Another World Nationals is in the books at the Marshalltown Speedway. Night three was completed on Saturday night and it was Jake Murray, Hartford, Iowa, taking home the Modified win, $10,000 and an impressive Championship belt. He is also now a two-time winner of the prestigious race. Murray started 17th on the starting line up and took the lead just before the halfway mark of the 50-lap race. Mike Mullen, the driver out of Suamico, Wisconsin, started fourteenth and finished as the runner up. He had to make up a lot of ground after slipping off the track earlier, and restarting in the rear. Marcus Yarie, Wausau, Wisconsin, came from twenty-second place, and finished in third. Fourth went to pole sitter, Terry Phillips, Springfield, Missouri native, and Green Bay, Wisconsin racer, Benji Lacrosse, qualified through a last chance race, started in twenty-fourth spot, and finished fifth. Jake Murray, who builds the Murray race cars out of his two-stall garage, also won the World Nationals back in 2013. Though Murray won the race for a second time, it was the first time winning under his own #48J, as in 2013, he was racing the #64 car he had built for Casey Greubel.
Damon Murty claimed his second $1,000 win in as many nights in the Stock Car class. Murty led all but the first of the 25-lap feature to seal the victory. Mike Nichols, (who just may have clinched the IMCA National Stock Car title last night, going head to head with twentieth place finisher Travis VanStraten in the points battle), came from twelfth starting spot, to chase Murty for much of the race, but had to settle for second place. New London, Iowa's Jeff Mueller came from fourteenth, to finish third, fourth went to Oconto Falls, Wisconsin racer, Joe White who started twentieth, and Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Nebraska, completed the top five.
The 25-lap SportMod feature found Jared Boumeester from Waseca, Minnesota taking home the $1,000 prize. Boumeester, who ran strong both Friday and Saturday nights, found his way to the lead by lap ten and never looked back on his way to the checkers. Friday night's winner, Clint Luellen finished in the runner up spot, third went to Eric Flander, Pella, Iowa racer, who ran at the front all race long, fourth was eighth place starter Curtis Van Der Wal, Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Adam Armstrong started fourteenth, and charged through the field to finish fifth.
The 25-lap Hobby Stock feature had a strange turn of events at the finish line. Dustin Graham discovered it is good to be in the right place, at the right time after finding himself standing in victory lane. Graham was running third to Eric Stanton and Shannon Anderson as they came out of turn four looking at the checkers. The two lead cars became entangled as they neared the flag stand, and Graham saw his opportunity and scooted across the finish line in first place. Stanton was credited with second, third went to Justin Wacha, fourth to Calvin Dhondt, and Gary Pfantz was fifth. It appeared that Anderson was pushed across the finish line ahead of Stanton, but a check of the results shows that Anderson was scored with last place. Graham, who is from Boone, Iowa, had never won at Marshalltown. When asked who he would like to thank in Victory Lane, he said Eric Stanton and Shannon Anderson...in jest.
The nice crowd on hand was treated to some great racing at the Marshalltown high banks, all weekend. There was a stout field of cars in all four classes, and the competition was bar none. Wisconsin had a large contingency of racers make the trip down. Congratulations to all the winners over the three-day run of the 10th running of the World Nationals. I believe the name was changed from what was previously called Havoc on the High Banks when World Products stepped up to sponsor the event a few years back.
We'd also like to bring to light the Fire and Rescue units that were at the track all three days. They were from Columbus, Nebraska and did a fantastic job. You definitely could tell they knew what they were doing at a race track! They were stationed at each end of the track in their mobile units, in full protective gear, and at the ready at all times. We chatted with a few of them...men and women... before the racing began, and they were all dedicated to what they do. They traveled to the track with their rescue units in a large trailer.
It was a great time also visiting with racing friends and acquaintances during the three-day run. Enjoying the sport we all love with fellow fanatics, makes it more the fun! As the racing season winds down in our area, we hope to catch a few more events before calling it over. Check the racing calendar at www.positivelyracing.com and perhaps you will also find a race or two to attend before ending your racing year.
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