World Nationals Night #2 Almost Foiled by Mother Nature....but not Quite!

It was UAW Local 893 Cliff Chambers Memorial Saturday Spectacular for Night #2 of the 16th Annual World Nationals at the Marshalltown Speedway.  The forecast all around was not good, and the start time was moved up to 6:00 pm in hopes of foiling Mother Nature last night.

The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Northern SportMods were once again on the docket as were the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Hobby Stocks and the MACH-1 IMCA Sport Compacts.

The IMCA Northern SportMods came to the track first for their 20 lap main event.  This one would be led from start to finish by "Speedy Bray" Brayton Carter who hails from Oskaloosa, Iowa.  Tony Olson finished as the runner up after chasing Carter for most of the race.  Jenae Gustin started ninth, and powered around tenth place starter Logan Anderson on the restart of a green-white-checkered restart as they finished third and fourth respectively.  Jarett Franzen, Maquoketa, Iowa completed the top five. Carter went home $1,000 richer for his victory.

The program was moving swiftly along with the threat of rain in the area, and the IMCA Modifieds were brought to the track next for their 30 lap, $2,000 to win feature. 

Early leader was pole sitter Scott Simatovich who held that top spot until lap five.  That's when Madrid, Iowa's Kyle Brown took over as captain of the ship.  He had company on his tail almost immediately as Richie Gustin jumped into the second spot.  The two continued their run around the top of the High Banks until a caution paused the action on lap fifteen.  On the restart, Ryan Maitland threw his hat in the ring, snatching second place and began his quest to overtake Brown.

Another yellow flew on lap twenty-one and by this time it was Grundy Center's Joel Rust who had come calling, taking over second spot. He was chomping at the bit for the restart as Brown continued his lead.  Rust stuck close to Brown and on lap twenty-four, threw a slider that got the job done, as he swept into the lead.  In the final circuits, Rust pulled away at the finish to take the comfortable win.  Kyle Brown finished as the runner up.  A distant third place was fifteenth place starter, Cody Laney.  Richie Gustin ran at the front of the pack all night, and took fourth place.  New driver for the night, Kelly Shryock came from tenth to finish in fifth.  

The IMCA Stock Cars were then quickly brought to the track for their 25-lap $1,000 to win event.... as the sky was looking more ominous.

Polesitter Tom Cannon from West Branch, Iowa led the troops through lap ten as a pack of five cars were going at it in hot combat behind him.  Those drivers.... Michael Jaennette, Damon Murty, and son Dallon Murty, last night's winner Jeff Mueller, and Dustin Vis were locked into a real battle. 

Damon Murty overtook Cannon on lap eleven and soon Mueller moved his way into second place.  Mueller, who is known to love the bottom of the track, was digging hard down low once again, while Murty was hanging out on the top of the track.  Once again Mueller's choice of the bottom paid off when he took over the top spot with a lap to go. He then held it to take the checkers for the second night in a row.  Damon Murty held on to second place, son Dallon Murty, who started eleventh, finished in third.  Austin Kaplan was fourth, and early leader Tom Cannon was fifth.

A few rain drops were starting to fall as the IMCA Hobby Stocks made their way onto the track for their 20 lap "A" main.

William Klosterman started sixth on the field and snatched the lead away from newcomer for the night, Curt Reed at lap four.  Klosterman continued to hold his lead though John Watson had been challenging him from lap eight right up to lap fourteen, when a caution came out.  That's when the raindrops grew more frequent, the track grew shiny, and the call came that the race was yellow/checkered.  Klosterman was awarded the win, with Watson taking second.  Eric Knutson, Sam West, and Curt Reed were credited with third through fifth respectively.  

Unfortunately, the IMCA MACH-1 Sport Compacts didn't get a chance to run their 15 lap feature event due to the rain and the races being called.

This was the final race for the Marshalltown Speedway, but the plan is to be back for Friday night racing in 2023.

The rain was coming down pretty hard before I was out of the parking lot....and not a pleasant drive on the way home to Grinnell.  I see our local weather reporting stations says we had over 2 inches,...much needed...but it did not come at the most ideal time! 

There are races yet to be found in our area, so if inclined, find a race to support.  Keep dirt track racing alive and well!

Berry Buries the Field on Night #1 of the World Nationals, Mueller, Inman, Dhondt, and Sabin also find checkers

It was back for more racing on Friday night, when the Marshalltown Speedway came back to life for the first of two nights of the 16th Annual World Nationals.  IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds and Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks, and IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts were in competition for J & M Fabrication Friday Night Lights. One hundred forty-four cars checked in for a full night of racing action.

The IMCA Sport Compacts ran their 15 lap feature event first.  Kolby Sabin has been on a tear at the track this year, having won eight times previously, and he added number nine to his list Friday night.  Sabin started fourth, had the lead on lap one, never to look back.  He pulled away from the field and won going away.  Following a distant second was Cristian Grady, Curtis Masterson was third, fourth went to Mitchell Bunch, and Blake Driscol completed the top five.

Just as the race ended, Dayton Filloon's car let forth a big puff, and spread oil from turn four, and down the frontstretch.  There was a bit of a delay while that issue was taken care of before the next race began.

The IMCA Hobby Stock ran their 20 lapper next.  Calvin Dhondt, Kellogg, Iowa, started on the outside front row, and immediately grabbed the lead.  His momentum was slowed by two yellow flags and subsequent restarts. However they were of no issue as he once again held on to that top spot when the race returned to green,  The final lap saw sixteenth place starter Austin Mehmen throw a slider out of turn four, but Dhondt kept his composure and made it to the finish line first to secure the win.  Mehmen had to settle for the runner up spot.  John Watson ran up front all night long, and finished third, fourth went to Walker, Iowa's Adam Streeter, and Tanner Jones, Boone, Iowa was fifth. Dhondt just returned to racing this year after being absent for several seasons, and took home the $500 prize.

Tyler Inman went home $1,000 richer by taking the checkers in the 20 lap IMCA Northern SportMod main event.  He overtook then leader Dusty Masolini on lap four and from there on it was all his race. Brayton Carter chased Inman for much of the race, but had to be content with second.  Following a distance behind in third was sixteenth place starter, Logan Anderson.  Tony Olson came from thirteenth to finish in fourth, and lady racer Taylor Kuehl was fifth. Inman, who calls Altoona, Iowa home, has not raced at the Marshalltown Speedway in quite sometime, and was a happy camper in Victory Lane in his post race interview.   

The IMCA Stock Cars ran a 25 lap "A" feature.  Dallon Murty, fresh off of his Super National's win, got the early lead.  However, he soon had Jeff Mueller on his tail as he dug along the bottom of the track.  Mueller made it work in that low groove, taking over the top spot on lap six.  Mueller would then stretch out his lead, content with his low ride around the track, as Murty kept up top on the High Banks.  A caution flew at lap twenty-three....just what Murty was looking for.  However, the restart proved to be of no consequences for Mueller as he motored off and took the checkers....as well as a $1,000 pay day.  Murty was second, third went to twelfth place starter Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, California racer who was doing double duty racing in the Modifieds as well.  Austin Kaplan, and Damon Murty, were fourth and fifth respectively.  

The night cap was 30 laps of ground pounding IMCA Modifieds.  Gilman, Iowa's Richie Gustin jumped to the lead immediately from his pole starting spot. Madrid, Iowa's Kyle Brown ran second with about ten laps remaining.  That's when a caution flew for a spinning car.  On the restart, Tom Berry powered by both Gustin and Brown, to take the lead.  From there on out, Berry, who just won the IMCA Super Nationals, pulled away and at the finish line, won going away.  Joel Rust came on strong in the final portion of the race, but could do no better than finish a distant second.  Gustin finished third, fourth went to ninth place starter, Dylan Thornton, and Tim Ward took fifth. Berry has been on a real winning streak this year.  Not only getting the Super National's crown, but he also won all six races of the Dakota Classic Mod tour earlier this year.  

Tomorrow night will be night #2 of the 16th Annual World Nationals when the five classes will do it all over again.  

Keep supporting dirt track racing!  

40th Annual IMCA Super Nationals in the Books

 We began our racing vacation with the Showdown in Motown at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday, September 2 and ended it on Saturday September 10 at the Boone Speedway and the 2022 Super Nationals....nine days/nights straight for us old folk.  We got tired and worn out.....but we had fun!

