Week Five Comes Alive in Marshalltown!
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, Ia. (May 5, 2006) - With a strong Northwest wind blowing on Friday night the weekly soap opera of Motorsports began at the high-banked quarter mile speedway in Marshalltown as week number five roared to life. One hundred and two race teams filled the pit area to near capacity as promoter Toby Kruse would once again be faced with a night, that would see the racing action hot and close through out the entire evening.

Back this Friday night to get the evening off and running was the pastor of New Hope Christian Church Kerry Jeck as he led the invocation to a large grandstand crowd, to start the Mid-West Liquids night at the speedway. From the drop of the opening green flag lap to the final checkered flag lap, the night was filled with the test of emotions and patience, as the racing night would come to an end at 10:03.

The new racing surface, which was laid down, this past winter is now one of the fastest tracks around as promoter Kruse is happy with how things are shaping up. “Our guys just won’t give up on the time that they are giving to getting this track in shape. Tonight, the track was for the first time this year hard and dry, and not a heavy track, and this is what we have been shooting for,” committed Kruse. “Now that we have the moisture out of the track, and the racing surface smooth, now we feel we have a handle on it, and it should make for less track work to be done each week just to get it back into shape. I was thankful of the positive responses that I received when going through the pits, almost everyone, liked what kind of track they had to race on tonight. There was a low line and a high line. You had to use some patience and driver your car,” continued Kruse. The ones that did would be happy and the one’s that over drove, would have their problems.

Week number five will go down in the record books as a night where point leaders would have there problems, new faces for the year would find victory lane, rookie drivers would win again and one driver would win his first feature event.

Mark Lamer would be the driver who would capture his first victory of his career. Ironically enough, Lamer would win his first feature ever, on the fifth week and the fifth day of May, during his fifth season of racing.. Lamer would lead from the drop of the green flag, through two yellow flags and a couple of near misses. “They asked me if I was nervous, sure I was nervous, but I just tried to stay smooth and be patient,” said a smiling Lamer in victory lane. “I liked this type of race track, but it keeps you on your toes. You just can’t ever let the car start to get away from you because there is no bringing it back. It was just like what they say on TV. I heard every noise that I could think of. I think at one point I could her my wife telling me to slow down.” Lamer would stay focused as he scored his victory in the second I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock feature. Behind Lamer at the end was Jamie Schirm, Kevin Sather and Bo Hunter, all who would challenge Lamer through out the 12-lap event for the lead.

In the first Hobby Stock feature it was the Smith brother’s from Lake City who would battle each other for the win, with Donovan out doing Dustin for the win. Brad Bartling and Luke Wanninger would round out the top four.

Last week feature winner Keith Williamson in the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod class would take the lead on lap three but it would be week three winner Brett Ladehoff who would make a pass off turn four with five laps to go to score his second win of the season. Jason Mallicoat and Troy Olson second followed Williamson and Ladehoff across the finish line.

In the I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature rookie driver Steve Meyer who went to victory in week two, would again find the place to get the trophy. Meyer would battle the veteran Larry Silbaugh the entire eighteen laps, with Meyer running high and Silbaugh running the low line. On lap eight Silbaugh would take the lead but on the final lap Meyer would come back to score his second win of the year. Third place would go to Scooter Dulin and forth to Mike VanGenderen.

With the track in a very racy condition, Vern Jackson would take the lead on the opening lap of the I.M.C.A. Modified feature. Two yellow flags would slow the 20-lapper, in the early going, as Jackson would battle lap traffic. A yellow on lap six would bunch the field up behind Jackson and on the restart Richie Gustin would make a pass for the lead coming off of turn two. By lap twelve the pair was running side by side and tied at the line. With five laps to go, Gustin would have the advantage but Jackson would use the high side to get a run on Gustin, but Gustin on this night proved to be two much for Jackson. Behind Gustin and Jackson were point leader Heath Kusel and Marv Halverson who had his best career finish.

