Super Late Models began a two week sojourn through Iowa on Tuesday with a stop at Marshalltown Speedway. Flo Racing Night in America handled the sanction for the $20,000 to win Hoker 50. IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Stock Cars filled out the card on a very busy night at the high banked quarter mile. It would be the fourth visit to MoTown for the Flo competitors - perhaps the best of the two marquee national series, and Hudson ONeal came in a perfect three for three in the previous stops for the travelling series. What made that feat more incredible is that his three wins had come in three different rides. And on Tuesday, the second generation Indiana hot shoe was wheeling yet another completely different machine, the Keith Rumley #6.
Thirty Late Models signed in, and early on it looked as though Huddy might keep his streak alive. Qualifying early in Group A, he would be the lone driver to crack the 13 second bracket with a lap of 13.939 seconds. This would put him on the pole of the first heat, as lineups are set straight up off time trials. He would power ahead to an early lead, but two laps in disaster struck as he jumped the cushion entering turn four, spinning out to bring out the yellow flag. In his post quick time interview he had said he did not want to do anything to put himself in a bad position, and he had done just that. While Nick Hoffman went on to capture the heat win after starting third, Oneal was able to work back to fifth, earning him the pole position for the B main.
Polesitters Tim McCreadie, Dan Ebert, and Bobby Pierce would top the remaining three eight lap qualifiers while Oneal went the distance to win the lone B main.
To help keep the week night show moving, the 26 Modifieds and 28 Stock Cars were bunched into three heats each, with all still running transferring to their feature events.
Keeping with the made for T.V. event, the 50 lap Late Model headliner would be up first, with 24 cars taking the green flag once again in a straight up start. Hoffman would jump to the lead while fourth starting Pierce vaulted to second. That duo gradually gained separation from the pack, and as they closed in on the back of the pack Pierce pulled alongside the leader around lap twelve. Three circuits later Pierce used a low side charge to grab the lead. One lap later the first yellow flag came as third running Ebert slowed with a flat tire. As the field realigned using the unique "choose cone" format, Oneal had advanced six spots to eleventh. Brandon Sheppard lined up on the first outside row behind Pierce and he quickly cleared Hoffman for second. One more lap was scored before Hoffman smacked the backstretch guardrail, bringing a second caution period. As racing resumed, Oneal was a rocket, using the high line to charge to fifth by lap 19. Three more laps would find the #6 in fourth, but by now Pierce and Sheppard were well ahead of the field, catching slower traffic around lap 29. By now most of the pack had settled into the inside line, but Oneal continued to pound the treacherous cushion. Josh Rice would bring a third and final yellow, looping his ride on lap 33. Oneal continued his march as the laps clicked off, clearing Devin Moran for third with eleven to go. Soon Sheppard would have to contend with Oneal, and Pierce was able to open some breathing room. Just four laps from the checkers Hudson powered to second, but once again he jumped the turn four berm, continuing on but falling back to third. The checkers waved with Pierce now comfortably in front of Sheppard, Oneal, Moran and a late charging Ricky Thornton Jr. McCreadie topped the second five ahead of eighteenth starting hometown favorite Ryan Gustin, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., and Chris Simpson. Although Pierce was rightfully the post race focus, the fourteen position march forward by Oneal was the talk of the large gathering of fans.
Following the post race hoopla, 26 IMCA Stock Cars lined up for twenty laps. Heat winners in the "Class too tough to tame" were Hunter Smith, Tommy Fain, and Johnny Spaw, with Smith and Fain pacing the field. Fain jumped out front taking along fourth starting Austin Kaplan in second. With four laps scored, the red flag waved as Lincoln Vansickel went for a series of hard rolls in turn four. Fortunately he appeared uninjured. Four more laps clicked off before the yellow waved for an Aaron Martin spin in turn two. The final stoppage came one lap later as Logan Frederick went for a spin. Back under green, it was a two car battle between Fain and Kaplan. As the green flag waved signaling two laps to go, Fains' lead was barely a bumper. Fain would take the white flag out front, but suddenly slow on the final lap, turning the lead and the win over to Kaplan. Like Oneal before him, Jake McBirnie was the talk of the crowd, as he moved up fifteen positions to finish as the runner up! Racer Hulin, Smith, and Spaw completed the top five while a surely disappointed Fain limped across the line in tenth.
The large and well dusted crowd continued to disperse as 25 IMCA Modifieds came to the track for 20 laps and a shot at the $1,000 prize. After plenty of drama in the previous features, the nightcap would prove anticlimactic. While heat wins went to Joel Rust, Matt Crafton, and "downtown" Kyle Brown, it was Milton, Florida driver Owen Barnhill and Brown filling row one. Brown would power to the front, while fourth starting Izac Mallicoat jumped to the runner up spot on lap two. The only slowdown then came for Garrett Nelson, and by the half way mark Brown had built a commanding lead. He would catch heavy traffic with six laps to go, but would have no trouble as the tail end cars ran mostly single file. Kyle would cruise to the win, with Mallicoat in the bridesmaid seat. Rust came home third while Cody Laney advanced eight spots to fourth. Janae Gustin would make a successful transition to "A" Mods, picking up a fifth place finish. Zack VanderBeek was the hard charger, moving up sixteen positions to finish eighth.
Even with the pomp and circumstance of the television festivities, the final checkers waved just after 10:30. Despite the stubborn breeze that left us all well dusted, it was a fun night of racing. The Super Late Model trek through the Hawkeye state continues Wednesday as the Flo Racing group moves north to Mason City Motor Speedway. The focus then shifts to the World of Outlaw Late Model sanction with the weekend extravaganza in Maquoketa. Adding to the large purses, there is a generous four night points payout being contested.
Next up for Racin' Down the Road is season championship night Friday at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Perhaps we will see you there!
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