It's hard to believe that there have been 40 IMCA Super Nationals...beginning in 1983 at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Iowa, and Mike Schulte won that first Modified Super Nationals. The next few years, they were at various track.  1984, Jack Mitchell won it when it was held at the Independence Motor Speedway.  In 1985 it was held at West Liberty and Mike Frieden won.  Frieden repeated his win in 1986 when it was held at the Knoxville Raceway.  Wayne Larson won his first Super Nationals the following year at Mason City.  Then, in 1988, our first year in attendance (and every year since) it was moved to its permanent home at the Boone Speedway.

The forecast for the entire week of Super Nationals was looking great!  That first day, Labor Day, September 5, was a beautiful day to being the 40th Annual IMCA Super Nationals.  

Today was the IMCA Late Model Big Dance.  Coming out on top their 50 lap feature was Cory Dumpert, York, Nebraska.  Dumpert had many accolades prior to winning this one...a two time IMCA National Champion, but this one had eluded him.  Not this time as he swept to the win to start the week as the first 2022 Super Nationals champion.  Jeff Aikey finished as the runner up and though not too pleased with a little bumping between the two top runners, it was nice to see the handshake after the race was finished.  Dean Abbey, Boyd, Texas, Dustin Schramm, Sterling, Illinois, and Joel Callahan, Dubuque, Iowa were third through fifth respectively.

Monday also began the qualifying for the IMCA Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks.  Racing began at 2:10 p.m. and done at 12:11 a.m. 

Day #2, Tuesday, September 6 saw the second Super National's champion crowned when Jake Benischek, Durant, Iowa took the honors in the IMCA Sport Compacts.  He reeled in Kimberly Abbott with perfect timing, taking the lead with a lap to go, and went home to the flying double checkers. Following Abbott in third place was Dunlap's Shannon Mahlberg, fourth went to Mitch Bielenberg, Charlotte, Iowa, and Lukas Rick, Urbana, Iowa rounded out the top five.

Qualifying continued for the IMCA Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks.  Racing started at 2:09 p.m. and was completed at 11:46 p.m.

Day #3, Wednesday, September 7 is the day the IMCA Modifieds and Stock Cars made their first appearance.  The numbers were outstanding for those two classes.  There were 252 Modifieds and 243 Stock Cars checked in.  Final qualifying was completed for the Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks as well.  Total cars checked in so far was 995 cars.  Would we make a 1,000?

Racing began again at 2:09 p.m. and was over at 1:22 a.m.  That was a 78 race, 726 lap day.

It was already Thursday, Day #4 on September 8. Time was passing quickly.  Today it was more qualifying for the IMCA Modifieds and Stock Cars plus the All Star Invitational for the Stock Cars.  Young Kaden Reynolds, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and in his rookie year in the stock car class, showed his talent and took the prestigious win. Kelly Shryock was hoping to repeat, but had to settle for the runner up spot this year.  Justin Luinenburg, Reading, Minnesota was third, fourth was Beatrice, Nebraska's Kyle Vanover, and Mike Mullen, Seymour, Wisconsin was fifth. Thirty cars for thirty laps, and the race went flag to flag. 

Thursday's racing began at 1:08 p.m. and concluded at 1:54 in the morning.

Friday, Day #5, saw a whopping 94 races and 980 laps of racing.  What with a forecast for "R" for Saturday, extra races were added at the end of the night with 15 LCQ for the Modifieds.  It turned out to be a good call.  

Friday's racing also saw ROCs for the Modifieds and Stock Cars. plus the Modified All Star Invitational.  The Modified ROC went to Bakersfield, California's Jerry Flippo....a young talent from that area.  Kaden Reynolds continued his reign in the Stock Cars and followed up his All Star Invitational win from Thursday, with the win in the ROC. Another rookie took home the Modified All Star Invitational win in their 30 lapper that also went caution free.  That rookie was Sioux City, Iowa's Cody Thompson who jumped up from several years of running in the Northern SportMod class. That 30 lapper went 9 minutes and 7 seconds of non-stop racing action of the cream of the crop drivers.

