Lauritzen Takes Win at Marshalltown Speedway

It was a hot and steamy night at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday, July 22, 2016.

Mod Lite racing kicked off the feature events. They ran their usual 12-lap A main. Travis Stensland grabbed the immediate lead, and though his momentum was slowed at lap two for a caution, he never let it bother him, as he sped off from the field on the restart, and kept it all the way to the checkers and the win. Mike Morrill took the runner up spot, third went to Joel Huggins, fourth to Randy Bryan, and eighth place starter, Mike Kennedy, finished fifth. This was Stensland's second win at the track this season.

Up next was the 18-lap feature for the IMCA Northern SportMods. Ryan King led the troops through the first handful of laps, but Curt Hilmer made his high line run pay off, taking over at lap six. When a yellow flew at lap ten for visiting Australian racer, Frank Packer, Hilmer still held the lead, but now had Sam Wieben in second to contend with on the restart, and first time visitor to the track, Eric Flander was running third. When the race returned to green, it was Flander who got the drop, passing Wieben and up to challenge leader Hilmer. The two ran side-by-side for several laps until Flander was able to make the pass at lap fifteen. He then put a comfortable distance between himself and the pack fighting behind, and swept home to the win. It was a real battle for position behind the winner, but it was Sam Wieben winning out for the runner up spot. Third went to sixteenth place starter, Jared VanDeest, Hilmer took fourth, and Ethan Braaksma completed the top five. Flander, who calls Pella, Iowa home, started twelfth on his march to the win.

Eric Stanton put his #7B in the winner's circle again in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. He wasted no time in getting to the front from his eighth starting spot, taking the lead at lap three from Travis Merical. He then stretched the lead, taking the win by a comfortable margin...his tenth of the season. Leah Wroten came from seventh starting spot, to finish second, third was Gary Pfantz, Tyson Overton was fourth and Travis Merical was fifth.

Damon Murty, the "Chelsea Charger", made it four wins in a row in the Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars. After sorting through the cars from his tenth starting spot, he put it to the topside, and reeled in then leader Kyle Everts and passed him for the lead at lap fourteen of the twenty lap feature. He then sailed off, taking the win easily, making it number six on the year. Seventh place starter Dave Atcher, took second place, holding off Steve Meyer in third, and close behind was Donavon Smith in fourth and fifth place finisher, Kyle Everts.

The regular racing concluded with 20-laps of IMCA Modified racing. Rod Clement took over the lead from Andrew Kinser at lap three, and was looking strong, leading through the halfway point. By then, Ronn Lauritzen had made his way from ninth spot, to run in second place, and was applying pressure to the leader. At lap fifteen, Lauritzen swooped to the lead, and in the final circuits, pulled away for the impressive win. Jake Murray came from eleventh, to finish second, just getting around third place finisher Rod Clement. Eric Elliott was fourth and Jenae Gustin rounded out the top five. This was Lauritzen's second win of the season.

George Hood from Des Moines was the winner of the Outlaw 4 wheeler Feature.

Racing continues next Friday night, July 29. Green flag racing is 7:30.