Luke Wanninger wins his fifth feature of the season in the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock division
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (June 29) - After last weeks torrential amount of rain fell on Friday night, it would be a one-week delay in the start of the second half of the 2007-racing season. With the final weekend in the month of June, a capacity crowd and one hundred five race teams that would fill the place, race fans witnessed one of the best nights of racing at the high-banked quarter mile speedway. “I’ve had to learn to put the not so pleasant nights out of my mind and look towards better night’s ahead,” said promoter Toby Kruse, “tonight, was one of those nights that people will be talking about for some time”.

Close racing, area pastors racing against one another, a wild incident in the Dwarf Car feature and side by side finishes in respective feature events, plus another winner in the King of the Hill series.

The evening started off with four-area pastor’s racing head to head in the first ever “Faster Pastor” match race. Driving borrowed racecars from willing I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock drivers. Pastor Bob Kosbau from Evangelical E-Free church would make a high side pass of New Hope Church pastor Kerry Jech on the third lap of the six lap event. Kosbau would stay out in front to secure the victory or Jech, Paul McDermott with Liscomb Church of Christ and Blair Benefield from the First Baptist Church.

In the most bizarre incident of the evening would come during the Dwarf Car feature. As the lead changed hands three times during the first three laps on lap four, Mike Morrill would roll over the top of Joel Higgins, which then sent Mike Kennedy and Shawn Hunter rolling over on there sides, and before it all was over, two more cars would be collected in the incident. All drivers would escape unharmed and all of the cars would resume expect Morrill which would be towed to the pits. When ordered was restored, Troy Hudson would win his forth feature of the season outdistancing Ed Zehm, Andy and Tim Hennigar.

Many lead changes would take place in the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod class before Kevin Sather would win his third feature of the season. Shawn Ritter would have the lead and things going his way in the first half of the race before giving way to Jason Mallicoat on lap seven. Mallicoat would then loose the lead to Sather on lap ten and all he could do was make it close and Sather sealed the victory. Behind Sather and Mallicoat was Austin Kaplan and Brett Meyer.

It would be four wide from the start of the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature with Don Vis leading the very first crowded lap. Rick Brown would put his Ford Thunderbird out front on lap four, but the lead was only short lived as point leader Donovan Smith would charge to the lead, work through lap traffic and go on to score his third win of the season and his first since week six. Defending track champion Tracy Gienger would finish second followed by Mike VanGenderen and Damon Murty in the green to checkered event.

What many might consider the best race of the month would come in the I.M.C.A. Modified twenty-lap feature. An opening lap yellow flag before one lap could be scored would be the only yellow seen through out the 20-lap event, as drivers raced hard and clean on a very three wide race track. Todd Conrad would lead the opening lap, followed by David Brown on lap two. Lap three Justin Auringer would take over the top spot a position he would hang on to the remaining seventeen laps. Auringer who many felt was over due, after a handful of second place finishes, finally got his wish and a victory. Verne Jackson would put the pressure on Auringer right until the checkered flag would fall. When the two crossed the finish line for the final time, Jackson had reached the drivers door of Auringer car, finishing a close second behind Auringer. Third place would go to Conrad with point leader Jimmy Gustin finishing forth.

Luke Wanninger would win his fifth feature of the season in the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock division. Nick Murty would finish second followed by Michael Murphy and Trent Murphy.

In the final event of the night, eight drivers would compete in the “King of the Hill” even with it all coming down to a Smith brother’s shoot-out. Dustin and Donovan would take to the track in competition with each other in the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Car event. At the end it will be Dustin who would take the win over Donovan and now joins Verne Jackson in competition for the “King of the Speedway” event, which will take place on championship night. The other two classes will compete for there representation in July and August.

With the evening ending shortly after 10:00pm, attention has shifted to the upcoming “American Stock Car Shoot-Out” that will be running next Monday and Tuesday July 2nd and 3rd. Last year eight states were represented and Kruse feels that this year could even be larger. Grandstand will open at 5:30, both nights, with hot laps at 6:45 and racing to begin at 7:30.

