9/17/2023
Marshalltown Speedway
TBJ takes Modified and Stock Car wins on Night #2 of the World Nationals
September 16, 2023
The Karl Auto Group Marshalltown Speedway held its Night #2 of the World Nationals on Saturday night for the Local UAW 893 Cliff Chambers Memorial Saturday Night Spectacular. Tom Berry, Jr. doubled up and won both the IMCA Friesen Performance Modified feature and the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod feature went to Matt Avila, and Adam Wasserman took the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock title. Blake Drisco took the honors in the IMCA MACH-1 Sport Compacts.
The IMCA Stock 30 feature, presented by Drury Automotive, was a runaway after Tom Berry, Jr. grabbed the lead at lap three. He never looked back and finished well ahead of second place, and last night's winner, Dallon Murty. Kaden Reynolds crossed in third place but was docked two positions for the front nose being an inch and a half lower than the minimal 8 inch allowance rules on the left side, handing him a fifth place finish. This moved Damon Murty to finish in third place, and opening laps leader, Austin Kaplan was fourth. The race paid $1,000 to the winner, and was a B & B Chassis All Star qualifier for next year's Super Nationals.
The Northern SportMods, presented by Rugged Radios, ran 25 laps for their main event, which was a $1,000 pay day to the winner.
Todd Dykema, Davenport, Iowa led the opening lap, Shane Paris, in the rent-a-ride hot rod normally driven by Carter VandenBerg took command at lap two, but it was Matt Avila getting the upper hand on lap ten and claiming the lead. Avila would never give up that top spot from there on out, and in the closing laps, pulled away to the easy win. Paris took the runner up spot, twelfth place starter Brayton Carter....last night's winner....raced his way to a third place finish, Jenae Gustin limped her ride across the finish line in fourth place after what appeared to be a ball joint issue, and Logan Anderson was fifth.
The ground pounding IMCA Modified 30 lap feature, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap was led from start to finish by Tom Berry, Jr., claiming his second feature of the night. Berry started on the pole, and was gone. He finished easily ahead of second place Ethan Braaksma who chased Berry most of the distance. Todd Shute finished in third place, Cody Laney was fourth, and it was Tripp Gaylord racing Zack VanderBeek's #33Z ride finishing in fifth.
The IMCA Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown ran a 15 lap main event. The race would go flag to flag.
Bryan Vannausdle, Glenwood, Iowa led the opening laps but it was last night's winner Cristian Grady snatching it away on lap three. A few laps later, Dysart, Iowa's Blake Driscol was in second and up to challenge the leader. Driscol harassed the leader for several laps before he was finally able to make the pass underneath with just three laps remaining, and then went on to hold it to the flying checkers and the win. Grady had to be satisfied with the runner up spot this night. Early leader Bryan Vannausdle took third place, Mark Smith was fourth, and Matt Miller rounded out the top five.
The finale of the night....and the finale of the 2023 season at the track, was 20 laps of IMCA Hobby Stock racing, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center.
Dalton Weepie led the first handful of laps but it was Fairbury, Nebraska's Adam Wasserman taking over at lap six. Wasserman was then able to maintain that lead through the caution plagued race and claim the World Nationals Hobby Stock title. Corey VanderWilt, Lynnville, Iowa finished as the runner up. David McCalla, Cedar Rapids, Iowa started fourteenth, and took third place, fourth went to Solomon Bennett, and Quasqueton, Iowa's Trenton Neuhaus raced his ride all the way from seventeenth to finish fifth.
The 2023 race season at the Marshalltown Speedway has drawn to a close. Watch the track's Facebook and website for announcements for information on the upcoming awards banquet.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
Submitted By: Jerry Vansickel