Kids Fun Night at the Speedway!
By Denny Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (Aug 3) - Friday night was the night when the kids would come out on there special night at the speedway as the annual Hogeland Auto Plaza Kids Night would be featured at the high-banked quarter mile. With one-hundred ten race teams signing in on Friday night and a capacity crowd in the grandstands, the youngsters were given prizes, gifts and extra fun with a tug of war and a hugh candy toss on the front straight a way. “The kids are what we are all about”, said Lonnie Hogeland, president of Hogeland Auto Plaza. “My wife Olivia and I really get a kick out of doing something with the kids, and that is why year after year we try to add something different to our kids night racing program.”

Also on hand were drivers from South Dakota and Indiana that were visiting and decided to stop at Marshalltown to compete. “It’s a great way to see communities and travel around to many different areas”, said Dave Pries from Merrillville Indiana. “I raced here in 1997, but we have been hearing so much about Toby and what he has been doing here that we decided to come back, look things over, and we are very impressed in the improvements that have taken place”.

Racing was at it’s finest on Friday night, as drivers with much anticipation would, at times, become very aggressive bringing out many yellow flags through out the evening of racing. New winners, first time winner would emerge in respective feature events and some would be decided by over aggressive driving resulting in disqualifying themselves from the finishing results.

A first time winner would emerge in the Dwarf Car feature as the twelve lap feature would be the only one of the evening that would run green to checkered. Eric Hendrickson would lead from the start to the finish and become only the sixth different feature winner of the year, enroute to his first career win in his first two years in the sport. Last weeks winner Mike Morrill would finish second followed by point leader Andy Hennigar and Mike Kennedy.

Another first time winner at the Marshalltown Speedway would find his way to the Aarons Victory Lane and it would take many people by surprise. Ben Wilson would lead the first lap of the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod feature giving way to Brett Meyer on lap three. Two yellow flags would slow things before Brett Moffitt would charge to the front on lap six. Again yellow flags would become a fixture, as yellow flags would come out along with many restarts. On each restart, Moffitt would drive like a seasoned veteran and hold his top spot on the speedway. When the fifteen lap event ended Moffitt would climb from his car and be introduced to the crowd as a fourteen year old competing in only his second season of racing. The stunned crowd would give the young Moffitt a standing ovation for his victory. Meyer would finish second followed by Austin Kaplan and Austin Lucas.

Rick Brown would again this week live up to his name the “fly’n farmer” as Brown would take the lead on lap one, driving his Ford Thunderbird and lead the entire eighteen-lap event of the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature. Brown would hold off a determined Tracy Gienger to score his forth win of the season and his 102nd of his I.M.C.A. career. “This one really tired my out”, said Brown in victory lane. “I didn’t know who was behind me, all I knew was he was racing me clean, and that is what you really appreciate about this class, a lot of good hard racing.” Behind Brown at the end was Gienger and Veren finishing second and third.

Scott Simatovich would lead the first five laps of the I.M.C.A. Modified feature before rookie driver Jay Schmidt would take over the top spot. Schmidt would lead through the halfway part of the race before Vern Jackson would make a high side pass and take the lead on lap twelve. Jackson who has been unbeatable the last four weeks would keep his string alive and go on to score the victory his sixth of the year. Jeff Schroyer would finish second followed by Schmidt and Brett Ladehoff.

The I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks would end the wild night of racing but not before numerous restarts at the beginning and a black flag at the end. Dustin Elliott would find himself being at the right place at the right time at the end of the twelve-lap event. Running third, race leader Bo Hunter was on his way to this first feature win in many year. As Hunter and Gene Nicklas were coming for the checkered flag, Nicklas made contact with Hunter, sending him through a front straight a way billboard sign. Hunter would finish forth, Nicklas was disqualified giving the win to Elliott his forth win of the year. Jamie Schirm would finish second followed by point leader Luke Wanninger, bringing an end to a very eventful night of racing.

Next Friday night the racing will resume with the New Hope Church Cardboard Classic by Alltel night at the races. The gates will open at 5:30 followed by hot laps at 6:45 and the first race of the night will begin at 7:30.


