A large crowd was on hand for the annual running of the Dale DeFrance Memorial along with the Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series (SLMR) East and West Series were in town at the Marshalltown Speedway Friday night. It was a steamy July night as one hundred sixty cars in five classes packed the pits for the prestigious race. Extra money was also on the line in all classes that saw the night celebrate the patriarch of the DeFrance Family, Dale DeFrance, as well as the entire DeFrance racing family that includes the Gustins and Murtys. Justin Kay defended his SLMR win from last year in a thrilling last lap pass to take the checkers. Tim Ward won for the second week in a row in the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds, and Dallon Murty dominated in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Jenae Gustin got a fitting win in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod class in her grandpa's memorial race, and it was Eric Knutson going to Victory Lane in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks.
Since the scoring loop was not working last evening, the Late Models did not time trial, and their starting positions for their heats were determined by a prior race's passing points. The scoreboard was also not working, though it had earlier in the week when tested, and it was a night of counting laps on my fingers last evening! There were new, bright caution lights in the corners last night that gave the drivers a clear indication of situations on the track.
Seven B mains were run to determine the starting line up for the five classes.
The Northern SportMod 24 lap feature, presented by Rugged Radios, ran first.
Jenae Gustin wasted no time in taking her ride from the fourth starting spot to the front by lap two. She was challenged at times early by pole sitter Eddie Ingram, the driver out of Kansas City, Kansas, and late in the race Brayton Carter threw his hat into the ring in an attempt to catch Gustin. It was to no avail however, as Gustin had her sights set on winning her grandpa Dale's memorial race and would take the checkers to the delight of the crowd....an emotional win for her and the family. Carter took the runner up spot, with sixteenth place starter Cam Reimers finishing third. Fourth was twelfth place starter Logan Anderson, and Eddie Ingram rounded out the top five. This was Gustin's first win of the year.
The Stock Cars, presented by Drury Automotive were up next for their 24 lap main event.
Cayden Carter jumped to the lead from his pole starting position when the race went green. Dallon Murty, fourth place starter, made his move early by taking to his favored topside of the High Banks and quickly moved into second. On lap fourteen, Murty made the slide in turn four work for him, and he took over the lead. The only yellow of the race would fly at lap seventeen when Jeff Mueller had to be taken off the track on the hook. The restart was no issue for Murty as he sailed off once again to the lead and the eventual win. Fifth place starter, Jimmy Gustin ran at the front of the pack the entire race and finished second. Third place went to Johnson Creek, Wisconsin's Jeff Steenbergen who hard charged from twentieth starting spot, fourth was Damon Murty who started tenth, and rounding out the top five was early leader Cayden Carter. This was also a fitting finish on the night with both Murty and Gustin being part of the DeFrance family. This was Murty's second feature win of the season.
The headliner of the evening was 44 laps...the car number of Dale DeFrance...for the Malvern Bank Super Late Model feature. The race paid $4,544 to the winner and $700 to start.
Dave Eckrich, Oxford, Iowa started on the outside front row and snatched the lead as the race went green. The only caution of the race flew at lap eight, but the restart was no issue for Eckrich as he once again shot off to keep hold of his lead. Last year's winner, Justin Kay had been chasing Eckrich from early on and continued to do so as the race wore on. The leaders encountered heavy lap traffic, Kay gaining some ground on the leader at times, but Eckrich continuing to hold the lead. The final two laps of the race saw Kay draw closer to the leader, and the crowd was on its feet in the closing moments. Kay timed it perfectly, and on the final corner made the slide work and made it to the checkers first for the win. Eckrich, after leading all but the final corner of the race, had to settle for second place. Third went to brother Andy Eckrich who raced his way from fifteenth spot, fourth was Griswold, Iowa's JC Wyman, and twelfth place starter and current west series point leader, Chad Holladay, Muscatine, Iowa was fifth.
After the celebration of Kay's SLMR win, it was time for the 34 lap Modified feature, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap.
Jeremy Mills was the lucky recipient of the pole starting spot, and he took the lead when the race went green. "T-Dub", Tim Ward started third, and was leading at lap two. It would be a lead he would never relinquish as he sailed around the High Banks at Marshalltown Speedway. There was some moving and shaking going on behind him however, in the race that went caution free. Fifth place starter Zack VanderBeek in his own Vander Built chassis, battled with one of his employees, transplanted Colorado native, Tripp Gaylord for much of the race, with VanderBeek taking second, and Gaylord going third. Tom Berry, Jr. finished in fourth place, and Danube, Minnesota's Brandon Beckendorf came from twelfth to finish in fifth. Ward repeated his win from last week.
The Hobby Stock 24 lap feature, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center, put a nightcap on the night's racing program.
Visitor for the night, Shane Richardson, Wapello, Iowa sat on the pole, with Eric Knutson to his outside. Knutson grabbed the immediate lead, with fifth place starter Calvin Dhondt in second as the first lap was scored. An unusual spin for Dhondt before lap two was in the books found him falling far back in the field as all cars avoided him and the race was not yellow flagged. Knutson continued his run at the front with challenges by ninth place starter David McCalla, and eleventh place starter Solomon Bennett chasing him. A caution came out with just two laps remaining, Knutson still in command, and McCalla and Bennett, second and third respectively. The final laps would find Knutson staying as the leader of the pack and go home to the checkers flying and the win. McCalla kept hold of the runner up spot, and the "Flying Fireman", Calvin Dhondt rallied back from his early mishap, and came home in third place. Solomon Bennett and tenth place starter Cory VanderWilt finished fourth and fifth. This was Knutson's second win of the season.
Point leaders as we head into the final races of the season are Tripp Gaylord in the Modified, Jimmy Gustin in the Stock Cars, Brayton Carter in the SportMods, Calvin Dhondt in the Hobby Stocks, Jon Padilla in the Mod Lites, and Cristian Grady in the Sport Compacts.
Next Friday night, August 2, will be another night of regular season racing with the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, Mod Lites, and Sport Compacts in action. Hot laps at 6:45, and the green flag drops at 7:30.
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