Phillips shows the way to $10,000 World Nationals checkers

Feature

Terry Phillips was the $10,000 IMCA Modified feature winner at Marshalltown Speedway’s World Nationals. (Photo by Bruce Badgley, Motorsports Photography)

By Joyce Eisele

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Sept. 16) – Veteran Terry Phillips made his way to Marshalltown Speed­way from the Show Me State and showed his IMCA Modified expertise on the track, top­ping Saturday’s $10,000 to win World Nationals main event.

Richie Gustin of Gilman gave Phillips a run for the big money when he took the lead on lap 21, only to have Phillips come right back and regain it on the next lap.

From there on, Phillips put distance between himself and Gustin, and took the 50-lapper by a comforta­ble margin. Along with the big payday, the checkers put Phillips on the ballot for the 2018 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Gustin had to be content with the runner-up spot. Cayden Carter of Oskaloosa started ninth and finished third, fourth was Chris Abelson of Sioux City and Joel Rust of Grundy Center rounded out the top five.

Fifty-nine Modified drivers from nine states began qualifying heats Friday at the 11th annual event.

Damon Murty of Chelsea swept $1,000-to-win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features during the week­end while Jared VanDeest of Holland scored $1,000 wins both nights in the Karl Chevrolet North­ern SportMods.

IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock winners were Andrew Borchardt of Plymouth on Friday and 15th start­ing Gene Nicklas of Grinnell on Saturday. Both victories paid $500.

Modified feature results – 1. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.; 2. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 3. Cay­den Carter, Oskaloosa; 4. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 5. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 6. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.; 7. Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 8. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz.; 9. Kelly Shy­rock, Fertile; 10. Rob Toland, Davenport; 11. Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay, Wis.; 12. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 13. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.; 14. Todd Shute, Des Moines; 15. Kurt Kile, Nichols; 16. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wis.; 17. Johnny Whitman, DePere, Wis.; 18. Josh Gilman, Earlham; 19. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 20. Ron VerBeek, Oskaloosa; 21. Jerry Wilinski Seymour, Wis.; 22. Randy Havlik, Ankeny; 23. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 24. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown.