Saturday, April 17, 2021

Aikey, Berry, Murty, Logue, Ballard and Huggins Take wins in MoTown

Cold April Temperatures did not stop the Marshalltown Speedway from opening the 2021 weekly racing season on Friday Night. The Haulin' with Hoker Trucking SLMR Late Models East Series finally got their season started at Marshalltown after having their first two shows cancelled due to mother nature. Independent Auto in Marshalltown added an extra $100 into each feature payout for the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Mod Lites. 

They were racing two, three and four wide all night and several finishes came down to the start finish line in both heats and features. The fans were definitely not left disappointed, first heat race went green at 7:45 after Late Model Time Trials and the final checkered flag waived at 11:41 pm.

First feature of the night was the IMCA Mod Lites 15 lap feature event. "Huggie Bear" Joel Huggins grabbed the early lead from the pole position however not long into the race the caution came out when Tim Glick made contact with Cody Yaw before sliding into to some infield billboards. Huggins got a great restart and never was challenge the rest of the way taking the easy win. Kaden Cochrun ran second the entire way. Yaw finished third, Ed Griggs was fourth and Josh May was fifth. 

Tony Olson wrestled the early race lead from pole sitter Ryan King in the IMCA Sport Mods 18 lap feature. Just after the completion of lap one, the caution came out when Brayton Carter spun in turn four. Tony Olson continued to lead the way meanwhile King had his handful with Johnathon Logue. Logue took second just prior to the caution on lap four for Brian Schrage in turn one. The field completed another before the final caution was displayed on lap five when Jake Kubik and Maguire DeJong spun in turn two. Logue grabbed the lead away when Tony Olson left the door open. Logue went on to take the checkered flag ahead of Tony Olson, Vern Jackson, Brian Schrage and Dylan Van Wyk.

Up next was the Kevin "Shooter" Sharp Miller Lite 30 for the Haulin' with Hoker Trucking SLMR Late Models. Chad Holladay led the opening lap before Dave Eckrich used the outside lane to take the lead away on lap two. Dave Eckrich led until the caution came out on lap four when Andy Eckrich experience rear-end trouble. Jeff Aikey took the lead away on the restart but shortly after the caution came out again on lap five when Darrel DeFrance and Curt Schroeder spun in turn four. The caution came out one final time on lap 11 when Holladay and Charlie McKenna spun in turn two. Aikey pulled away until lap traffic got heavy in the later stages of the race allowing Luke Pestka, Justin Kay and Dave Eckrich to reel him back in. Aikey was not to be denied going on to take the $3,000 to win feature. Pestka, Kay, Dave Eckrich and Richie Gustin rounded out the top five. Luke Goedert was hard charger moving up 10 spots, from 17th to seventh.

IMCA Hobby Stocks 15 lap feature event saw Nathan Ballard grab the early race lead when he out Dustin Filloon on lap one. Ballard flexed his muscles until the red flag came out on lap three when Ben Newhouse rolled off the top of turn one. Ballard held off Kaden Reynolds and Luke Ramsey initial until Reynolds made the move taking the race lead on lap six. Ballard returned the move in turn one taking the race lead back. The caution came out before the lap was completed when Reynolds came to a stop exiting turn two meanwhile Jason Fusselman went off the top side of turn one. Ballard held off Ramsey and Tom Killen Jr on the restart and appeared to be heading on to the easy win. Eric Knutson followed in tire tracks and tried to make the move but could not make the pass on Ballard. Ballard took the win with Knutson finishing a close second. Ramsey, Filloon and Killen finished third through fifth respectively.

Heath Tulp, making the drip down after the Hancock County Speedway cancelled, led the first three laps of the IMCA Stock Cars 18 lap feature event before the first caution. The caution was for Kenzie Ritter and Mark Hidlebaugh in turns one and two. Tulp led until "Game Changer" Dallon Murty was able to take the top spot away on lap five. Dallon Murty held off several challenges from Tulp and Jeff Mueller. The field saw the race slowed three more times. First time on lap seven when Jami Ritter spun in turn four and Russell Damme Jr made contact. The second time was on lap eight when Mueller came to a stop exiting turn two. The final time was on lap 11 when Michael Jaennette, Shawn Ritter and Kyle Everts spun or went off the top of three and four. Dallon Murty was not fazed as he held off challenges from his father Damon Murty and Randy Brands. Dallon Murty went on to take the feature win with Damon Murty finishing second. Brands was third, Steve Meyer was fourth and Jay Schmidt was fifth. 