There was an early call for racing on Friday with the rain in the forecast.  We began at 12:13 p.m. and ended at 1:48 a.m.

As we peeked out of our window at the hotel on Saturday, Day #6, it was not what we wanted to see! Rain!  It appeared it had been going on for some time as well.  Thank goodness at times for social media as the word came that as soon as the rain stopped in Boone, the jet dryer would be on the track, and then between 2-3 hours we should be racing.

We did go over to the track and sat and watched it rain....until 4 p.m.  At 4:15 p.m. we heard the jet dryer! It did its job as did the "green machines"...the John Deere tractors and the skillful knowledge of the track prep crew.  We were racing at 6:51 p.m.

As stated earlier, Friday night 15 extra LCQs were added in anticipation of the rain to come.  It was a good call, as on Saturday, there were only nine total races.  There were 3 Modified Last chance qualifiers and two Stock Car Last chances.  Then....it was time to go dancing!

The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks ran their 30 lapper first.  Brandon Nielsen, Spencer, Iowa appeared to be well on his way to victory until lap 22 when things got a little "pushy/shovey" with the top runners as they came out of turn four.  This involved the front runner Nielsen, second place runner Mike Smith, and third running Jimmy Johnson.  Nielsen's car road the inside wall, underside showing as it got pushed along....sparks flying!  The three cars continued to be mingled as they hit the flagstand with the flagman and his assistant luckily being alert and jumping back out of harms way.  A bit of flagstand repair was quickly done, and needless to say, the three cars involved were done.

As the race restarted, fourth place running Zach Olmstead, Overton, Nebraska was the lucky recipient of the lead.  It turned out to be his lucky day, and he motored home the rest of the distance to the checkers and the IMCA Hobby Stock Super Nationals Championship.  Justin Frederick, Cleghorn, Iowa was second, third was Adel, Iowa's Dylan Nelson, fourth went to Michael Kimm, Vinton, Iowa and Josh Sidles, Emmetsburg, Iowa was fifth.

The IMCA Northern SportMods came next, for their 30 lap Big Dance.  Colby Fett was the early leader in this one with Taylor Kuehl giving it a good go as she chased him around the track.  By lap 22, Matt Looft had caught Kuehl and two laps later, made the pass into second place.  Then...just two laps later, he had over taken Fett, and took over the lead.  It was all Looft's race the rest of the way to the finish and the IMCA Northern SportMod Super Nationals Championship.  Looft, Swea City, Iowa who is leading national points at the moment and already has four titles under his belt, has surpassed 200 wins in his career,  and now added another notch to his belt.  Fett, Algona, Iowa was second, Jarrett Frazen, Maquoketa, Iowa took third, Taylor Kuehl, Arizona native who now calls Boone, Iowa home, was fourth, and Logan Anderson, Eddyville, Iowa was fifth.

Two more "dances" to go, and the IMCA Stock Cars came to the track next for their 30 car 3-wide start for 30 laps.  Kaden Reynolds had already won the ROC and All Star Invitational races, and he seemed intent on making it three for three as he jumped to the lead as the race went green.

Dallon Murty, defending Super Nationals champion had other ideas however.  He overtook Reynolds on lap six and snatched the lead.  Dad, Damon Murty got by Reynolds to run second, and then chased his son for a while, all for naught. Then, late in the race, Kelly Shryock had arrived in the mix of things, and with five laps remaining, took over second.  It was no contest however for young Dallon Murty, as the "Game Changer" out of Chelsea, Iowa motored home to his second consecutive Super National's Championship.  Shryock, Fertile, Iowa was second. Reynolds, David Smith, the 20th place starter from Lake City, Iowa, and tenth place starter, Buck Schafroth, Orient, Iowa were third through fifth respectively. 

The last time there was a back-to-back Super Nationals Champion in the Stock Car division was eighteen years ago when Randy Brands made that accomplishment.

Now it was time for the grand finale....the 40 lap IMCA Modified Big Dance.  Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nevada started in the middle of the front row, and immediately took over the top spot.  Cody Thompson fell in to run behind him and Tom Berry, Jr., by way of Oregon and North Dakota, and now calling Des Moines home, tagged into third place.  Hibdon was able to hold on to that number one spot until lap 20 when Berry got the better of him, taking over the lead.  It was all Berry from there on out, as he pulled away in the closing circuits to win going away.  

