To Race Or Not To Race On Friday!
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, Ia. (April 28, 2006) - “I stayed home and can’t believe they got the whole show in tonight”, said one dedicated race fan in disbelief. She continued, “It had been sprinkling since 4 PM, so I stayed home, expecting them to cancel the races at the high banks quarter mile at any time, and to my disbelief, I was a day late and a dollar short, the new promoter, Toby Kruse and his track crew was able to get the track in racing condition and I heard a wonderful night of racing action occurred.”

This was the comment and the belief of many race fans Friday night when week number four would roar to life in between the raindrops. With a dismal forecast facing new promoter Toby Kruse, the rookie, held his ground and with a lot of extra from his track crew the night was run, starting a mere ten minutes late and still getting done right at 9:30. “Wow, I can’t believe we got the night in,” said Kruse. “All of the racing cards were stacked against us but we did it and I just have to thank everyone for their help and encouragement. This truly is what Friday nights are made for.!”

New Hope Christian Church Pastor Kerry Jech would lead the crowd with the invocation, and then members of the band “Clutter Billy” would sign the National Anthem, as the last night of April proved to be a challenge. After a quick farming session to start the night, the racecars would take to the track and quickly adapt to the three and four wide track and put on one of the best shows of the season.

In all of the heat races, the action would be close and right to the final lap before a winner would be determined. Granted, the racing surface was somewhat slippery in the early going, it made the racetrack near perfect as the feature events were pulling out onto the track.

For the forth time in as many weeks, the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod division would see another new winner. Keith Lester would lead the first four laps before Keith Williamson would make a turn two pass to take the lead. Williamson would lead the next four circuits until opening night winner Scott Durlin would put his car to the back bumper of Williamson. Williamson would hold off the charging Durlin for the final three laps to become the forth winner in as many weeks.

It would be Ford power in the I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature, as the “Fly Farmer” Rick Brown would take the lead on lap two and never look back. Yellow flags would slow the event in the middle of the race but not the “farmer” With two laps to go Jay Schmidt and Tracy Gienger would make it three wide but Brown’s Thunderbird would answer the call and hold the top spot as Brown would become the forth driver in as many weeks to win a feature in the class. Brown, Schmidt and Gienger would finish ahead of Don Vis who finished forth in a car that received front-end damage in the early part of the race.

Jeff Schroyer would break the string of new drivers in victory lane as Schroyer would pass leader Scott Simatovich on lap two, then pull away from the field the remaining eighteen laps. Sprinkles would start to fall with five laps to go, but nothing would slow the new point leader Schroyer as he crossed the finish line. Jimmy Gustin would finish behind Anderson for third while Simatovich would come home in forth.

In the final race of the night, with a light sprinkle falling a Smith would win the feature event. Donovan Smith was going for four wins in a row, until a flat tire would force him out of the race. At the time of his exit, he was locked in a bumper to bumper dual with his brother Dustin. Dustin would break the streak of his brother Donovan, as the defending track champion would visit victory lane for the first time this season. Luke Wanninger would finish second followed by Kevin Sather and birthday boy Dustin Elliott.

After the first four weeks of new promoter Toby Kruse he admits that everything has been thrown at him. “We started the season off with a rough race track, then one cold night, a warm night a ok kind of night and now a rainy night, so I think I have seen it all, with all types of conditions. And as I look back, the one thing I have always known was that we are racing out doors, in Iowa, in April, what else can you expect.”

Next week the Merry Merry Month of May will welcome the race fans during Mid-West Liquids night at the raceway. The gates will open at 5:30 with hot laps at 6:45 and the first green flag of the night beginning at 7:30.



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Mike O’Lear-M’town—Scott Simatovich-Melbourne—Jimmy Gustin-M’town

HEAT 2: Jeff Schroyer-M’town—Mike Reichart-Des Moines—Todd Luther-Laurel

FEATURE: Jeff Schroyer—Ed Anderson—Jimmy Gustin—Scott Simatovich—Mike O’Lear—Doug Lauterwasser—Vern Jackson—Shawn Plymesser—Todd Luther—Tom Rawlins—Leroy Staub—Mike Reichart—Marv Halverson—Heath Kusel—Richie Gustin—Rick Speck—David Brown



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Scott Durlin-State Center—Keith Williamson-Bondurant—Mike Krall-Waterloo

HEAT 2: Brett Ladehoff-M’town—Kyle Wahlert-West Des Moines—Austin Kaplan-Ankeny

FEATURE: Keith Williamson—Scott Durlin—Scott Davis—Tony Olson—Danny Dvorak—Kyle Wahlert—Austin Kaplan—Jason Mallicoat—Brett Ladehoff—Rob Olson—Bob Baugh—Mark McNeece—Donnie Boucher—Keith Lester—Mike Krall—Shawn Ritter—Tim Young—Heath McReynolds



I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Jay Schmidt-Tama—Stacy Clark-Boone—Kyle Krampe-Baxter

HEAT 2: Rick Brown-Kellogg—Don Vis-State Center—David Atcher-M’town

HEAT 3: Robert Engelkes-Dike—Mike VanGenderen-Newton—Luke Veren-Haverhill

FEATURE: Rick Brown—Jay Schmidt—Tracy Gienger—Don Vis—Scooter Dulin—Clay Deppe—David Atcher—Luke Veren—Mike VanGenderen—Andy Bryant—Jeff Wollam—Paul Zimmerman—Damon Murty—Russ Byriel—Tommy Thompson—Michael Jeannette—Robert Engelkes—Richard Quail—Stacy Clark—Aaron Wendel—Kyle Krampe



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Mike Zeman-Tama—Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Jason Rice-M’town

HEAT 2: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Dustin Elliott-M’town—Jeff Gunderson-Liscomb

HEAT 3: Chad Sawyer-Tama—Chris Mosher-Melbourne—Trent Murphy-Jefferson

HEAT 4: Luke Wanninger-Jefferson—Dustin Smith-Lake City—Paul Shepard-Marengo

B-Main: Keith Lester-What Cheer—Shawn Simatovich-M’town—Mark Lamer-M’town

FEATURE: Dustin Smith—Luke Wanninger—Kevin Sather—Dustin Elliott—Jason Rice—Neil Follett—Trent Murphy—Jeff Gunderson—Brad Bartling—Bo Hunter—Shawn Simatovich—Dustin Filloon—Paul Shepard—Keith Lester—Josh Bly—Phil Morrison—Alan Damme—Mike Zeman—Chad Sawyer—Michael Vibbard—Donovan Smith—Chris Mosher—Damien Bown—Mark Lamer