8/22/2025
SLMR Late Model Series
Thornton Wins Rain-Shortened DeFrance Memorial at Marshalltown
Dylan Thornton managed to claim victory once again after Friday’s Dale DeFrance Memorial was cut short due to rain.
The second East vs. West dual race for the Malvern Bank Super Late Model Racing Series saw both tours take to the high banks of Marshalltown Speedway in Marshalltown, Iowa. It was the second of 8 dual races as part of the Dirt Track Bank Elite 8 Series for both tours. A stout field of 32 cars packed the pit area for the eighth running of the Dale DeFrance Memorial making it the series’ sixth ever visit to the high-banked quarter-mile in Marshalltown.
Dallon Murty, one of the fan favorites, was the fastest overall in Keyser Manufacturing Qualifying as the Chelsea, Iowa native set a blistering fast 14.453 lap time in group 2. Murty’s fellow East Series Rookie of the Year Rival, C J Horn, topped group 1 with a 14.924 second lap. The third group saw Sherrill, Iowa’s Jeff Tharp set the fastest time at 15.015. Finally, Reigning East Series Champion Andy Eckrich laid down a 14.934 second lap to lead group 4.
Four highly-contested heat races followed on the night. Like qualifying, four Iowans found themselves at the top of the finishing order. Dave Eckrich took heat 1 while Chad Simpson was victorious in heat 2. The third heat saw J C Wyman take victory, while 2-time and Defending DeFrance Memorial Winner Justin Kay take heat 4. Dallon Murty would prove to be the top point earner and have a chance to take the Skyline Materials Lucky 6th Place Starting spot in the main event. Murty declined, giving the honor to C J Horn. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa driver would have a chance at adding $200 should he win the feature.
A pair of Predator Custom Trailers B Features were won by West Series regulars Bill Leighton Jr. and Corey Zeitner. Jake Neal and Charlie McKenna also transferred in after finishing second in their respected features. After provisionals were settled, 25 cars took center stage for the 44-lap, $4,544 to win Dale DeFrance Memorial main event.
The two series points leaders shared the front row with West Series Leader Jesse Sobbing Starting on pole and East Series Leader Dylan Thornton to his outside. Thornton was quick to utilize the outside lane, and he would take the opening lead and set the early pace as the top runner while Dallon Murty quickly made his way up to Sobbing to challenge for the second spot.
The first caution came out on lap seven when Charlie McKenna had a puff of smoke come out the back end of his care causing him to back off the power and slow down. He would end up being the first DNF victim of the race.
When racing resumed, Thornton continued to lead while Sobbing and Murty stuck close behind him. Murty sliced his way through the corners and managed to get around Sobbing for second and proceeded to go after Thornton for the lead. A couple of times, Murty was able to close in on Thornton, but as the two front runners when through turns 1 and 2, Murty would jump the berm on the top of the corner causing him to lose valuable ground on Thornton.
Things continued to get interesting as the race went past halfway. In lapped traffic, Murty easily cut down Thornton’s race lead. Murty would make what seemed to be the go-ahead move for the lead as he used a lapped car in a pick-and-roll move for the top spot, but as he and Thornton went into turn one, the left-fron suspension on Murty’s car broke, causing the East Series Rookie of the Year Points Leader to drop off the pace and bring out the race’s final caution with just 15 laps remaining. Murty would be credited with a 16th-place finish in the final order.
As Murty’s heartbreak happened, rain began to fall onto the speedway. The field stayed at a caution for an extended period of time to try and keep the track fresh, but to no avail. The field was brought down to the infield so that the track crew could try their hand at getting the surface back in racing condition, but alas, the rain refused to let up.
After 29 of the 44 schedule laps were completed, the call was made, and the race was made official. Dylan Thornton would be declared the winner of the Dale DeFrance Memorial giving him his sixth win of the season tying him with Dallon Murty for most wins with the Malvern Bank Series in 2025. Thornton’s win also made him 2 for 2 in the Dirt Track Bank Elite 8 Series after he won the first race of the mini series at Shelby County Speedway in July. The victory was also Thornton’s eighth career win with the series ironically placing him eighth on the all-time win list.
Jesse Sobbing would come in second while Chad Simpson took third. Jeff Tharp recorded one of his best performances of the year with a fourth-place effort, and Andy Eckrich rounded out the top five.
With the DeFrance Memorial coming to a close, the Dirt Track Bank Elite 8 Series continues on Saturday, August 23rd with the rescheduled Ray Houck Memorial Late Model Showdown at the Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa. Following that rounds 3-5 will take place at Cresco Speedway in Cresco, Iowa on the 28th followed by two rounds at the Series’ debut at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota on the 29th and 30th.
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Photo Credit: Mike Rufer
Article Credit: Anthony Ainslie