Final feature of the night was the IMCA Modifieds 20 lap feature event. Defending track champion Tom Berry Jr led from start to finish in the feature that went green-to-checkered. Cayden Carter ran in the runner up spot, Joel Rust  took third after Carter got by on lap nine. Kelly Shryock finished in fourth and 2019 Track Champion Tim Ward finished fifth. 

Next Friday Night at Marshalltown Speedway is Drivers Appreciation Night is sponsored by Iowa Air Barrier and Sleeping Angels Foundation. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods and IMCA Hobby Stocks will be $1,000 to win, $100 to start in all 4 classes. IMCA Mod Lites are also guaranteed $100 to start next week. Hot Laps at 6:50, Racing to Follow.

Following week is the Annual Cliff Chambers Memorial presented Local UAW 893. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Mod Lites. Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks will open up their 2021 season when they join the card on Friday April 30th.

Then so Thursday Night Thunder Action takes place on Thursday May 6th when the Speedway holds the 4th Annual Dale DeFrance Memorial. IMCA Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Mod Lites are all racing.

For more information about Marshalltown Speedway checked out marshalltownspeedway.com or like the Facebook page Marshalltown Speedway or contact promoter Toby Kruse at toby@marshalltownspeedway.com.

Pictures I took are now posted on the Trackside Report Facebook Page in a photo Album called Marshalltown SLMR East / Season Opener 4-16-21.

Marshalltown Speedway
Kevin "Shooter" Sharp Miller Lite 30 / Season Opener

April 16th, 2021

SLMR Late Models
presented by Malvern Bank & Hoker Trucking

Hoker Trucking Feature (30 laps) : 1. 77 Jeff Aikey (Cedar Falls); 2. 99P Luke Pestka (Robins); 3. 15K Justin Kay (Wheatland); 4. 58 Dave Eckrich (Oxford); 5. 19G Richie Gustin Jr (Gilman); 6. 1 Jake Neal (Omaha, Neb.); 7. 44 Luke Goedert (Guttenburg); 8. 99 Jesse Sobbing (Malvern); 9. 07 Matt Ryan (Davenport); 10. 73 Greg Kastli (Waterloo); 11. 76H Jason Hahne (Webster City); 12. 30 Todd Cooney (Des Moines); 13. 10T Jeff Tharp (Sherrill); 14. 99D Darrel DeFrance (Marshalltown); 15. 40 Joel Callahan (Dubuque); 16. 22C Charlie McKenna (Ames); 17. 53 Andrew Kosiski (Lavista, Neb.); 18. 32C Chad Holladay (Muscatine); 19. 11 Ron Klein (Sherrill); 20. 60S Dalton Simonsen (Fairfax); 21. 15C Curt Schroeder (Newton); 22. 56 Andy Eckrich (Oxford). 

Predator Trailers B-Feature (12 laps) : 1. Luke Goedert; 2. Joel Callahan; 3. Andrew Kosiski; 4. Charlie McKenna; 5. 85 Josh Leonard (Gibbon, Neb.); 6. Darrel DeFrance; 7. K1 Kyle Krampe (Baxter); 8. Curt Schroeder; 9. 74 Ron Boyse (Kalona); 10. 60 Ben Seeman (Waterloo); 11. 5 Rusty Patterson (Mason City); 12. 22 Jill George (Cedar Falls); 13. 5M Stacy Griffis (Solon); 14. 9 Bobby Hansen (Center Point); 15. 32 Curtis Glover (Knoxville).

Ideal Ready Mix Heat 1 (10 laps) : 1. Dalton Simonsen; 2. Jeff Aikey; 3. Chad Holladay; 4. Luke Pestka; 5. Josh Leonard; 6. Darrel DeFrance; 7. Curtis Glover; 8. Rusty Patterson.

Ideal Ready Mix Heat 2 (10 laps) : 1. Justin Kay; 2. Greg Kastli; 3. Richie Gustin; 4. Andy Eckrich; 5. Jesse Sobbing; 6. Charlie McKenna; 7. Ron Boyse; 8. Ben Seeman.

Ideal Ready Mix Heat 3 (10 laps) : 1. Todd Cooney; 2. Matt Ryan; 3. Dave Eckrich; 4. Joel Callahan; 5. Jason Hahne; 6. Curt Schroeder; 7. Bobby Hansen; 8. Stacy Griffis.

Ideal Ready Mix  Heat 4 (10 laps) : 1. Jake Neal; 2. Ron Klein; 3. Jeff Tharp; 4. Kyle Krampe; 5. Luke Goedert; 6. Andrew Kosiski; 7. Jill George.

