MAQUOKETA, Iowa – Jarrett Franzen pushed the monkey off his back in dominating form, leading all 20 laps of the QCJeeps.com IMCA Modified feature Saturday evening at Maquoketa Speedway.
“I got lucky on the start,” Franzen said. “(Polesitter) Tyler Madigan pushed on the start and I started second row inside and it was pretty much a bottom race track.”
The win ended a string of “almosts” for Franzen in the Fryer Motorsports No. 60F.
“Seems like we’ve led until lap 16 and the car burns off. We’ve finally been changing some stuff, dropping some bars we usually don’t do and it ended up working.”
Franzen and team celebrated on Stead Family Children’s Hospital Night and beat all the stars, including Ken Schrader, who wound up fifth.
Timmy Current started 11th and picked his way to the runner up spot, followed by Bryce Garnhart and Tyler Madigan.
Schrader was complimentary of his first visit to Maquoketa.
“Nice and smooth, nice little track. I really enjoyed it. Good show and ran right along.”
Schrader started 14th after winning a B-Main and moved up nine slots by the end.
“We weren’t going any further forward. Those guys ahead of us were faster, but we’re happy.”
The Fenton, Mo. Native and former NASCAR star has gone through 18 rainouts this season and the track he owns, Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., is still under water.
“I don’t know when we’ll get to run our track down in St. Louis, maybe July.”
Andy Nezworski started sixth, but only took seven laps to move by Matt Ryan for the lead and cruised to his second straight Andover Meat IMCA Late Model 25-lap win.
Ryan, Jeff Tharp, Justin Kay and Jeremiah Hurst followed. Kay passed for fourth on the final lap.
Tyler Soppe won for the fourth straight time in the B&D Pit Stop IMCA SportMods, but this time in a little more dramatic fashion.
The Rocketman from Sherrill, Iowa was involved in an opening lap crash, restarted on the tail and worked his way back to the point by lap 12 of the 15-lap finale.
He beat early leader Jacob Ellithorpe, Jerry Miles, Shane Paris and Scott Williams.
David Brandies moved by Jimmy Comins about halfway through the Gade Race Engines / REV Chassis IMCA Stock Car 15-lap feature and went on to win. Terry Dulin, Comins, Donnie Louck and Austin Kemper came next.
Kile Vohringer continues his hot start to 2019 with another Shawn’s Auto Service IMCA Hobby Stock 12-lap victory. Brother Lane Vohringer followed as did Daniel Wauters, Dakota Simonsen and Bobby Taggart.
Vohringer built up a huge advantage, slid off the track at one point and still returned as the leader.
Mitch Bielenberg took his third Obie’s Bar and Restaurant / B&C Liquor 4 Cylinder 12-lapper. Dustin Begyn, Korey Lana, Brett Marshall and John Campbell completed the top five.
A total of 113 race teams hit the track for 27 total events and racing was completed by 10 p.m.