SPEEDWAY REPORT: Harvest Hustle closes the racing season
The Marshalltown Speedway closed its doors on the 2024 season with the running of the Fast Shafts Harvest Hustle on the High Banks this past weekend. Friday night saw qualifying through double heats for the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Friesen Performance Sport Mods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites, and the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts. The drivers earned points through their finishing position and passing points. The top 10 in each class on Friday were locked in for the Saturday night finale. The kids also got to have fun in the pits before the races on Saturday, as they walked the pit trailers for Trick or Treats from the drivers.
On Saturday, Last Chance heats and Last Chance Qualifiers were run to complete the starting grids. It was the chance of big payouts for each division and a unique combine harvester trophy. There were 239 drivers checked in from all across the country for their chance to tame the High Banks of Marshalltown.
The Mod Lites were first up for feature racing, which paid $1,000 to the 20-lap winner.
Dillon Raffurty of Kansas City, Mo., led this race from flag to flag and was never really challenged on his way to victory. Randy Bryan of Ames finished in second, with track champion Jon Padilla (Silvis, Ill.) a close third. Fourth went to Tanner Gannon (Des Moines) and 10th-place starter Austin Gray (Story City) rounded out the top five.
The SportMods were up next for their 30-lap, $2,000-to-win main event.
Logan Anderson (Eddyville) took the lead from the pole position as the green flag flew, but track champion Brayton Carter (Oskaloosa) was quickly up to challenge. It took but a couple of peeks until Carter was able to swing to the outside and make the pass for the lead at lap 10. It was easy sailing from there for the leader as he smoothly maneuvered his way through lap traffic on his way to the feature win.
Tyler Nerud (Dorchester, Neb.) came home in second, getting around third-place finisher Logan Anderson with just three laps left. Tyler Bannister (Bakersfield, Calif.) finished fourth, and Zach Davis (Lonsdale, Minn.) was fifth. Only one yellow flag flew late in the race, which was no issue for Carter as he closed out his successful season at Marshalltown.
The Class too Tough to Tame — the IMCA Stock Cars — ran a 30-lap feature for $3,000 to win. This race was led from start to finish by “The Game Changer” Dallon Murty (Chelsea). Track champion and hometown driver Jimmy Gustin started seventh and threw some challenges at the leader, but was unable to do more than that. Murty pulled away for the easy win, with Gustin taking the distant runner-up position. Jeff Mueller, who now calls Boone home, finished in third place. Thor Anderson (Monroe) finished fourth and Jim Horejsi (Marshall, Minn.) was fifth.
Murty also went home with an extra $800 after following up his feature win at Maquoketa Speedway with a victory at the Harvest Hustle.
The IMCA Modifieds ran a 40-lap main event. Track champion Tripp Gaylord started on the pole and led all 40 laps on his way to the checkers. Dallon Murty chased the leader in the early portion in pursuit of the $4,000 purse. Just before the halfway mark, Zack VanderBeek made his way to second and began his quest to catch the leader. It wasn’t to be, however, as Gaylord went home to the flying checkers with VanderBeek taking second. Cody Laney (Torrance, Calif.) finished third, fourth went to Tom Berry Jr., and fifth was Dallon Murty.
The Hobby Stocks were running for $3,000 to win in their 30-lap feature. Nathan Ballard jumped to the immediate lead from his outside front row starting spot and was still leading when a red flag flew on lap six. Tight racing down the front chute caused contact and two cars flipped simultaneously, halting the racing action. Bradly Graham (Brooklyn) and visiting racer Brandon Bombardo (New Prague, Minn.) had their night end on a sour note, but both drivers were OK.
When racing resumed, Ballard was still leading with Adam Wasserman (Fairbury, Neb.) in second. As the race wore on, Ballard maintained his top spot with Wasserman taking peeks for a way around. The final lap saw the two go side-by-side down the back chute. As they came out of turn four looking at the checkers, Wasserman swung to the outside and around Ballard, beating him to the finish line. Ballard had to settle for second place. Third went to veteran racer John Watson (Des Moines), Solomon Bennett (Minburn) was fourth, and pole sitter Dylan Nelson (Adel) was fifth.
The final race of the year was the 30-lap feature for the Sport Compacts. Dillon Richards (Beatrice, Neb.) started on the pole and never looked back. Only a lengthy yellow at lap 13 marred the race, but the restart was no issue for Richards in maintaining his lead. He went home to the flying checkers, the $1,000 payday and the combine trophy. Following him across the line in second was Luke Fraise (Houghton). Third went to another Beatrice, Neb., racer Johnny Thomas. Cane Mahlberg (Dunlap) was an early race challenger but had to settle for fourth. Rounding out the top five was Devon Jones (Mason City), a former two-time Super Nationals champion.