The Karl Auto Group of Marshalltown Speedway roared one more time as the normal fall special moved to the end of October and renamed the Harvest Hustle on the High Banks. Thursday night the speedway held a practice session until Mother Nature spoiled the fun. Friday saw qualifying double heats in all 6 classes, with finish points and passing points earned by the drivers; the top 10 in points were locked in to Saturday's show. Saturday featured Last Chance heats and qualifiers followed by Racing for a Combine features.
It was beautiful, crispy, and cool fall nights that saw around 240 cars signed in over the course of two days of fantastic racing on the high banks for one final time. The racing action both nights was amazing, and the race track was in fantastic tip-top shape. Great job by the Dirt Doctor Rod Robbins and J-Van for producing a great racing surface. Great job by Logan Kelly on the flag stand, Josh and Colton in the scoring tower, Rodney in the announcer's stand with me, and all of the other fantastic speedway staff.
Thanks to the event sponsors: Fast Shafts, J&M Fabrication, and H&H Tiling, Dozing, and Excavating. Also, thank you goes out to Chris Burke at Capital Signs for the fantastic Happy Gilmore style checks and the Combine Trophies. Each of the polesitters for the features earned a commemorative tumbler by Kaytee DeVries.
Friday night, Hot Laps was at 6:30pm, with the first heat race taking to the race track at 7:10pm and the final checkered flag waived at 12:01am. On Saturday, things got started with Trick or Treating for the Kids from 2 to 3 pm, with the first green flag at 4 pm and the final checkered coming out at 10:45 pm. A few drivers had a chance to win bonuses after Darkside Promotions (Ryan Duhme & Timmy Current), Tim Czarneski from 141 Speedway, Tracy Neil from Luxy Raceway, and Jerry VanSickel from Marshalltown Speedway came to agree that if they won a feature event at Iowa Dirt Nationals in Maquoketa, 141 or Luxy, and then won at Marshalltown, they would pocket an extra $800 in the Modifieds, Stock Cars, and Sport Mods. The Hobby Stocks had an extra $400 bonus if they won at Iowa Dirt Nationals and won at Marshalltown.
I apologize that my voice sounded so raspy, especially on Saturday night; it was a cold, and announcing races for a course of 11 hours in 22 hours did not gel well with my voice, but thanks to all that was worry or concern, and thanks to all who continue to support me. Okay, enough about me. Back to talking about the racing.
The first feature event was the IMCA STARS Mod Lites presented by Knight Stanitation 20-lap feature paying $1,000 to win. Four-time IMCA National Champion Dillon Raffurty and his brother Michael Raffurty from Kansas City, Missouri, led the field to the green after being the top 2 in points on Friday. Dillon Raffurty grabbed the top spot and led from start-to-finish, receiving very few challenges. The only challenges came after cautions. The first caution was on lap two for Dillon Bush off top of turn two; the next two cautions came out on lap 7, Jared Douglas Spinning in turn two, and then on the restart when Colin Anderson, Taylor Pollock, and Doug Pollock got together in turn four. The final caution was for Michael Raffurty and Ben George getting together in turn four. Dillon Raffurty was not fazed and went on to take the feature win. Randy Bryan finished in second, 2024 track champion Jon Padilla was third, Tanner Gannon was fourth, and tenth-place starter Austin Gray captured fifth.
Rugged Radios IMCA SportMods were up next for their 30-lap Harvest Hustle on the High Banks feature, paying $2,000 to win. Eddyville's Logan Anderson and Bakersfield, California's Tyler Bannister led the field to the green flag. Anderson grabbed the early race lead as track champion Brayton Carter worked his way to second. Carter began to challenge Anderson for the race lead; Carter swung to the outside and took the top spot away on lap 10. Carter pulled away and maneuvered through the lap traffic until a caution came out on lap 26 for Brady Hilmer and Lee Horky spinning in turn three. Carter held off Anderson and Dorchester, Nebraska's Tyler Nerud, on the restart to go and capture the feature win. Carter also snatched an $800 bonus because of his win at the Iowa Dirt Nationals last week. Nerud came home in the runner-up position, Anderson fell back to third, Bannister finished fourth, and Minnesota's Zach Davis came home fifth.
