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Kuehl takes first Iowa win, McBirnie goes back-to-back

Racing action continued at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night where it was Casey's Salute to Marshalltown Firefighters, EMTs, and First Responders/Chad Witte VIP Night. The IMCA Late Models joined the weekly IMCA classes of Mod Lites, Hobby Stocks, Northern SportMods, Stock Cars, and Modifieds.

The IMCA STARS Mod Lites kicked off the feature racing with their 15 lap main event. Story City's Austin Gray would lead this one from start to finish to capture his first ever win at the High Banks. Mike Kennedy chased Gray for the majority of the race but had to be content with a second place finish. Ben George was third, Kaden Cochrun, Bakersfield, California race who is back in the area during our racing season, took fourth, and rounding out the top five was Rodney Brown.

The IMCA Northern SportMod feature went to summer visitor Taylor Kuehl who hails from Cave Creek, Arizona. The 20 year old young lady started on the outside front row, and immediately grabbed the top spot. Eighth place starter Brayton Carter wasted no time moving into the runner up spot on lap three. It was a real contest between Kuehl and Carter then....lap after lap running neck and neck. With five laps to go, Carter managed the pass for the lead, only to be off power before the next lap was scored. Kuehl was then back in command, and kept that top spot the rest of way to the checkers. Johnathon Logue started twelfth and finished a distant second. Third went to Izac Mallicoat who started in the eleventh spot, Austin Schrage came from tenth to finish fourth, and Travis Peterson completed the top five. Kuehl stated in victory lane she had previously won races back home...though a couple of years ago, but this was her first ever win in Iowa.

Kaden Reynolds went home with another victory in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Reynolds started tenth and had the lead by lap four, never to look back. He finished well ahead of second place Solomon Bennett. Polesitter Gary Pfantz took third place, New Hampton, Iowa's Luke Schluetter was fourth, and Jeremiah Andrews was fifth. This was Reynolds' fourth regular season win of the year, also having won the Frostbuster special. The 15 lap race went caution free.

The IMCA Late Models were in town for a special appearance...running a 20 lap feature. Webster City's Ryan Griffith was the early race leader, but Todd Cooney had other ideas. Cooney moved from starting third and into the lead on lap three and then it was all his race from there on out. He moved to the top shelf and cruised home to the win. Curtis Glover was a distant runner up, early leader Ryan Griffith took third place, hometown boy Darrel DeFrance finished in fourth, and Bobby Hansen was fifth. The race went caution free. The IMCA Late Models are scheduled for return appearances on July 30, and August 27.

The IMCA Stock Cars, the Class too Tough to Tame, had more than their share of problems in their 20 lap feature as yellow after yellow flew, and by the time the race was over, only ten cars remained from the 24 car starting field.

Visiting racer Austin Bouzek from Trenton, Missouri started seventh and overpowered then leader Austin Kaplan on lap ten for the top position. On lap eleven is when the yellow flags began to fall. A final caution fell on lap eighteen when leader Bouzek lost it and a melee in corner one took out numerous cars. When the race restarted for the final two lap run to the checkers, it was Steve Meyer at the front position. He had been running in ninth spot prior to the caution. He would keep the lead the final two laps to the checkers and the surprising win. Jeff Mueller moved from starting eighteenth on the grid to finish as the runner up. Third went to polesitter Jared Daggett, Austin Bouzek took home a top four finish, and Tyler Pickett was fifth. This was Meyer's second feature win of the year.

The nightcap of the evening was 20 laps of IMCA Modified racing. Garrett Wilson took the lead from his pole starting position as the green flag fell. It was but two laps later when it was Jake McBirnie now in charge. McBirnie would then hold of the challenges of Joel Rust and Tom Berry, Jr. in the second half of the race, and go home to the checkers flying to earn his second win in a row at the speedway. Tom Berry, Jr. finished second, Joel Rust was third, fourth went to Dylan Thornton, and early leader Garrett Wilson was fifth.

Next Friday, June 18, will be RBF Electric Night at the races with $400 to win for the IMCA Hobby Stocks. An added attraction will be the Outlaw Mini Mods. The green flag drops at 7:30.

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