Hibdon kept the runner up spot, Cody Thompson was third, fourth went to Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada's Aaron Turnbull, and veteran Cedar Falls, Iowa's Jeff Aikey completed the top five.

And so ended the 40th Annual IMCA Super Nationals....the 35th at the Boone Speedway as well as our 35th time there.  The racing began on Saturday at 6:51 p.m. and it was in the books at 10:57 p.m.  

Record car counts were broken, and an even 1,000 cars participated.  Beginning with the Prelude on Saturday September 3, and straight through to September 10, we saw 505 different races and 4,929 laps of racing....those stats thanks to Numbersman, Ryan Clark.  

Jerry Vansickel, Ryan Clark, and Aussie, Wade Aunger entertained us the entire time, feeding in tidbits of information along with calling the races.  The drone operators were fabulous!  They maneuvered the small drones around the track as they chased the cars amazingly well.  Everyone found themselves following the drones at times instead of the racing!  The track prep crew, the scorers, the IMCA.tv film crew, the My Race Pass and transponder people were on top of their game.  The IMCA Super Nationals at the Boone Speedway is a well oiled machine.....no where else would it run as smoothly.  

As much as we enjoyed the racing, we also enjoyed catching up with those we see but once a year at the Super Nationals.  We always enjoy our "racing family" and look forward to that part every year.  

It was a bit hard on us old folk with nine straight days/nights/early mornings that started on Friday September 2 at the Marshalltown Speedway for the Showdown in Motown.  We are just now catching our breath, and hope to be ready for two more nights at Marshalltown for their Friday/Saturday World Nationals to close out their track's season.  Hope to see some of you there. 

Edit:  Forgot to add the motors that were auctioned off:  The Stock Car went for $7,250, the Modified for $5,200, the Northern SportMod for $5,500 and the Hobby Stock for $3,000.  The money will be divided back to the starters in each of those divisions.   

Keep on supporting dirt track racing and help keep the sport we all love alive and well.    

 

Prelude Night #2

 September 4, 2022

Sunday was Night #2 of the Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals and also the crowning of the first of the 2022 Super Nationals Champions. 

The IMCA STARS Mod Lites completed their qualifying from Night #1 with 10 more drivers filling in the outside row of the three-wide 30 lap feature for their Big Dance.

Brandon Freeburg, Metamora, Illinois started on the outside front row and grabbed the immediate lead as the race went green.  Dillon Raffurty tagged on his tail to run in second place.  The two ran as such as the race wore on, with Raffurty giving a peek now and then until lap 25 when Freeburg lost the handle low in turn four, spun, and handed the lead over to Raffurty.  Freeburg got going, but the unfortunate incident resulted in Freeburg being handed the black penalty flag since he did not stop after driving below the light poles in the infield....a long standing rule at the track for the safety of the photographers and infield workers.

Raffurty had no problem in then holding on to that inherited lead the rest of the way to the flying checkers....and defended his 2021 Super National's title.

John Padilla, Silvis, Illinois finished in second place, Austin Gray, Story City, Iowa was third, fourth went to Bakersfield, California racer Zack Forster and New Yorker, Joe Isabell rounded out the top five. 

Earlier, the Mod Lites ran their Race of Champions with ten drivers that had qualified.  Dillon Raffurty also won this race handily, leading all ten laps as he pulled away from the field to take another checkers. Raffurty's record is nearly perfect at the Boone Speedway as he also won the ROC race last year.  

The IMCA Friesen Motors Northern SportMods ran a 25 lap Prelude feature event.  Eddyville, Iowa's Logan Anderson, led all laps on his way to victory in the race that went caution free.  Robbie Thome, Spalding, Nebraska chased Anderson the entire race, mounted several challenges, but was never able to do more than that, and had to settle for second.  Cam Reimers, Kelley, Iowa ran third, Oskaloosa hot shoe Brayton Carter was fourth, and Miles Morris, Yuma, Arizona was fifth.

