MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (April 5) – Jordan Grabouski paused during his post-race interview to wave to a fan who’d driven all the way from Beatrice to watch him win Friday’s Frostbuster feature for IMCA Modifieds at Marshalltown Speedway.
Then he got back to answering questions about his competition and outrunning Ricky Thornton Jr. for the $1,000 checkers.
“This field was good enough that this could have been a $5,000 or $10,000 to win race,” said Grabouski,” who led all 25 laps, first in front of Tim Ward and then the last 18 caution-free circuits ahead of Thornton.
“We caught lapped traffic and I needed to make the right moves. Ricky is about as good as it gets. It was hairy,” continued Grabouski, also the Frostbuster winner at Marshalltown in 2009.
Thornton, Ward, 10th starting Cayden Carter and 13th starting Joel Rust completed the top five behind Grabouski. Fan Cindy McCarthy also had a five-hour trip home and Grabouski was much impressed that she made the trip to Marshalltown.
“I used to sit next to her when I went to races as a kid,” said the defending national champion, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It’s pretty cool that she’s here tonight. That’s really what racing is all about.”
One hundred and seventy-three cars were entered in the first IMCA event of the season in Iowa, which played out in front of a near-capacity crowd.
Also winning their respective features were Kyle Brown in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, John Watson in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Brayton Carter in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods
The seventh-starting Brown used an early restart to his advantage and led the last 18 laps, holding off a series of challengers. Brian Blessington ended in second, Donavon Smith third.
Watson led every lap of the caution-free Hobby Stock contest. He was chased across the stripe by Corey Madden and Dylan Nelson.
The Northern SportMod feature was slowed by just a single yellow and Carter capitalized on the restart, taking over up front and collecting the checkers ahead of Doug Smith and Daniel Fellows.
Feature Results
Modifieds – 1. Jordan Grabouski; 2. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 3. Tim Ward; 4. Cayden Carter; 5. Joel Rust; 6. Jeff Aikey; 7. Jeffrey Larson; 8. Jeremy Mills; 9. Lucas Lamberies; 10. Wyatt Block; 11. Ken Schrader; 12. Sam Wieben; 13. Benji LaCrosse; 14. Chris Snyder; 15. Jacob Hobscheidt; 16. Josh Gilman; 17. Brandon Spanjer; 18. Richie Gustin; 19. Dan Menk; 20. Joey Taycher; 21. David Brown; 22. Tim Hamburg; 23. Karl Brewer; 24. Cole Anderson.
Stock Cars – 1. Kyle Brown; 2. Brian Blessington; 3. Donavon Smith; 4. John Oliver Jr.; 5. Trent Nolan; 6. Dan Mackenthun; 7. Nick Strobbe; 8. Andrew Borchardt; 9. Damon Murty; 10. Rick Mees; 11. Brett Wenzel; 12. Dallon Murty; 13. Scott Rice; 14. Jeff Mueller; 15. Devin Smith; 16. Colby Klassen; 17. Elijah Zevenbergen; 18. John Heinz; 19. Mike Coel; 20. Todd VanEaton; 21. Steve Meyer; 22. Tyler Pickett; 23. Buck Schafroth.
Hobby Stocks – 1. John Watson; 2. Corey Madden; 3. Dylan Nelson; 4. Trevor Holm; 5. Adam Ayers; 6. Shawn Kuennen; 7. Leah Wroten; 8. Keeran Sampson; 9. Kaden Reynolds; 10. Chuck Madden Jr.; 11. Mike Kincaid; 12. Tim Gonska; 13. Brandon Cox; 14. Solomon Bennett; 15. Darin DeZwarte; 16. Aaron Shearn; 17. Eric Knutson; 18. Bryce Sommerfeld; 19. Luke Bird; 20. Jamie Coady; 21. Aaron Rudolph; 22. Ben Schneiders; 23. Ray Fees; 24. Nathan Gagner.
Northern SportMods – 1. Brayton Carter; 2. Doug Smith; 3. Daniel Fellows; 4. Tony Olson; 5. Tyler Nerud; 6. Kyle Olson; 7. Cory Rose; 8. Austin Schrage; 9. Dusty Masolini; 10. Cole Magnin; 11. Vince Engebregtsen; 12. Ryan King; 13. Johnathon Logue; 14. Ronnie Hults; 15. Matt Webb; 16. Carter VanDenBerg; 17. Jeremy Purdy; 18. Scott Brau; 19. Blaine Webster; 20. Jake McBirnie; 21. Brett Vanderheiden; 22. Nate Whitehurst; 23. Tyler Soppe; 24. Jack Housley.