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Aikey Takes Season Opener for Hoker Trucking East Super Late Model Series

April 16, 2021

Marshalltown Speedway hosted the season opener of the Hoker Trucking East Super Late Model East Series on Friday night. Thirty-One Late Models were on hand but it was a familiar face back in Victory Lane again. IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and the new class of STARS Mod Lites were also on the program. Three defending track champions would pick up where they left off last season, taking the checkers.

The STARS Mod Lites, a newly sanctioned IMCA class, kicked feature racing off. Joel Huggins would lead this 15 lap event from start to finish and put his name in the books as the first ever track winner of the new division. He was relentlessly chased the entire time by Bakersfield, California racer, Kaden Cochrun, who finished second. Cody Yaw took third place, Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill, Missouri was fourth, and Josh May rounded out the top five.

Johnathon Logue started fifth and ran down early leader Tony Olson in the 18 lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Logue took command with a low pass out of corner two and was scored the leader on lap seven....never to look back. Logue pulled away in the closing laps and took the comfortable win over Tony Olson in second place. Veteran racer Vern Jackson finished third, followed by Austin Schrage in fourth, and Dylan VanWyk in fifth. Logue is the defending Northern SportMod track champion.

The featured class of the night, the Kevin "Sharp" Shooter Miller Lite 30, Hoker Trucking East Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series had a star studded class of drivers on hand that put on a show for the fans. Chad Holladay led the first lap, only to have Dave Eckrich snatch it away by lap two. However, Jeff Aikey, who has many feature wins at the speedway, took over the top spot by lap five. From there on, Aikey showed just why he has those wins under his belt at the track, and sailed away to the 30 lap feature win. Seventh place starter Luke Peska took the runner up position, Justin Kay came from tenth starting spot to finish third, Dave Eckrich was fourth, and Richie Gustin completed the top five.

Defending IMCA Super Nationals champion in the Hobby Stock division, Nathan Ballard took the win in the 15 lap main event. Eighth place starter Eric Knutson gave it a good go in the closing laps, peeking low beneath Ballard, but had to settle for second place. Luke Ramsey finished third, Dustin Filloon was fourth, and Tom Killen, Jr. took fifth place.

It was the Murty family show in the 18 lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Son Dallon Murty bested dad Damon Murty to take the checkers. Dallon passed early leader Heath Tulp at lap five for the lead, and then had to hold back Jeff Mueller....until Mueller's mechanical issues ended his run on lap eight, bringing out a yellow. For the restart, Damon Murty was now in second place, and ready to have a little family battle with son Dallon. Son Dallon would win out on this night, taking the checkers ahead of dad Damon in second place. Randy Brands hard charged from starting twelfth to take third place, and Steve Meyer made it to fourth after starting thirteenth. Jay Schmidt rounded out the top five. Dallon Murty is starting off right again this year in an attempt to match his 2020 track championship after having also won the Frostbuster.

Another 2020 track champion was in fine form again, as Tom Berry, Jr. dominated the IMCA Modified 20 lap feature, leading all laps. Berry pulled away in the caution free race to take the win. Cayden Carter started eleventh, and ran out of time to challenge Berry, and had to be content with the runner up spot. Joel Rust finished third, ahead of veteran Kelly Shryock in fourth, and twelfth place starter Tim Ward in fifth.

Next Friday, April 23, will be opening points night at the speedway for track points. The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks and STARS Mod Lites will be competing. Hot laps are 6:50 with racing to follow.

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