Qualifying A (3 laps) : 1. Chad Holladay 15.300; 2. Andy Eckrich 15.459; 3. Luke Pestka 15.470; 4. Jesse Sobbing 15.541; 5. Jeff Aikey 15.605; 6. Richie Gustin 15.675; 7. Josh Leonard 15.722; 8. 73 Greg Kastli 15.777; 9. Curtis Glover 15.786; 10. Justin Kay 15.793; 11. Dalton Simonsen 15.803; 12. Ron Boyse 15.931; 13. Darrel DeFrance 15.981; 14. Ben Seeman 16.135; 15. Rusty Patterson 16.494; 16. 22C Charlie McKenna 16.494.

Qualifying B (3 laps) : 1. Dave Eckrich 15.402; 2. Jeff Tharp 15.556; 3. Jason Hahne 15.689; 4. Luke Goedert 15.744; 5. Matt Ryan 15.762; 6. Andrew Kosiski 15.768; 7. Joel Callahan 15.798; 8. Ron Klein 15.809; 9. Todd Cooney 15.810; 10. 1 Jake Neal 15.854; 11. Curt Schroeder 15.867; 12. Kyle Krampe 16.074; 13. Bobby Hansen 16.415; 14. Jill George 16.561; 15. Stacy Griffis 17.010. 

IMCA Modifieds

Feature (20 laps) : 1. 11X Tom Berry Jr (Des Moines); 2. 10C Cayden Carter (Oskaloosa); 3. 26J Joel Rust (Grundy Center); 4. 3 Kelly Shryock (Fertile); 5. 4TW Tim Ward (Chandler, Ariz.); 6. 38T Dylan Thornton (Santa Maria, Calif.); 7. 01 Jacob Hobscheidt (Plattsmouth, Neb.); 8. 44S Shane DeVolder (Pacifica, Calif.); 9. 21K Kyle Brown (Madrid); 10. 111 Ethan Braaksma (Newton); 11. 80J Jared Van Deest (Holland); 12. 82 Jake McBirnie (Boone); 13. 10K Ronn Lauritzen (Jesup); 14. 8R Chase Rudolf (Norwalk); 15. 3S Jesse Skalicky (Fargo, ND); 16. 3W Garrett Wilson (Carlisle); 17. 48J Jacob Murray (Hartford); 18. 56 Dustin Kroening (Hebron, Ill.); 19. 198 Sam Wieben (Dysart); 20. 21D David Brown (Kellogg); 21. 5G Gatlin Leytham (Toledo); DNS 13 Anthony Hofbauer (Huxley).

Heat 1 (8 laps) : 1. Dylan Thornton; 2. Chase Rudolf; 3. Tom Berry Jr; 4. Jesse Skalicky; 5. Kyle Brown; 6. David Brown; 7. Sam Wieben; 8. Anthony Hofbauer.

Heat 2 (8 laps) : 1. Cayden Carter; 2. Tim Ward; 3. Kelly Shryock; 4. Jacob Hobscheidt; 5. Jake McBirnie; 6. Ethan Braaksma; 7. Ronn Laurtizen.

Heat 3 (8 laps) : 1. Joel Rust; 2. Shane DeVolder; 3. Garrett Wilson; 4. Jared Van Deest; 5. Dustin Kroening; 6. Jacob Murray; 7. Gatlin Leytham. 

IMCA Stock Cars

Feature 
(18 laps) : 1. 99X Dallon Murty (Chelsea); 2. 99D Damon Murty (Chelsea); 3. 27 Randy Brands (Boyden); 4. 94 Steve Meyer (Grundy Center); 5. 19J Jay Schmidt (Tama); 6. 5A Tyler Pickett (Boxholm); 7. 50 Heath Tulp (Britt); 8. 2 David Atcher (Laurel); 9. 13 Anthony Hofbauer (Huxley); 10. 1C Austin Kaplan (Collins); 11. 195 Michael Sheen (Lamesa, Texas); 12. 44 Todd Fisher (Des Moines); 13. 4 Scott Rice (Marshalltown); 14. 93 Michael Jaennette (Kellogg); 15. 14C Leah Wroten (Independence); 16. 5JR Jami Ritter (Keystone); 17. 64H Mark Hidlebaugh (Ames); 18. 7SR Shawn Ritter (Keystone); 19. 2K Kyle Everts (Holland); 20. 22R Todd Reitzler (Grinnell); 21. 77M Jeff Mueller (Albion); 22. 4JR Russell Damme Jr (Waterloo); 23. 121 Kenzie Ritter (Keystone); 24. 20V Dustin Vis (Cedar Rapids).

