It was a beautiful night for a race at the Marshalltown Speedway Friday, and there was exciting action in all five classes. Jacob Murray claimed his third win in the Modified class, Donavon Smith picked up another victory in the IMCA Stock Cars, Joey Schaefer won for the first time in the SportMod division, Eric Stanton got back on track, winning the Hobby Stock feature, and Mike Morrill made another youngster happy by giving away his winning trophy in the Mod Lites. It was also Shawn's Hay Grinding night at the races, and thanks to them, some lucky young ones went home with new bicycles.
Jacob Murray started ninth on the field for the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. He put his 48J ride to the topside and reeled in the front running cars quickly. When a yellow flew at lap four, Murray was already sitting in third place, behind Jake Strayer, and leader Jenae Gustin. When the race restarted, Murray put it to the top again, and passed both Strayer and Gustin, and was scored the leader at lap five. From there on, he shook off all challenges and swept to the win, his third of the season. Richie Gustin, who did not finish his heat race, and had to start dead last in 20th spot, flew through the pack to finish as runner up and hard charger of the race. Cody Laney, the Torrance, California racer who is back in the area for some Iowa racing, finished in third place. Fourth went to tenth place starter, Jimmy Gustin, and Jenae Gustin looked good with her fifth place finish. The racing Gustin family, finished second, fourth and fifth.
The always entertaining IMCA Stock Cars once again showed why they are called, The Class too Tough to Tame. There were hard fought battles going on throughout the field for the entire 20-lap feature. Dave Atcher nabbed the lead as the race went green, holding back Kyle Everts, and Jeff Wollam. By lap four, it was the familiar #35 of Donavon Smith, lurking in second place, after getting by both Wollam and Everts. When a yellow flew at lap eight, Smith was ready for the restart, and made the pass for the lead. He would then keep the rest of the pack at bay the remaining laps to the finish and the win. A good battled brewed in the closing laps between Atcher and eighth place starter Damon Murty, with Murty winning out for the runner up spot, Atcher going third. Fourth went to Jeff Wollam, and Michael Jaennette rounded out the top five. This was Smith's third win of the 2016 regular season.
After Eric Stanton had his perfect streak ended last week by Gene Nicklas, he got back to victory lane this week by winning the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Stanton started eighth and by lap four, had claimed the lead. He then pulled away to win by a comfortable margin. Jamie Songer was scored in second place after starting seventh, and fellow Ankeny, Iowa racer Chad LeGere was third. Gary Pfantz was fourth, and Adam Petrzelka was fifth. Near the end of the race, Leah Wroten and last week's winner Gene Nicklas were battling for second place. Contact was made, and Nicklas went into spin mode...while Wroten continued on. Wroten crossed the line in second place, but we learned later, that she was penalized and was scored sixteenth.
Joey Schaefer took home the trophy in the 18-lap feature event for the IMCA Northern SportMod feature as well as $500, thanks to the extra money added by Speed Shift TV. Shaefer got the lead by lap three, and never looked back on his way to victory lane. A distance behind in second was 17th place starter, Jared VanDeest, and tenth place starter Brayton Carter made the trip up from Oskaloosa and was third. His cousin Carter VanDenBerg, also from Oskaloosa, rallied through the field after a bad start sent him positions backward, to take fourth and Jake McBirnie completed the top five. This was Schaefer's first win at Marshalltown in the SportMod class.
Mike Morrill went home with the winning money in the Mod Lite feature, but minus his trophy...as usual. Morrill led all twelve laps of the caution free feature to take the win. Joe Glick finished a distant second, third went to Randy Bryan, last week's winner Travis Stensland was fourth, and fifth went to Eric Turner. Morrill presented his trophy, as he always does, to a lucky youngster eagerly waiting to be picked at the flag stand. Morrill claimed his third feature win of the 2016 season.
Get out and attend a race somewhere in support of the sport we all love.
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