April 12, 2024
Friday night was Night #2 of the King of the High Banks at the Karl Auto Group Marshalltown Speedway. One hundred seventy-one race cars checked into the pits for the night's racing that not only included the headlined IMCA Stock Car $5,000 to win show, but the IMCA Modifieds, SportMods, Hobby Stocks, Mod Lites, and Sport Compacts were also competing for a bigger purse.
Ten of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, presented by Drury Automotive, had locked themselves into the big show the previous night, and qualifying was completed through five Last Chance Qualifiers that took two each directly to the title race, and then it was filled in with two B Mains that took two each. This completed the 24 car starting field for the 50 lap run to the checkers.
Veteran racer, Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, who is starting his 40th year of racing, was the lucky pole starter, winning the draw over Dallon Murty who started in second. They were the two top drivers in passing points from the previous night. The 24 car starting field saluted the fans with a stirring 4-wide salute prior to the start of the 50 lap feature.
Kelly Shryock took the lead as the race went green, Murty falling in to run second. Last year's King of the High Banks winner, Jeffrey Abbey, Boyd, Texas tagged on to run third. Those three would run closely in the opening portion of the race, with Murty seeking high and low for a way around Shryock and Abbey just waiting for a bobble from either.
At the halfway point of the race, it was still the same running order for the top three, but seventh place starter Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wisconsin, had joined them and was giving chase. A yellow flew on lap thirty when David Brandies and Johnathon Logue tangled in turn four and a final caution at lap thirty-three when Todd Reitzler went for a loop, saw the top four remain in the same running order.
When the race restarted after the final caution, Abbey was able to sneak by Murty to take over second place as Shryock stretched out his lead. It was no contest for Shryock from then on, as he went home to the flying checkers and took the crown for the King of the High Banks. Abbey took home second place, and Murty kept hold of third. Ocheyedan, Iowa's Elijah Zevenbergen finished in fourth, and it was Damon Murty coming from twelfth starting spot to complete the top five.
Shryock was happy to finally find his way to the winner's circle at the Marshalltown Speedway, a feat that has eluded him. Shryock's win also locked him into the 2024 B & B Chassis All Star race qualifier at the 2024 Super Nationals.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap were running for a $1,500 payday, which would also put the winner on the ballot for the All-Star race for the division at the Super Nationals.
The 30 lap feature was a no contest for the previous night's winner Tom Berry. Berry was the lucky recipient of the pole position and from there, he never looked back on his run to the flying checkers. Joel Rust started seventh and took home the runner up spot. Third went to Todd Shute, Chase Weimer, Eldora, Iowa was fourth, and Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wisconsin was fifth. Berry is now perfect at the Speedway having won the previous night as well as last week's Frostbuster.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods, presented by Rugged Radios ran a 25 lap feature and $1,000 to win. Brayton Carter took the lead as the race started, with the previous night's winner Cam Reimers tucking into second. Just past the halfway mark of the race, Dylan VanWyk had arrived on the scene and was pressuring Reimers for second. It paid off at lap seventeen when VanWyk got by Reimers. It was an exciting next few laps as the two Oskaloosa, Iowa racers went at it. VanWyk made a slide attempt out of turn four that failed, but then was able to nose under Carter on the backstretch with just two laps left in the race. He would then hold off Carter to get to the checkers first, Carter taking the runner up spot. Third place went to another southern Iowa racer, Eddyville, Iowa's Logan Anderson, Reimers took fourth, and tenth place starter Tyler Inman, who was racing Carter VandenBerg's hotrod this weekend, was fifth. This was redemption for VanWyk after losing power while leading the night before.
IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, presented by Big 8 Tire Center also raced for $1,000 to win in their 25 lap Main event. It was looking like "The Mayor" John Watson out of the capital city of Des Moines, was going to see victory lane as he led from the start and was looking strong. But hold on! Cody Williams, Minneapolis, Kansas thought otherwise about that. Williams started eighth on the field, ran down Watson, and took command with ten laps to go. It was William's race from there on as he went on to the win. Watson had to be satisfied with second place on this night. Third went to newcomer on the night, Eric Stanton, Carlisle, Iowa, who was the show of the race coming from twentieth starting spot. Calvin Dhondt took fourth after a remarkable recovery from being spun out earlier. Seth Butler, Scranton, Iowa rounded out the top five.
The IMCA STARS Mod Lites, presented by Knight Sanitation went 20 laps for their main event. Kansas City's Dillon Raffurty would see Victory Lane in this one. He led from lap five, and never gave it up as he raced home to the checkers flying. Thursday night's winner, Jaedon McDowell, Murfreesboro, Tennessee raced from eleventh starting spot to take second place. Early leader Riley Clem, Bakersfield, California was third, followed by Bryan Zehm in fourth, and Cory Sonner in fifth.
The IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown was the final feature of the night. They ran 15 laps and it was Mason City's Devin Jones taking home the win. Tyler Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa finished as the runner up, third was Jeremy Williams, Oskaloosa, Iowa, fourth went to Cristian Grady, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and previous night's winner, Oliver Monson, Thornton, Iowa was fifth.
The weather was a bit more conducive to racing for the fans on Friday night as the winds died down from what they had to endured on Thursday night for Night #1 of the King of the High Banks. Fingers crossed that Mother Nature may now give us some better racing weather.
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