Another Night of First’s at Marshalltown Speedway!
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, IA. (July 21, 2006) - It has been only one week since the hot weather of the Central Iowa Fair greeted race fans last week, and for week number fifteen it will be remembered as the night when a light jacket would have to be brought out to keep the mid-summer chill off the body. “That has been one lesson that I have had to learn,” said first year promoter Toby Kruse, “don’t try to anticipate what the weather is going to do when preparing the race track. After last week we all thought it would turn into another dry night, but, the cool breeze, the cloud cover and Friday night’s track was a heavy but smooth wide racetrack.

Friday night would also turn out to be a very special night for one driver in the I.M.C.A. Modified division. Tim Stevens, from Cedar Rapids, has been competing in the class for the past ten-years and for the first time in his career, Stevens found himself in victory lane. “It has been a struggle and sometimes it became very difficult, but my family and sponsors never gave up on me, and it all paid off tonight,” said Stevens in his victory lane interview. Stevens would make a clean sweep by winning his heat race and then would lead every lap in the twenty-lap modified feature. “The last lap was the worst, I felt the pressure of Scott Simatovich behind me, I knew he was there and I knew I couldn’t make a mistake, it was my race to loose. The track for me was just perfect. I like the heavy track versus the dry slick track. I just can’t thank Toby enough for working with the drivers and crews to make this place the best track around.” Stevens would have his hands full in the early going with Simatovich challenging on the low side of the track. But Stevens would not be denied on this night, not making a mistake through the event. Last weeks winner Vern Jackson finished third followed by Mike O’Lear.

Kyle Krampe still looking for his first career win would lead the I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature until lap twelve when point leader Tracy Gienger would make the pass and go on for his second win of the year. Gienger’s first win of the year came on week eight, and seven weeks later Gienger would drive back into victory lane again. Krampe with a smile on his face congratulated Gienger in victory lane. Third place would go to Don Vis followed by Luke Veren.

Opening night feature winner Scott Durlin would take fourteen weeks before he would find victory lane again, as Durlin would take the lead on lap three and go on to score his second win of the year. “It’s been a funny year,” said Durlin. “We started off with wins here and at Boone, then we went in a cold period when everything went wrong, now maybe my luck is changing for the good. This class is so much fun. It’s nice to win, but its fun just to be running in the division.” Danny Dvorak, point leader Jason Mallicoat and Brett Ladehoff would follow Durlin across the finish line.

Point leader Donovan Smith would win his eleventh feature of the year by passing Jamie Schirm with two laps to go. Smith who is currently the National Point leader scored his thirty-second feature win of the season. Behind Smith and Schirm were Chad Witte and Joe Bown.

The season marches on next Friday night with Hy-Vee Night at the Speedway. Hot laps will begin at 6:45 and the first green flag of the night will begin at 7:30.

By Denny Grabenbauer


I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Tim Stevens-Cedar Rapids—Todd Luther-Laurel—Mike O’Lear-M’town

HEAT 2: Scott Simatovich-State Center—Jimmy Gustin-M’town—Heath Kusel-Elberon

FEATURE: Tim Stevens—Scott Simatovich—Vern Jackson—Mike O’Lear—Scott Hogan—Todd Luther—Reese Coffee—Dennis Beltzer—Jimmy Gustin—David Brown—Heath Kusel—Mike Reichart—Jay Noteboom—Jeff Schroyer—Don Portwine—Adam Larson—Todd Conrad



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Scott Durlin-State Center—Tony Olson-Cedar Rapids—Danny Dvorak-Vinton

HEAT 2: Austin Kaplan-Ankeny—Brett Ladehoff-M’town—Jason Mallicoat-Boone

FEATURE: Scott Durlin—Danny Dvorak—Jason Mallicoat—Brett Ladehoff—Austin Kaplan—Tony Olson—Mark McNeece—Chris Mosher—Don Boucher—Scott Jorpeland—Kyle Brown



I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Damon Murty-Chelsea—Rick Brown-Kellogg—Tommy Thompson-Garwin

HEAT 2: Tracy Gienger-Newton—Luke Veren-Haverhill—Kyle Krampe-Baxter

HEAT 3: Don Vis-State Center—Dusty Vis-Legrand—Scooter Dulin-Vinton

FEATURE: Tracy Gienger—Kyle Krampe—Don Vis—Luke Veren—Jeff Schroyer—Rick Brown—Jeff Wollam—Adam Barlo—Damon Murty—Shawn Hoskins—Dave Atcher—Richard VonKrog—Aaron Wendell—Tommy Thompson—Shelly Melville—Stacy Clark—Andy Bryant—Scooter Dulin—Wendy Reisinger—Dusty Vis—Robert Engelkes



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Jamie Schirm-Dexter—Chad Witte-M’town—Donovan Smith-Lake City

HEAT 2: Mike Zeman-Tama—Larry Fricke-Clemens—Dustin Filloon-Tama

HEAT 3: Eric Knutson-Greenfield—Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Shawn Simatovich-M’town

FEATURE: Donovan Smith—Jamie Schirm—Chad Witte—Joe Bown—Kevin Sather—Larry Fricke—Neil Follett—Dustin Filloon—Eric Knutson—Pat Cross—Trent Murphy—Donovan Nunnikhoven—Mark Lamer—Bo Hunter—Josh Saunders—Adam Rickett—Chad Sawyer—Zach Rawlins—Josh Bly—Shawn Simatovich—Mike Zeman—Dustin Elliott—Mike Vibbard—Calvin Pierson