Grabouski, VanWyk and Reynolds night #1 winners at a chilly World Nationals

The Marshalltown Speedway sprang back to race track action on Friday night, opening its doors to the first of two consecutive nights of late October racing.  It was night #1 of the 13th annual World Nationals.  One hundred forty-eight race cars, that held a who's who of racing, checked in for some chilly fall fun on the High Banks. 

The first of the World Nationals champions were crowned in three divisions, with the titles going to Jordan Grabouski in the IMCA Stock Cars, Dylan VanWyk took the honors in the IMCA Northern SportMod class, and Kaden Reynolds won the IMCA Hobby Stocks.  

Kaden Reynolds took the win in the IMCA Hobby Stocks.  Reynolds started on the pole and looked to have the race in the bag until IMCA Super Nationals champion Dylan Nelson chased him down and took command at lap eleven.  Nelson's luck ran out when he had to exit the track with mechanical issues with just three laps remaining, handing the lead back to Reynolds.  Reynolds would go on to take the checkers and the win.  Solomon Bennett raced from ninth starting spot to take the runner up position.  Third went to Miciah Hidlebaugh, Jason Fusselman started eleventh and finished fourth, and Wayne Gifford jumped from his usual Stock Car ride into the Hobby Stock division, to round out the top five. 

The IMCA Northern SportMod 20-lap feature was led from start to finish by Oskaloosa, Iowa's Dylan VanWyk. Cody Thompson, the talented racer out of Sioux City who just fell short of the national title in 2019, raced all the way from nineteenth starting spot, to finish second.   Third went to another young hot shoe who had a great season, "Speedy" Bray Carter.  Austin Kaplan finished fourth, and Tyer Inman completed the top five.  

The IMCA Stock Cars ran 20-laps for the feature event.  It was an exciting fight to the finish with Jordan Grabouski, the 2019 IMCA National Stock Car Champion, just beating out local favorite Damon Murty at the finish line. The two talented drivers put on a show for the fans in the closing laps, Murty getting the upper hand until Grabo powered to the lead as they approached the checkered flag.  Third place went to Jimmy Gustin, Todd Reitzler, piloting a Shawn Ritter ride with the #56T on the side, was fourth, and Benji LaCrosse took fifth.  

There were forty-seven IMCA Modifieds in the house as they began their qualifying for the big $10,000 to win show tonight. After two rounds of heat races, the top ten in points through winning their heat plus passing points, are locked in to the championship feature.  Those ten drivers are: Jordan Grabouski, Richie Gustin, (last year's winner) Joel Rust, Jeff Aikey, Jimmy Gustin, Brandon Beckendorf, Kyle Brown, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Ronn Lauritzen, and Michael Long. Modified qualifying continues tonight.

There were four drivers that pulled double duty last night, racing in both the IMCA Modified and IMCA Stock Car classes.  Those were Jordan Grabouski, Benji LaCrosse, Jimmy Gustin, and the driver out of Columbia Cross Roads, Pennsylvania, Brad Smith.  Ironically, Pennsylvania does not have IMCA Stock Cars sanctioned anywhere in the state.  

Complete shows will be held tonight, October 26, for the IMCA Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks.  After the Modifieds complete their qualifying it will be the grand finale $10,000 to win feature for the IMCA Modifieds. Early start time tonight is 5 p.m.