Cooney’s win Late Model and SportMod classes, Duffy, Brandies, Wroten, and Stensland also victorious
MARSHALLTOWN, IA (July 7, 2017) – It was another night of close finishes at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, one win being decided by inches. A father and son each stepped into victory lane, and new winners came from the Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock classes.
The MADCRA Mod Lites had a healthy field of nineteen cars competing for their 15-lap A feature. It was Travis Stensland grabbing the lead from his third place starting spot at lap one, and from there on, never looked back. He took the win, his third in a row, by a comfortable margin over second place Mike Morrill. Joel Huggins finished in third, Josh May was fourth, and Erick Knutson, Cedar Rapids, made his first trip to the High Banks, and took fifth after starting deep in the field. This was Stensland fourth win at Marshalltown this season.
Shawn Cooney, led all 18 laps of the IMCA Northern SportMod feature to capture his first win. Cooney started from the pole, and held off threats by Taylor Musselman much of the race. Musselman had to be content with the runner up spot, ninth place starter Sam Wieben was third, twelfth place starter Johnathon Logue was fourth and Jared VanDeest came from fourteenth, and finished fifth. Cooney had never won at the track previously.
It was an outstanding IMCA Hobby Stock feature as veteran racer, and multi-time IMCA National Stock Car Champion, Jeff Anderson, his son Shannon Anderson, a multi-time IMCA National Hobby Stock Champion, and lady racer Leah Wroten put on quite the show for the fans. Jeff Anderson jumped to the lead from starting outside the front row, but Leah Wroten was quickly up to challenge at lap four. Wroten, who had started eighth moved quickly to Anderson’s bumper and began applying pressure. Meanwhile, Shannon Anderson had moved from tenth starting spot, and at lap eleven of the 15 lap race, was running third. The final few circuits was quite the show, as all three cars challenged constantly. Jeff Anderson was still holding down the top spot at lap fourteen, but Leah Wroten wasn’t done quite yet. She was able to surge past Anderson as they came out of turn four looking at the checkers, and beat him to the win….by mere inches! Shannon Anderson was a close third. Eric Knutson harassed the top three much of the race, and wasn’t far behind in fourth. Justin Wacha completed the top five. This was Wroten’s first win at the track this season.
The IMCA Stock Cars followed up with their own exciting action packed 18 lap main event. The two putting on the show up front the entire race was David Brandies, and Damon Murty. Brandies started fourth, and quickly made his way to lead by lap one. Murty, who started eighth, was up to second by lap four. From then on, it was those same two up front. Brandies stuck to his game plan, running low, while Murty would run the top in three and four, diving to the low side in turns one and two. The laps wound down, Brandies still maintaining his steadfast lead, Murty doing all he could to catch him. Murty tried a final push at the finish, hoping the topside momentum would surge him past Brandies, but it fell just short, giving Brandies the win…by inches, over second place Murty. Closing in behind the top two was Donavon Smith in third, fourth went to Michael Jaennette, and Steve Meyer was fifth. Brandies was another first time winner at the track in 2017.
Darin Duffy took the quick lead in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. He started fourth, and took command at lap three, passing early leader Trent Jackson. Duffy was still leading when the race was red flagged at lap thirteen, when Jackson rolled his machine off of the top of turns three and four. Jackson was okay. When the race resumed, Cayden Carter was now running in second, Jeff Aikey was in third, and Jake Murray was fourth. Duffy got the jump and rocketed off, as the race went green. Duffy threw off a final challenge by Carter at the checkers, sealing the win. Carter finished second, third was Jeff Aikey, Jake Strayer took fourth and Jake Murray was fifth. Duffy now has four wins at Marshalltown this season.
The night cap was 20 laps of IMCA Late Model racing. Hometown driver Darrel DeFrance led the early portion of the race, only to have Todd Cooney quickly on his tail. DeFrance and Cooney ran side by side across the finish line at lap ten and a lap later, Cooney had made the pass for the lead. He then put distance between himself and his competition, and took the win by a comfortable distance over second place Richie Gustin. Gustin had started eighth and made some exciting moves to garner the runner up spot. Third went to John Emerson, Darrel DeFrance was fourth, and Joe Zrostlik, was fifth. Cooney picked up his fifth win of the season, and was the second Cooney to set foot in the winner’s circle on the night, after son Shawn had done so earlier in the SportMod division.
Weekly racing continues at the Marshalltown Speedway next Friday night, July 14. The green flag drops at 7:30.
Category: Iowa