Drury Automotive & Truck Repair IMCA Stock Cars, known as the "Class Too Tough to Tame" 30-lap feature for $3,000 to win, rolled on track. Marshall, Minnesota's Jim Horejsi, and "The Z-Man" Zack VanderBeek from New Sharon led the field to the green flag. It was neither one of them grabbing the top spot though, as "The Game Changer" Dallon Murty took the race lead; he was followed by Jeff Mueller and track champion Jimmy Gustin. Gustin threw several challenges at Murty but was not able to win. The only caution of the race came out on lap 12 when Jay Schmidt came to a stop on backstretch. Murty held off Gustin and Mueller on the restart and pulled away. Jake McBirnie got by Gustin and Mueller but could not reel down Murty. McBirnie then exited the race track on lap 21. Murty pulled away for the easy win to caputre a total of $3,800: $3,000 for the feature win and $800 bonus for winning at the Iowa Dirt Nationals last week in Maquoketa. Gustin, Mueller, Thor Anderson, and Horejsi rounded out the top five.
Tire Demon by Love Tap IMCA Modifieds 40-lap feature event was next to race for a combine. Track champion Tripp Gaylord, originally from Lakewood, Colorado but now lives in the Lynnville-Sully Area, and Dallon Murty led the field to the green flag. Gaylord captured the top spot early as Murty chased the leader in the early portion. Zack VanderBeek ran third, and Tom Berry Jr. ran in fourth. The only race cautions came out on lap 13 for Austin Kuehl off the top of turn two and then on the restart for Jerry Flippo spinning in turn four. Gaylord looked strong and fended off Murty and his boss Vanderbeek on the restart. VanderBeek took a second away and tried to catch Gaylord, but he came up short. Gaylord took the win and captured the top prize of $4,000. VanderBeek, California's Cody Laney, Berry, and Murty rounded out the top five.
After the field of fifty-eight IMCA Hobby Stocks presented by Cappy's Big 8 Tyre Center was dwindled down to twenty-four cars, it was time for their $3,000 to win the 30-lap feature event. Adel's Dylan Nelson and Marengo's Nathan Ballard led the field to the green flag. Ballard jumped out to the immediate lead on the outside and pulled away. The first caution came out when Chris Krug, Jacob Floyd, Lucas Smith, and Braxton Franks got together. Ballard got a great restart and pulled away until the red flag came out on lap six when Victor's Bradly Graham and New Prague's Brandon Bombardo rolled simultaneously on the front stretch; both drivers climbed from their battered race cars, okay and unharmed. Ballard picked back up right where he left off before and pulled away. Fairbury, Nebraska's Adam Wasserman had worked his way to second and started to chase down Ballard. Then cautions came out on lap 17 for Kalyb Brunssen going off the top of turn two and then lap 19 for Tim Otterness spinning in turn two. Ballard continued to lead but received pressure from Wasserman. The final lap, side-by-side down the back stretch, Wasserman swung to the outside and around Ballard and beat Ballard to the finish line to take the feature win back to Nebraska. Ballard settled for second. John Watson finished third, Solomon Bennett was fourth, and Dylan Nelson was fifth.
The final feature of the year was the 20-lap Hy-Vee of Marshalltown IMCA Sport Compacts 20-lap feature, paying $1,000 to win. Beatrice, Nebraska's Dillon Richards, and Mason City's Devin Jones had the honor of bringing the field to the green flag. Richards out wrestled Jones on the start and never looked back. The only race caution came out on lap thirteen. Richards harvested his way on to the feature win. Sixth-place starter Luke Fraise finished second, and Johnny Thomas from Beatrice, Nebraska, came home third. Dunlap's Caine Mahlberg came home in fourth, and Devin Jones fell back to a fifth-place finish.
