Rain Cancels Marshalltown Speedway!
by: Dennis Grabenbauer

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (Aug 24) - For the third time this season rain would force the cancellation of races at the Marshalltown Speedway. Continued rain, wet grounds and a threat of more rain promoter Toby Kruse wasted no time in “pulling the plug” for week number eighteen. “The word to cancel is something that I never hope I have to say, but it was not going to happen this week. It has rained everyday since last Friday, the track was never worked and with all the rain and more coming we made the right decision”.

Now with only one regular season night remaining the point battles will come right down to the last lap during the Larry Wollam Season Championships. The two classes that all eyes will be on are the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Cars and the I.M.C.A. Modifieds. Jimmy Gustin will take a one-point advantage over Vern Jackson into the final night. Gustin would has seen his point lead shrink during the month of August will have his work cut out for him, with Jackson only one point out of the lead. Jackson will come into the final night with seven feature wins and five out of the last seven weeks. Gustin has stayed consistent through out the season with four feature wins and fifteen top four finishes.

Donovan Smith will carry an eleven-point lead into the final night in the Aarons I.M.C.A. Stock Car division. The “Class to Tough to Tame” has lived up to its name as defending track champion Tracy Gienger and Smith have shared the top spot though out the season. Misfortunes have contributed to the top spot of the point standing and the final night should also be a night when luck will have to be on someone’s side. Finding himself in second place is Jeff Wollam who has battled everything that was handed to him during the season. Wollam who failed to qualify for the opening night feature event has worked his way to the top by finishing in the top-ten fifteen times after his opening night misfortune.

Current National Point leader Luke Wanninger from Jefferson will carry momentum and a twenty-nine-point lead into the final night. Jamie Schirm is holding down the second position. Rookie driver Jennifer Hulin, is coming off her second place finish one week ago, best finish of her career, will enter the night seventh in the point standings.

Danny Dvorak will enter the final night with a twenty-two point lead in the I.M.C.A. Sport Mod class Dvorak has visited the Aarons Victory Lane twice but his sixteen top ten’s have kept him in the point chase all season long.

Dwarf Cars which are making this season there first full season at the speedway will find Andy Hennigar holding the largest point lead in all of the divisions a thirty-three lead over Tim Hennigar.

“All the point leaders are going to have to be at their best if they are going to capture there championship crowns”, say’s Kruse. “In our sport anything can happen, that is what is going to make the final night so important”.

It will be a full night next Friday night. Nostalgia Cars will be on hand along with qualifying I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks for the King of the Hill event. After all of the championship events are run, then the run for the “King of the Speedway for 2007” will take place. Past King of the Hill winners along with fan choice drivers will compete in the first ever challenge race at the speedway. “I think the fans are going to get a kick out of this. We will be putting two Modifieds, two Stock Cars, two Sport Mods and two Hobby Stocks all together on the same track at the same time in a match race. The winner will be crowned the “King of the Speedway” for 2007” concludes Kruse.

The grandstand will open at 5:30, hot laps will begin at 6:45 and the first event of the night will get underway at 7:30.