Sunday, September 17, 2023

Berry gets a Twofer, takes Modified and Stock Car wins on Night #2 of the World Nationals

 Marshalltown Speedway held its Night #2 of the World Nationals on Saturday night for the Local UAW 893 Cliff Chambers Memorial Saturday Night Spectacular.  Tom Berry, Jr. doubled up and won both the IMCA Friesen Performance Modified feature and the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature.  The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod feature went to Matt Avila, and Adam Wasserman took the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock title.  Blake Drisco took the honors in the IMCA MACH-1 Sport Compacts.

The IMCA Stock 30 feature, presented by Drury Automotive was a runaway after Tom Berry, Jr. grabbed the lead at lap three.  He never looked back and finished well ahead of second place, and last night's winner, Dallon Murty.  Kaden Reynolds crossed in third place but was docked two positions for a deck height infraction, handing him a fifth place finish.  This moved Damon Murty to finish in third place, and opening laps leader, Austin Kaplan was fourth.  The race paid $1,000 to the winner, and was a B & B Chassis All Star qualifier for next years Super Nationals.

The Northern SportMods, presented by Rugged Radios ran 25 laps for their main event, which was a $1,000 pay day to the winner.

Todd Dykema, Davenport, Iowa led the opening lap, Shane Paris, in the rent-a-ride hot rod normally driven by Carter VandenBerg took command at lap two, but it was Matt Avila getting the upper hand on lap ten and claiming the lead.  Avila would never give up that top spot from there on out, and in the closing laps, pulled away to the the easy win.  Paris took the runner up spot, twelfth place starter Brayton Carter....last night's winner....raced his way to a third place finish, Jenae Gustin limped her ride across the finish line in fourth place after what appeared to be a ball joint issue, and Logan Anderson was fifth. 

The ground pounding IMCA Modified 30 lap feature, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap was led from start to finish by Tom Berry, Jr., claiming his second feature of the night.  Berry started on the pole, and was gone.  He finished easily ahead of second place Ethan Braaksma.  Braaksma was racing the car #12J, that I believe to be usually piloted by Jason O'Brien, and chased Berry most of the race.  Todd Shute finished in third place, Cody Laney was fourth, and it was Tripp Gaylord racing Zack VanderBeek's #33Z ride finishing in fifth.   The race was worth $2,000 to Berry, and was also a Fast Shafts All Star qualifier for next years Super Nationals.

The IMCA Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown ran a 15 lap main event.  The race would go flag to flag.  

Bryan Vannausdle, Glenwood, Iowa led the opening laps but it was last night's winner Cristian Grady snatching it away on lap three.  A few laps later, Dysart, Iowa's Blake Driscol was in second and up to challenge the leader.  Driscol harassed the leader for several laps before he was finally able to make the pass underneath with just three laps remaining, and then went on to hold it to the flying checkers and the win.  Grady had to be satisfied with the runner up spot this night.  Early leader Bryan Vannausdle took third place, Mark Smith was fourth, and Matt Miller rounded out the top five.

The finale of the night....and the finale of the 2023 season at the track, was 20 laps of IMCA Hobby Stock racing, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center.

DaltonWeepie, led the first handful of laps but it was Fairbury, Nebraska's Adam Wasserman taking over at lap six.  Wasserman was then able to maintain that lead through the caution plagued race and claim the World Nationals Hobby Stock title.  Corey VanderWilt, Lynnville, Iowa finished as the runner up.  David McCalla, Cedar Rapids, Iowa started fourteenth, and took third place, fourth went to Solomon Bennett, and Quasqueton, Iowa's Trenton Neuhaus raced his ride all the way from seventeenth to finish fifth.  

The 2023 race season at the Marshalltown Speedway has drawn to a close.  Watch the track's Facebook and website for announcements for the upcoming awards banquet.  

Our racing season may have also come to a close as well.  Seems it just got started!  There are races still in the area however, so for those seeking to attend, check the calendar at Positively Racing.  We need to keep supporting the sport we all love....dirt track racing!

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