laps are 5:45 and racing at 6:30.

Brown posts another win in the Frostbuster series at Marshalltown

There were a lot of hardy fans at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night...enduring the cold and the wind, to witness the second of four Frostbuster specials.  After being postponed from last week, Marshalltown kicked off the first of the remaining three races---Boone Saturday night, and Vinton on Sunday.

There were 120 cars checked into the pits...by my count, 32 IMCA SportMods, 31, IMCA Modifieds, 28 IMCA Hobby Stocks, 20 IMCA Stock Cars, and 9 Mod Lites.  Drivers from several states made the trip to the high banks at Marshalltown.  Among those was the current IMCA Modified national  point leader, Lance Mari from Imperial, California.

The Mod Lites ran their feature first and after all was said and done, the familiar face of Josh May was back in the winner's circle.  May led the race from start to finish, crossing under the checkers well ahead of second place Randy Bryan.  Third went to Mike Morrill, fourth was Charlie Brown, and Bryan Zehm rounded out the top five.

Up next were the IMCA Northern SportMods.  Their B main was won by Ethan Braaskma. The 20-lap feature win went to Randy Roberts.  Roberts took over the lead from Tyler Soppe before the half way mark, and never relinquished it.  Finishing a close second was Dysart's Sam Wieben.  Soppe held on to finish third.  Fourth went to seventh place starter, Carter VandenBerg, and Jake McBirnie came from tenth starting spot, to take fifth.

Nathan Ballard led the early field of Hobby Stocks in their 15-lap feature contest.  As Ballard led the pack, one car swung to the top of the track, Dustin Elliott and was making it work.  Elliott took over the number one spot at lap six, and kept it the remaining way for the win.  Second place finisher, Eric Stanton, who had destroyed his race car at Oskaloosa back on March 30 in the first Frostbuster, was in a different car. Stanton came from starting sixth to make an attempt at passing the leader in the closing moments, but fell short and had to be content with second place.  Benji Irvine was third, Derek Hodges took fourth and John "The Mayor" Watson, was fifth after starting thirteenth on the field.

The closest finish of the night was in the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car class.  It did not start well, when a quagmire of cars piled up between corners three and four before one lap was in the books, eliminating a couple of cars.  When action did get underway, the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty had inherited the lead from starting fifth, thanks to the "no go" situation.  He battled with Jay Schmidt, who momentarily held the top spot, until Murty regained it at lap five.  Meanwhile, moving through the pack, was Donavon Smith.  Smith, who had started eleventh, was able to get to Murty's bumper before the the half way mark, and was wanting more.  Murty was able to hold off Smith's advances until that fateful last charge to the checkers, when, with a bit of contact coming to the flagstand, Smith was able to nose in front of Murty and seal the win.  In third place behind Murty was Steve Meyer with a great run from thirteenth starting spot, Tyler Pickett came from seventh to finish fourth and Jay Schmidt took fifth.

The 25-lap feature for the IMCA Modifieds was the final event of the cold night. Their B main was won by Ricky Thornton, Jr.  He is from Chandler, Arizona and is another driver who plans to call Iowa his home during our racing season.  Kyle Brown was the lucky recipient of the pole position for the feature, with Nick Roberts sitting along side.  A caution at lap one when Roberts spun, set up a restart, Brown leading the troops.  Josh "Happy" Gilman chased Brown as the race restarted until David Brown made his way into second place around Gilman, and was hunting down son, Kyle Brown.  A late race caution at lap twenty-one bunched the field, and scrambling began on the restart.  Brown was able to hold off Gilman at the checkers and take his second win in the Frostbuster series. David Brown finished third and Arizona racer, Tim Ward, who I believe will be calling Iowa his home this racing season, was a very close fourth.  Ronn Lauritzen had a good run from his eleventh starting spot, to put his "Star Wars" ride in fifth place.

I mentioned earlier, it was a hardy bunch of fans and drivers who endured the freezing temperatures to see the races.  Crazy may be a more accurate description.  This one went into the books as the coldest race ever attended.  The racing was stellar however, as was the field of cars, so it's one that won't be easily forgotten.....for more than one reason.

Regular season racing starts at the Marshalltown Speedway next Friday night, April 15, with the opening points night.  Races at 7:30.