The IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models came to the high banks of the Marshalltown Speedway on Tuesday night, making their 27th appearance at the track. It was run in honor of the late Steve Priske, a former promoter at the track and long time supporter of the Late Model class. The "Priske 50" Miller Lite feature paid $2,000 to win, as did the IMCA Modified A main. Also running were the STARS Mod Lites and the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks. Even a track that went dark during the running of the Modified feature could deter the night's racing action that brought 90 race cars to the mid-week race.
Joe Glick led the STARS Mod Lite feature event from flag to flag to secure his first win at the track in 2018. He finished a comfortable distance ahead of second place Randy Bryan. R J Gonzales made the trip over from Calona, Illinois and went home with a third place finish. Finishing a close fourth was Travis Stensland, and Jason Masongarb, also from Calona, Illinois, rounded out the top five. The race went caution free. Eighteen cars checked into the speedway for some Tuesday night fun.
The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks were also in the house, bringing eleven of the trucks to take a run on the high banks. Steve Jackson and Pat Graham, two drivers who are best been known for racing Stock Cars and Modifieds respectively, were putting on the show up front for most of the 15-lap event. Graham led Jackson and then a caution flew on lap thirteen, and then the subsequent restart, Jackson suddenly slide off of turn two and out of the race, allowing Graham to run unhindered to the checkers and the win. Rick Clark finished as the runner up, third was Miles Michehl, Lou Sipolt was fourth with no power steering, and Justin Schroeder scored a fifth place finish.
The IMCA Modifieds were running for $2,000 to win, and when the 25-lap feature rolled to the track, it was veteran racer Kelly Shryock and hot shoe Hunter Marriott sitting on the front row. As the race went green it was Shryock taking the lead but Marriott battled around him for the top spot at lap three. As captain of the ship, Marriott looked strong until Cayden Carter suddenly entered the picture, got around Shryock, and was now chasing Marriott. Then, at lap ten, "The Lights Went out in Marshalltown!" The track went dark! Thankfully, all drivers were able to stop and no on track incidents occurred. About a 20 minute delay, and the lights came back up and racing continued. Cater was able to make his move into the lead at lap fifteen, and from there on kept it to the flying checkers. Finishing a ways behind for second place was eleventh place starter Ricky Thornton. Richie Gustin followed through the pack from twelfth starting spot, to finish third, Marriott fell back a bit to take fourth place, and Joel Rust rounded out the top five.
The IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model 50 lap feature capped off the night's racing. Curt Martin was the lucky recipient of the pole starting position with Matt Ryan sitting along side. Martin led the first lap but third place starter Andy Eckrich claimed the lead on lap three. Eckrich was not hindered by any of the three cautions that flew at lap eight, ten and eleven, and continued his run at the front, untouched. He sliced and diced his way through lap traffic, and had no trouble in sailing home to the win. Point leader of the series, Justin Kay, started twelfth and had a nice run to finish in the runner up spot. Todd Cooney, Jeff Aikey and Denny Eckrich completed the top five.
There was a nice crowd on hand last evening to watch the racing action. Thirty-two Modifieds and 29 Deery Brothers Late Models entertained the fans. The weather was near perfect, though a radar check and clouds building to the north and heading our way, gave thought to a Mother Nature fit. Luckily, that dissipated and moved off to the east. The startling lights going out and the track cloaked in darkness during the Modified feature, was a strange deal. The drivers did a great job of getting their machines stopped before any chaos occurred. Stranger yet was the fact that the pits still had power, as did the concession stand and the PA system. The PA then went out, and announcer Jerry Vansickel made due with the loud speaker on the ambulance to inform the crowd. After about a twenty minute delay, the lights came back up, and racing continued. This brought back memories of a few other times this has happened....at least twice back in the days of the old Greenbelt Speedway in Eldora, Iowa, and once at the IMCA Super Nationals in Boone that come to mind. Thankfully, the gauges are glowing brightly inside the race cars, allowing for some sense of where the one in front of each other is located.
There was a lot of talent on the track last evening in the the Modified and Late Model classes. Jeff Aikey, who has won numerous Deery races, was piloting the #24 hot rod of Scott Fitzpatrick. Justin Kay, who has won four series races in a row this season, and got that streak ended at the Memorial Day race in Boone when veteran racer Curt Martin won, had to settle for second last night. The top 15 drivers in the Deery Series point battle were racing last evening, and local crowd favorite, "Ironman" Darrel DeFrance put all 484 Deery races under his belt. The Modified class also had a stout field of talent. Three Gustin's were on hand, Jimmy, Richie and Ryan, and when only one of those, Ritchie, made the starting field, you know competition was tough. Ryan Gustin had the misfortune of flying off of the track at the top of turns one and two during his heat action, and took a couple of tumbles that ended his night's racing. He was not hurt, but the car suffered enough damage to call it a night.
The regular Friday night action continues on June 8, with racing in all six divisions. The green flag drops at 7:30.
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