MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Hard to believe, but there was a time when Tom Berry Jr. didn’t think he’d ever get a win at Marshalltown Speedway.
Now he’s being told he could probably drive around the place with his eyes shut and do it.
Berry raced to his latest win at the Highbanks on Friday night, dominating the Frostbuster feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds in a borrowed car.
“This track had been my nemesis. We raced here the first time around 2015 and it was maybe 2019 before we ever won,” said Berry, who would be both the Marshalltown track champion and IMCA national champion the following season. “When I started to win here, something just clicked for us.”
Now in the middle of moving to Marshalltown, he piloted a Tim Current-owned 2023 Rage to the checkers, for his IMCA second and career 73rd win in the class.
“I just kind of hopped in and drove it,” said Berry, who answered with a quick yes when Current asked if he’d like to fill in for the night. ”We had a lot of luck with draws on our side tonight, too, but we went out and raced our race and everything worked out for us.”
Thursday Frostbuster winner Ethan Braaksma started eighth and closed at times on Berry but had to settle for the runner-up spot. Jake McBirnie, Dylan Thornton and 14th starting Tripp Gaylord rounded out the top five.
Berry had first become Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible by winning Marshalltown’s World Nationals last September.
Entries for night two of the Frostbuster totaled 213 with a division-best 56 in the Hobby Stocks. Damon Murty was the $1,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner while Bradly Graham followed his Thursday Frostbuster win with the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock victory and Brayton Carter hauled to Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod career win number 98.
Murty took command four laps into the Stock Car main and was chased much of the rest of the way by son Dallon before notching career win 305 in The Class Too Tough To Tame.
Damon Murty, already B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, won ahead of 10th starting Dallon Murty and Jimmy Gustin, making his 2024 Stock Car debut.
Calvin Dhondt and Joren Fisher both spent time at the front of the Hobby Stock feature field before Graham took charge.
A lap 18 brought about a green, white, checkered finish with Graham holding on to the lead and winning a second straight Frostbuster. Following him across the line in second was Dillon Richards, who had started 15th. Seth Butler drove from 12th starting to third.
Drake Bohlmeyer was the early SportMod leader but it didn’t take long until Carter was hot on his tail after starting seventh.Carter took command on lap five and never looked back. He finished well ahead of second place Brayden Ahlers and Tony Olson.
Things did not start off well in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature as Curt Masterson rolled off the backstretch after getting up on the berm. He was not injured.
Mitchell Bunch got the win after passing Oliver Monson for the lead on lap 10. Monson would finish second, Anthony Clark third.
Night three of Frostbuster action is Saturday at Boone Speedway and will be broadcast by SPEED SPORT.tv affiliate IMCA.TV.