Richie Gustin challenged early, then appeared to be positioned for no better than a third place showing at Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night for the third Frostbuster special in as many days. Those fortunes changed when leaders Ricky Stephan and Darin Duffy made contact late in the event, allowing Gustin drove to his second IMCA Modified Frostbuster victory of the week.
Early on in the 25-lapper, Stephan assumed command from his outside front row start. He held the point while Gustin pursued and Duffy was looking for a way beneath Gustin's #19G. The leaders remained unchanged throughout the first half of the event until Duffy lunged beneath Gustin following a mid-race restart.
With all of the leaders running the top groove, Duffy tried to gain ground by dropping to the bottom as Gustin started to fade. Duffy was eventually able to gain on the leader in the waning laps and pulled inside Stephan in turns one and two. Contact between the two in that corner, however, sent Stephan into a spin and both he and Duffy to the tail for a green-white-checker restart.
When racing resumed that final time, Gustin drove the high line to victory holding off a late-charging Ken Schrader. Kyle Strickler came home third ahead of Jay Noteboom and Mark Elliott.
From a third row start, Damon Murty assumed command after just four laps in the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. He made his way around pole-sitter Brandon Czarapata and was quickly followed to the front by Sean Johnson.
Running the high groove, Johnson was able to run with Murty, but was unable to get the traction on the low side to make a bid for the lead. Murty led the rest of the way to take the victory ahead of Johnson and Czarapata. Brian Irvine, who started 14th, made an impressive run to finish fourth. Jay Schmidt completed the top five.
One night removed from his involvement in a bad wreck at Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway that appeared to bend every bar on his IMCA SportMod, Racer Hulin dominated that 18-lapper to take the win. Hulin, who drew the #1 pill following his heat race win, quickly pulled to a straightaway lead in the main event to drive away to the win. Nick Roberts came home second ahead of Tracy Wassenberg, Andy Tiernan and Bryan LaRiviere.
Donavon Nunnikhoven led the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature in its entirety to take the win. Nunnikhoven was pressured by Devin Smith throughout much of the event until Smith spun in turn two on the final lap. Scott Pippert forged through the field from a seventh row start for an impressive second place finish. Smith rallied quickly from his late miscue to finish third ahead of Adam Armstrong and Eric Knutson.
Over 210 cars were on-hand tonight for a great night of racing at Marshalltown. The standing room only crowd was provided a fantastic kick-off to the 2012 season.
A scary moment delayed the program during Modified qualifying. On the final lap of the third heat, a number of cars vying for position at the line made contact, which forced one driver into the wall. Sheet metal flew off of the car, striking flagman Al Wolfgram in the neck. Wolfgram was taken to a local hospital and, remarkably, treated for his injuries in time to return to the speedway for the Modified feature. In his place, track announcer and jack-of-all-trades Jerry Vansickle flagged the races for the remainder of the program.
Up next for me is a trip to 34 Raceway in Burlington on Saturday for the Slocum 50 Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Model event. I hope to see you there!
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