Media Night Features Stories From Speedway

MARSHALLTOWN, IA  (April 27) - Neither cold weather, high winds or over six inches of liquid sunshine could put a dark cloud over the head of second year promoter Toby Kruse as week number three was up and running as scheduled on Friday night. “This has been quite a week,” commented Kruse, “my job is to put on a racing event, and there is nothing like the response of people pitching again this week to make week number three a hugh success.” One hundred and ten cars signed in for the third consecutive week of going over the century mark of race teams entering the night’s activities.

Members of the media were on hand covering the events of the racing program and they found plenty to talk about before the night would come to an end at 10:05. In all five divisions, all first time drivers would find there way to the Aarons Victory Lane at the end of there feature events.

Even though a Hennigar would win the Dwarf Car feature, it would be a different Hennigar that would win this week. Andy Hennigar who finished second the first two weeks would this week find his way to victory lane. Mike Kennedy would lead the first half of the twelve-lap event before Hennigar would make a pass with two laps to go. Kennedy would stay close but Hennigar was flawless the right to the end. Behind Hennigar and Kennedy would be Tim Hennigar and Mike Morrill.

Red flags, yellow flags and a handful of restarts would slow the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod feature. Twenty cars would take the green flag for the start, but before one lap could be completed, Joel Cox from Evansdale, would roll down the backside of turn one, he climbed from the car but was done for the night. The second restart would end up the same way only this time a yellow flag for a spinning car would stop the race from getting underway. Kevin Sather would lead when the opening lap would be completed, then hold on to the lead right to the end to post his first feature ever in the Sport Mod class. “The track was smooth, and fast, but a little tricky because of the moisture of this week. I just tried to stay steady,” said Sather in victory lane. Sather a rookie this year moving from the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock car posted his first career Sport Mod feature. Finishing second was Kyle Bentley followed by pole sitter Brett Meyer and last weeks feature winner Danny Dvorak.

Another first time winner, would be rookie driver Dustin Smith in the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock division. Smith moved from the Hobby Stocks to the Stock Cars this year. Smith would battle veteran driver Rick Brown through out the entire eighteen-lap event. Brown would lead up to lap eleven before Smith would make a low side pass to take the lead. With four laps to go, Smith would pull away from the field to his first Marshalltown victory. “ I knew if I messed up, he would get me back, so I just tried to relax and have fun and drive a straight line, I did it and it worked, this is great,” commented Smith in victory lane. Behind Smith and Brown were Damon Murty and Rob Schneider, posting his best finish of the season.

Up next would be the I.M.C.A. Modified feature and this turned out to be the feature of the night. Marv Halverson, who posted his first career feature one year ago, appeared to be on his way to score his second victory. Halverson would run his high groove around the speedway hitting his mark during every lap of the twenty-lap event. Halverson would lead lap one, defending track champion Jeff Schroyer would run the low line and take the lead on lap three. Current point leader Jimmy Gustin would get turned around in corner one, bringing out the yellow on lap seven. Gustin would restart from the tale and put on the show of the night. Working his way toward the front as Schroyer and Halverson battled for the lead. Another yellow on lap nine when Adam Bolin rolled off of turn one he was uninjured as he climbed from the car. The next six laps would find Halverson running high and Schroyer running low exchanging the lead almost every lap. By lap sixteen, Schroyer would take and hold onto the lead the remaining four laps to score his first win of the season. Halverson would finish second followed by Jimmy Gustin who worked his way back into the top three after restarting on the tail. Justin Auringer would finish forth.

Confidence is the name of the sport and on this night, Dustin Elliott boosted his confidence when he walked through the pit gate at the beginning of the night. During his pre-race interview, Elliott said he would win and he did just what he predicted. Elliott would lead the entire event even though opening night winner Luke Wanninger would give him all the competition he wanted. The two would battle, touch and rub but Elliott would hold the lead and go on to score the victory. Mike Zeman would finish third and Terry Shaffer would finish forth.

Next Friday night marks the beginning of the “Merry Merry Month of May” and for the fans it couldn’t start off any better. The first 1000 fans, through the gate will receive free tickets to the May 5th USAC Silver Crown event at the Iowa Speedway. “All you have to do to get a free ticket is come to the races on Friday night,” said promoter Toby Kruse.

The gates will open at 5:30 with hot laps beginning at 6:45 and the first race in the month of May will get underway at 7:30 to start week four.