That puts a wrap on the 2024 racing season at the Karl Auto Group of Marshalltown Speedway. The speedway will now turn its attention to off-season work and various facility improvements. Keep your eyes out during the off-season for the 2025 schedule.
Looking for racing event photos? Check out the official track photographer, Jordan Hanisch Photography, for all your Harvest Hustle photos. You can find out his photos at https://jordanhanisch.smugmug.com/browse/.
MARSHALLLTOWN SPEEDWAY 2024 TRACK SPONSORS: Karl Auto Group of Marshalltown (Buick, GMC, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram Dealer), Tire Demon by Love Tap, Drury Automotive & Truck Repair, Rugged Radios, Cappy's Big 8 Tyre Center, Knight Sanitation, Hy-Vee of Marshalltown, Fertilizer Equipment Specialists, Brian Doyle Farms, H&H Tiling Dozing & Excavating, Competition Motorsport, BeMobile / Verizon Wireless, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Schaeffer's Oil / Arnold Motor Supply, Availa Bank, Central State Bank, Coors Light/Miller Lite (H&F Distributing), Fisher Trucking, Spot On Calibration & Repair, Local UAW 893 of Marshalltown, Independent Auto, RBF Electric, Mid-State Boring, KFJB 1230 AM-93.9 FM / KIX 101.1 (Trending Media), ELH Professional Power Washing, Velocita, Karl Chevrolet, Karl Kustoms, The Joie of Seating, Tom Cat Performance / Carolina Racing Supply, Elmquist Towing Co., Fast Shafts, Quick Performance, Victory Fuel, Your Life Iowa 1-800 BETS OFF, P&D Welding LLC, Untied Rentals, Martin Maretta, Grasshopper Kellogg Lawn & Snow, Stealth Racing, Quick Car Racing Products, J&M Fabrication, BW Outdoors / CAMP CHEF, La Carreta Mexican Grill, Performance Bodies & Parts, Xtream by Mediacom, Hogeland Auto Plaza, Precision Ink Signs & Graphics, Toby K's Hideaway, North 3rd Ave Dairy Queen, Longacre Scales, Chevrolet Performance, Friesen Performance, Capital Signs, American Family Insurance - Ryan Timm, SUNOCO Race Fuels, Minute Man Printing, Abilene Race Rads, 25 Club Members, D&E Outdoor Services, VESSCO Inc., Dirt Defender, Glory Motorsports.
Fast Shafts Harvest Hustle on the High Banks
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Friday October 25th, 2024
IMCA MODIFIEDS
presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap & Friesen Performance
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 1 Josh Most (Red Oak); 2. 99 Shawn Strand (Mandan, N.D.); 3. 77 Jeff Aikey (Cedar Falls); 4. 11X Tom Berry Jr. (Marshalltown); 5. 56 Dustin Kroening (Hebron, Ill.); 6. 3 Kelly Shryock (Fertile); 7. 71 Jeff James (Stanton); 8. 17W Mitch Webber (Argyle, Wis.); 9. 40RC Rod Clement (Rhodes); 10. 1X Eric Barnes (Colona, Ill.).
presented by Drury Automotive & Truck Repair
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 19 Jimmy Gustin (Marshalltown); 2. 4 Scott Rice (Marshalltown); 3. 92 Dan Mackenthun (Hamburg, Minn.); 4. 8X Scott Olson (Blairsburg); 5. 3S Bryan Snell (Coon Rapids); 6. 4A Brian Seibold (Sioux City); 7. 01 Troy Jerovetz (Iowa Falls); 8. 48J Jacob Murray (Hartford); 9. 22D Jared Daggett (Marshalltown).
presented by Rugged Radios & Friesen Performance
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 01 Brayton Carter (Oskaloosa); 2. 19J Jenae Gustin (Marshalltown); 3. 22JR Brady Hilmer (Dysart); 4. 30M Maguire DeJong (Montezuma); 5. 29 Colton Livezey (New Sharon); 6. 29 Brayden Shepherd (Altoona); 7. MR31 Mike Rutherford (Des Moines); 8. 8 Tom Lathrop (Ottumwa); 9. 28B Curt Smeins (Dike); 10. 40HC Hunter Clement (Rhodes).