The night ended with 25 laps of IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature racing.  Mike Smith had the field covered in this one. He started on the outside front row, and jumped immediately to the lead.  One yellow would mar the race at lap nine, but it was no issue for Smith as he once again pulled away on the restart and continued the rest of the way to the checkers and a 2022 Wild Rose Casino Prelude championship. 

Eric Stanton started eighth and took second place, as his engine erupted in a ball of flames at the finish line. Tyson Overton ran at the front of the pack all race long, and took third.  Cherokee, Iowa's Jimmy Johnson was the hard charger, coming from twenty-fourth starting spot, to take fourth, and Craig Brotherton, Clear Lake, Iowa was fifth.

The 40th Annual IMCA Super Nationals now beings it's six day run on Labor Day.  The Labor Day show begins with hot laps scheduled for 1 p.m. and racing at 2.

 

Prelude Night 1

 September 3, 2022

A record breaking 401 cars checked into the first night of the Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals on Saturday at the Boone Speedway.  IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts all had Prelude championship winners. The IMCA STARS Mod Lites began their qualifying, which will continue tomorrow.  Then they will run their Big Dance and crown the first of the 2022 Super Nationals champion.

Two "A" mains were run for the Mod Lites, the first qualifying the top ten for the inside row of tomorrow's Super Nationals Big Dance, the second "A" taking the top ten to start in the middle row.  Jason Massengarb, Colona, Illinois took the honors in the first, and it was last year's Super Nationals champion, Dillon Raffurty of Kansas City, Missouri winning the second and setting his sights on a repeat.  

The Sport Compacts ran a 20 lap Prelude feature.  After Zach Bohlmeyer, the driver out of Beatrice, Nebraska ran down leader Jacob Schwab out of Crete, Nebraska, taking the lead at the halfway mark, it was all his race.  He had the field covered and took the checkers going away.  Schwab finished as the runner up, it was a former Super National's Champion, Devin Jones finishing third, Kolby Sabin was fourth, and Mitch Bielenberg was fifth.

The IMCA Modifieds ran their 30 lap Prelude feature nonstop. Jimmy Gustin was the man in charge through lap fourteen, but in the meantime, it was the 4TW  of Tim Ward that had run the leader down, and then was able to make the pass.  From there on, Ward was gone as he pulled away and took the easy win.....matching his Prelude win from last year. Polesitter Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, California made a late race pass to take second over Gustin in third.  Fourth went to Seminole, Texas racer, Cory Davis, and Lucas Lamberies, Clintonville, Wisconsin, was fifth.

The night cap was 30 laps of The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars.  Chanze Hollatz was impressive in his run from sixteenth starting spot to snag the win.  He caught and passed Texas racer Jeffrey Abbey and then pulled away....taking the checkers easily.  Abbey held on to second place, Dallon Murty also made an impressive run, starting eighteenth, and taking third.  Early leader Devin Smith came home in fourth, and Wamego, Kansas driver Brandon Conkwright was fifth.

Tomorrow will be Day #2 of the Wild Rose Prelude to the Super Nationals.  The IMCA Friesen Northern SportMods, and the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks will run for their Prelude championship.  The STARS Mod Lites will complete their qualifying and then run their 2022 Super Nationals Championship feature.   

 

Colorado's Alvarado takes $1K at Showdown in Motown

The pits were packed at the Marshalltown Speedway with 166 cars on Friday night, and the majority from out of state for the Karl Kustom's Showdown in Motown.  The drivers were already in the area for next week's IMCA Super Nationals just down the road in Boone, Iowa.

The IMCA STARS Mod Lites kicked off the feature racing with their 15 lapper that paid $500 to the winner.

Jacob Copley, Milan, Illinois, led the opening laps only to have Dustin Ford snatch it away on lap three. By lap seven, it was Randy Bryan in command.  It was all Bryan from there on out as he stretched his lead and won going away in the race that went caution free.

Josh May finished a distant runner up, as he held off a hard charging Jason Massengarb.  Massengarb, from Colona, Illinois started twelfth, and took third place.  Fourth went to Ben George, and early leader Jacob Copley completed the top five.  

