A Fair Night At The Speedway!
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (July 14, 2006) - With the view of the Carnival Midway as a backdrop, during the Central Iowa Fair, week number fourteen roared to life on Friday night at the Marshalltown Speedway. Over three inches of rain fell in the Marshalltown area over the past few days, but quick track maintenance would spring to life in order to get the raceway ready for the Friday night racing program. The racing week was supposed to start off on Tuesday night with the I.M.C.A. Late Models but rain would wash that night away, and other grandstand activities were also lost to the July rains, but promoter Toby Kruse stayed focused in keeping the Friday night program heading in the right direction. “There is nothing you can say when it rains that much. I actually had a rain plan in the works even before we lost Tuesday night,” say’s Kruse. “We actually had the date of August 15th in our heads even before we cancelled. This will be the Deery Brothers show that I.M.C.A. has rescheduled this year, they know the importance of this show, and they want it to succeed.”

Friday night would have a twist of royalty because newly crowned fair queen April Lewis would start the evening off by addressing the crown then she would take a could of laps with Stock Car driver Jeff Wollam before singing the National Anthem to start the Aaron’s Night at the Fair. “I am having so much fun,” said Lewis, “this is really neat, but it is so nosey in that race car, my ears are still ringing.”

Horsepower would take a back seat to pedal power when the kids would pedal there way around the high-banked quarter mile raceway at the intermission break. Four new bicycles were donated and were given away to four very happy youngsters. Then when the bikes were put away it was time for the feature events to take to the raceway.

Scott Davis would lead the opening laps of the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod feature until lap seven when point leader Jason Mallicoat would take the top spot. Yellow flags and a two lap shoot out would add to the drama as Mallicoat would have to hold off the challenges of Brett Ladehoff until the checkered flag would fly, to post his fifth win of the year. Davis would finish third followed by Tony Olson.

It would be ten weeks between wins, for driver Rick Brown in the I.M.C.A. Stock Car class, as he would score his second win of the season. Kyle Krampe would lead the opening four laps and right through the half waypoint of the eighteen-lap event. Brown would make a high side pass off of turn to take the lead on lap twelve and would cost to victory his second of the year and his ninety-sixth of his I.M.C.A. career. Dusty Vis, point leader Tracy Gienger and Shawn Anderson would follow Brown across the finish line.

The only red flag of the night would come in the I.M.C.A. Modified feature as Heath Kusel would become involved with another car, sending him off turn two and rolling over on his top. Kusel was uninjured but he would be done for the night. Todd Luther would take the lead from the start and hold onto the top spot until lap seven when last weeks winner Adam Larson would spring to the lead. Larson’s lead was only for a short time, because on lap nine, the motor expired ending his night of competition. This would give the lead back to Luther but on the restart Vern Jackson would make the pass for the lead and then would go on for his second feature win of the year. Luther would finish second followed by Mike O’Lear and Jimmy Gustin.

Donovan Smith would again have things go his way as he would take the lead on lap four from Chad Witte in the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock feature. Many yellow flags would slow the event but not the speedster Smith as he scored his tenth win of the year and his thirtieth over all win of the year. Kevin Sather would stay close but could not get by Smith and would finish second. Joe Bown and Neil Follett would round out the top four.

The season continues next Friday night with hot laps at 6:45 and the first green flag race of the night starting at 7:30 with the first annual Young Professionals night at the speedway.


I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Todd Luther-Laurel—Jimmy Gustin-M’town—Jeff Schroyer-M’town

HEAT 2: Marv Halverson-M’town—Mike O’Lear-M’town—Scott Simatovich-Melbourne

FEATURE: Vern Jackson—Todd Luther—Mike O’Lear—Jimmy Gustin—Adam Bolin—Jeff Schroyer—Scott Simatovich—Shawn Fisher—Denny Stoneburner—Brett Hamilton—Todd Conrad—Adam Larson—Marv Halverson—Heath Kusel—Tim Stevens



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Scott Davis-Boone—Tony Olson-Cedar Rapids—Austin Kaplan-Ankeny

HEAT 2: Brett Ladehoff-M’town—Scott Durlin-State Center—Danny Dvorak-Vinton

FEATURE: Jason Mallicoat—Brett Ladehoff—Scott Davis—Tony Olson—Danny Dvorak—Scott Durlin—Kyle Brown—John Dumer—Mark McNeece—Austin Kaplan—Don Boucher



I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Luke Veren-Haverhill—Shawn Hoskins-M’town—Shawn Anderson-Haverhill

HEAT 2: Don Vis-State Center—Dusty Vis-Legrand—Damon Murty-Chelsea

HEAT 3: Tracy Gienger-Newton—Jeff Wollam-M’town—Rick Brown-Kellogg

FEATURE: Rick Brown—Dusty Vis—Tracy Gienger—Shawn Hoskins—Damon Murty—Kyle Krampe—Don Vis—Steve Meyer—Shawn Anderson—Andy Bryant—Richard Von Krog—Robert Engelkes—Wendy Reisinger—Luke Veren—Aaron Wendell—Tommy Thompson—Jeff Schroyer—Scooter Dulin



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Pat Cross-Boone—Mark Lamer-Haverhill

HEAT 2: Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Chad Witte-M’town—Dustin Filloon-Tama

HEAT 3: Trent Murphy-Jefferson—Donovan Nunnikhoven-Sully—Jamie Schirm-Dexter

FEATURE: Donovan Smith—Kevin Sather—Joe Bown—Neil Follett—Mike Zeman—Josh Saunders—Adam Rickett—Shawn Simatovich—Donovan Nunnikhoven—Justin Hopkins—Jamie Schirm—Keith Lester—Jess Hopkins—Bo Hunter—Mark Lamer—Pat Cross—Chad Witte—Larry Fricke—Dustin Elliott—Josh Bly—Trent Murphy—Dustin Filloon