Saturday, June 27, 2020

Double features, big car count, and first time winners at Marshalltown

It was a long night of racing at the Marshalltown Speedway Friday.  The night kicked off with five make up features from June 12 to be finished, and then the regular program was run in its entirety. Right around 140 cars ran on the high banks last night....some seeming to have forgotten how to get around the fast quarter-mile. There was a plague of caution flags as well as several reds when cars ended up without all four wheels on the ground....some in spectacular fashion.  Safety equipment prevailed and the drivers were all okay.

Two drivers would earn their first ever wins, Dalton Simonsen in the IMCA Late Models, and Kyle Everts in the IMCA Stock Cars.  Kaden Reynolds would double up in the IMCA Hobby Stocks.  Make up features were also won by Darrel DeFrance, IMCA Late Model, Joel Rust in the IMCA Modifieds, and Brian Schrage in the IMCA Northern SportMods. Other winners from the regular night's racing went to Tom Berry, Jr., IMCA Modified, Jeff Mueller in the IMCA Stock Cars, Kyle Olson in a thriller for the IMCA Northern SportMods, and Joe Glick took home the honors in the Mod Lite feature.

The first of the make up features was the IMCA Northern SportMod event.  This one would be led from start to finish by Brian Schrage in a dominating performance.  The winner's son, Austin Schrage came from eighth starting position to finish in the runner up spot.  Third went to Kyle Olson, Jenae Gustin started fifteenth and took fourth, and twenty-fourth place starter, Brady Hilmer rounded out the top five.

The first scary incident of the night happened in that make up race for the SportMods. Cory VanZante flipped wildly off of turn two when contact was made with another car.  Cory was walking under his own power afterwards, but his car was towed back to the pits on the rollback not looking so good. 

The regular night's feature for the IMCA Northern SportMods was a hard fought battle between cousins.  Tony Olson led most of the race but it wasn't an easy task holding back cousin Kyle Olson who was hot on his tail for much of the contest.  In the closing laps, Travis Petersen also joined in the hunt.  The final circuits were nip and tuck and just after the white flag flew, Petersen got squeezed out allowing Kyle Olson to seize his chance and fly into the lead.  He then held off cousin Tony Olson to take the win.  Third went to Austin Kaplan, Austin Schrage came from eleventh to finish fourth, and Johnathon Logue was fifth. 

The IMCA Hobby Stock make up feature came next.  Kaden Reynolds chased early leader Christian Huffman until a rolled tire put him out of the contest, putting Reynolds to the point.  From there on he held the top spot the rest of the way to the checkers and the win.  Solomon Bennett was second, third went to Ben Newhouse, Austin Mehmen started tenth and finished fourth, and Mike Kincaid came from twelfth to finish fifth.

Kaden Reynolds, took his second feature win of the night, snapping up the regular night's main event.  He finished comfortably ahead of second place runner Braden Richards.  Third went to veteran racer Bill Bonnett, fourth was Austin Mehmen who started eleventh, and Michael Kimm was fifth.  Reynolds came from twelfth starting spot to double up on the night.

The IMCA Late Model make up feature win was a popular one with the fans as hometown boy Darrel DeFrance took the checkers. DeFrance took command at lap four and never relinquished it on his way to the flying checkers.  Jill George followed in second place, third went to Shawn Cooney, and Colton Leal and Michael Leal from Pacific Junction were fourth and fifth.

The regular Late Model feature of the night found a driver stepping into victory lane for the very first time....that being Dalton Simonsen from Fairfax, Iowa.  Simonsen got past early leader Darrel DeFrance on lap five and from there on, pulled away to secure his first ever win.  Darrel DeFrance finished second, just holding off Logan Duffy in third.  A close fourth was Curtis Glover, and Michael Leal was fifth. The race went caution free, a rarity on the night. 

Another first time winner was Kyle Everts when he won the IMCA Stock Car make up feature.  Jason Hall led from the drop of the green and was poised for a win until he slipped up in turn one, allowing Everts to take over the number one spot.  The finals laps saw Damon Murty make his usual hard charge through the field, coming from eleventh starting spot, but he would fall just short and finish second.  Third went to Todd Reitzler, Jason Hall was fourth and Scott Rice was fifth.

Jeff Mueller would take home the trophy in the regular feature for the IMCA Stock Cars.  Mueller caught early leader Dusty Vis and took command on lap thirteen never to look back.  The "Chelsea Charger" Damon Murty once again came from eleventh to finish second, Dusty Vis was third, fourth went to ninth place starter Dallon Murty, and Shawn Ritter rounded out the top five.

It was Joel Rust taking the make up feature for the IMCA Modifieds.  Rust had to throw off the challenges of Tom Berry, Jr. much of the race, but was able to do so and secure his first win at the speedway this year.  Berry started near the back of the starting grid, and hustled through the field to finish as the runner up, third went to Ethan Braaskma, pole sitter Ron Lauritzen finished fourth and Jared VanDeest was fifth.

After a strong performance in the make up feature, Tom Berry made it one position better and got the feature win in the regular night's A main for the IMCA Modifieds.  Berry started eleventh and worked his way through the pack, catching then leader Kollin Hibdon with four laps remaining and then go on to take the checkers.  Following second place Hibdon was Tim Ward in third, fourth went to Sam Wieben, and Joel Rust was fifth.

The only class running one feature was the Mod Lites. They got their feature completed on June 12, that being won by Cory Sonner with his first ever career win.

Charlie Brown started seventh and flew to the lead in the Mod Lite 15-lap feature as the race went green.  But on this night he would have to settle for the runner up spot as Joe Glick took the checkers first, taking over the top spot on lap eight, never to give it up. Randy Bryan was third, and Bryan Zehm and Terry Brown rounded out the top five. 

 A lot of racing was to be had, and with the large car count, the make up features, plus all the cautions, it made for a night of racing that lasted well past the midnight hour.  Thankfully, the rain stayed well to our south....producing a light show behind the grandstand. 

Find a race to attend race fans.  We need to keep dirt track racing alive and well. 

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