Murray Takes His Second $10,000 World Nationals
by Jeremy Fox
For the first time since Marshalltown Speedway began holding the World Nationals / Havoc on the High banks ten years ago, the only night I was able to attend was the Saturday Night portion of the show but nobody was disappointed with the racing action that occur. 56 IMCA Modifieds checked in to see if they could put there name in the history books and cash in $10,000 payday that would go on along with that.
Also racing was 43 IMCA Northern SportMods and 27 IMCA Stock Cars to try to win $1,000 and 17 IMCA Hobby Stocks for $500 to win.
Top ten in points from the heat races on Friday Night in the Modifieds locked themselves in the Main Event, those drivers was Terry Phillips, Richie Gustin, Jordan Grabouski, Kelly Shryock, Ethan Dotson, Kyle Strickler, Kyle Brown, Jesse Dennis, Jimmy Gustin and Joel Rust. The rest would compete in Last Chance Qualifers. First was the last chance heats and the top two qualified from each of them with the next three going to the "Final Four" aka Last Chance B-Main. Last Chance Heats winners were Cody Laney, Kurt Kile, Andrew Schroeder, Mike Mullen and Ronn Lauritzen. Final Four race would go to Wisconsin's Jerry Wilinski.
After the field was set in stone for the 50 lap World Nationals Feature event for the Modifieds, it was out of car introductions on the front stretch and the four wide parade lap. Terry Phillips and Richie Gustin led the field to the green flag and it was Gustin grabbing the top spot but Phillips tried to make attempts to get by Gustin but was unsuccessful and then the caution came out on lap 12 for Jon Snyder and Benji LaCrosse getting together in turn four. Richie Gustin saw his brother Jimmy Gustin and Phillips on his back bumper on the restart but held them off until lap 17 when it was Jimmy Gustin taking the leading away from his brother. The caution came out on lap 18 when Joel Rust spun in turn four and then again on the restart when Cody Laney spun on the frontstretch. Jimmy Gustin saw Terry Phillips take the lead away on lap 21 just befor the caution came out for Mike Mullen sliding off the top of turn three. Phillips lead was short lived as 2013 World Nationals Winner Jacob Murray worked his way from 17th to the lead on lap 24.
Murray looked comfortable out front and appeared to be heading on to the easy win when the caution flag was displayed on lap 42 for Ronn Lauritzen spinning in turn four forcing an eight lap shootout. Murray held off 22nd place starter Marcus Yarie and 14th place starter Mike Mullen, both from Wisconsin to claim his second World Nationals Modified $10,000 win in a race car, that he and his family builds at Jake Murray Race Cars. Mullen got by Yarie for second at the line. Phillips slipped back to fourth and 2014 winner Benji LaCrosse started 24th and found his way to 5th. Rounding out the top ten was Tim Ward, Jordan Grabouski, Jimmy Gustin, Ronn Lauritzen and Kyle Strickler.
The IMCA Stock Cars never seem to disappoint as they lived up to the "Class to Tough to Tame" as Mike Schmidt and Damon Murty redrew the front row. Schmidt led the first lap before Murty was able to take the top spot on lap two. Shortly after the caution came out when Donavon Smith, Harley Simon and Andrew Knode got together in turn four. On the restart, Kyle Vanover, Kevin Hebbe, Chris Wiltse, Randy Brands and Jeff Wollam was all deemed stopped in turn two bringing at the caution and Schmidt was sent to the tail for questionable driving resulting in the incident, however on my point of view when the caution came out a few of the cars were still moving but u cannot change the call now. Murty knew that put the "Soon-to-be" National Champion Mike Nichols on his back bumper in which he was able to hold him off to take his second consecutive World Nationals Stock Car feature win as he also claimed Friday's checker. Nichols finished second ahead of Mike Mueller and Joe White. Kyle Vanover and Jeff Wollam both moved through the field to finish in fifth and sixth respectively.
After the initial start was called back in the IMCA Hobby Stocks 20 lap feature event it was Brandon Pitts grabbing the top spot. Pitts was holding off Shannon Anderson until the caution came out on lap three for debris in turn four. That allowed Anderson to sneak by on the restart and pull away until the cautions came out on lap 12 for Carl Ellis in turn two and then on lap 13 for Justin Wacha and Keith Burg in turn one. Anderson had to contend with Eric Stanton and it was Stanton taking the lead on lap 16 but Anderson took it right back on lap 17 before a pair of cautions, first for Clint Nelson going off turn three and then on the restart for Chanse Hollatz on the run off road. Anderson and Statnon got in to a heated battle for the top spot and both wanting the win as the came out of turn four for the checkered flag, they got together allowing third place Dustin Graham to sneak by to claim the win. Stanton was credited with a second place finish, and Anderson was credited with last place. Wacha, Calvin Dhondt and Gary Pfantz rounded out the top five.
The IMCA Northern SportMods was a caution filled 25 lap feature event as by my count a total of eight caution flags was displayed. Jason Ebert from Clintonville, Wisconsin grabbed the lead early but just after lap two was scored the caution came out for Cody Olsen and Travis Peterson in turn two. That was not fazing Ebert as he held until the next caution came out on lap seven for Brandon Schmitt, Curtis Veber, Josh Appel and Lynn Brockett got together in turn one. Jared Boumeester from Waseca, Minnesota got by Ebert for the race lead and the only thing slowing Boumeester was the cautions, two on lap 17, one on lap 18 and two on lap 24 forcing a green/white-Checkered finish. Boumeester held off Clint Luellen who made several attempts on the outside but was unsuccessful and had to settle for second. Eric Flander finished third, Curtis VanDerWal was fourth and Adam Armstrong was fifth.
That wraps up the season at the Marshalltown Speedway so keep your eye on marshalltownspeedway.com or Marshalltown Speedway's Facebook page for information about next season.
There is still some racing action to take in across the state of Iowa or just cross the state line over the next month in a half before the season is completed and we all hiberate for the winter so get out to one of the fall specials.
