West Burlington, IA (May 30, 2009) - Saturday night was another great night for racing, with action taking place at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA. One Hundred seven cars in five classes signed in for the nights activities, which was divided up with 21 IMCA Late Models, 19 305 Sprints, 23 IMCA Modifieds, 24 IMCA Stock Cars and 20 Hobby Stocks. Picking up feature wins on the night were Matt Bailey (IMCA Late Models), Bobby Mincer (305 Sprints), Scott Hogan (IMCA Modifieds), Jeff Mueller (IMCA Stock Cars) and Derek St. Clair (Hobby Stocks).
The first feature of the night was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Dustin Crear and Jeremy Harris on the front row. On the drop of the green flag a 8 car pile up in turn three would bring the red out. The cars involved included Mike Weikert Jr., Brandon Rothzen, Bill Roberts, Lonnie Heap, Tyler Cale, Jeff Waterman, Andy Krieger and Dennis LaVeine. Only the cars of Rothzen, Roberts, Cale and Krieger would be able to continue. On the restart Crear would move out front to grab the lead on lap 1, with another caution coming out on lap 2 for debris off Rothzen's car. Crear would lead the field to the green only to spin out and everybody doing a great job to avoid him. Dean McGee, who started 7th, inherited the lead and held it until lap 4 when Rich Smith slid under him to take the top spot. Smith then worked to hold off McGee, while Scott Hogan, who started 12th, moved into the battle. Hogan would slip under Smith on lap 7 to grab the lead and then pulled away over the final 13 laps to claim the win. Josh Foster who started 23rd grabbed the runner up spot, Smith was third, McGee fourth, with Dusty Kraklio rounding out the top five after starting 11th.
Up next was the 20 lap 305 Sprint feature, with Scott Boles and Nick Guernsey making up the front row. Guernsey would take advantage of his front row starting spot to move out front on the drop of the green. Guernsey would hold the top spot until lap 6, when Jayson Ditsworth powered his Ford Sprinter around his top side to grab the lead. But not far behind Ditsworth was Bobby Mincer, who started 10th. Mincer made the same pass of Ditsworth, as Ditsowrth did to get the lead, on lap 11 and then held on over the final 9 laps to pick up another win. Ditsworth settled for second, John Draper was third after starting 9th, Seth Wilke was fourth, with Justin Newberry coming home in fifth.
Tim Breuer and Jeff Mueller led the field to the green in the IMCA Stock Car feature, with Mueller jumping out front on lap 1. A caution on lap 2 for a spin by Corey Strothman and Rod Staats would slow the action. Mueller once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Nick Fenton, Darin Thye and John Oliver Jr., who started 12th, battling for the second spot. Mueller was pulling away when another caution would wave on lap 11, this time for the spin by Blaine Dopler. On the restart, Shane Watts would go under the cone on the front stretch to bring out the yellow and putting him to the tail. Chris Larson did the same on the next restart to bring out the yellow once again and putting him to the rear. Once the race got going again Mueller had to battle Fenton for the lead, as the two came off turn four on lap 14 side-by-side. The next lap Fenton would slow for a right front flat, but would pull it into the infield to keep the race green. Mueller would hold on the final 5 laps to claim the win. Oliver Jr. came home a close second over Thye, Todd Holsteen was fourth, with Breuer holding on for fifth.
Up next was the 25 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Joey Gower and scheduled to be Cory Richards. But Richards would scratch from the feature moving Matt Bailey to the outside of row one. Gower would edge out M. Bailey at the line by inches to lead lap 1, but M. Bailey would grab the top spot on lap 2 on the bottom. A caution on lap 4 for the spin by Kevin Dickey would slow the field early on. On the restart Jay Johnson would go under the cone on the front stretch, bringing out the yellow and sending him to the back. M. Bailey once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Tom Bowling Jr. challenging him for the top spot. Bowling Jr. would try to get by M. Bailey until he pulled into the infield on lap 8 with mechanical problems. M. Bailey was pulling away until the final caution of the race appeared on lap 20 for the spin by Sam Halstead. On the restart, Tom Darbyshire made a challenge for the lead, but M. Bailey would hold him off over the final 5 laps to pick up the win. Tom Goble would come home third, Lonnie Bailey was fourth after starting 10th, and Justin Reed came from 11th to round out the top five.
The final feature of the night was the 15 lap Hobby Stocks, with Chad Krogmeier and Victor Hastings on the front row. Russell Passmore, Tanner Thomann, Brodie Dopler and Jim Lynch would collide in turns two on the start to bring out the first of two cautions. Luke McLaughlin, who started 9th, would get the best advantage of the tangle in turn two as he now restarted in 3rd. On the drop of the green he edged out Krogmeier at the line by inches to lead lap 1. Travis Hartman would spin on lap 2 to bring out the second and final caution of the event. McLaughlin would grabbed the advantage once again on the restart, but now had Dean Kratzer and Derek St. Clair, who started 10th, battling close behind him. St. Clair would make his move for the lead on lap 7 and then pulled away from the field over the final 8 laps to claim the win. Dan Wenig came from 11th to finish second, McLaughlin held on for third, Hastings was fourth, with Randy Wachter coming home in fifth.
Up next at 34 Raceway next Saturday, June 6th is the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders. The Sprint Invaders will be running two features on the night, the first being a winged event and the second a non-wing feature. Also in action will be the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and Hobby Stocks.
Notes from 34: Josh Foster started the IMCA Modified feature shot gun on the field, but after the first lap crash he restarted in 12th. Foster would charge up to grab second on lap 17 and could not catch Hogan who was to far ahead....Jim Gillenwater once again jumped behind the wheel of the machine Michael Long has been racing for him and started 20th in the feature. Gillenwater would stay out of trouble to move up to a nice 9th place finish....The 305 Sprints was the only feature on the night to go start to finish with out a caution. Amazing with 19 cars in the field!.... Blaine Dopler who started 2009 out in the Hobby Stocks made the move into the IMCA Stock Cars Saturday night. His first night in the division will be one he won't want to remember, as he made contact with the wall in turn three in the heat and causing a tire to go down. A spin mid way in the feature would cause him to finish 21st in the feature......Derek St. Clair who is only 16 years old continues to amaze everybody in the Hobby Stocks. Only his second full season in the class and already winning features at 34 Raceway and Lee County Speedway. Plus he continues to lead the points at both tracks early in the season.
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