Murray and Stanton go back to back, Goedert grabs L.ate Model win

There was a nice crowd on hand at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, to witness 124 race cars vying for a chance at a win. A few travelers came to race since the Iowa State Fairgrounds track was idle for the Goodguys car show.  The IMCA Late Models joined the regular five classes, and it was Luke Goedert taking home the hardware,  Jacob Murray made it two in a row in the IMCA Modifieds, as did Eric Stanton in the Hobby Stocks.  Damon Murty claimed another win in the IMCA Stock Cars, Josh May got back to his winning ways in the Mod Lite division, and a new face graced victory lane in the IMCA Northern SportMod class as Matt Petrzelka took the win.

A nice field of 20 IMCA Late Models came to try their hand at the High Banks of Marshalltown Speedway.  It was Marshalltown's own Darrel DeFrance leaping to the immediate lead in the 25-lap A feature.  DeFrance paced the field until lap ten when seventh place starter Luke Goedert took command.  Goedert lost the lead briefly to DeFrance at lap seventeen, but regained it quickly, and kept it to the checkers.  DeFrance finished as the runner up, third went to Jeff Aikey, who had started tenth, fourth was Charlie McKenna, and eighth place starter, Ben Seeman, was fifth. Only one yellow at lap fourteen, interrupted the racing rhythm.

Jenae Gustin led much of the 20-lap feature for the IMCA Modifieds, looking strong and on her way to a first win at Marshalltown in the Modified.  A yellow came out at lap twelve with Gustin still in charge, and when the race restarted, it was brother Jimmy Gustin making the charge on the outside for the lead as they entered turn one.  It was a scary moment when he shot  straight off of turn one, unable to turn, and the race was halted once more. Thankfully, he soon emerged from turn two, but drove it directly to the trailer. When the race got back underway, Jenae Gustin was still captain of the ship, but now had company in Jacob Murray.  Murray, who had started ninth, was flying on the topside.  He was able to use that topside momentum to take the lead with just three laps remaining, and went on to take the win.  Gustin had to be content with second, third went to eighth place starter, Ronn Lauritzen, fourth was Tim Ward, who started eleventh, and Racer Hulin came from seventh starting spot, to round out the top five.  Murray repeated his win from last week, and took his fourth victory at the Speedway this season.

Damon Murty took home another feature win in the IMCA Stock Car class, the 206th of his career.  Murty had to run down Jay Schmidt, the early leader, passed him, and then pulled away from the entire field to take the win by more than a straightaway.  Justin Temeyer came from twelfth, to finish second. Point leader Donavon Smith started ninth and finished third, Jay Schmidt was fourth and Steve Meyer completed the top five.  Murty, who started tenth, snapped up win number three on the season.

The winner of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature was determined in the closing moments when Eric Stanton was able to make the pass on Gene Nicklas with a lap to go.  The field was bunched when a caution flew at lap thirteen with Nicklas leading and Stanton giving chase in second.  That yellow proved to be the game changer, as Stanton flew to the lead as the race returned to green.  He was able to hold off Nicklas at the checkers to take the win---Nicklas finishing second.  Leah Wroten finished third, fourth was veteran Bill Bonnett who had started twelfth, and visiting Ray Stock, Jr. came all the way from nineteenth, to finish fifth.  Stanton took back to back wins, and this was his ninth win over all, his only loss being to Nicklas.

There was a first time winner in victory lane in the IMCA Northern  SportMod division.  In just his second appearance of the year at Marshalltown, Matt Petrzelka went home with a win under his belt.  Petrzelka grabbed the lead from Shawn Cooney at lap three, and held it the remainder of the 18-lap race to take the flying checkers.  Jared VanDeest raced from eleventh starting spot, to finish as the runner up.  Shawn Cooney was third, fourth went to Kevin Yearington, and Carter VanDenBerg started tenth, and finished fifth.

Josh May took home the win in the Mod Lite feature.  May started fifth, had the lead at lap one, and would lead all laps on the way to his victory.  Finishing a distant second was seventh place starter, Mike Morrill, Cory Sauerman raced from ninth starting spot to finish third, Joel Huggins finished fourth and Joe Glick, was fifth. This was May's first win at Marshalltown in the regular season after winning the Frostbuster special. As a note, May's younger sister, Chelsea made her debut in racing last evening, piloting the #18 "truck" Mod Lite.

A great field of cars were on hand for the racing action.  There were 12 Mod Lites, 27 Hobby Stocks, 21 SportMods, 23 Stock Cars, 21 Modifieds and 20 Late Models on a beautiful first day of July evening.  Some of the extra cars racing were regulars at the Iowa State Fair Speedway, and since they were not running last evening, due to the Goodguys 25th Heartland Nationals car show, they came to play at the High Banks of Marshalltown.  Speaking of the Goodguys show, we spent the day there roaming the entire fairgrounds.  It's a huge deal,  with approximately 5,000 cars on display.  If you ever get the chance, take it in.  It continues today through tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Many races coming up, so get out and find a race to enjoy.