Marriott becomes 10th, final XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour winner

FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Hunter Marriott enjoyed more dividends from a season devoted largely to competing at IMCA’s top events Saturday night.

Marriott became the 10th different winner in as many XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour events this season, earning $2,000 for his checkered flag efforts in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified series finale at Farley Speedway.

The victory came during the Yankee Dirt Track Classic and put Marriott on the ballot for the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

“I really didn’t think we were that good from the get-go,” admitted Marriott, who started sixth, took the lead before halfway and beat 24th starting Troy Cordes across the stripe by a comfortable margin. “But I changed my line right before the first caution on lap 10 and just kept turning it up.”

Cordes had taken a provisional and started 24th; Cayden Carter, Brian Mullen and Scott Hogan completed the top five in the 40-lapper.

Forty-nine Modifieds were entered at Farley. Mike Van Genderen wrapped up the tour championship with his 10th place finish. His share of the series point fund is $600.

Just a week removed from qualifying for the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s for the first time, Marriott turned some heads again in his career third visit to Farley.

“We didn’t race weekly this year. We hit the big shows, trying to make ourselves better,” he said of this approach to the 2014 campaign. “That worked pretty good for us. We’ve got a lot of confidence right now. Everything is working pretty good for us.”

Feature results – 1. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.; 2. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 3. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 4. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wis.; 5. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 6. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 7. Jason Schueller, Dubuque; 8. Chris Zogg, New Liberty; 9. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 10. Mike Van Genderen, Newton; 11. Levi Nielsen, Mason City; 12. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 13. Zach Less, Hopkinton; 14. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque; 15. David McClain, Potosi, Wis.; 16. Tyler Madigan, Peosta; 17. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 18. Doug Nigh, Maquoketa; 19. Matt Gansen, Zwingle; 20. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 21. Bruce Hanford, Davenport; 22. Brad Diercks, Clarence; 23. Andrew Schroeder, Keswick; 24. Darin Duffy, Urbana.

1st heat (top two qualify) – 1. Duffy; 2. Rust; 3. Less; 4. Ryan DeShaw, Dyersville; 5. Kenny Kostenbader, Freeport, Ill.; 6. Jason Seegmiller, Dubuque; 7. Dakota Hayden, Rose Hill; 8. Blake Woodruff, Galesburg, Ill.; 9. Dugan Thye, Burlington.

2nd heat – 1. Gustin; 2. Freiburger; 3. Madigan; 4. Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 5. Jeremy Gengler, Lancaster, Wis.; 6. John Campbell, Dubuque; 7. Steve Vannatta, Platteville, Wis.; 8. Milo Veloz, Colona, Ill.

3rd heat – 1. Schulte; 2. Van Genderen; 3. Nigh; 4. Zogg; 5. Lauritzen; 6. Josh Barta, Cedar Falls; 7. Brian Woodruff; 8. Cordes.

4th heat – 1. Marriott; 2. Schroeder; 3. Hanford; 4. McClain; 5. Eric Barnes, Colona, Ill.; 6. Ben Carpenter, Olin; 7. Kaleb Bentley, Fairbank; 8. Timothy Petitgout, East Dubuque, Ill.

5th heat – 1. Carter; 2. Mullen; 3. Diercks; 4. Waterman; 5. Derek Thompson, Monroe, Wis.; 6. Jake Bowman, Maquoketa; 7. Sean Rupp, Cuba City, Wis.; 8. Dennis Betzer, Central City.

6th heat – 1. Gansen; 2. Hogan; 3. Schueller; 4. Nielsen; 5. Buddy Weber; 6. Dustin Smith, Taylor Ridge, Ill.; 7. Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 8. Bryce Carey, Nashua.

1st “B” feature (top three) – 1. Hanford; 2. Less; 3. McClain; 4. Kostenbader; 5. DeShaw; 6. Barnes; 7. Hayden; 8. Woodruff; 9. Petitgout; 10. Carpenter; 11. Seegmiller; 12. Bentley; 13. Thye.

2nd “B” feature – 1. Waterman; 2. Madigan; 3. Diercks; 4. Rupp; 5. Thompson; 6. Maitland; 7. Campbell; 8. Betzer; 9. Vannatta; 10. Veloz; 11. Bowman; 12. Gengler.

3rd “B” feature – 1. Schueller; 2. Zogg; 3. Nigh; 4. Nielsen; 5. Lauritzen; 6. Cordes; 7. Smith; 8. Carey; 9. Woodruff; 10. Barta; 11. Pittman; 12. Weber.

Provisional starters were Lauritzen, Nielsen and Cordes.

XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour top 20 point standings – 1. Mike Van Genderen, Newton, 338; 2. Jesse Sobbing, Glenwood, 281; 3. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, 280; 4. Jeremy Mills, Garner, 270; 5. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill., 265; 6. Richie Gustin, Gilman, 258; 7. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup, 252; 8. Jacob Murray, Hartford, 221; 9. Kyle Brown, Kellogg, 201; 10. Tim Ward, Gilbert, Ariz., 200; 11. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., 163; 12. Mike Jergens, Plover, 156; 13. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, 149; 14. Levi Nielsen, Mason City, 146; 15. Kurt Kile, Nichols, 144; 16. Mark Elliott, Webster City, 142; 17. Jeff Joldersma, McClelland, 140; 18. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 116; 19. Nick Roberts, Des Moines, 114; 20. Scott Hogan, Vinton, and Todd Shute, Des Moines, both 110.