Richie Gustin starts 13th, finishes first in Benton County Frostbuster IMCA Modified main
By Jeremy Fox
VINTON, Iowa (April 7) – Richie Gustin doesn’t start many of his races at Benton County Speedway at the front, but he has a knack for finishing them there.
Gustin raced from 13th to win Sunday’s Frostbuster feature for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds at Vinton. He passed pole starter Scott Hogan at the flagstand on the 20th of 30 laps, holding off Hogan and then “B” feature winner J.D. Auringer for the $1,000 checkers.
Hogan got too high in his pursuit and went off the second set of turns with four laps left. Gustin pulled away from Auringer from that point, with Jeff Waterman, Kyle Brown and Patrick Flannagan completing the top five.
Like Auringer, Brown also qualified for the big show from the “B” and both advanced 14 spots from their places on the original grid.
The victory was Gustin’s second in Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events in just eight days. He’d also prevailed on March 30 at 34 Raceway in West Burlington.
An even 100 race teams were in the pits at Vinton for the fourth IMCA Frostbuster of the week.
Damon Murty was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner while Shannon Anderson led the way to the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock finish. Clint Luellen took the top check for the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Nathan Chandler ruled the Mach-1 Sport Compacts.
After three early cautions, Murty checked out on everybody and crossed the Stock Car stripe half a lap ahead of runner-up Matt Junio. Tyler Smith, Scott Pippert and Norman Chesmore were next.
Kyle Parizek was the early leader before Anderson took charge just before midway in the Hobby Stock main.
Benji Irvin finished two car lengths back. Brian Happel, Nick Murty and Austin Luellen followed.
Luellen had caught up to the back of the pack just five laps into the Northern SportMod main. He stayed in front following four restarts, holding off Danny Dvorak the last three circuits.
Austin Moyer, Austin Kaplan and Joel Rust finished second through fifth, respectively.
Chandler led all 12 laps of the caution-free Sport Compact feature. Craig Bangert was second and Bill Whalen Jr. third.
Southern Iowa Speedway at Oskaloosa rescheduled its Frostbuster from April 3 to this Wednesday, April 10. Benton County Speedway starts its regular point season Sunday, April 14.
Feature Results
Modifieds – 1. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 2. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 3. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 4. Kyle Brown, Kellogg; 5. Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 6. Johnny Whitman, DePere, Wis.; 7. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 8. Joe Docekal, Dysart; 9. Kyle Krampe, Baxter; 10. Matt Gansen, Zwingle; 11. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 12. Dan Roedl, Beaver Dam, Wis.; 13. Jerry Dedrick, Vinton; 14. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 15. Jason Wolla, Ray, N.D.; 16. Mike Burbridge, Delhi; 17. Matt Rechek, Beaver Dam, Wis.; 18. Kyle Lentz, Green Bay, Wis.; 19. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 20. Eric Arneson, Oconto Falls, Wis.; 21. Jason Murray, Hartford; 22. Mitch Morris, Eldridge; 23. Lance Arneson, Oconto Falls, Wis.; 24. Devon Havlik, Iowa Falls.
Heat winners were Havlik, Rechek and Cordes. Auringer won the “B” feature.
Stock Cars – 1. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 2. Matt Junio, Casco, Wis.; 3. Tyler Smith, Luxemburg, Wis.; 4. Scott Pippert, Elberon; 5. Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 6. Luke Lemmens, Kewaunee, Wis.: 7. Rick Kriegel, Brooklyn; 8. Mike Galli, Urbana; 9. Randy Killen, Des Moines; 10. Jerry Miles, Bernard; 11. Michael Dancer, North Platte, Neb.; 12. Dustin Vis, LeGrand; 13. Stefan Klym, Moose Jaw, Sask.; 14. John Emerson, Waterloo; 15. Jay Schmidt, Tama; 16. Scott Beauregard, Center Point; 17. Phil Holtz, Manchester; 18. Jamie Suchoki, Forestville, Wis.
Heat winners were Murty and Kriegel.
Hobby Stocks – 1. Shannon Anderson, Urbandale; 2. Benji Irvine, Cedar Falls; 3. Brian Happel, Van Horne; 4. Nick Murty, Chelsea; 5. Austin Luellen, Minburn; 6. Justin Stander, Vinton; 7. Erick Knutsen, Muscatine; 8. Vince Buchholz, Waterloo; 9. Jacob Keiser, Marengo; 10. Jim Ball, Independence; 11. Matt Sorenson, Des Moines; 12. Cory Adams, Des Moines; 13. Justin Wacha, Vinton; 14. Destiny Klym, Moose Jaw, Sask.; 15. Kyle Parizek, Belle Plaine; 16. Eric Stanton, Hartford; 17. Bill Bonnett, Knoxville; 18. Matt Brown, Dysart; 19. Brett Vanous, Quasqueton.
Heat winners were Luellen and Anderson.
Northern SportMods – 1. Clint Luellen, Minburn; 2. Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 3. Austin Moyer, Dubuque; 4. Austin Kaplan, Ankeny; 5. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 6. Kip Siems, Cedar Falls; 7. Kyle Olson, Cedar Rapids; 8. Rob Charapata, Oconto, Wis.; 9. Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 10. Kurt Moeding, Mason City; 11. Brandon Brinton, Nevada; 12. Dakoda Sellers, Vinton; 13. Cody Hudson, Shawano, Wis.; 14. Dave Schulze, Keystone; 15. John Schaefer, LaPorte City; 16. Brian Anderson, Garrison; 17. Tracy Wassenberg, Shawano, Wis.: 18. Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 19. Mike McDonald, Cedar Rapids; 20. Brady Graham, Brooklyn; 21. Colby Heishman, Brooklyn; 22. Dan Chapman, Clarence; 23. Ryan King, Marshalltown; 24. Ross Kitner, Dysart; 25. Jerry Hinton, Adel.
Heat winners were Schulze, Kaplan and King.
Sport Compacts – 1. Nathan Chandler, Norway; 2. Craig Bangert, Golden, Ill.; 3. Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside; 4. Merv Chandler, Vinton; 5. Steve Miedke, Shellsburg; 6. Jeremy Lerch, Vinton; 7. Travis Losenicky, Garrison; 8. Shawn Cooney, Des Moines.
Nathan Chandler won the heat.
Category: Iowa
