Monday, April 24, 2017

Guernsey, Keltner, McDermand; Masengarb, and Abbott Score First Wins of the Season at 34 Raceway

West Burlington, IA (Saturday, April 22, 2017) - After three weeks of special race events at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 22nd began weekly racing action. As Mt. Dew Kick Start helped to bring the action in the seven classes, with five new winners visiting victory lane at the end of the night.

Austen Becerra and Dan Keltner drew the front row for the 15 lap IMCA SportMod feature, which was the first to take to the track. Becerra would edge out Keltner at the line by inches to lead lap 1. Then after lap 1 was scored complete the caution came out for debris down the front stretch. At the same time leader Becerra went to the pits to change a flat tire, giving the lead over to Keltner for the restart. On the restart Keltner jumped out front, with Sean Wyett and Andrew Burk following. Another lap scored complete produced another caution, as Dustin Ravelin spun in turn 2 on lap 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Scott Williams spun off turn 1 with front end troubles to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Keltner moved back out front, with Wyett and Burk close behind. The action up front was slowed for the final time on lap 5, when Ravelin stopped in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Keltner again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Wyett and Burk still following. Keltner would pull away over the final 10 laps to pick up his first win of the season at 34 Raceway. Wyett was 2nd, John Oliver Jr. started 10th and finished 3rd, Kyle Hill was 4th, with Becerra recovering from his flat on lap 1 to come back up to finish 5th.

Up next was the 15 lap IMRA Midget feature, with Chase McDermand and Gedd Ross leading the field to the drop of the green flag. McDermand would take advantage of his front row starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Ross and Brent Burrows. While McDermand set a fast pace out front, the battle for second was going on between Ross, Burrows, and Adam Taylor, who started 5th. Taylor was able to slip into the runner up spot on lap 5. But without a caution there was no catching McDermand, who went on to win his first of the season at the track. Taylor was 2nd, Ross was 3rd, Burrows was 4th, with Jeff Mallonee coming home in 5th.

Jake Wenig and Ray Raker drew the front row for the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Wenig moving out front on lap 1 over Raker and Tom Bowling Jr. The action up front was slowed for the first and only time on lap 5, when debris in turn 3 brought out the yellow. On the restart Wenig jumped back out front, with Bowling Jr. and John Oliver Jr., who started 7th, close behind. When Wenig drifted high in turn 4 on lap 7, this would allow Bowling Jr. to slip under him for the lead. A couple of laps later Oliver Jr. was able to clear Wenig for second, and then went to work on Bowling Jr. for the top spot. Oliver Jr. would close to the back bumper of Bowling Jr., with 5 laps to go. He would look under Bowling Jr. over the next few laps, with Bowling Jr. able to hold him off each time. Coming off turn 4 to get the checkers, Oliver Jr. again looked under Bowling Jr. But Bowling Jr. was able to hold him off to claim his second win of the season at 34 Raceway. Oliver Jr. settled for 2nd, Raker was 3rd, Wenig was 4th, with Chad Krogmeier edging out a 5th place finish.

The next feature to take to the track was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Darrow Lille and Brandon Rothzen leading the field to green. Rothzen jumped out front on lap 1 over Ryan Cook and Bill Roberts Jr., with the action being slowed for the first and only time on lap 3. Jacob Copley spun in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Rothzen moved back out front, with Roberts Jr. edging Cook for second. While the battle for second going on, Rothzen started to pull away. Cook would close the gap on Rothzen late in the race, but ran out of laps. As Rothzen went on to score his second win of the season at the track. Cook was 2nd, Roberts Jr. was 3rd, Dugan Thye was 4th, with Dennis LaVeine coming from 8th to finish in 5th.

Up next was the 15 lap Mod Lite feature, with Erin Turner and Jason Masengarb drawing the front row. Masengarb would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Turner and Scott Sappington Jr. Masengarb then started to pull away from the battle for second going on behind, when the first and only caution of the race appeared on lap 6. Austin Bowling would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Masengarb moved back out front, with Mike Morrill, who started 6th, and Scott Naggatz, who started 5th, close behind. Morrill tried to work the outside to get by Masengarb, but Masengarb was able to hold him off early before pulling away late to claim his first win of the season at the track. Morrill was 2nd, Naggatz was 3rd, Turner was 4th, with Devon Rouse rounding out the top 5.

Wesley Talley and Eric Eye drew the front for for the 15 lap 4 Cylinder feature. But just as the green flag waved the red light came on, as Randy Magnuson rolled in turn 2 to bring out the red. He would climb from his car okay. On the original restart Kimberly Abbott, who started 3rd, grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Brandon Lambert and Eye. Then after lap 1 was scored complete Ron Kibbe stopped in turn 2 to bring out the second caution of the race. Abbott once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Lambert and Jerrod Nichols, who started 9th, battling for second. While Abbott pulled away, Nichols tried to look under Lambert for second. Abbott would cruise to her first win of the season at 34 Raceway. Lambert was able to hold off Nichols for 2nd, Larry Miller was 4th, with Eye holding on for 5th.

The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap 305 Sprints, with Nick Guernsey and Andy Krieger drawing the front row. Krieger would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Guernsey and Shane Quam. Just after lap 1 was scored complete the first and only caution of the race appeared, as Travis Porter stopped in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Krieger jumped back out front, with Guernsey and Quam following. Krieger was setting a fast pace out front, and was pulling away from the field when he pulled off with troubles on lap 19. Which handed the lead over to Guernsey, who went on to lead the final 2 laps to claim his first win of the season at 34 Raceway. Quam was 2nd, Ben Wagoner started 10th and finished 3rd, Tanner Gebhardt was 4th, with Jarrod Schneiderman coming from 8th to finish 5th.

Notes from 34: The IMRA Midget feature went 15 laps CAUTION FREE!!!....Mitchell Davis started 9th and finished 6th....Broc Hunnell started 12th and finished 9th......Cody Washburne started the Stock Car feature in 10th and finished 6th....Derek Schwandt finished 7th after starting in 11th....Mark Bowman and Odie Cook had troubles after their heats that forced them to scratch from the feature......Booby Six started the Modified feature in 9th and finished 6th....Dustin Smith finished 7th after starting in 10th....Creston Williams came from 11th to finish in 8th....Mitch Boles had troubles after his heat race that forced him to scratch from the feature......David Prim started the Sport Compact feature in 12th and finished 7th....Casey Lambert finished 9th after starting in 13th....David Judd started 14th and finished 11th....Cody Bowman came from 18th to finish in 12th....Kyle Franey, Kevin Favorite, and Wayne Chamblee all had troubles after their heat races that forced them to scratch from the feature......Daniel Bergquist started the 305 Sprint feature in 9th and finished 6th....Colton Fisher finished 10th after starting in 13th....Wyatt Wilkerson started 14th and finished 11th....Brayden Gaylord had motor troubles in hot laps that forced him to scratch for the night.

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