Blessington a double winner at IMCA American Stock Car Shootout

[rebelracewriter]

Blessington a double winner Tuesday

at IMCA American Stock Car Shootout

 

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (July 1) – Brian Blessington was a double winner

Tuesday, on the second night of the IMCA American Stock Car Shootout

at Marshalltown Speedway.

 

Blessington beat Dustin Smith to the finish line by less than half a

car length in capturing the 30-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event.

Along with $1,250, the victory gave Blessington the overall point

title for the two-day special.

 

“We changed the set-up before the feature,” said Blessington, who ran

fourth in Monday night’s main event. “We did something different

every time we were on the track.”

 

Pole starter Chris Ullrich and Rod Snellenberger dueled early before

Ullrich rode the lower line to a lead of more than a dozen car lengths.

 

That huge advantage was wiped out by the only caution of the contest,

on lap 20. Both Rick Brown and Blessington caught Ullrich on the

restart, crossing the line in a virtual dead heat.

 

Blessington pulled ahead for good the next time around and put some

distance between his back bumper and the shuffle for second.

 

Smith emerged from that fray, passing Brown with three to go, but

came up just short in his bid to add another Shootout trophy to his

hardware collection.

 

“I could hear him coming,” Blessington said. “I tried not to squeeze

the throttle and hoped I could beat him to the line.”

 

Brown, Jeff Mueller and David Atcher followed at the finish. Ullrich

ended in sixth.

 

Chris Luloff lost the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock lead following a lap 11

re-start but was awarded the $500 win when Shannon Anderson was

disqualified in post-race tech.

 

Luloff had pulled well ahead of the field before the caution came

out. Anderson made a strong backstretch pass on the 12th circuit and

took the checkers four car lengths ahead of Luloff.

 

Kenneth Hansen, Michael Murphy and Monday night winner Andy Boeckman rounded out the top five. Boeckman had the top two-day point total in

the class.

 

Vern Jackson held John Logue in check much of the way before taking

the $600 IMCA Modified checkers.

 

Jackson led all 25 laps after Nate Caruth drew the pole and accepted

the challenge to start at the back of the field and double his payday

with a win.

 

Caruth made his way as far as third before falling back to sixth;

Logue, chasing his 100th IMCA weekly feature win, exited following a

last-lap yellow, giving the second spot back to Mike O’Lear.

 

Rounding out the top five would be Joey Schafer, David Brown and

Brett Ladehoff.

 

Feature Results

Stock Cars –

1. Brian Blessington, Breda;

2. Dustin Smith, Lake City;

3. Rick Brown, Kellogg;

4. Jeff Mueller, New London;

5. David Atcher, Marshalltown;

6. Chris Ullrich, Kiron;

7. Steve Meyer, Grundy Center;

8. Justin Temeyer, Independence;

9. Kyle Frederick, Gillett, Wis.;

10. Dusty Vis, LeGrand;

11. Mike Nichols, Harlan;

12. Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski, Wis.;

13. Darren Otto, Green Bay, Wis.;

14. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.;

15. Doug Adamy, Columbus, Neb.;

16. Damon Murty, Chelsea;

17. Jason Cook, Mount Pleasant;

18. Rod Richards, Madrid;

19. Trent Murphy, Jefferson;

20. Darrin Adamy, Columbus, Neb.;

21. Ryan Leeman, Roland;

22. Jeff Wollam, Marshalltown;

23. Luke Veren, Haverhill;

24. Brian Irvine, Oelwein.

1st heat (top two) – 1. Murphy; 2. Otto. 2nd heat – 1. Leeman; 2.

Mueller. 3rd heat – 1. Snellenberger; 2. Darrin Adamy. 4th heat – 1.

Nichols; 2. Veren. 5th heat – 1. Brown; 2. Blessington. 6th heat – 1. Ullrich; 2. Temeyer.

1st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Irvine; 2. Atcher; 3. Vis; 4. Meyer.

2nd “B” – 1. Richards; 2. Murty; 3. Doug Adamy; 4. Huls. 3rd “B” – 1.

Smith; 2. Frederick; 3. Cook; 4. Wollam.

 

Hobby Stocks –

1. Chris Luloff, Independence;

2. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson;

3. Kenneth Hansen, Audubon;

4. Michael Murphy, Jefferson;

5. Andy Boeckman, Lake View;

6. Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg, Wis.;

7. Josh Irvine, Oelwein;

8. Randy Hadacek, Britt;

9. Scott Durlin, State Center;

10. Justin Maschke, Knoxville;

11. Allen Montgomery, Rhome, Texas;

12. Steve Rogers, Des Moines;

13. Gary Pfantz, Steve Center;

14. Adam Bonnett, Knoxville;

15. Jared Timmerman, Norwalk;

16. Jesse McCollaugh, Boone;

17. Adam Rickett, Marshalltown;

18. Alan Van Gorp, Carlisle;

19. Tanner Powers, Exira;

20. Dustin Elliott, Marshalltown;

21. Todd Reitzler, Grinnell;

22. Doug Smith, Lake City;

23. Rob Allison, Des Moines;

24. Doug Wark, Belle Plain, Minn.;

25. Bryan Sewell, Combine, Texas;

26. Jason Purvis, Boone.

1st heat (top three) – 1. Powers; 2. Wanninger; 3. Murphy. 2nd heat –

1. Wark; 2. Sewell; 3. Van Gorp. 3rd heat – 1. Hansen; 2. Luloff; 3.

Durlin. 4th heat – 1. Smith; 2. Shannon Anderson, Atlantic; 3. Elliott.

 

Modifieds

1. Vern Jackson, Waterloo;

2. Mike O’Lear, Marshalltown;

3. Joey Schafer, Waterloo;

4. David Brown, Kellogg;

5. Brett Ladehoff, Marshalltown;

6. Nate Caruth, Ames;

7. Mike Albertsen, Audubon;

8. Russ Dickerson, Boone;

9. Derrick Reimer, Marshalltown;10. John Logue, Boone;

11. Tony Snyder, Sumner;

12. Chris Snyder, Evansdale;

13. Dan Fetters, Montour;

14. Mike Molle, Glidden;

15. Kyle Krampe, Baxter;

16. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown.

1st heat (top three) – 1. Gustin; 2. Logue; 3. Schafer. 2nd heat –

1. Caruth; 2. Ladehoff; 3. Jackson.