It was Vessco Inc. night at the races, and $2,000 to win Highbanks after the Creek Dirt Crown Series for the IMCA Stock Cars on Friday night at the Marshalltown Speedway. It brought in a nice field of drivers from several states that have been competing in the series, as well as the weekly racers. A total of 149 cars checked in for a beautiful night for some racing.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Modified feature went to Joel Rust, while the coveted IMCA Sunoco Stock Car crown went to Jake McBirnie. Jenae Gustin returned to the winner's circle in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod class, while it was Sam West taking the win in an accident marred IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature. Jon Padilla made his weekly haul over to the track from Silvis, Illinois pay off by winning the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites, and it was Ben Kraus taking the checkers in the added Outlaw Mini Mods.
Feature racing kicked off with the Outlaw Mini Mods running their 12 lap main event and they did it caution free.
Early leader was Lucas Daniels, but by lap five, it was Ben Kraus in command. From there on out he stretched it out to a substantial lead, and took it home to the checkers. Chase Daniels chased the leader much of the distance and took the runner up position. Ninth place starter Matthew Grobe, Austin, Minnesota finished in third, fourth went to pole sitter Lucas Daniels, and Nathan Kilwine, Glenville, Minnesota rounded out the top five.
The Mod Lites, presented by Knight Sanitation ran their 15 lap feature next.
David Bailey jumped to the immediate lead, and was looking strong until bad luck bit him in turn two when he spun just after lap four was in the books. New leader was Colona, Illinois driver Jason Masengarb with Jon Padilla, Silvis, Illinois hot on his tail. By lap seven, it was Padilla taking command. Padilla then stretched out his lead, and took it home to an easy win. Josh May started tenth, and took second place. Jason Masengarb took third, fourth went to Alex Eischeid, and eleventh place starter Randy Bryan was fifth. Padilla, who started ninth, claimed his third feature of the season.
The 20 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center had some issues. It took the third try to even get the race started. More yellows would follow, and then the race had to be red flagged.
Sam West, the "Ferguson Freight Train" had the lead on lap two after passing early leader Braden Gifford. West continued his hold on the top spot through three more yellow flags, but as the laps wore down, he had big time company jousting for position in a close battle right behind him.
At lap seventeen, the hard fought contest going on behind the leader saw a scary incident, bringing out a red flag. Calvin Dhondt went for a hard roll, ending upside down on the frontstretch, as other cars got caught up in the unavoidable chaos....eliminating about eight cars. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
When racing got back underway, West still maintained his lead and went home to the flying checkers and the win....his second of the season. Corey Van Der Wilt started fourteenth, and finished as the runner up. Third went to twenty-fourth place starter Darin DeZwarte, Rick Kriegel started nineteenth, and was fourth, and fifteenth place starter, Derrick McNeece was fifth. Mitchell Thomas and Andy Peck completed the field of seven cars that finished the incident marred contest.
The IMCA Northern SportMod 20 lap feature, presented by Rugged Radios came next and it was Jenae Gustin on a rail....leading the entire 20 laps.
Gustin started third, and pulled an expertly maneuvered slide out of turn four to take the lead as lap one was scored. She never looked back from there, and took the checkers comfortably over second place Brady Hilmer. Matt Avila finished in third, fourth was twelfth place starter Brayton Carter, and Travis Petersen was fifth. This was Gustin's third feature win of the year.
Gustin was still in her rent-a-ride car, but we took note of what appeared to be her own car taking some laps around the track at one point....testing a few laps as it lagged far behind during one of the races. Perhaps it was brother Ryan Gustin that we spotted at the track, testing and tuning his sisters car for its debut soon.
The IMCA Stock Cars were racing for $2,000 to win in a Dirt Crown East Series race, that saw thirty-five drivers try to earn that payday. The Summer Dirt Crown Series which has an East and a West division began back in April and continues through September 16....with an East/West challenge race October 6 and 7 at Harlan.
Jake McBirnie led the field to green for the contest, and that was all she wrote, as he would lead all 30 laps on his way to Victory Lane. He was chased most of the distance by the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty, but on this night, Murty had to be satisfied with the runner up spot. Kaden Reynolds, ripped the lip of the track in the latter portion of the race in an attempt to gain ground, but had to be content with third place. Fourth went to Jim Horejsi, Marshall, Minnesota who advanced seventeen spots to take the hard-charger award, and Garrett Corn completed the top five.
Dallon Murty was moving through the field nicely running in third spot early, when he was suddenly on two wheels, bicycling in turn two when contact got another car under him. Somehow he managed to tame his ride, but later had to exit the race.
The finale of the night was 20 laps of IMCA Modified racing, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap.
Richie Gustin led the opening laps of the race, but Joel Rust was quickly up to challenge. By lap five, Rust had the lead, and he would keep the upper hand the rest of the uninterrupted way to the finish, and the win. Eleventh place starter Todd Shute got by Jake McBirnie late in the race as they went second and third respectively. Last week's winner Tripp Gaylord started tenth, and finished in fourth place, and Izac Mallicoat took fifth.
Next Friday, July 28, is the 6th Annual Dale DeFrance Memorial honoring the late hometown racer. It is a Hoker Super Late Model Race Series race with big money on the line. The Late Model race as of this writing pays $4,644 to win and $750 to start. Modifieds, $3,044 to win and $220 to start. Stock Cars are $1,444 and $185 to start. Northern SportMods are racing for $1,044 and $180 to start, and the Hobby Stocks pay off is $744 and $125 to start. Why the strange 44 in the pay offs? That was the number that Dale DeFrance raced back in the day. The DeFrance family and other volunteers have done a tremendous job in securing sponsors for this race.
August is just around the corner. That means we are already on the downhill slide of the racing season. Find a race to support, and help keep dirt track racing alive and well.
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