Saturday, July 15, 2017

New winners, repeat winners and a family affair

It was J & V Napa night at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, with the Central Iowa Fair running in the background.  Three drivers would get their first wins of the season, while others would add to their victories on the year. Two of those first time winners, would keep it in the family.  The features were run with only a total of three yellow flags, making for an efficient show, with great racing, and on a track that held its moisture last evening.

Travis Stensland continues his tear in the Mod Lite division, as he chalked up his fourth win in a row. Stensland started fourth, and had the lead before the first lap was scored.  The race went caution free, and Stensland pulled away to win the race by a good margin over second place Joe Glick.  Josh May started ninth, and finished a close third, fourth went to Joe Zrostlik and Bryan Zehm was fifth.  Stensland also won back in May, in Mike Kennedy's "rent-a-ride" #95, making this his fifth victory at the track.

Sam Wieben made it to the winner's circle for the first time this season by winning the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature.  Wieben started tenth and passed last week's winner Shawn Cooney on lap eleven, then sailed away to the win in the final laps.  Travis Peterson came from eleventh starting spot to capture the runner up position, third went to twelfth place starter, Jared VanDeest, and Shawn Cooney was fourth, and Jake McBirnie completed the top five. The race went flag to flag.

Shannon Anderson got back to his winning ways in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock event.   It took Anderson less than two laps to take over the lead, as he raced from his tenth starting spot.  From there on, Anderson never looked back on his way to the checkers.  Father Jeff Anderson, started fifth, and chased his son the final handful of laps but could muster no better than the runner up spot.  Gary Pfantz was third, holding back fourth place finisher Justin Wacha, and last week's winner Leah Wroten, was fifth.  This was Anderson's eighth win at Marshalltown this year. The only other winner's in the class this season have been Leah Wroten, Gene Nicklas, and Bill Bonnett...who was MIA last evening.

After a near photo finish last week...and a loss by inches, Damon Murty got to stand in Victory Lane this week in the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car class.  Murty started eighth, moved to the topside early, and stayed there, on his run to the flying checkers.  Todd Reitzler started ninth, and followed in Murty's footsteps at the top of the track, but could only chase him across the line to finish second.  Third went to tenth place starter Donavon Smith, pole sitter Scott Rice ran up front the entire race, and finished fourth, and Kyle Everts rounded out the top five. This was Murty's fourth feature win of the season, plus he also won the Frostbuster special.

Murty was interviewed in victory lane after his win, and stated that he was racing his second car last evening, the one that young son Dallon often pilots.  Dallon, who is just twelve years old, won his first non-sanctioned stock car race last Saturday night at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City.  Look for great things from this young man in the furture, who already has the moniker , "Game Changer".

The IMCA Modifieds ran their 20 lap event next and it went caution free as well.  Jesse Belez, in his home built race car,  led the first ten laps, as Jenae Gustin began reeling him in.  After a few laps of pestering Belez, Gustin made the move to first on lap eleven. She then distanced herself from the rest of the field, taking the checkers by a comfortable margin.  Jake Murray finished second, winning the battle over Jon Snyder who was third.  Fourth went to Todd Inman and Derek Reimer finished fifth.  This was Jenae Gustin's first win at the track this season. It was a popular one for sure, as the fans were on their feet as she took the checkers.

The 20 lap IMCA Late Model feature was dominated by Richie Gustin.  Gustin started seventh, and was leading when lap one was scored.  The only caution of the race came at lap two when Joe Zrostlik and Curtis Glover tangled on the front stretch, closing out their night and mangling a couple of infield sponsor signs.  When the race restarted, Gustin rocketed off, racing around the rim of the track... never seriously challenged.  He finished a comfortable distance ahead of second place Todd Cooney who's attempt to reel in the winner fell short. Darrel DeFrance started eighth and came home in third place, fourth was Paul Conrad, and Paul Nagel was fifth.  Gustin wins for the first time at Marshalltown this year. He followed up sister Jenae's win in the Modifieds.

We wandered the Central Iowa Fair earlier in the evening, finding some "fair food" at one of the stands, and then had an enjoyable night of sharing the racing action with friends.  The program was run quickly, with few yellows flags, on a much moister track than the previous few weeks.




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