Next Friday night will be the annual Cliff Chamber memorial and UAW Local 893 night at the speedway. Hot laps will begin at 6:45 and the first race of the night will get underway at 7:30.



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Tim Murty-Tama—Denny Stoneburner-Boone—Shawn Plymesser-Lake Mills

HEAT 2: David Brown-Kellogg—Tom Rawlins-Kellogg—Ed Anderson-M’town

HEAT 3: Marv Halverson-M’town—Richie Gustin-M’town—Vern Jackson-Waterloo

FEATURE: Richie Gustin—Vern Jackson—Heath Kusel—Marv Halverson—Shawn Plymesser—David Brown—Mike O’Lear—Jeff Schroyer—Todd Luther—Scott Simatovich—Denny Stoneburner—Jimmy Gustin—Ed Anderson—Tom Rawlins—Adam Johnson—Rick Speck—Jim Schaefer—Doug Lauterwasser—Tim Murty—Todd Conrad



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Keith Williamson-Bondurant—Rob Olson-Cedar Rapids—Curt Hogan-Vinton

HEAT 2: Danny Dvorak-Vinton—Jason Purvis-Nevada—Chad Rickett-M’town

HEAT 3: Bob Baugh-Waterloo—Tony Olson-Cedar Rapids—Scott Durlin-State Center

FEATURE: Brett Ladehoff—Keith Williamson—Jason Mallicoat—Tony Olson—Scott Davis—Danny Dvorak—Austin Kaplan—Scott Durlin—Kyle Brown—Mike Hiller—Mark McNeece—Rob Olson—Butch Lester—John Dumer—Jason Purvis—Chad Rickett—Bob Baugh—Tim Young—Curt Hogan



I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Don Vis-State Center—Damon Murty-Chelsea—Rick Brown-Kellogg

HEAT 2: Tracy Gienger-Baxter—Scooter Dulin-Vinton—Mike VanGenderen-Newton

HEAT 3: Steve Meyer-Grundy Center—Luke Veren-Haverhill—Larry Silbaugh-Jefferson

HEAT 4: Rob Schneider-M’town—Jay Schmidt-Tama—Jeff Wollam-M’town

B-MAIN: Paul Zimmerman-Grinnell—Mark Bolton-Cedar Rapids-Aaron Wendell—Baxter—Wendy Reisinger-M’town

FEATURE: Steve Meyer—Larry Silbaugh—Scooter Dulin—Mike VanGenderen—Shawn Hoskins—Dave Atcher—Don Vis—Jeff Wollam—Andy Bryant—Rick Brown—Dustin Vis—Rob Schneider—Robert Engelkes—Richard Quail—Jay Schmidt—Tommy Thompson—Aaron Wendell—Mark Bolton—Wendy Reisinger—Bryon Trogdon—Damon Murty—Paul Zimmerman—Tracy Gienger—Michael Jaennette



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Dustin Smith-Lake City—Dustin Elliott-M’town—Jerry Gifford-Nevada

HEAT 2: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Luke Wanninger-Jefferson—Chris Arkama-Tama

HEAT 3: Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Mike Smith-M’town—Steve Kesl-Elberon

HEAT 4: Jamie Schirm-Dexter—Damien Bown-M’town—Mark Lamer-M’town

FEATURE #1: Donovan Smith—Dustin Smith—Brad Bartling—Luke Wanninger—Jason Rice—Jeff Gunderson—Adam Rickett—Alan Damme—Josh Scovill—Chad Sawyer—Neil Follett—Dustin Elliott—Mike Vibbard—Pat Cross—Jerry Gifford—Chris Arkama—Joe Alday

FEATURE #2: Mark Lamer—Jamie Schirm—Kevin Sather—Bo Hunter—Mike Zeman—Trent Murphy—Keith Lester—Dustin Filloon—Josh Bly—Josh Saunders—Mike Smith—Damien Bown