10/27/2019
Marshalltown Speedway
Grabo grabs World Nationals title at Marshalltown Speedway. Murty, Thompson, and Reynolds also cash in.
October, 26, 2019
Night #2 of the 13th Annual World Nationals is in the books at the Marshalltown Speedway. The Saturday night show drew to a close the racing action for 2019 at the speedway.
Jordan Grabouski, the Beatrice, Nebraska racer who was just awarded the 2019 IMCA Modified National title, took home another elite honor, capturing the $10,000 to win World Nationals in the Modified division. Damon Murty did what he is known for at the High Banks, and captured the IMCA Stock Car feature. Sioux City, Iowa's Cody Thompson went home the title winner in the IMCA Northern SportMod main event, and Kaden Reynolds repeated his win from the previous night in the IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Kyle Olson and Cody Thompson waged a spirited battle for the lead in the opening laps of the 20-lap feature for the IMCA Northern SportMods. Thompson wrestled away the top spot at five laps down and from there on would never relinquish it the remaining distance to the checkers and the win. Kyle Olson finished as the runner up, Brandon Schmitt took third place, fourth went to Tony Olson, and Austin Kaplan was fifth. A couple of hard chargers came next as Johnathon Logue started nineteenth and took sixth, just getting around Austin Schrage who came from thirteenth starting spot, to finish seventh. Thompson set his ride on the high side and mastered the top shelf, taking home $1,000 in his pocket for the victory.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks came next with their 20-lap feature. It was appearing as if Eric Stanton was going to have the feature well in hand as he pulled away from the field. However, a slip of the right rear off of turns three and four with just four laps remaining allowed Kaden Reynolds to shoot to the lead. Stanton's woes were not over yet, as he slipped off of turn three a lap later, ending his run. Reynolds would then motor home to the win untouched. Jason Fusselman started eighth and came home as the runner up, Miciah Hidlebaugh finished third, Kansas driver Cody Williams was fourth, and Cedar Falls, Iowa's Austin Mehman came from twentieth starting spot, to finish fifth. Reynolds, a rookie in the Hobby Stock division, claimed victory for the second time in as many nights and another $500 win.
No stranger to victory lane at Marshalltown, Damon Murty did what Damon Murty does at the High Banks....took the win in the IMCA Stock Cars. Murty started fifth and snatched the lead out of turn four with nine laps to go in the 20-lap main event. He passed visiting Wisconsin racer Josh Mroczkowski to take command, and then pulled away to take the comfortable win and a $1,000 pay day. Ocheyedan, Iowa's Elijah Zevenbergen finished in third place, fourth went to Wisconsin's Jeremy Christians, and Todd Reitzler in his rent a ride from Shawn Ritter, took fifth. Hard charger of the race was sixth place finisher Jeff Mueller who had started twenty-third.
The IMCA Modifieds completed their qualifying through last chance heats...the top two advancing to the A main. A final four feature...those finishing third through fifth in their last chance heats... ran for the last four spots to fill in the starting line up for the big dance.
Fifty laps lay ahead for the $10,000 to win Modified feature with Jordan Grabouski and last year's winner, Richie Gustin on the front row. Grabouski grabbed the immediate lead and was still leading when the race was red flagged at 20 laps down for a scary incident in turn three. Jeff "Bone" Larson, the racer out of Freeport, Illinois launched over turn three and hit a concrete barrier. He was alert and talking and exited the car on his own. He was however transported as a precautionary move.
After the lengthy delay, the race resumed with Grabouski leading the field to green. Joel Rust was running second when the next lapped was scored and set his sights on over taking the leader. It wasn't to be on this night however, as Grabo would hold tight to his lead and flash under the checkers first for the win. Rust followed him across to take the runner up position. Richie Gustin was hoping for a repeat of his victory last year, but had to settle for a third place finish. Cayden Carter started thirteenth, and took fourth, Jeff Aikey was fourth, and Benji LaCrosse out of Green Bay, Wisconsin came from eighteenth starting spot, to finish sixth.
The Marshalltown Speedway now shutters its doors until next spring. Look for the 2020 schedule to be released November 1st.
Photo Credit
Bruce Badgley
motorsportsphotography.net
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
