Friday, July 10, 2009

Murray, Iverson Notch First Win at Marshalltown

Friday July 10th was a day of uncertainty. After Mother Nature did her best to cancel races across the state, she was unsuccessful as I made my way to the Marshalltown Speedway. The evening was nicknamed the "Showdown in Motown" as promoter Toby Kruse was hoping to draw in a few travelers from the Harris Clash scheduled at the Knoxville Raceway earlier in the week. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other ideas, and that plan backfired. Nonetheless, a full field of cars in every class of competition filled the pits in what turned out to be a humid night of racing.

The first feature to hit the track would be the dwarf cars. A great field of twenty-eight cars took the green flag to start the race, but things came to a screeching stop as John Gardener took a nasty roll down the front stretch. He would get out of his car and take a ride in the ambulance to the pits, seemingly okay. When racing resumed, pole sitter Troy Hudson took the point but quickly received pressure from Tim Hennigar. Just when it appeared Hennigar was ready to pull the trigger on the pass, a lapped car slowed his efforts and allowed Hudson to put a few car lengths on the runner up driver. Deeper in the field, point leader Mike Morrill was charging his way up after starting 23rd. He sliced and diced his way up to seventh by the halfway point in the race. Back up front Hennigar reeled in Hudson for the lead and got up to Hudson's door panel at the line, but it wasn't enough as Troy Hudson held on for the exciting win. Tim Hennigar was second, brother Andy Hennigar was third, Johnny Murdock fourth, and Mike Morrill rounded out the top five.

Thirty-one IMCA sportmods were in attendance tonight, but the field would be trimmed to twenty-three car starting field as Eric Elliott failed to make the call. Brad Iverson took control in the early going of the race while the field raced three-wide back towards the middle of the pack. As Iverson began to put some distance on the pack, point leader Kevin Sather was making his way to the front. Sather used the bottom side to make his way up to third in the first five laps while Scott Davis followed him to slide into the fourth spot. Unfortunately Davis' good run would end when a lapped car spun and Davis had nowhere to go and made heavy contact. Davis would take his machine to the pit area and make repairs and rejoin the field. Youngster Jake Strayer drove his car to the bottom side of the track while race leader Brad Iverson utilized the top side as the two raced wheel to wheel for several laps. The two swapped lanes that allowed Strayer to take the lead just before the caution flag waved. Beings the leaders had crossed the line before the yellow came out, Strayer would still be the race leader on the restart. However, Brad Iverson had other ideas as he took his machine to the bottom side in turn one on the final lap to score his first win at Marshalltown. Jake Strayer finished second with a strong run, Joel Bushore got by Kevin Sather at the line for third and fourth, respectively.

Up next would be the IMCA stock cars. Clay Deppe jumped out front early on from his outside front row start, but behind him Ryan Gustin was quickly manuevering through the field to third riding the cushion to third from his twelfth starting spot. Gustin would get by Steve Meyer just before a caution came out, but behind them point leader Dustin Smith had already made his way up to fourth. Smith quickly made his way to the front as the top three (Deppe, Gustin, and Smith) raced three-wide for a lap before Smith would take command. Unfortunately the pass was negated by a yellow flag, but Smith wouldn't be denied as he quickly disposed of Deppe on the restart to snag the top spot away. Gustin and Deppe then battled it out for second spot before Trent Murphy made it a three-way dance. Murphy would take the position away while Meyer made it back by Gustin and Deppe as those two drivers made contact. But in the end it would be Dustin Smith taking home another win at Marshalltown. Trenty Murphy was second, Steve Meyer third, Ryan Gustin fourth, and Clay Deppe rounded out the top five.

Twenty-four IMCA modifieds took to the track next for their main event. Jacob Murray was the lucky recipient of the redraw as he started from the pole and the top spot early on. Three cautions kept the pace at a minimum as only a lap would get scored among them. Things quickly got going after the restart as Scott Hogan was the first to try to chase down Murray. His night would come to an early end as his car slowed at the flagstand and pulled to the infield. In talking to him briefly after the races, he thought maybe it was the battery. Brett Ladehoff and Adam Larson would be the next ones to try their luck at catching the leader. Both drivers ran the bottom side until Larson changed his line in turns three and four to run the top side. A caution with five laps to go bunched the field up, giving everybody another chance to make some final position changes. Nate Caruth and Richie Gustin got by Todd Conrad to move up a spot each, but up front Jacob Murray kept his car out front as he took home the win under the yellow flag as Chris Snyder's car was turned around at the entry to turn one. Murray held of Brett Ladehoff, who finished second, Adam Larson third, Richie Gustin fourth, and Nate Caruth completed the top five. Gustin and Caruth were sixth row starters, proving how well the track was prepped for the night's races.

The final event of the night would be the IMCA hobby stock feature. After winning her heat race, Jennifer Hulin wanted to prove that it wasn't a fluke as he took the lead. Her time up front would be cut short as Michael Murphy worked his way by on the low side down the backstretch. Daniel Hilsabeck swung to the low side as well to get by Hulin for second as the caution waved. On the restart both Devin Smith and point leader Terry Shaffar would get by Hulin as well. Smith would not stop there as he challenged Hilsabeck for the runner up spot and finally take the spot at the line. Michael Murphy took home the win with Smith in second, Daniel Hilsabeck third, Terry Shaffar fourth, and Clint Nelson rounded out the top five. Todd Reitzler started 22nd and raced his way up to finish sixth.

The track was in excellent shape tonight. The humidity level seemed to increase as the night went along, keeping the track in great shape and providing several lanes of racing. A brief shower following the dwarf car feature worried everybody, but it quickly disappeared and the rest of the night was dry. Next week the Marshalltown Speedway will have their races as part of the Central Iowa Fair. Be sure to take in the fair activities and make your way out to the races Friday night.

- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!

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