Regular weekly racing will continue next Friday night with week number eleven.


MARSHALLTOWN SPEEDWAY FRIDAY June 29, 2007
By Denny Grabenbauer
Faster Pastor Event: Bob Kasbau—Kerry Jech—Paul McDermott—Blair Benefield
“Aarons” I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Rob Schneider-M’town—Dustin Smith-Lake City—Donovan Smith-Lake City

HEAT 2: Mike VanGenderen-Newton—Rick Brown-Kellogg—Jeff Wollam-M’town

HEAT 3: Damon Murty-Chelsea—Tracy Gienger-Newton—Luke Veren-Haverhill

FEATURE: Donovan Smith—Tracy Gienger—Mike VanGenderen—Damon Murty—Luke Veren—Dustin Smith—Don Vis—Jeff Wollam—Steve Meyer—Josh Filmer—Scooter Dulin—Chad Koch—Kyle Krampe—Joe Luethje—Jared Daggett—Aaron Wendell—Wendy Reisinger— Rob Schneider—Rick Brown—Clay Deppe——Andy Bryant—Jay Schmidt—Jeremy Getler



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Brett Ladehoff-M’town—Todd Conrad-Waterloo—Adam Bolin-Waterloo

HEAT 2: Justin Auringer-Evansdale—Jerry Luloff –Independence—Jason Murray-Hartford

HEAT 3: Verne Jackson-Waterloo—David Brown-Kellogg—Cale Sponsler-Grimes

FEATURE: Justin Auringer—Verne Jackson—Todd Conrad—Jimmy Gustin—David Brown—Heath Kusel—Cale Sponsler—Ricky Stephan—Dain Sires—Jonah Chinn—Jay Schmidt—Leroy Staub—Brett Ladehoff—Jason Murray—Rob Olsen—Marv Halverson—Jerry Luloff—Scott Simatovich—Tom Rawlins



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Jason Mallicoat-Boone—Austin Kaplan-Ankeny—Dustin Filloon-tama

HEAT 2: Joel Bushore-Boone—Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Mark McNeece-Albion

HEAT 3: Neil Follett-Conrad—Kyle Brown-Kellogg—Shawn Ritter-Keystone

FEATURE: Kevin Sather—Jason Mallicoat—Austin Kaplan—Brett Meyer—Joel Bushore—Neil Follett—Shawn Ritter—Danny Dvorak—Mark McNeece—Shawn Simatovich—Ryan Engelkes—Aric Becker—Butch Lester—Kyle Brown—John Dumer—J.D. Albright—Ben Wilson—Brad Iverson—Dustin Filloon—Zach Rawlins



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Luke Wanninger-Jefferson—Mike Smith-M’town—Adam Ricketts-M’town

HEAT 2: Nick Murty-Chelsea—Jamie Schirm-Dexter—Trent Murphy-Jefferson

HEAT 3: Michael Murphy-Prairie City—Dustin Elliott-M’town—Steve Kesl-Elberon

FEATURE: Luke Wanninger—Nick Murty—Michael Murphy—Trent Murphy—Jamie Schirm—Bo Hunter—Beau Kaplan—Eric Knutson—Dustin Elliott—Mike Smith—Todd Reitzer—Steve Kesl—Josh Saunders—Shannon Anderson—Brad Bartling—Gene Nicklas—Adam Rickett—Jennifer Hulin—Mike Anderson—Josh Bly—Phil Morrison—Joe Bown—Michael Vibbard



DWARF CARS:

HEAT 1: Ed Zehm-Ames—Mike Kennedy-Boone—Mike Morrill--Altoona

HEAT 2: Andy Hennigar-Altoona—Tim Hennigar-Clarion—Randy Bryan-Ames

FEATURE: Troy Hudson—Ed Zehm—Andy Hennigar—Tim Hennigar—Eric Hendrickson—Shawn Ritter—Duane Coffman—Mike Kennedy—David Schmalzried—Randy Bryan—Terry Brown—Johnny Mordock—Mike Thomas—David Stensland—Nathan Hovick—Joel Huggins—Mike Morrill