Speedway Report
Friday was an action-packed night of racing with seven classes on the card for the Dairy Queen Larry Wollam Season Championship Night at Marshalltown. One hundred and eight drivers signed in to get their names in the history books. Top ten in points were locked into the feature with 11th on back running last-chance heats.
Donavon Smith (IMCA Stock Cars), Jared Van Deest (IMCA Northern SportMods) and Josh May (Mod Lites) all took victories and track championships in their divisions. Richie Gustin (IMCA Modifieds), Chris Abelson (IMCA Modifieds) and Austin Luellen (IMCA Hobby Stocks) picked up feature wins, as did Jordan Brown in the Quads.
Josh May wrestled the early lead away from Travis Stensland in the Mod Lites and went on to take his ninth win at Marshalltown in route to his third track title in six years. Stensland ran second the entire way with Mike Morill in third. Joe Glick was fourth and Jason Whitehead was fifth. Three Micro Mods raced against the Mod Lites: Don Erger, Cole McNeal and Robby Decker.
Jared Van Deest took full advantage of his pole position as points leader in the IMCA Northern SportMods 18-lap feature by jumping out to the early lead. The battle behind him for second was intense for Brandon Williams, Jayme Duinink and Sam Wieben. Van Deest was never challenged as he got out to commanding lead just before the final caution for Ryan King coming to a stop in turn one, forcing a green-white-checkered finish. Van Deest held off any challenges to take his sixth win and 2015 track championship. Duinink finished second ahead of Travis Peterson, Wieben and DJ Robinson.
Eric Stanton already had the track championship locked up in the Toby K’s Hideaway IMCA Hobby Stocks but he was out for the win, grabbing the early lead. But Austin Luellen worked his way through the field and took the top spot away on lap six. Luellen held off Stanton to take his ninth win at Motown. Stanton, Gary Pfantz, Eugene Nicklas and Garrett Eilander rounded out the top five.
Donavon Smith grabbed the lead early in the Miller Lite IMCA Stock Cars 18-lap feature. Smith led the entire way en route to his eighth win, his second consecutive track title and third in nine years. Steve Meyer finished second in the feature and points. Michael Jaennette was third, and Jeff Wollam gets his best finish of the season by taking fourth ahead of Damon Murty.
Ronn Lauritzen came into the night five points behind Jimmy Gustin in the Coors Light IMCA Modifieds, and it was Lauritzen taking the early lead. Lauritzen saw Gustin and Josh Gilman right behind him and he held them off. Just after lap seven was scored, the caution came out when Gustin went off the top side of turns one and two. Gilman took the lead for laps eight and nine, but it was National Point Leader Chris Abelson taking the lead away on lap 10. Abelson eventually took his third consecutive win at Marshalltown, Lauritzen finished second, and Kody Schlopp from Canada was third. Gustin worked his way back up to fourth, which was enough to win the track championship by three points. Jake Strayer came home fifth.
Rumours Sports Bar & Grill Late Models were back for a third night of racing competiton with a little added incentive: If anybody could be Richie Gustin fair and square they would pocket $1,600 thanks to Rumours and McFarland Pain Clinic. Paul Conrad and Mike O’Connor started on the front row and it was Conrad leading the opening lap. Jeremy Grady took the lead away on lap two, but on lap five Grady saw Richie Gustin sneak by for the lead. Gustin went on to take his third consecutive Late Model win at Marshalltown. Todd Cooney was second, followed by Grady, Robert See and Greg Kastli.
George Hood took the whole shot and led lap one of the Flat Track Quads but Jordan Brown took the lead on lap two. Brown and Hood battled it out the rest of the way with Brown edging out Hood for the win. Adam Streeter, Dan Needles and David Petithory rounded out the top five.
Track points are all completed but the Speedway is not finished yet, preparing for the World Nationals on Sept. 17-19. Open practice for all competitors will be held on Sept. 17, Modifieds will qualify on Sept. 18, and the race for a top prize of $10,000 will be held Sept. 19. Hobby Stocks race for $500 to win, while Stock Cars and SportMods chase $1,000 to win each night.