On Friday Night, we saw another great night of racing action at the highbanks of Marshalltown. The track for "What Friday Nights Were Made For" trully lived up to that with vey exciting racing action on this night #2 of the racing season, Elliott Racing Night. The great racing action started right when the green flag flew in heat races. A lot of the heat races had close side by side racing and close finishes. Their was one major incident in the 1st heat of the Dwarf Cars/Mod Lites when Ivan Guerra went off the top 2 hard to bring out the only red flag of the night, he would be okay but not able to continue the rest of the night.
The O'Reilly Auto Parts Mod Lites were up first on the night for their 15 lap feature event. Dave Scandrett and Randy Bryan would lead them to the green but 2nd row inside starter Dusty Masolini would get a good start and be able to pass them and take the lead. Masolini would have 2 cautions be the only thing slowing him, one on lap 3 and another one on lap 12. On the restart of the final caution, he would have Mike Morrill on his back bumper but would be able to hold him off. Masolini would take the win his first ever win at Marshalltown. Mike Morrill would take 2nd and take over the point lead. Eric Hendrickson, Tim Hennigar and Randy Bryan would round on the top 5. There was a Total of 16 Mod Lites signed in.
Big 8 Tyre Center IMCA Sport Mods continue to have very high count, they were up next with their 15 lap feature but it would take 4 heats and 2 b-features to get the field from 38 cars that signed into just 24 cars. Cayden Carter, a regular at the Southern Iowa Speedway in the B-Mod division in a different car but also running weekly at Marshalltown in the Sport Mod division, he would start outside front row and take the lead. Carter and the rest of the field would see the feature be plagued with cautions. The 1st caution came out on lap 2, the next 3 cautions came out on lap 8. On the 1st restart attempt of lap 8 the start was called back, on the 2nd restart attempt of lap 8 was scratched because last week's feature winner Geoff Olson would stop in turn 1. Carter still maintains the lead but would see another caution come out on lap 13 when a driveshaft would be sitting in turn 1, we would alos learn that the time limit had expired but there would be green-white-checkered attempts to finish this race. On the restart, Carter would have Brett Moffitt and Scott Davis on his back bumper. Carter would bobble in turn 2 on the last lap and would follow back to 10th. Moffitt, the Joe Gibbs Racing Developmental Driver, would go on and take the win. Scott Davis would take 2nd, Jake Strayer would get 3rd, New Track Point Leader Eric Eliiott was 4th and Chad Louk from Sioux City was 5th.
Up next would be "The Class To Tough To Tame" the Aaron's IMCA Stock Cars. They would live up to that name for sure in their 18 lap feature. Rick Brown and Clay Deppe, both from Kellogg would pace the field to the green. Deppe would jump out to the early race lead but would see a caution on lap 4 when last weeks feature winner Damon Murty would stop in turn 2. On the restart, Deppe would have Dustin Smith on his back bumper. Deppe would lead until lap 6 when he was passed by Dustin Smith. Brian Irvine would also get by Deppe. Smith and Irvine would begin to do battle. A caution came out on lap 13 when jon Lang went off the top of turn 2. Irvine was the race leader, Smith was 2nd and now add im Trent Murphy in the mix as he was 3rd. Irvine and Smith would be side by side every lap to the finish but on the final lap, Murphy would sneak by both of them on the outside to take the win, Smith was in a very close 2nd and Irivne was in 3rd. After the race fans were defintely thrilled to see that exciting finish. Steve Meyer took 4th and Deppe ended up 5th. Smith takes over the points lead, a total of 19 cars signed in.
After that exciting finish was the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel IMCA Modifieds for their 20 lap feature event. 21 cars signed in so all cars would have the pleasure to start the a main. Mike O'Lear and Adam Larson would lead them to the green, Larson would quickly take the lead while O'Lear settled in 2nd. O'Lear would be passed by 3rd place starter Richie Gustin after a few laps. Gustin would set his sights on catching Larson, he would get a break as a caution would come out on lap 8 when Jimmy Gustin would have something break in the front end forcing him to go off the exit of turn 2. On the restart, Larson would have to deal with Gustin and O'Lear. Larson and Gustin would race side by side , Gustin would take the lead on lap 11 and cruise to the win. Larson would get 2nd, O'Lear would get 3rd, Jon Snyder 4th and Vern Jackson was 5th. Snyder will be the point leader heading into next week.
The final feature of the night would be the Junction Bar & Grille IMCA Hobby Stocks for their 12 lap feature event. It would take 3 heats and a b-feature to get the field down from 29 cars to 24 cars for the feature. In a crazy note only 19 cars made the call for the feature. Nick Murty, started 3rd row inside but by the end of lap 1 he was the leader. The only race caution came out on lap 2 when Matthew Hudespeth would stop on the backstretch. Murty would still maintain the lead but he would have Dustin Elliott on his back bumper. Murty and Elliott would battle for the lead but Murty would hold off and take the win, Elliott would up 2nd. Eric Knutson, Devin Smith and Calvin Dhondt would round out the top 5.
An night in which fans saw 21 total races, 125 race cars sign in and witnessed close finishes. The racing action was completed in just a little over 3 hours and came to and end at 10:37p.
Up next this friday is Kruse Family Night at the races with the pits opening at 5:15, Grandstands at 5:30, Hot Laps at 6:45 and Racing at 7:30. Adults are $9, Seniors are $7, Kids 12 and under $2 and Pit Passes are $20. See you there Friday Night for What Friday Nights Are Made For.
