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McBirnie, Murty, Anderson, Stanton, Sonner, and Cox see first Checkers of the Season, Bunch returns to Victory Lane

June 21, 2024
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa

It was a hot and humid night at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday, where it was Midwest Liquid Systems night at the races. One hundred forty-seven cars came to play. The IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds were running for $1,000 to the winner and $100 to start in the draw/redraw format. It was also a Fast Shafts All Star Qualifier. Jake McBirnie ran the track perfectly on his way to that victory. Damon Murty saw victory lane for the first time in the regular season when he won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Logan Anderson got the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod win,and Eric Stanton took the accolades in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Cory Sonner won in the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites, and Mitchell Bunch returned to the winner's circle when he took the checkers in the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Also joining the regular classes for the evening were the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks with Brandon Cox taking that win.

The 15 lap feature for the Mod Lites, presented by Knight Sanitation were up first.

Cory Sonner started on the pole and jumped to the immediate lead with Jason Masengarb tagging in to run second. Masengarb's night would end just a couple of laps later when he was off the pace and out of the race. Now it was eighth place starter Charlie Brown dogging the leader. Brown reeled in Sonner and had the lead on lap nine. It looked to be the night Brown would go to victory lane. It was not to be, however, as bad luck would bite him when a lap car got in his way, contact was made, and leader Brown was done for the night. This put Sonner back in the lead for the final two lap shootout to the checkers. He had no issue in keeping that lead the rest of the way to score his first win at the speedway this season. Jon Padilla, Silvis, Illinois made his weekly trip to Marshalltown, and came home in second. Third went to tenth place starter Josh May, fourth was Alex Eischeid, and Joe Glick rounded out the top five.

The Stock Cars, presented by Drury Automotive, came to the track next for their 20 lap A Main.

Damon Murty started on the outside front row, established the lead immediately, with pole sitter and hometown boy, Jared Daggett tagging on his tail. Murty took to his preferred top line of the high banks, and shot off. Jay Schmidt came calling just a few laps into the race, and took over second spot as he tried to run down leader Murty. Murty continued to plant himself on the top shelf as the race wore on and two cautions late the race were no hindrance to the Chelsea Charger as he went home to the win. Second place runner Schmidt had misfortune bit him again in the closing laps of the race when he went for a spin, taking him out of the running and putting Daggett in second where he finished at the checkers. Third place went to eleventh place starter Jimmy Gustin who put on a late race charge, it was Michael Jaennette in fourth, and Scott Rice completed the top five. This was Murty's first regular season win at the speedway, after having won the Frostbuster Special in early April.

The Northern SportMods, presented by Rugged Radios, ran a 20 lap main event.

Tony Olson led the opening laps of the race, but Logan Anderson quickly rose to the top from his seventh place starting position, swung to the outside coming out of turn four, and had the lead on lap four. It was all Anderson race from there on out, as he pulled away in the latter portion of the race to take the easy win. Matt Avila took the runner up spot after starting in eighth place, Dylan VanWyk, Oskaloosa, Iowa started thirteenth and finished third. Early leader Tony Olson took fourth place, and last week's winner Brayton Carter was fifth. This was Anderson's first win at Marshalltown this season.

The IMCA Modifieds, presented by Tire Demon by Love Tap, ran 20 laps for their $1,000 payoff win, in a draw/redraw format that found Jake McBirnie get the lucky #1 pill to start on the pole. Tripp Gaylord, the Colorado native who is now calling New Sharon, Iowa home, came calling from his fourth starting position and was soon in second spot. Gaylord looked for any way around McBirnie, but it wasn't to be as McBirnie continued to hit his marks perfectly each lap, and went home to the flying checkers and the $1,000 payday. Gaylord had to be content with the runner up spot. Johnathon Logue ran at the front all race long and finished third. Fourth went to fourteenth place starter, Drew Janssen, Pella, Iowa, who has been having a good run this season, and twelfth place starter Tom Berry, Jr., was fifth. This was McBirnie's first trip to Victory Lane at Marshalltown this year.

The Hobby Stock 20 lap feature, presented by Big 8 Tyre Center was next to the track.

Corey VanderWilt, the "Lynnville Lightning" was the early leader of the contest, but Independence racer Zach McNeese was soon up to challenge him. McNeese took over the top spot on lap nine, but twelfth place starter Eric Stanton was charging hard through the pack, and by lap twelve, found his way into the lead after making the pass on the backstretch. Stanton held on to that lead then the rest of the circuits to claim his first victory at Marshalltown in 2024. Two cars were going at it behind him as they fought it out for second, with Sam West winning out over McNeese as they finished second and third respectively. Fourth was eleventh place starter, and the previous two week's winner, Calvin Dhondt, and Solomon Bennett went fifth.

The Sport Compacts, presented by Hy-Vee of Marshalltown ran a 15 lap main event.

Mitchell Bunch, Des Moines, Iowa started on the pole, and dominated this flag to flag contest. He pulled away and took the easy win. Michael Gardner, also from Des Moines, ran second the entire race but finished a distant second. Third went to Oskaloosa, Iowa driver Jeremy Williams, Kinzer Jaennette was fourth, and Cristian Grady took fifth. This was Bunch's second regular feature win of the season after also taking the Frostbuster Special at the track.

The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks made their first appearance at the High Banks this year and ran a 15 lap feature to close the night's racing.

Brandon Cox made a nifty slide out of turn four to take the lead over Brandon Toftee as lap one went into the books. From there on, Cox never looked back in the flag to flag contest, and scored the win. It was a dog fight behind him however as Toftee and Tyler Inman went at it. Inman won that battle as he scored the runner up spot. Toftee took third place, Austin Meiners, who was doing double duty last evening as he also competed in the Stock Car division, was fourth, and Mason Mitchell rounded out the top five.

Next Friday night, June 28 will be another night of regular points racing in all six IMCA divisions PLUS $1,000.00 to Win IMCA Hobby Stocks. Pits open at 5:15, grandstand at 5:30, hot laps are 6:45, and racing at 7:30.

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