Russell Claims Back-to-Back Late Model Wins; While Smith, Ditsworth, Mueller and St. Clair Take Home Wins as Well

Burlington, IA (August 1, 2009) - Rain showers all morning long couldn't stop 34 Raceway from getting in there Saturday Night racing program. Gary Russell (IMCA Late Models), Jayson Ditsworth (305 Sprints), Rich Smith (IMCA Modifieds), Jeff Mueller (IMCA Stock Cars) and Derek St. Clair (Hobby Stocks) all took home feature wins on the night.

The first feature up was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Dustin Crear and Tyler VandeKamp leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But it was third place starter Rich Smith grabbing the lead on lap 1. The first caution of the race would come out on lap 4 when Crear slowed on the front stretch. Smith would jump back out into the lead on the restart, with Andy Krieger close behind in second. Smith was starting to pull away when the second caution came out on lap 7 for Josh Foster, who had a right rear tire go down. Once again Smith grabbed the lead on the restart and was building a good lead when the third caution came out on lap 12, for Jeremy Harris who spun in two. On the restart Smith would move out into the lead, only to be slowed for the final time on lap 17 when Foster got into the back of VandeKamp. VandeKamp ended up spinning off of two, with both drivers being sent to the back. Smith once again grabbed the lead on the restart, but now had Scott Hogan, who started 11th, challenging him. Smith would hold off Hogan on the final 3 laps to pick up the win. Krieger held on for third, Bill Roberts came from 9th to finish in fourth, with Dean McGee coming from 10th to round out the top five.

Rich Smith of Davenport, IA won his first IMCA Modified feature of the season at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA on Saturday, August 1. Photo by Dana Royer.

Up next was the 20 lap 305 Sprints, with Nick Guernsey and Jami Lusher making up the front row. The caution would come out on the start when Tony Davis spun on the back stretch. On the restart Guernsey would edge out Patrick Moore at the line to lead lap 1. Guernsey would hold the top spot until lap 5 when Kevin Hetrick, who started 10th, slipped under him for the lead. Hetrick was pulling away from the field when the caution came out on lap 18 for a spin by Jarrod Schneiderman in turn two. On the restart Jayson Ditsworth would jump to the outside of Hetrick to grab the lead on lap 19 and then held on for the final lap to claim the win. Bobby Mincer would come from 7th to finish in second, Hetrick held on for third, Justin Newberry was fourth, with Dave Anderson coming home in fifth.

The 305 Sprint feature on Saturday, August 1 at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA was won by Jayson Ditsworth of Gladstone, IL. Photo by Dana Royer.

John Brockway and Shane Watts made up the front row for the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature. A caution on the start for a jump by Corey Strothman would slow the event. On the restart Watts would grab the lead on lap 1, with the caution coming out on the completion of the lap for a spin in turn one by Brockway. The spin also collected Paul Lawson, Cale Samberg, Abe Huls and Brett Timmerman, all were able to continue except Samberg. Watts again moved out into the lead on the restart and then held it until lap 6 when Jeff Mueller, who started 6th, slipped under him for the top spot. Mueller had to work to hold back Watts over the next 10 laps, when the final caution came out on lap 16 for debris off of Todd Holsteen's car. On the restart Mueller grabbed the lead and then held off a last lap charge from Darin Thye, who started 9th, to pick up his third win this week. Kirk Kinsley was third, Watts was fourth, with Huls coming back to finish in fifth.

New London, Iowa's Jeff Mueller won his third IMCA Stock Car feature this week on Saturday, August 1 at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA. Photo by Dana Royer.

Up next feature to take to the speedway was the 20 lap IMCA Late Models, with Sam Halstead and Colby Springsteen leading the field to the green flag. Halstead would take advantage of his front row start to jump out into the lead on lap 1 and then held it until the only caution of the event came out on lap 8 for Tom Bowling Jr., who slowed to a stop in turn two. On the restart Halstead moved out into the lead, with Gary Russell jumping to the top of the track to challenge him for the top spot. Russell would grab the lead on lap 10, with Halstead, Kieth Pratt and Tom Goble, who started 9th, having a heated battle for second. Russell would pull away over the final 15 laps to pick up his second win in a row at the speedway. Goble won the battle for second, Pratt was third, Halstead held on for fourth, with Tom Darbyshire coming home in fifth.

Gary Russell of Biggsville, IL won his second straight IMCA Late Model feature at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA on Saturday, August 1. Photo by Dana Royer.

The final feature of the night was the 15 lap Hobby Stocks, with Joe Laue and Chad Krogmeier making up the front row. But it was third place starter Dane Fenton grabbing the lead on lap 1. Fenton would work to hold off Doug Fenton when the caution came out on lap 11 for a spin in turn two by Ray Raker. On the restart Fenton would move back out into the lead, but now had Dean Kratzer, who started 7th, battling him for the top spot. Another caution would come out on lap 13 for Heather Wilsey who spun in turn two. Fenton would have a right rear tire go down on the restart giving the lead over to Kratzer. The final caution of the event came out on lap 18, when Laue spun in turn two while running third. On the restart Kratzer would move back out into the lead, but Derek St. Clair, who started 11th, would jump under Kratzer going into three on the final lap to take over the top spot and pick up the win. Tanner Thomann came from 9th to finish in third, Victor Hastings charged from 19th to finish in fourth, with Jason Gerdes coming from 10th to round out the top five.

Derek St. Clair of Donnellson, IA made a last lap pass to pick up the Hobby Stock feature on Saturday, August 1 at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA. Photo by Dana Royer.

Notes from 34: Dustin Crear recovered from his lap 4 troubles to come back to finish 9th in the Modified feature....Josh Foster had worked his way back up from his flat to challenge for the 7th spot, when he got into VandeKamp and was sent to the back with only three laps to go. Foster would finish the feature in 11th. While Foster struggled Scott Hogan would finish in second and now has a 1 point lead over Foster....Dusty Kraklio had a strong run going, as he worked his way to second after starting 8th. But smoke would appear under the hood on lap 9, ending his night......21 305 Sprints showed up to compete for the night, the most for a points race this season....All the drivers put on a great feature as only two cautions would wave in there 20 lap feature, one on the first lap and the second coming on lap 18....Tony Davis who spun on lap 1 of the feature would race his way back up to take home a 9th place finish......Abe Huls held on to his point lead in the IMCA Stock Car class, but had to recover from a lap 1 crash to race back up to a fifth place finish in the feature....Corey Strothman started 17th and worked his way up to take home a 9th place finish....Todd Holsteen was running second when his back cover came off on lap 16 of the feature. Holsteen was sent to the back, but decided to go to the pits instead......Derek St. Clair was claimed by Ray Raker after the finish of the Hobby Stock feature, St. Clair agreed to sell to help him keep his points lead....Randy Wachter was blacked flagged in his heat race for heavy smoke and started the feature 18th. He was able to get the troubles fixed and worked his way up 10 spot to finish in 8th....Lane Kauffman started 21st, after missing his heat from troubles in hot lap, but would pass 11 cars to take home a 10th place finish....Lonnie Greiner took home a 11th place finish after staring the feature in the 20th place starting spot.