By Joyce Eisele
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (June 23, 2023) – Eric Knutson was electrifying on RBF Electric Night at the Races Friday at the Karl Auto Group Marshalltown Speedway.
Knutson went home $500 richer after winning the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature, starting 11th, taking the lead before midway and never looking back the rest of the 20-lapper.
He finished well ahead of last week’s winner Calvin Dhondt who raced from 12th starting, Corey Van Der Wilt, Zach McNeese and John Watson.
Jake McBirnie made it two in a row in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Jay Schmidt won for the second time in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. It was Jarrett Franken taking the checkers in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Josh May took the win for the third consecutive week in the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites and Kolby Sabin won in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts.
McBirnie had his hands full in the closing laps of the Modified main with the likes of Drew Janssen, Todd Shute and Johnathon Logue all fighting close behind for position. When the dust settled, it was McBirnie taking the checkers, Shute taking second and Logue was third.
Jay Schmidt passed brother-in-law Micheal Smith on lap four and led the remainder of the laps to the Stock Car checkers. He finished comfortably ahead of Michael Jaennette, who just got by Todd Reitzler in the closing moments.
May had little trouble in getting to the front quickly after starting ninth in the Mod Lite main. He was running second to Joe Glick by lap four and had the lead on lap nine, never to look back. He finished well ahead of Jon Padilla while Joe Glick, in a borrowed car, took third.
Cautions didn’t slow Franzen as he got the lead at lap five and held it the rest of the way through multiple yellows to get his first Northern SportMod win at the speedway. He held off advances by Brayton Carter while third went to Tony Olson.
Sport Compacts put a nightcap on the racing as they ran their 15-lap feature and it was Sabin taking home the win, his third this regular season.
Sabin started eighth and had the lead by lap seven, and then pulled away to take the easy win. John Gill just beat David Kimmel at the line to take second.
Friday, June 30 is Minute Man Printing Night at the Races. Hot laps are at 6:55 p.m. and the green flag drops at 7:30 p.m.
Kolby Sabin returned to victory lane Friday night following his third Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact win of the season at Marshalltown Speedway. (Photo by Jordan Hanisch)
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