What A Week At the Marshalltown Speedway
by: By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, Ia. (July 6) - The much-anticipated week that race fans had been waiting for now has come and gone and the response from everyone seems to already be “we can’t wait until next year”. Monday and Tuesday the Marshalltown Speedway hosted the 12TH Annual American Stock Car Shoot-Out, which brought one hundred thirty race teams from eight states each night to compete on the high-banked quarter mile raceway. “The turn out of drivers and fans, the response we have been getting from out of state visitors about Marshalltown has just been overwhelming”, said second year promoter Toby Kruse. “We may have to change the name of the event to the “Marshalltown Nationals” just because this is just such a good fit for everyone”. After 70-different races and nearly 700-laps run through out the week the smiling Kruse couldn’t of been happier with the out come of the week. “I go back to what I said right from the start of us taking over the track, we are going to make this one of the best racing facilities in the country, and we are heading that direction right now. It’s up to our team of track workers to keep us going forward, and by golly it going like a dream come true.”

On Monday night Jason Cook from Mount Pleasant would win a close battle with Brian Irvine from Oelwein to score the victory in the I.M.C.A. Stock car 30-lap feature followed by David Smith and Donovan Smith from Lake City. Devin Smith, another of the Smith brothers from Lake City would win the Hobby Stock feature with National Point leader Luke Wanninger in second followed by Jamie Schirm and Nick Murty.

A new twist to this year’s program was to add the total of two nights points with the highest point getting being named the over all Shoot-Out winner. Tuesday night. Dustin Smith would out distance Rod Snellengerger from Pulaski Wisconsin to score the victory, Donovan Smith would finish third with Marshalltown native Rick Gustin coming home forth. With Donovan’s third place finish on Tuesday and his forth place finish on Monday Smith earned more points than Monday’s winner Jason Cook and Smith would win the Shoot-Out Championship in the Stock Car division. Cook would finish a mere one-point out of the top position.

Nick Murty from Chelsea would win the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock feature on Tuesday and would be followed across the finish line by Dustin Elliott. Devin Smith was third and Shannon Anderson finished forth. With Devin Smith’s third place finish on Tuesday and his win on Monday, Smith would join his brother Donovan as the over I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock Champion.

Jason Mallicoat would have the feel of the track both nights, as he would win on Monday and Tuesday in the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod class.

Friday night would carry the racing fever back to the speedway as week number eleven roared to life. Four out of the five feature winners would make there way back to Aarons Victory Lane with one new face making his way to victory lane on Friday night as drivers would have a near perfect race track on a very warm and hot night. Two drivers from Virginia, Brett Hamilton and Craig Moore would make the trip to the speedway on Friday night, a 20-hour drive as they travel across the country with there race cars.

Tim Hennigar would win his fifth feature of the year in the Dwarf Car event. Hennigar would take the lead on lap four and never look back. Shawn Hunter finished second followed by Andy Hennigar and Duane Coffman.

Many lead changes in the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod would take place in the early going before Brett Meyer from Ames would take the lead. Meyer using the high side of the track to his benefit would become a first time winner on the year and the only new winner of the evening. Danny Dvorak would finish second followed by Austin Kaplan and Kevin Sather.

Luke Veren who struggled in the first half of the season would add his second win of the season in the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Car class. Veren would take the lead from Rob Schneider on lap seven, then hold off four wide racing behind him to pick up his second feature win. Point leader Donovan Smith would finish second followed by Rick Brown and Schneider.

Vern Jackson would lead from start to finish to pick up his third feature of the year in the I.M.C.A. Modified division. Jackson would stay in front through four yellow flags to out distance National Point leader Justin Auringer. Brett Ladehoff and point leader Jimmy Gustin rounded out the top four.

Dustin Elliott scored his third feature of the year in the I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock event. National Point leader Luke Wanninger finished second followed by Bo Hunter and Eric Knutsen. Elliott’s win ended the weeks racing action at the speedway.

Next Friday night will be Aarons Night at the Central Iowa Fair. The grandstand will open at 5:30; hot laps at 6:45 and the first event of the night will begin at 7:30. The Rock & Roll sensation, Smitty & Nula will be performing on the Consumers Energy Stage in a free performance that will be starting at 5:00.


MARSHALLTOWN SPEEDWAY FRIDAY July 6, 2007
By Denny Grabenbauer


“Aarons” I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Luke Veren-Haverhill—Tracy Gienger-Newton—Kyle Krampe-Baxter

HEAT 2: Rick Brown-Kellogg—Donovan Smith-Lake City—Joe Luethje-Zearing

HEAT 3: Rob Schneider-M’town—Dusty Vis-Legrand—Jeff Wollam-Marshalltown

FEATURE: Luke Veren—Donovan Smith—Rick Brown—Rob Schneider—Kyle Krampe—Tracy Gienger—Jeff Wollam—Dusty Vis—Scooter Dulin—Andy Bryant—Steve Meyer—Dave Atcher—Don Vis—Jeff Adams—Aaron Wendell—Joe Luethje—Mike VanGenderen—Wendy Reisinger



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Adam Bolin-Waterloo—Heath Kusel-Elberon—Jimmy Gustin-Marshalltown

HEAT 2: Justin Auringer-Evansdale—Marv Halverson-Marshalltown—Jay Schmidt-Tama

HEAT 3: Vern Jackson-Waterloo—David Brown-Kellogg—Rob Olson-Cedar Rapids

FEATURE: Vern Jackson—Justin Auringer—Brett Ladehoff—Jimmy Gustin—Jay Schmidt—Brett Hamilton—David Brown—Scott Simatovich—Marv Halverson—Tom Rawlins—Adam Bolin—Chris Moore—Rob Olson—Todd Conrad—Randy Rudolf—Heath Kusel



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Kevin Sather-Ankeny—Dustin Filloon-Tama—Neil Follett-Conrad

HEAT 2: Brett Meyer-Ames—Joel Bushore-Boone—Butch Lester-Newton

HEAT 3: Danny Dvorak-Cedar Rapids—Eric Becker-Cedar Rapids—Austin Kaplan-Ankeny

FEATURE: Brett Meyer—Danny Dvorak—Austin Kaplan—Kevin Sather—Joel Bushore—Neil Follett—Austin Lucas—Eric Becker—Mark McNeece—Kyle Brown—Dustin Filloon---Rod McDonald—Zach Rawlins—Ben Wilson—Shawn Simatovich—Joel Cox—Butch Lester—Ryan Engelkes



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Joe Bown-Marshalltown—Jamie Schirm-Dexter—Bo Hunter-Saint Anthony

HEAT 2: Luke Wanninger-Jefferson—Jennifer Hulin—Marshalltown—Gene Nicklas-Grinnell

HEAT 3: Dustin Elliott-Marshalltown—Todd Reitzler-Grinnell—Nick Murty-Chelsea

FEATURE: Dustin Smith—Luke Wanninger—Bo Hunter—Eric Knutson—Jennifer Hulin—Joe Bown—Josh Saunders—Brad Bartling—Adam Rickett—Bill Neasham—Donnie Fitzgerald—Josh Bly—Todd Reitzler—Gene Nicklas—Jamie Schirm—Nick Murty—Beau Kaplan—Michael Vibbard—Mike Anderson



DWARF CARS:

HEAT 1: Andy Hennigar-Clarion—Mike Morrill—Altoona—Jeff Stensland-Nevada

HEAT 2: Ed Zehm-Ames—David Schmalzried-Colo—Shawn Hunter—Saint Anthony

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