MARSHALLTOWN SPEEDWAY FRIDAY August 3, 2007
By Denny Grabenbauer


“Aarons” I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Mike VanGenderen-Newton—Dustin Graham-Colo

HEAT 2: Rick Brown-Kellogg—Tracy Gienger-Newton—Dusty Vis-Legrand

HEAT 3: Luke Veren-Laurel—Donnie Bown-Clemens—Jeff Adams-Bondurant

UNOFFICIAL FINISH: Rick Brown—Tracy Gienger—Luke Veren—Jeff Wollam—Mike VanGenderen—Steve Meyer—Shawn Hoskins—Scooter Dulin—Donnie Bown—Doug Seidel—Jarred Daggett—Clay Deppe—Joe Luethje—Wendy Reisinger—Donovan Smith—Dustin Graham—Eric Flanders—Dusty Vis—Jeff Adams—Don Vis—Rob Schneider



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Todd Conrad-Waterloo—Jeff Schroyer-M’town—Tom Pestka-Robins

HEAT 2: J.D. Auringer-Evansdale—Scott Simatovich-State Center—Marv Halverson-M’town

HEAT 3: Vern Jackson-Waterloo—Jay Schmidt-Tama—Brett Ladehoff-M’town

FEATURE: Vern Jackson—Jeff Schroyer—Jay Schmidt—Brett Ladehoff—J.D. Auringer—Scott Simatovich—Billy Davis Jr.—Todd Conrad—Jimmy Gustin—Bob Moore—Dave Pries—Scott Hogan—Tom Pestka—Tim Stevens—Tom Rawlins—Shane Krafka—Marv Halverson—Dain Sires—David Brown—Rob Olson



I.M.C.A SPORT MOD:

HEAT 1: Mark McNeece-Albion—Brett Meyer-Ames—Neil Follett-Conrad

HEAT 2: Ben Wilson-Nevada—Danny Dvorak-Vinton—Ryan Lundy-Knoxville

HEAT 3: Brett Moffitt-Grimes—Matthew Meinecke-Woodward—Dustin Filloon-Tama

FEATURE: Brett Moffitt—Brett Meyer—Austin Kaplan—Austin Lucas—Ryan Lundy—Danny Dvorak—Neil Follett—Eric Becker—Mark McNeece—Mathew Meinecke—Ben Wilson—Ryan Engelkes—Zach Rawlins—Scott Jorpeland—John Dumer—Shawn Simatovich—Dustin Filloon—Tim Young—Kyle Brown—Joel Bushore—Brad Iverson



I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Jamie Schirm-Dexter—Gene Nicklas-Grinnell—Steve Clair-Des Moines

HEAT 2: Josh Saunders-Newton—Bo Hunter-Saint Anthony—Luke Wanninger-Jefferson

HEAT 3: Joe Bown-M’town—Beau Kaplan-Ankeny—Jennifer Hulin-M’town

HEAT 4: Dustin Elliott-M’town—Trent Murphy-Jefferson—Leonard Loftus-Des Moines

FEATURE: Dustin Elliott—Jamie Schirm—Luke Wanninger—Bo Hunter—Trent Murphy—Leonard Loftus—Todd Reitzler—Steve Clair—Brad Bartling—Michael Vibbard—Phil Morrison—Gene Nicklas—Eric Elliott—Chad Sawyer—Joe Bown—Jennifer Hulin—Beau Kaplan—Keith Miner—Donny Fitzgerald—Kris Law—Mike Anderson—Josh Bly—Rob Allison



DWARF CARS:

HEAT 1: Mike Morrill-Altoona—Eric Hendrickson-Pleasant Hill—Andy Hennigar-Ankeny

HEAT 2: Tim Hennigar-Clarion—Johnny Mordock-Creston—Shawn Hunter-Afton

FEATURE: Eric Hendrickson—Mike Morrill—Andy Hennigar—Mike Kennedy—Tim Hennigar—Dusty Masolini—Randy Bryan—Shawn Hunter—Duane Coffman—Mike Thomas—Jeff Stensland—Nathan Hovick—Johnny Mordock—Ron Bergmann—Michael Thomas—Jason Whitehead—Terry Brown—David Schmalzried