After last Friday's rain out at the the Marshalltown Speedway, it was clear skies greeting the fans this week. Winners in the IMCA Modified, IMCA Stock Car, IMCA Hobby Stock, and the Mod Lite divisions made it look easy, while it was close finishes for the IMCA Late Models and the IMCA Northern SportMod classes.
The Mod Lite 15-lap feature found Mike Morrill returning to Victory Lane and back in his own car after running a borrowed car for a couple of weeks. Morrill wasted no time in getting to the lead from his fifth place starting spot, taking command at lap four. Morrill took to the top of the track and then pulled away for an easy win. Joe Glick started eighth and took the runner up spot, third went to tenth place starter Travis Stensland, fourth was Randy Bryan, and Tanner Gannon completed the top five. The race went flag to flag. This was Morrill's second win of the year at Marshalltown. Morrill said in victory lane he was very happy to be back in his own car after using a "rent a ride" for a couple of weeks. The Mod Lite guys we've noted are a tight knit group, and it is not at all uncommon to see someone in a borrowed car.
The IMCA Northern SportMod 18-lap feature was up next and it had thrills throughout. Dusty Masolini led the first ten laps but had big time company in Johnathon Logue and Ethan Braaskma chasing him. Logue got the upper hand on lap eleven and took the top spot away from Masolini, and then a lap later, Braaskma was now riding in second and cleaning off the top shelf. Braaksma then found his way to the lead as the laps wound down and Jake McBirnie was now pressuring him. The final lap was a spectacular one as McBirnie did the dive and slide out of turn four, but fell just short at the finish line, Braaksma taking the win. McBirnie, racing his new GRT for the first time, started seventh, but had to be content with the runner up spot. Logue came from ninth to finish third, Cory Rose was fourth, and Kyle Olson was the hard charger, coming from eighteenth to finish fifth. Braaksma scored his second win of the season at the track.
It was a run away win for Shannon Anderson in the Hobby Stock A main. Anderson took command at lap six and pulled away to take the comfortable win. Dylan Nelson started ninth, ran out of time to reel in the leader, and had to settle for second. Gene Nicklas charged through the pack from his thirteenth starting position, to finish third, fourth went to twelfth place starter David Rieks, and Eric Knutson came from fifteenth, to finish fifth. Anderson won for the third time at the track in 2018.
The race went caution free. Anderson, who has his car for sale in anticipation of jumping up to a Stock Car, still has had no takers.
Jeff Mueller made it look easy in his IMCA Stock Car win. Mueller started sixth, battled with Trent Murphy for a couple of laps, then flew to the lead. When he got that top spot, he just drove off from the field on his way to victory. Trent Murphy took the runner up spot, third was Steve Meyer, fourth went to Dave Atcher, and Michael Jaennette was fifth. Mueller, who preferred the low line, "cat fishing" on the bottom, took his second win at the High Banks this season.
It took Todd Cooney just four laps to get the lead in the IMCA 20-lap Late Model duel, and it was looking as if he would ride off into the sunset. But enter the 1D hot rod of Ryan Dolan who began reeling in Cooney about the halfway mark. Dolan closed the gap and with four laps remaining, the leaders ran up on lap traffic. Cooney had to brake and got crossed up, and Dolan took advantage of the situation and quickly grabbed the top spot. He held it the rest of the way to the checkers and the win. Cooney recovered quickly to finish second, Ben Seeman finished third, fourth went to Luke Pestka, and Joe Zrostlik took fifth place. Dolan claimed his second trip to the winner's circle on the season.
The youngest of the Gustin brothers, Ryan Gustin, put on a clinic in the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event. Gustin started eighth, took the lead with a nifty slide job out of corner four at lap eight, and then pulled away. He finished more than a straight away ahead of second place Jake Murray. Third place was tenth place starter, Tim Ward, and Racer Hulin started fifteenth, and just beat out Ethan Dotson at the finish line as they finished fourth and fifth respectively. Gustin was the only one of the racing Gustin's in the house last night.
Next up at the Marshalltown Speedway is the Steve Priske Miller Lite Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models on Tuesday, June 5. The Late Models will be going for $2,000 to win. Also running will be the IMCA Modifieds, for $2,000 to win. The STARS Mod Lites and the Karl Chevrolet DTRA Dirt Trucks will also be competition. Hot laps at 7 with racing to follow. Regular Friday night racing returns on June 9.
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