B Feature (8 laps) : 1. David Atcher; 2. Kenzie Ritter; 3. Austin Kaplan; 4. Mark Hidlebaugh; 5. 77 Tobie Talk (Malcom); 6. $ Cody Center (Mesa, Ariz.); 7. 85 Bryce Carey (Nashua); 8. 1 Will Sheen (Lamesa, Texas); 9. 71A Jayson Alexander (Russell); 10. 42R William Russell (Conrad); 11. 3W Jeff Wollam (Marshalltown).

Heat 1 (8 laps) : 1. Jay Schmidt; 2. Jeff Mueller; 3. Michael Jaennette; 4. Steve Meyer; 5. Russell Damme Jr; 6. Kenzie Ritter; 7. Bryce Carey; 8. William Russell.

Heat 2 (8 laps) : 1. Damon Murty; 2. Heath Tulp; 3. Tyler Pickett; 4. Dustin Vis; 5. Leah Wroten; 6. Jayson Alexander; 7. Cody Center; DQ Austin Kaplan.  (DQ too light on the scales)

Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. Kyle Everts; 2. Todd Fisher; 3. Shawn Ritter; 4. Todd Reitzler; 5. Jami Ritter; 6. Tobie Talk; 7. Mark Hidlebaugh; 8. Jeff Wollam.

Heat 4 (8 laps) : 1. Dallon Murty; 2. Randy Brands; 3. Michael Sheen; 4. Anthony Hofbauer; 5. Scott Rice; 6. David Atcher; 7. Will Sheen. 

IMCA Sport Mods

Feature (18 laps) : 1. 69JR Johnathon Logue (Logansport); 2. T23 Tony Olson (Cedar Rapids); 3. 64 Vern Jackson (Waterloo); 4. 14X Austin Schrage (Cresco); 5. 17 Dylan Van Wyk (Oskaloosa); 6. 19J Jenae Gustin (Marshalltown); 7. K3 Kyle Olson (Cedar Rapids); 8. 57R Ryan King (Colo); 9. 1 Austin Kaplan (Collins); 10. 25 Travis Peterson (Conrad); 11. 5T Todd Inman (Altoona); 12. 8W Kenny Wyman Jr (Marshalltown); 13. 01 Brayton Carter (Oskaloosa); 14. 111 Izac Mallicoat (Boone); 15. 4T Tyler Titus (Baxter); 16. 98 Thomas Egenberger (Des Moines): 17. 45 Justin Wacha (Vinton); 18. 31S Jacob Swanson (Lincoln, Neb.); 19. 93S Jake Kubik (Stuart, Neb.); 20. 14A Brandon Allison (Oskaloosa); 21. 65J Josh Appel (Garner); 22. 30M Maguire DeJong (Montezuma); 23. 3T Tyler Soppe (Sherrill); 24. 14 Brian Schrage (Cresco).

B Feature (8 laps) : 1.  Brayton Carter; 2. Thomas Egenberger; 3. Jacob Swanson; 4. Jake Kubik; 5. 16K Kaylin Lopez (Chowchilla, Calif.); 6. 9 Torey Fischer (West Fargo, ND); 7. 8 Tom Lathrop (Ottumwa); 8. 33J Joseph Luethje (Nevada); 9. 44 McLain Reed (Lincoln, Neb.); 10. 4 Chance Titus (Baxter); 11. 93C Craig Carpenter (Des Moines); 12. 15 Boe Jenkins (Marshalltown); DNS 193 Jessiah Taylor (Boone); DNS 4J Jared Dew (Parkersburg). 

Heat 1 (8 laps) : 1. Jenae Gustin; 2. Tyler Soppe; 3. Josh Appel; 4. Maguire DeJong; 5. Tyler Titus; 6. Jacob Swanson; 7. Tom Lathrop; 8. Jessiah Taylor; 9. Craig Carpenter. 

Heat 2 (8 laps) : 1. Austin Schrage; 2. Tyler Inman; 3. Dylan Van Wyk; 4. Izac Mallicoat; 5. Austin Kaplan; 6. Thomas Egenberger; 7. Jake Kubik, 8. Boe Jenkins; 9. Jared Dew.

Heat 3 (8 laps) : 1. Kenny Wyman Jr; 2. Brian Schrage; 3. Ryan King; 4. Brandon Allison; 5. Justin Wacha; 6. McLain Reed; 7. Chance Titus; 8. Joseph Luethje.