presented by Cappy's Big 8 Tyre Center
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 14L Lucas Smith (Iowa Falls); 2. 55X Corey VanDerWilt (Lynnville); 3. 41 Adam Wasserman (Fairbury, Neb.); 4. 17K Briar Kriegel (Brooklyn); 5. 17X Ben Newhouse (State Center); 6. T8 Brandon Nielsen (Spencer); 7. 78N Matt Nelson (Ankeny); 8. 7C Tyler Domeier (Redwood Falls, Minn.); 9. 1 Scott Siems (Cedar Rapids); 10. 31 Spencer Nelson (Thornton).
presented by Knight Sanitation
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 3G Joe Glick (Madrid); 2. 3T Tanner Gannon (Des Moines); 3. 4G Ben George (Altoona); 4. 2G Grant Anderson (Huxley); 5. 9XL Colin Anderson (Huxley); 6. 85 Jared Douglas (Des Moines); 7. 8N William Nobles (West Des Moines); 8. 9M Nolan Morrow (Clinton).
presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown
Heat 2 (10 Laps) : 1. 12X Mitchell Bielenberg (Charlotte); 2. 22 Caine Mahlberg (Dunlap); 3. 9 Luke Fraise (Houghton); 4. 20RT Adam Broehm (Newton, Wis.); 5. 13 Conner Adkins (Grinnell); 6. 311 Brandon Jorstad (Chilton, Wis.); 7. 83B Mitchell Bunch (Des Moines); 8. 23A Alyssa Thies (Mapleton); 9. 7G Gilbert Aldape (Sioux City)
IMCA MODIFIEDS
presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap & Friesen Performance
LC Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Shute; 2. Aikey; 3. Ward; 4. Most; 5. Brown; 6. Belmer; 7. Murray; 8. Parcel; DNS Stamm; DNS Leytham.
presented by Drury Automotive & Truck Repair
LC Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. McBirnie; 2. Kaplan; 3. Murray; 4. Eckblad; 5. Reimer; 6. Evens; 7. Tietz; 8. Osman; 9. Hotze.
presented by Rugged Radios & Friesen Performance
LC Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Reimers; 2. Klynsma; 3. DeJong; 4. Ellis; 5. Kemkes; 6. Peterson; 7. Rutherford; 8. Van Beek; 9. Smeins; 10. Boylan; 11. Curt Hilmer.
presented by Cappy's Big 8 Tyre Center
LCQ 2 (12 Laps): 1. Bombardo; 2. VanDerWilt; 3. 24R Dillon Richards (Beatrice, Neb.); 4. 22W Wayne Gifford (Boone); 5. 7C Tyler Domeier (Redwood Falls, Minn.); 6. 17X Ben Newhouse (State Center); 7. 58T Tanner Uehling (Norfolk, Neb.); 8. 32A Adam Armstrong (Beatrice, Neb.); 9. 20W Matt Wahl (West Des Moines); 10. 577 Corey Ogden (Monticello); 11. 1 Scott Siems (Cedar Rapids); 12. 7X Clayton Sogge (State Center); 13. 78N Matt Nelson (Ankeny); 14. 5 Corey Black (Mankato, Minn.); DNS 18A Aaron Elliott (Boone); DNS 7N Trenton Neuhaus (Quasqueton); DNS24 Jeff Wright (Des Moines); DNS 69 Brendon Stigge (Fairbury, Neb.); DNS 27 Brad Graham (Brooklyn).
LC Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Knutson; 2. Krug; 3. Bombardo; 4. Gifford; 5. Domeier; 6. Reed; 7. Sogge; 8. Adams; DNS Wright; DNS Stigge.
presented by Knight Sanitation
presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown
LC Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Driscol; 2. DeVries; 3. Kohl; 4. Baker; 5. Jones Jr.; 6. Adkins; 7. Angie Gardner; DNS Thies; DNS Knight.