7/6/2024
Marshalltown Speedway
Thornton goes to Victory Lane, with Kaplan, Avila, Graham, Masengarb, and Bunch also taking checkers
July 5, 2024
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA
It was Xtream Powered by Mediacom Night at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, along with Iron Horse Aviation giving some a different perspective of the races from high above with helicopter rides. A strong field of 134 cars checked in to entertain the fans that saw Dylan Thornton capture his first feature in the IMCA Friesen Performance Modified division. Austin Kaplan also took his first trip to Victory Lane in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Matt Avila looked strong with his win in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods, and Bradly Graham got his first weekly win in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Illinois racer, Jason Masengarb snagged feature win #2 on the year in the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites, and Mitchell Bunch made it two in a row in the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts.
The evenings feature racing kicked off with 15 laps for the Mod Lites, presented by Knight Sanitation.
Jason Masengarb started on the pole, and never looked back on his way to the checkers flying. The race went caution free after an initial call back for a spinning car before lap one was scored. Masengarb had no issue with the heavy lap traffic on his way to victory. Charlie Brown chased him for much of the race until eleventh place starter, and fellow Illinoian, Jon Padilla made the pass late in the race to take second at the finish. Brown took third, with Cory Sonner in fourth, and Randy Bryan, in the car usually piloted by Austin Gray, was fifth after starting thirteenth. This was Masengarb's second feature win of the season. Padilla continues to hold on to his point lead.
The Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown, went 15 laps for their main event, which went flag to flag.
Des Moines, Iowa's Mitchell Bunch jumped to the immediate lead from his pole starting position, and it was all his race from there on. By lap three, point leader Cristian Grady had moved into second place after starting in ninth place, but that would be all he could muster as he finished as the runner up. Eighth place starter Michael Gardner took third place, with Jeremy Williams, Oskaloosa, Iowa taking fourth, and last week's winner, Dyllan Bonk made the trip up from Hannibal, Missouri again, and took fifth. This was Bunch's third regular season victory, plus also taking the Frostbuster special.
The IMCA Hobby Stock 20 lap feature, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center had some issues with cautions halting the racing action.
Sigourney, Iowa's Kale Hemsley jumped to the lead as the race went green. He was still leading when the yellow flew at lap six. One more lap got in before the caution flew again, with Hemsley still holding down the top spot. Yet another yellow flew at lap eight as Hemsley continued to lead, but by this time, Eric Knutson was right on his bumper. Two more laps got in the books before the yellow flew once again, Hemsley still in command, Knutson out of the competition, and now Briar Krigel running in second, and Bradly Graham had worked himself up to third place. The final laps did run caution free allowing the cars to get back into their racing rhythm and with six laps to go, it was Graham now at the helm, Knutson was eliminated with a tire going down, and Kriegel was back in second place. Graham would go on to take the win, Kriegel finishing as the runner up, and early leader, Kale Hemsley taking third. Eric Stanton came from twelfth starting spot to take fourth, and Braden Gifford was the hard charger of the race, taking fifth place after starting twenty-seventh. This was Graham's first regular season win, after taking the honors in the Frostbuster special in early April.
The IMCA Northern SportMods ran a 16 lap feature, presented by Rugged Radios.
Zander Kelland, the Bakersfield, California native, led the opening laps, but it was Matt Avila moving from seventh and into the lead by lap three. Three cautions would fly before the finish of the race, but they were no issue for Avila as he went home to the flying checkers and the win. Ninth place starter Brayton Carter took second, third went to Kyle Olson who started eight, fourth was Jenae Gustin, and it was Will Wolf rounding out the top five. This was Avila's second feature win of the season.
It was 20 laps of feature racing for the IMCA Stock Cars next, presented by Drury Automotive.
Austin Kaplan started on the outside front row, and claimed the lead immediately. It would be a spot he would never relinquish the entire 20 laps to take the win. Twelfth place starter Jeff Mueller came on strong as he dug around the bottom and took the runner up spot as the checkers flew. Third went to tenth place starter Michael Jaennette, fourth was Maguire DeJong, and hometown favorite Jimmy Gustin came from eleventh to take fifth. This was Kaplan's first win of the year at Marshalltown.
The final event rolled out onto the track with the IMCA Modified 20 lap feature, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap.
Jacob Murray took advantage of his pole starting spot, and leaped into the lead as the race went green. He continued his run at the front until just before the halfway mark, when Dylan Thornton was able to make the pass and take over the lead. Thornton would then put some distance between himself and the pack and take the comfortable win. Zack Rawlins had one of his best runs of the season, and took second place. Third went to thirteenth place starter Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, the hard charger of the race, fourth was eleventh place starter Todd Shute, and Dallon Murty completed the top five. This was Thornton's first win this year.
Next week, the races will be on Thursday, July 11 for the Minute Man Printing night during the Central Iowa Fair. There will be no racing on Friday night. All six regular IMCA classes will be on tap with $1,000 to win for the IMCA Stock Cars. Hot laps at 6:45, with racing at 7:30.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
Submitted By: Jerry Vansickel
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