5/31/2022
Marshalltown Speedway
Logue Logs First Career Modified Win at the Marshalltown High Banks
May 27, 2022 Marshalltown, Ia
It was a full night of racing at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night, with seven classes in competition. Johnathon Logue took the checkers in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified class...his first career win in the division. Damon Murty got back to his winning ways and won the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. It was Brayton Carter with the win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event, and John Watson captured the top spot in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. The STARS Mod Lites had one of their Corn Belt Clash Series races, and it was Justin Kinderknecht making his trip over from Kansas pay off, and went home $500 richer. Kolby Sabin won the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact A main, and joining in the racing action were the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks that saw Bryan Spangler take the checkered flag.
The STARS Mod Lites were racing one of their Corn Belt Clash Series races, and a $500 pay off for the win. Jason Masengarb, Colona, Illinois had the lead early in the 20 lap feature, but at lap nine, it was Salina, Kansas racer Justin Kinderknecht in the lead. From there on out, it was Kinderknecht the rest of the way for the win. Randy Bryan mounted a good late race challenge but could only manage a close runner up finish. Masengarb held down the third spot, followed by Joel Huggins in fourth, and Austin Gray in fifth. Kinderknecht also won at the track in May of 2021.
The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks were an added attraction Friday night. Bryan Spangler would go home the winner of their A Main event. He got the lead on lap two, after getting around Shonn Mapes, lost it for only a brief moment to Jeff Johnson, and then regained the top spot and held it the rest of the way to the checkers. Jeff Johnson finished a close second, Mapes took third, Shawn Cooney was fourth, and Dennis Plain completed the top five.
The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods came next, and they were all wanting to take home the $500 prize of the night. Ryan Gillmore, Springfield, Missouri started on the outside of the front row, and immediately shot to the lead. Fourth place starter Brayton Carter tagged in to run second. Gillmore and Carter duked it out in a heated battle until Carter was able to get the lead and then distance himself from the pack. Meanwhile, Gillmore had his hands full with Logan Anderson who had reeled in the front runners, and managed to get the upper hand on lap fourteen. But it was all Carter's race in the final laps as he went home to the flying checkers and the win. Anderson had to be content with the runner up spot, Gillmore took third, fourth went to polesitter Travis Peterson, and veteran racer Vern Jackson was fifth.
There was still plenty of racing to be had with the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks coming to the track next for their 20 lap A main. This saw good battles going on throughout the event. Tom Killen, Jr. led the opening laps, but Jake Nelson had the #1 spot on lap five. A lap later Killen was back in the lead and now John Watson had thrown his hat into the ring and was challenging them both. Watson got the lead on lap seven, and from there on kept the pack at bay and went home to seal the win. Sam West had his best run of the year and took the runner up spot, Bradley Graham came from eleventh starting position to finish third, Solomon Bennett made a late race surge and finished in fourth, and Seth Butler started tenth, and finished fifth.
The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars always put on a good show where ever they go, and they proved it once again. Jay Schmidt held the lead through lap four, but it was the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty coming to call on the topside, and took away the lead. Schmidt rallied back again for the lead, but only for a couple of laps before Murty got the lead for good. Murty took the comfortable win, with Jaennette trailing for second place. Kaden Reynolds took third, just beating out Austin Kaplan in fourth. Tyler Pickett completed the top five.
The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact 15 lap feature saw Kolby Sabin take the win. David Kimmel chased Sabin for much of the race, but Kimmel had to be content with the runner up spot, third went to seventh place starter Blake Driscol, John Gill was fourth, and Mark Smith was fifth.
The Friesen Performance IMCA Modfieds, put a night cap on the racing action with 20 laps of ground pounding fury. Paul Nagel grabbed the immediate lead from his outside front row starting spot, and was looking strong. He was quick to have company breathing down his neck however in the likes of Johnathon Logue, Ronn Lauritzen, and Tim Ward. Logue was able to take command on lap nine, and Ward followed suite to run in second. Ward took the brief lead on lap eleven, only to have Logue come right back and take over the top spot once again. Logue was able to hold off his challengers the rest of the way to the finish and the win. Ward finished in second, Nagel was third, Ronn Lauritzen was fourth, and Dallon Murty was fifth. This marked Johnathon Logue's first career win in an IMCA Modified, moving up this year after his successful run in the SportMod division.
Next Friday, June 3, will be Kwik Star Night at the Races, with Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, Mod Lites, and Sport Compacts all on the schedule. The green flag drops at 7:30.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele