Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: Malmstrom eyes first Quad City track title
By Joshua Joiner
DirtonDirt.com staff writer
Todd Malmstrom celebrates one his three wins at Quad City Speedway this season. (D&M Racing Photography)
After five years of up-and-down performances, things are finally starting to come together for Todd Malmstrom.
Malmstrom, 45, of Silvis, Ill., is in the midst of his best season at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., with consistent finishes all season and a current streak of three straight victories putting him ahead of the chase for the track’s IMCA Late Model championship. | Slideshow
“I finally feel like every time we show up at the track, we’re gonna be one of the contenders and really have a good effort,” said Malmstrom. “I’m usually lucky just to win one a year. To have this kind of streak is almost overwhelming for me.”
For Malmstrom, who raced both motorcycles and go-karts before making jumping to Late Models, a new approach with better preparation and a positive mindset has made the difference in his sixth season of Late Model racing.
“It all starts at the garage,” said Malmstrom. “All the preparation that we do is starting to catch up and pay off. We prepare everything, and we go there thinking we’re gonna win. It really helps your mindset just to have that confidence.”
Malmstrom’s solid performance this season has put him in contention to claim his first track championship. In rallying from ninth to claim his third victory at Quad City on July 28, Malmstrom took a slim four-point lead in the division standings with Nate Beuseling and Mike Zemo Jr. in a tie for second.
Claiming his first championship would be special for Malmstrom not only because it would show how far he’s come in his Late Model career, but also because it would honor his mother, Leota Carmichael, who was one of his biggest supporters before she died four years ago.
“That’s a goal of mine I’ve been chasing for years,” Malmstrom said. “I lost my mother four years ago due to breast cancer. I have her pink ribbon that I carry on my car and I have it airbrushed on the back of my helmet. It’s just something that I would like to do for my mother. It’d be real special for me to be able to dedicate that to her.”
While he may currently have the upper hand in the points chase, Malmstrom knows winning the title won’t be easy.
“It’s something I want more than anything, but I have two very good competitors right there with me,” Malmstrom said. “It’s a nerve-wracking experience. It’s something I feel like I have a handle on, but you just don’t like to jinx yourself and say you’re gonna win it, because you just never know what could happen.”
Weekly highlights
• With his July 28 victory at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., Rob Blair of Titusville, Pa., completed an unbeaten July with his eighth consecutive victory.
• Extending a personal four-race winning streak, R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio, won July 26-27 at his hometown Southern Ohio Speedway and Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park for a $5,000 weekend.
• Red-hot Trevor Glaser of Tangent, Ore., clicked off his fifth straight victory July 27 at Cottage Grove (Ore.) Speedway for an unbeaten month.
• Alaska driver Shawn Hutchings clicked off his fourth consecutive Limited Late Model victory on July 27 at Twin City Raceway in Kenai, Alaska.
• Winning his first feature in nearly 10 years, former track champion Fred Bryant of Fairfield, Va., topped July 27’s feature at Natural Bridge (Va.) Speedway.
• Winning his eighth race in July, Justin Kay of Wheatland, Iowa, captured the July 28 IMCA Late Model event at Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Iowa.
• At Dacotah Speedway’s Governor’s Cup in Mandan, N.D., Jeremy Keller of Bismarck, N.D., and Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., scored feature victories. Zach Johnson of Kensington, Minn., won the Governor’s Cup weekend title.
• Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., swept July 26-27 weekend events at El Paso (Texas) Speedway Park and his hometown Southern New Mexico Speedway.
• Winning the Paul Crockett Memorial, Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, Ky., pocketed $2,500 on July 27 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway’s Jackson County Fair Race.
• Hometown driver Todd Bennett won July 25’s Late Model feature at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway for his second straight victory at the quarter-mile oval.
First things first
First-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• With his July 27 victory at Independence (Iowa) Motor Speedway, Rory Metcalf of West Union, Iowa, notched his first career win in the IMCA Late Model division.
• Hometown driver Tyler Cox, 17, notched his first Fastrak Crate victory at Beckley (W.Va.) Motorsports Park for his second career win. His first came last season at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Hanover, W.Va.
• Winning his first Late Model feature, Jason Smith of Seymour, Ind., topped Chad Stapleton on July 26 at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio.
• On July 26 at Elkins (W.Va.) Raceway, Corey Metheny of Kingwood, W.Va., won his first Fastrak Crate event.
Weekly points chases
UMP DIRTcar (Super Late Models): Summernationals champion Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., leads the way with 2,313 points through July 21, while Bobby Pierce (2,083) of Oakwood, Ill., has moved to second over third-place Shannon Babb (2,038) of Moweaqua, Ill.
UMP DIRTcar (Crate Late Models): Aaron Heck of Mount Vernon, Ill., continues to lead with 1,410 points to 1,385 for Nick Bauman of New Berlin, Ill. Jeff Walston (1,340) of Paducah, Ky., is third with 1,371.
IMCA: Todd Cooney of Des Moines, Iowa, has 785 points through July 25, while Tyler Bruening of Decorah, Iowa, still sits at 769. Nick Marolf is third with 744 points.
WISSOTA: In yet another points shakeup, Chad Becker of Aberdeen, S.D., has taken command of the points lead through July 28 events with 1,164 points. He’s chased by rookie contender Steven Grabow (1,156) and Curt Gelling (1,114).
WDLMA: Justin Hirt of Tigerton, Wis., leads with 268 points while Tim Buhler (251) has jumped Russ Scheffler (243) for second.
AMRA: Ronnie Mayle of Chesterhill, Ohio, tops the standings with 1,123 points. He’s followed by Andy Bond (1,104) and K.C. Burdette (1,071). Defending champ Chris Garnes (1,039) has slipped to fourth.
ULMA: The two winningest drivers of the Missouri-based Limited Late Model organization lead the way in the standings with Jason Russell (nine wins in 14 races) lead Vance Wilson (eight wins in 14 races) by 89 points.
NeSmith Chevrolet Series: With his 11th win of the season, Noah Daspit of Kiln, Miss., has stretched his lead in the Old Man’s Garage Weekly points to 41 points over Sid Scarbrough. Shannon Lee is just one point behind Scarbrough in third.
RUSH: Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford, Pa., continues to lead the first-year Crate Late Model organization’s weekly points chase with 1,644 points. Rick Singleton is second with 1,607 points while Ryan Montgomery has moved to third at 1,580.
SECA: Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., leads with 490 points on the first-year Crate Late Model organization over Joey Phillips (476) and Michael Brown (399).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events at dirt tracks around the country for the upcoming weekend:
Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway (Aug. 1): NASCAR Night includes Super Late Models and an autograph session for track co-owner Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip. Stewart plans to compete in the modified division.
Beckley (W.Va.) Motorsports Park (Aug. 2): The third annual Down & Dirty 30 pays $3,000-to-win for AMRA Late Models. City National Bank is the race sponsor.
Moler Raceway Park, Williamsburg, Ohio (Aug. 2): The track’s Late Model division battles for a $1,500-to-win payday.
Legendary Hilltop Speedway, Marietta, Ohio (Aug. 2): Steel-block Late Models will run topless for a $1,000-to-win purse.
Potomac Speedway, Budds Creek, Md. (Aug. 2): The Bobby Allen Memorial pays $2,000-to-win for a 35-lap Super Late Model event.
Southern Ohio Speedway, Wheelersburg, Ohio (Aug. 2): The third annual Hall of Fame Classic pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models; Jackie Boggs of Grayson, Ky., will go for his third straight victory in the event.
Lucky 7 Speedway, Colson, Ky. (Aug. 3): The fourth Coal Miner’s Classic pays $5,000-to-win.
201 Speedway, Sitka, Ky. (Aug. 3): The makeup of the rain-postponed Hatfield-McCoy 50 pays $5,000-to-win.
Winchester (Va.) Speedway (Aug. 3): The Red Nininger Memorial pays $3,000-to-win and wraps up the four-race Winchester-Hagerstown Shootout.
Southern Raceway, Milton, Fla. (Aug. 3): Boy Scouts wearing uniforms are admitted free for the $1,500-to-win Southern Super Late Model Series event.
Lake Cumberland Speedway, Burnside, Ky. (Aug. 3): The Harold Hardgrove Memorial pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models. Tim Tungate has a guaranteed starting spot by virtue of his July 27 victory.
Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway (Aug. 3): The $2,000-to-win Summer Championship for Late Models highlights a four-division program.
Amsoil Speedway, Superior, Wis. (Aug. 4): The Amsoil Twin Ports 25s highlight the racing program with a pair of $1,500-to-win features for WISSOTA Late Models. Total event purse exceeds $24,000.
