Rain on Thursday washed out what was to be the first of two races at the Marshalltown Speedway this week, when the Dale DeFrance Memorial race, as well as the 500th and final IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model race, fell victim to the rain. That race will be made up on September 17, the first of three consecutive nights of the annual World Nationals. Friday's show was Williamson Repair Night at the speedway, and went on as usual.
It was a Fast Shafts Qualifier for the IMCA Modifieds in a draw/redraw format, and a $1,000 payday for the winner. Joel Rust would take home that win. Brayton Carter won going away in the IMCA Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature. Young Dallon Murty put on quite a show for the fans when he won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event. Kaden Reynolds continues with his perfect season in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks....but under strange circumstances, and Randy Bryan went home with his first win of the season at the High Banks in the Mod Lites.
Randy Bryan started seventh in the 15-lap Mod Lite feature, swung to the topside of the track, and took the lead by lap five. Cory Sonner and Johnathan Braathun dogged the leader for much of the race....the final circuits finding Braathun peeking under the high running Bryan in a last ditch challenge, but could only chase winner Bryan across the finish line in second place. Cory Sonner finished in third, Zac Forster, Bakersfield, California, started eleventh and finished fourth, and Ryan Mills, Des Moines, Iowa, was fifth. This was Bryan's first win of the 2020 season at the speedway.
Just as the race began for the Mod Lites, Mike Morrill took a violent tumble off the top of the track between turns three and four....before the first lap had been scored. He was only one of several drivers rolling over last evening, all of which were thankfully okay. Matt Wahl rolled his Hobby Stock several times during his heat when the driveshaft dug into the dirt. William Russell followed that up in the very next heat for the Stock Cars when he took a hard roll off of turn two. Both cars suffered severe damage.
The IMCA SportMods rolled to the track next for their 18-lap feature. Polesitter Dylan VanWyk shot off to the lead immediately, but by lap two, it was eighth place starter, and cousin, Brayton Carter on his tail. Carter saw his chance as lap six was about to be scored when he swung under VanWyk to take over the lead. From there on, Carter would stretch out his lead to take the easy win. VanWyk was scored in second, third went to tenth place starter Jenae Gustin, fourth was Tony Olson, and Johnathon Logue came from eleventh starting spot to finish fifth. This was Carter's first trip to victory lane this year.
The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks ran their 15-lap A main next....and the way the cars crossed under the checkers did not reflect the final outcome. Mike Kincaid pushed his fast hot rod from twelfth starting spot and into the lead at lap six, and then would pull away to cross the finish line first. Following him across to finish in second, was fourteenth place starter Austin Mehmen. Unbeaten so far this season, Kaden Reynolds started dead last in twenty-fourth position, and crossed in third place. Fourth place finisher Solomon Bennett came from eleventh starting spot, and Aaron Rudolph came from twentieth, and crossed in fifth place. However, winner Kincaid, as well as second place finisher Mehmen did not pass post race inspection. This would then hand over the win to Kaden Reynolds....keeping his string of five races in a row, and a perfect season going. Solomon Bennett was then awarded the runner up spot, Aaron Rudolph was third, Gary Pfantz fourth, and veteran racer Bill Bonnett would complete the official top five. Word is that Reynolds luck fell a bit short later on, as he had his carburetor claimed.
Lady racer Leah Wroten would lead the early portion of the 18-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, holding off Dusty Vis. When a yellow flew at lap thirteen, Wroten was still in command, Vis in second, and now ninth place starter, young Dallon Murty was setting in third. That restart was all it took for young Murty to seize the moment, taking the lead just before lap fourteen was scored. The closing laps would find Murty pulling away to score the win well ahead of second place Dusty Vis. Todd Reitzler took third, fourth went to early leader Leah Wroten, and the winner's father, Damon Murty chalked up a fifth place finish. This was Dallon Murty's first win at the track this year.
There was not only a $1,000 waiting for the winner of the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature, but also a chance to be on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational at the IMCA Super Nationals. Tim Ward wasted no time in getting to the front from his second row starting position, sweeping to the lead by lap three after going topside. Ward continued his run at the front of the pack, and stretching his lead. However a caution at lap ten would tighten the field, and by this time twelfth place starter Joel Rust had made his way into second place. When the race restarted, it was a close fought battle between the two, until Rust took command at lap fifteen. From there on it was Rust out in front the rest of the way to the checkers and the win. Ward had to be content with the runner up spot. Tom Berry, Jr. came from seventeenth to finish third, fourth was Kollin Hibdon, and Ethan Braaksma, in his brand new Rage, hard charged through the field from starting twenty-second to complete the top five. This was Rust's second win at Marshalltown this year. He did it the hard way. He drew the worst pill for the heat races, starting last in the last heat. Then after being able to redraw by taking third in that heat, he turned around and drew the #12 pill for the starting feature.
It was another hot July night for racing, but with 122 cars in the pits, sans the Late Model class last night, it shows the drivers are eager to race, and the fans came out to support them during these unprecedented times. Find a race to attend in support of the sport we all love....dirt track racing.
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