Heat 4 (8 laps) : 1. Vern Jackson; 2. Johnathon Logue; 3. Tony Olson; 4. Travis Peterson; 5. Kyle Olson; 6. Brayton Carter; 7. Torey Fischer; 8. Kaylin Lopez.

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Feature (15 laps) : 1. 29 Nathan Ballard (Marengo); 2. 12K Eric Knutson (Slater); 3. 17L Luke Ramsey (Bedford); 4. 51X Dustin Filloon (Tama); 5. 1K Tom Killen Jr (Des Moines); 6. 11R Braden Richards (Madrid); 7. 11B Solomon Bennett (Minburn); 8. 52 Carter Koop (Rockwell); 9. 7B Eric Stanton (Carlisle); 10. 22 Mike Smith (Lake City); 11. 35 Luke Schluetter (New Hampton); 12. 53 Chad Rigby (Madrid); 13. 1 Kaden Reynolds (Cedar Rapids); 14. 20W Matt Wahl (West Des Moines); 15. 27 Clint Nelson (Baxter); 16. 11K William Klosterman (Ackley); 17. 4X Gary Pfantz (State Center); 18. 17J Jason Fusselman (Avoca); 19. 29X Jake Nelson (Newton); 20. 17K Kyle Parizek (Hartwick); 21. 47X Raymond Fees (Des Moines); 22. 14T Mitchell Thomas (Marshalltown); 23. 12 Mike Kincaid (Cincinnati); 24. 17X Ben Newhouse (State Center). 

B Feature 1 (8 laps) : 1. Luke Schluetter; 2. Jason Fusselman; 3. Mike Smith; 4. Jake Nelson; 5. 12T Tanner Jones (Cairo, Neb.); 6. 54B Brennen Neeh (Kensington, Kan.); 7. 47 Darin DeZwarte (Knoxville); 8. 37G Jeremiah Andrews (Union); 9. 43 Kevin LeBeau (Dallas Center); 10. 17 Andy Peck (Newton); 11. 28 Josh Killen (Des Moines); 12. 81M Travis Merical (Marshalltown); 13. 75M Preston Merical (State Center). 

Heat 1 (8 laps) : 1. Kaden Reynolds; 2. Tom Killen Jr; 3. Braden Richards; 4. Chad Rigby; 5. Raymond Fees; 6. Travis Merical; 7. Jason Fusselman; 8. Andy Peck; 9. Brennen Neeh.

Heat 2 (8 laps) : 1. Dustin Filloon; 2. Carter Koop; 3. Gary Pfantz; 4. Mitchell Thomas; 5. Eric Stanton; 6. Jake Nelson; 7. Kevin LeBeau; 8. Jeremiah Andrews.

Heat 3 (8 laps) : 1. Ben Newhouse; 2. Nathan Ballard; 3. Luke Ramsey; 4. Clint Nelson; 5. Kyle Parizek; 6. Luke Schluetter; 7. Mike Smith; 8. Darin DeZwarte.

Heat 4 (8 laps) : 1. Mike Kincaid; 2. Eric Knutson; 3. Solomon Bennett; 4. Matt Wahl; 5. William Klosterman; 6. Preston Merical; 7. Tanner Jones; 8. Josh Killen. 

IMCA Mod Lites

Feature (15 laps) :  1. X50 Joel Huggins (Des Moines); 2. 23K Kaden Cochrun (Bakersfield, Calif.); 3. 20X Cody Yaw (Altoona); 4. 47 Ed Griggs (Pleasant Hill, Mo.); 5. 99 Josh May (Des Moines); 6. 64 Randy Bryan (Ames); 7. 46Z Bryan Zehm (Ames); 8. 4B Doug Byers (Madrid); 9. 4G Ben George (Altoona); 10. 21X Blake Brown (Pleasant Hill); 11. 31 Tim Glick (Des Moines); 12. 27 Thomas Messamer (Des Moines); 13. 15 Kamryn Glick (Ackworth); DNS 47S Cory Sonner (Huxley); DNS 33B Rodney Brown (Des Moines). 

Heat 1 (6 laps) : 1. Randy Bryan; 2. Ed Griggs; 3. Cody Yaw; 4. Ben George; 5. Doug Byers; 6. Cory Sonner; 7. Rodney Brown; 8. Kamryn Glick.

Heat 2 (6 laps) : 1. Joel Huggins; 2. Kaden Cochrun; 3. Bryan Zehm; 4. Josh May; 5. Tim Glick; 6. Thomas Messamer; 7. Blake Brown.