Eric Stanton went home the victor in the 20 lap "A" feature for the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks.  He started tenth, and reeled in then leader Eric Knutson, and took over the top spot on lap sixteen.  It was Stanton's race from there on as he won comfortably over second place Tyson Overton in second.  Third went to Adam Streeter, and pole sitter Joel Magee, Palm Beach Gardens Florida, a transplanted Iowan, was fourth. Eric Knutson, who spun out on lap seventeen, bringing out a caution, and having to tag the field, rallied back to a fifth place finish.  

The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods took to the track next for their 20 lap feature event.

Tony Olson started on the outside front row and grabbed the lead immediately.  Springfield, Missouri's Ryan Gillmore fell in to run second.  Gillmore continued to chase Olson until lap twelve when Brayton Carter came calling and took over second spot.  Then Olson and Carter put on a show for the fans as they duked it out lap after lap.  Olson maintained the lead until lap sixteen when Carter managed the pass, and then held on to the lead the rest of the way to the flying checkers.  Olson finished a close runner up, Gillmore took third place, Bakersfield, California's Tyler Bannister came from thirteenth spot to finish fourth, and Clay Erickson, Phoenix, Arizona, was fifth.

Austin Kaplan went home with the $500 pay day in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car 20 lap feature event. He started sixth, caught leader Jeff Mueller with just a handful of laps in the books, and then made the pass a couple of laps later.  Mueller hung close for a few more laps, but in the end as the checkers flew, it was Kaplan stretching his lead and taking the easy win.  Mueller finished a distant second, third went to Seminole, Texas racer Cory Davis, and Laurel, Iowa's Dave Atcher came from eleventh, to finish fourth.  Rounding out the top five was Chris Luloff, Independence, Iowa.

There was a great field of 47 IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds checked into the pits. Drivers were from coast to coast.  It took two "B" mains to whittle the starting field down to twenty-four cars. 

Arvada, Colorado's Ricky Alvarado started on the outside pole of the 20 lap main event, got the jump on pole sitter Tim Ward, and grabbed the lead immediately.  Fourth place starter Joel Rust soon threw his hat in the ring, and took over second.  The two continued to battle it out in a heated contest....Rust throwing sliders, and looking for anyway around.  However, Alvarado threw off all advances and went home to the flying checkers, and took home the $1,000.  Rust had to be content with second place.  Olivehurst, California's Ryan McDaniel was third, and close behind were Cody Laney, and Tim Ward fourth and fifth respectively.  Cody Thompson hard charged his ride from nineteenth, to finish sixth.

The MACH-1 IMCA Sport Compacts ran 15 laps for their "A" feature.  Kolby Sabin, who is the 2022 track champion at the speedway, continued his winning ways, led all but the opening laps, and sailed home to an easy win.  Kevin Bolte and Jason Bolte, from Odin, Minnesota finished second and third.  Pole sitter, Payce Herrera, Price, Utah was fourth, and Ryan Brown rounded out the top five.

The night ended with the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks and their 15 lap feature.  Jeff Johnson took home the honors in this one.  Johnson led all but the first two laps, on his way to victory.  Brandon Toftee finished in second place.  Shawn Cooney held off Shonn Mapes as they went third and fourth respectively, and it was Bryan Spangler taking fifth.

The Marshalltown Speedway will hold its grand finale for 2022 coming up on Friday September 16, and Saturday September 17 for the 16th Annual World Nationals, with an open practice to be held on Thursday, September 15 from 7-9:30. IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts are scheduled to run. The Modifieds will be running for $2000, Stocks Cars and SportMods $1,000, Hobby Stocks $500, and Sport Compacts $250 each day.  Hot laps are scheduled for 6 with racing at 7 p.m.   

Last night started what we hope to be a nine day/night run of racing.  We now head to the Boone Speedway for the first night of the Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals.  Tomorrow will be night #2 of the Prelude but it will also be crowning the first of the 40th Annual IMCA Super Nationals Champions in the STARS Mod Lites.  Then Monday, Labor Day September 5 is day #1 of the 2022 Super Nationals.  It will be our 35th straight year in attendance.  We hope we can endure once more!  What with 1021 cars (by the last count) it is bound to be a recording breaking year.  Hope to see some of you there!