Saturday, August 19, 2017

Mitchell goes home $3000 richer with Late Model Super Dash win

Marshalltown Speedway has had some great racing, great car counts, and good crowds, and Friday night was another of those nights.

Kyle Hinrichs captured his first IMCA Late Model victory, while Justin Mitchell went home $3,000 richer in the Super Dash. Jimmy Gustin got his new ride to the winner's circle in the IMCA Modified division, and Jeff Mueller got back on the winning track in the IMCA Stock Cars. Cory Rose got a first time win in the IMCA SportMod class, while Shannon Anderson chalked up another of his numerous wins in the Hobby Stocks, as did Travis Stensland in the Mod Lites.

The Mod Lite feature saw Travis Stensland lead all fifteen laps on his way to victory.  Stensland started sixth, but had the lead at lap one, sailing home to the win in the flag to flag race.  Josh May started eighth, and finished as the runner up, Charlie Brown was third, fourth went to Jason Masengarb,(piloting a #22 car instead of his usual #30) and Mike Morrill rounded out the top five.  This was Stensland's eighth win of the season.

The 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature had lots of action at the front of the pack.  Adam Shelman led much of the race, holding back Sam Wieben...the two dueling closely for many laps.   The closing laps however, found Cory Rose getting the advantage, moving past both Wieben and Shelman and then was able to hold on and take the checkers and the win.  Jared VanDeest made a last moment surge, coming from tenth starting position, to take the runner up spot ahead of Shelman in third.  Fourth went to Sam Wieben and Jake McBirnie was fifth.  This was Rose's first win at Marshalltown.  Rose has just recently gotten back into racing, not to be confused with brother Ryan Rose who has been in a similar car.

Shannon Anderson started in row six of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event to grab the top spot by lap six.  Once he had that lead, he distanced himself from the pack, and took the comfortable win.  Eric Knutson was second after starting tenth on the grid, Leah Wroten finished third, August Bach was fourth and Matt Smith was fifth.  Anderson visited victory lane for the eleventh time this year as he looks to not only the track title, but another National championship to add to his collection of awards.

Trent Murphy and Jeff Mueller duked it out in the IMCA Stock Car feature.  Murphy had the lead at lap one, and Mueller made it to his bumper by lap four.  The two traded the top spot a couple of times before Mueller finally established it for good, and was able to hold on to take the flying checkers.  Murphy finished second, twelfth place starter Damon Murty was third, fourth was Todd Reitzler who had started eleventh, and Donavon Smith came from sixteenth, to finish fifth.  This was Mueller's third win at Marshalltown this season.

The IMCA Modified feature did not start well as it was red flagged before lap one was complete.  Ronn VerBeek slipped off of turn two, ending up on his lid.  He was okay.  When things got under way, Shawn Ritter was the man in charge of leading the field, with Jimmy Gustin coming on strong, running in second.  Ritter held back Gustin until lap eight, when the #19 was able to make the pass and take command.  Gustin never looked back from there, pulling away from the field as the race went caution free, to take his first win at the track this season.  Ritter held the runner up spot, Ronn Lauritzen ran third, fourth was Tim Ward, and eleventh place starter Darin Duffy, completed the top five. Gustin took his new car, a Rage Chassis, to victory lane with his 101st career IMCA Modified win.

There was a new winner for the season in the 20-lap IMCA Late Model A main.  Kyle Hinrichs led the race from start to finish to take the checkers.  Richie Gustin ran out of time to garner more than a second place finish, Todd Cooney was third, fourth went to Justin Mitchell and Darrel DeFrance was fifth.

The night ended with the running of the $3,000 to win  Rumours Sport Bar & Grill Super Dash.  All season long, drivers had qualified through weekly dashes to earn their way into the big race.  At the end of the 12-lap Super Dash, Justin Mitchell went home with the cash prize.

Earlier in the night, during heat race #2 of the Late Models, Curtis Glover took a spectacular roll over, even standing it on end at one point, when he ran out of room at the top of corners three and four.  He was transported as a precaution after his jarring incident, but was alert and talking.

There were seventeen of the IMCA Late Models on hand last evening. Promoter Toby Kruse was happy with his average of 12.9 cars for the year.  Marshalltown ranked 6th out of the 10 tracks running the Late Models in just the first season being back at the High Banks.  There have been good car counts all around at Marshalltown this season.  Last evening 115 cars checked into the pits.

Next Friday night, August 25 will be the Larry Wollam Season Championships with six drivers being crowned.  Then on September 1, it will be the Showdown at Motown with $1,000 pay off for the IMCA Modfied winner, $500 to the Stock Cars and SportMods, $300 to the Hobby Stocks.  The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks are also on the ticket.



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