It was KIX 101.1 Thursday Night Thunder at the Marshalltown Speedway on a Central Iowa Fair hot and humid night, instead of the usual Friday night show. Everyone was thankful for the light breeze that was blowing to help with the hot evening in a show that wrapped up by 9:35 p.m.
The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars were running for $1,000 pay day, and it was Dallon Murty taking home that Fair prize. Joel Rust returned to Victory Lane in the IMCA Friesen Performance Modified class, and Taylor Kuehl bested the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods. A first time winner ever at Marshalltown was Dustin Filloon in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Charlie Brown had the field covered in the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites, and Cristian Grady got his second win of the year in the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts.
Fifteen laps of Mod Lite racing, presented by Knight Sanitation, kicked off the night's feature events.
Travis Stensland grabbed the lead as the race went green, taking advantage of his pole starting position. However, sixth place starter Charlie Brown was immediately up to challenge. A yellow flew after lap one was scored for a spinning car, and when the race returned to green, Brown was all over Stensland. By lap four, Brown had the lead. It would be a lead he would never relinquish as he sailed off in the remaining caution free laps to take the easy win. It was a good battle for second as Travis Stensland was fending off the advances of tenth place starter Jon Padilla in the closing laps. Padilla was finally able to make his move into second place as the race drew to a close, and took second place, with Stensland taking third. Fourth went to Bryan Zehm, and Alex Eischeid completed the top five. This was Brown's first win at the speedway this year. Brown has been hot as of late, returning to racing after a couple years hiatus.
The Northern SportMod 16 lap feature, presented by Rugged Radios came to the track next.
Two ladies drivers, Josalyn Elmquist and Taylor Kueh would be at the front when lap one was scored. Elmquist held the top spot at lap one, but by lap two, it was Kuehl in command. Kuehl would then weather two caution interruptions and subsequent restarts with ease as she went on to take the feature win....her first at the track this year. Last week's winner Matt Avila came from eleventh and finished as the runner up. Third place went to Brayton Carter. Will Wolf was running the "Flying Corncob" DeKalb wrapped car in a tribute to Mike Spilman. I believe it was his second night out in the tribute car after running it at the Southern Iowa Speedway Wednesday night on Hall of Fame Induction night that saw Spilman one of the honorees of the evening. Wolf, Grinnell, Iowa, had a good run after having mechanical issues earlier in the evening, and finished fourth. Kyle Olson rounded out the top five.
The IMCA Stock Cars, presented by Drury Automotive, ran a 20 lap feature that was paying $1,000 for the win in a draw/redraw format.
Dallon Murty drew the lucky #1 starting spot for the feature, with Jimmy Gustin sitting to his outside for the start. Murty held the top spot as the two ran the top of the High Banks through lap nine when the yellow flag flew. When the race restarted, third place runner Jake McBirnie made his move around Gustin to take over the number two spot. The race continued caution free from that point on, and Murty had no problem in keeping that top spot, pulling away to take the comfortable win as the checkers flew. McBirnie and Gustin had a good battle going on for second and third, with McBirnie holding off Gustin as they finished second and third respectively. Fourth went to Dylan Thornton and eleventh place starter Cayden Carter took fifth. This was Dallon Murty's first Stock Car win at the track this season, also having a Modified win this year.
The Modifieds ran a 20 lap feature, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap.
Trevor Fitz, the California transplant, led the field as the race started, with David Brown in tow. Fitz was having no issues holding back the field while Brown and eighth place starter Joel Rust were battling it out for second. Rust made the move around Brown at the halfway mark of the race, and then set his sights on leader Fitz. The only yellow of the contest flew with a handful of laps remaining, and when the race went back to green, Rust pulled a perfect slider in corner four, and had the lead when lap sixteen was scored. It was Rust's race the rest of the way to the checkers and the win. Fitz held on to second place, third went to visiting Bakersfield, California racer Kyle Heckman who had started sixth, fourth was tenth place starter Todd Shute, and veteran racer David Brown, Kellogg, Iowa finished fifth. This was visit number two to Victory Lane for Rust this year.
The IMCA Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown, ran a 20 lap caution free race, the only class of the evening to do so.
Kinzer Jaennette started on the outside front row and led the first three laps before Cristian Grady came calling after starting eighth, and took command. It was all Grady's race from there on out as the race went flag to flag with Grady taking the easy win. Amana, Iowa's Spencer Roggentien finished as the runner up, third went to tenth place starter, James Haring, Oskaloosa, Iowa, fourth was Michael Gardner, and Mark Smith took fifth. This was Grady's second trip to Victory Lane at Marshalltown this year.
Sixteen laps of Hobby Stock feature racing, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center completed the night's racing program.
Kale Hemsley, Sigourney, Iowa started on the outside front row, and grabbed the lead immediately. He was still leading when the first caution flew on lap five. When the race restarted, he kept hold of the lead as lap six went into the books, but turn two proved to be his nemesis when the rear end broke loose, and numerous cars piled up behind him with no place to go. When the race restarted and the carnage was cleaned up, with several cars not able to rejoin the field, it was Dustin Filloon inheriting the number one spot. Filloon was still leading when the third and final caution flew for debris with four laps to go. Filloon was able to keep his run at the front the final circuits to the checkers and take his first ever win at Marshalltown Speedway. Sam West finished as the runner up, Cory VanDerwilt started fourteenth and finished in third place, fourth went to tenth place starter Bradly Graham who had a great run after having to change a tire due to the early pile up in turn two and tag the field, and dad Brad Graham was fifth.
Marshalltown Speedway will return to their usual Friday night racing next week, July 19, for Rumours Sports Bar Salute to Marshall County Law Enforcement, First Responders, and EMTs night. All six IMCA classes will be in competition. Hot laps are 6:45 and racing at 7:30.
Next up on our calendar will be our weekly trip to the Boone Speedway on Saturday night. Sounds like it may be a warm and humid one. What's up with all the heat around the Country, let alone the nasty weather.
Find a track to support, and help keep the sport we all love....dirt track racing....alive and well!
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