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Gustin and Gustin go to Victory Lane, Berry, Dhondt, Padilla, and Grady also see checkers first

August 2, 2024
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA

It was EMW Trucking Military Memorial Night at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday. It was a warm one, but a slight breeze out of the NW helped the fans to be more comfortable. Pre race ceremonies honored those that gave the ultimate sacrifice as well as honoring those veterans in attendance, who were given free admission thanks to EMW. More money was also on the line for four of the classes racing. Tom Berry, Jr. went away with the $2,000 IMCA Friesen Performance Modified win, Jimmy Gustin had the crowd on its feet on the final corner when he won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car $1,000 feature, and sister Jenae Gustin won the $1,300 IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods for the second week in a row. It was another close one at the line in the $600 to win IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks as Calvin Dhondt crossed the finish line first in a dash to the checkers. Jon Padilla won the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lite A main, and it was Cristian Grady going to Victory Lane for the third time straight in the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts.

The Northern SportMods, presented by Rugged Radios, ran their 16 lap feature event first.

Kyle Olson jumped to the immediate lead from his pole starting position. He was still holding down the lead on lap ten but had visiting Jake Sachau, Manning, Iowa, challenging and Jenae Gustin had now made her way into third after starting in eighth spot...both wanting more. The three drivers waged a 3-wide battle at times, and with a lap to go, that fight got the best of Sachau as he went for a spin, taking himself out of the game. Now it was a dash to the checkers with Gustin now in command as the white flag flew.... a spot she was not about to relinquish. Gustin took the win and matched her win from last week. Kyle Olson had to be content with the runner up position, third went to thirteenth place starter Will Wolf who made a late race rally. Fourth place was Brayton Carter, and twelfth place starter Zander Keeland, Bakersfield, California, was fifth. Brayton Carter holds a seven point lead over Kyle Olson for the track title with the season soon coming to a close.

The Mod Lite 15 laps feature, presented by Knight Sanitation, was up next in a race that went flag to flag.

Jon Padilla, the weekly Silvas, Illinois racer, took the lead from the outside front row as the race went green. It was all but over then, as Padilla would never be challenged as he swept to the win by a lengthy margin, his second of the season. Jason Masengarb, Colona, Illinois made it a 1-2 finish for our neighbor's to the east, finishing a distant second. Third went to Ben George, Josh May was fourth, and Alex Eischeid rounded out the top five. Padilla is the point leader with a comfortable lead over Josh May for the track crown.

The IMCA Stock Car 20 lap feature, presented by Drury Automotive, was a thriller at the finish.

Jerry Gifford, Boone, Iowa who was a first timer at the track this year, started on the outside front row and took the lead immediately when the race went green. By lap five, Jimmy Gustin had made his way from fifth starting spot to take over second place. Gustin drew closer and closer to the leader, made several attempts in corner four with a slide move that just didn't stick, and it was looking like the newbie was going to Victory Lane. However, the final corner went Gustin's way....a bit different slide job which Gifford didn't seem to expect, and Gustin made it work....taking his first ever Stock Car win at the Marshalltown Track. Gifford had to settle for second place on this night. Third went to Maguire DeJong who had started in fourteenth spot, fourth was Steve Meyer, and Michael Jaennette raced his way from sixteenth starting place to finish fifth. Gustin holds a big 87 point lead over Jaennette for the track championship title in the Stock Cars.

It was 15 laps of IMCA Sport Compact racing, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown to come to the track next.

Mitchell Bunch started fourth and had the lead by lap one. He continued his lead through lap seven with Cristian Grady following his tire tracks in second. Bunch would suddenly be off power and pull to the infield on lap eight, handing the lead over to Grady. It was all Grady's race from there on out, as he pulled away and took the checkers easily. Second place went to ninth place starter, Spencer Roggentien, Amana, Iowa, a distant third went to David Kimmel, James Haring was fourth, and eleventh place starter Mark Smith rounded out the top five. This was Grady's third consecutive win, and fourth of the season. He is the point's leader in the division up 26 points on second place David Kimmel.

The IMCA Modifieds, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap, went 20 laps in their feature event.

Cody Laney was the early leader of the pack but a slide by Tom Berry, Jr. made him the leader on lap 11. A yellow would fly at lap eleven when Rod Clement came to a standstill out of corner three, and then another yellow that went to red on lap fifteen when Trevor Fitz went off of the top of corner four and landed on his top. He was not hurt, and when racing returned to green, it was still Berry at the helm. Dylan Thornton had chased Berry in much of the race and a three car battle for third place between early leader Laney, Tripp Gaylord, and Joel Rust was brewing. Berry would hold on to his lead the final five laps to the finish and secure the win. Thornton finished as the runner up, Gaylord won the battle for third place, with Laney going fourth, and thirteenth place starter, and last week's winner, Tim Ward making a late race charge to finish in fifth place. Gaylord holds a ten point lead over Zack Rawlins as the season winds down.

The final race of the night was sixteen laps of IMCA Hobby Stock racing, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center.

Solomon Bennett started on the outside front row, and got the jump on pole sitter Calvin Dhondt to take the lead as lap one was scored. Bennett maintained his lead, not allowing the four cautions and subsequent restarts to hinder his run at the front. The fourth and final yellow flew on lap eight as Bennett kept hold of his lead and now it was last week's winner Eric Knutson hot on his tail, Calvin Dhondt battling with him, and Bradly Graham was now throwing his hat into the mix. It was a real tight battle the final two laps and on the run to the checkers, it was Dhondt getting the upper hand out of corner four to beat them to the finish line and score the exciting win. Bennett had to settle for second place, third went to Knutson, Graham was fourth, and Dustin Filloon was fifth. This was Dhondt's fifth feature victory of the year.

Next Friday night August 9, will be VESSCO Inc. $1,000 to win special for the IMCA Mod Lites, and BHE's $1,000 to win for the IMCA SportMods. All six IMCA classes will be on the docket. Hot laps are 6:45 with racing at 7:30.

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