West Burlington, IA (Friday, July 3, 2020) - Just like everyone else, when 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa releases their schedule for the new racing season, the one date that is circled on the calendar is when the "Slocum 50" will be ran. The originally scheduled date of April 18th was forced to be postponed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. And since there was already a second MLRA Late Model event scheduled for Friday, July 3rd at the track, the decision was made to just make that evening the make-up for the "Slocum 50".
The evening would get started with the 35 MLRA Late Models signed in being split into two groups for time trial qualifying, to help determine their starting spots for their heat races.. Group A cars would make up heats 1 and 2, while Group B would make up heats 3 and 4. Brian Birkhofer would set fast time in Group A with a lap of 15.547, which was also the overall quick time. Group B fast qualifier was Chad Holladay, with a lap of 15.655.
Brian Birkhofer and Payton Looney led the field to green in heat 1. But a no start slowed the first attempt of a green flag. The second attempt saw Birkhofer and Looney racing into turn 1 to get to the high side. And when Birkhofer slid up the track it forced Looney over the track, where he came to a stop in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. A third attempt now had Birkhofer and Jeremiah Hurst on the front row, after Looney was sent to the back for bringing out the yellow. Birkhofer would power past Hurst going into turn 1 to lead lap 1. Husrt followed him over the 10 lap race. But never could mount a challenge, as Birkhofer held on for the win. Husrt was 2nd, Johnny Scott was 3rd, with Matt Furman securing the fourth and final transfer spot. Jordan Yaggy, Looney, Jason Feger, Spencer Diercks, and Skip Frey rounded out the field.
Heat race 2 saw Mike Spatola and Tony Jackson Jr. on the front row. Jackson Jr. took advantage of his outside front row start to grab the lead on lap 1. Just like Hurst did in the first heat, Spatola would follow Jackson Jr. over the 10 lap event. But Spatola wasn't able to mount a challenge, as Jackson Jr. went on to score the win. Spatola was 2nd, Chris Simpson was 3rd, with Mason Oberkramer holding off a closing Brian Shirley for the final transfer spot. Behind Shirley was Dave Eckrich, Jonathan Brauns, Brennon Willard, and Mitch McGrath.
Chad Holladay and Shannon Babb made up the front row for heat race number 3, with Babb powering off the top to grab the lead on lap 1. Babb then went on to lead all 10 laps to pick up the win. McKay Wenger crossed the line in 2nd, Holladay was 3rd, with Rickey Frankel holding off a closing Tim Manville to claim the final transfer spot. Behind Manville was Rich Bell, Myles Moos, Brandon Queen, and Mark Burgtorf.
The fourth and final heat race had Tony Toste and Bobby Pierce leading the field to green. Pierce used his outside front row starting spot to his advantage, by powering out into the lead on lap 1. Chad Simpson would follow him into the runner up spot. But Pierce was to strong in the 10 lap event, as he pick up the win. Chad Simpson was 2nd, Toste held on for 3rd, with Kolby Vandenbergh taking the final transfer spot. Jason Papich, Garrett Alberson, Justin Duty and Jay Johnson rounded out the field.
After the four heat races were completed, it was time to run the 2 B-Mains to determine the final starters in the 50 lap "Slocum 50" feature. B-Main number 1 had Jordan Yaggy and Brian Shirley on the front row. Shirley grabbed the lead on the drop of the green flag, with Yaggy working the bottom to try and challenge him. But it would cost Yaggy, as Dave Eckrich and Jason Feger used the top of the track to power past Yaggy for second and third. Shirley would go unchallenged, as he went on to pick up the win. Eckrich and Feger crossed the line in the final transfer spots. Yaggy, Skip Frey, Brennon Willard, Spencer Diercks, Jonathan Brauns, Payton Looney and Mitch McGrath completed the finishing order.
B-Main number 2 had Tim Manville and Jason Papich leading the field to green, with Manville powering past Papich to grab the lead on lap 1. Manville then went on to lead all 10 laps to claim the win. Garrett Alberson was 2nd, with a slowing Papich holding off a fast closing Myles Moos on the final lap to take the final transfer spot. Behind Moos was Jay Johnson, Brandon Queen, Justin Duty, Rich Bell, and Mark Burgtorf. Series provisionals were given to Payton Looney, Mitch McGrath, Justin Duty and Brennon Willard.
With all the qualifying events completed the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature came to the track first, with Chad Krogmeier and John Oliver Jr. drawing the front row. But power steering problems that they didn't have enough time to fix it correctly, forced Oliver Jr. to scratch from the event. This would move Jeremy Pundt to the outside of the front row for the start. Krogmeier would edge out Pundt and Jason Cook at the line to lead lap 1. Then just after lap 1 was scored complete the caution would plague the race over the next 8 laps. Debris on the front stretch, which results from contact between Abe Huls and Matt Picray, brought out the first caution. As a result of the contact Huls had to head to the pits to get his right front flat changed. He would rejoin the field in the back for the restart. With all the yellows over the next 7 laps, it would help Huls charged back through the field to join Pundt, David Brandies, who started 9th, Cook and Krogmeier in a great battle for the top spot. Pundt was able to hold back all challenges until lap 10, when Brandies used the momentum off the top of turn 4 to edge out in front of Pundt.
The side-by-side actin up front was slowed for the final time on lap 15, as debris down the backstretch brought out the yellow. On the final restart Brandies jumped back out front, with Pundt working to hold back Cook. Cook was able to clear Pundt for the runner up spot, with about 2 laps to go and then went to work on Brandies for the win. But all Cook was able to do was race up to Brandies back bumper coming off turn 4 for the checkered flag. As Brandies held on for the win. Pundt was 3rd, Huls finished in 4th, with Krogmeier coming home in 5th.
Up next was the 50 lap "Slocum 50" feature, with Brian Birkhofer and Shannon Babb leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Birkhofer would lead the field down the front stretch and into turn 1. But Babb would use the momentum off the top of turn 2 to lead lap 1. While Babb worked the top of the track, Tony Jackson Jr. worked the bottom. On lap 4 Jackson Jr. shot under Babb coming off turn 4 to grab the top spot. Then just as Jackson Jr. started to enter lap traffic on lap 8, Chad Holladay would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Jackson Jr. jumped back out front on the restart, while Birkhofer used the momentum off the top of the track to take the runner up spot from Babb. Two laps later, lap 11, Babb was able to get back past Birkhofer for the second spot, and then set his sights on Jackson Jr.
The fast pace Jackson Jr. was setting would put him into lapped traffic on lap 17. While Babb struggled to put a lap on Tony Toste, Bobby Pierce would close in on him to challenge for the runner up spot. Pierce would finally take advantage of the lapped car to take over second on lap 30. Two laps later, lap 32, Pierce got by the final lapped car that was between him and Jackson Jr. But by then Jackson Jr. had built up a full straight-away lead. It appeared Pierce was cutting into Jackson Jr.'s lead, but he needed a caution to help him out. And that is exactly what he got on lap 41, when Brian Shirley slowed in turns 1 and 2 to bring out the yellow.
Jackson Jr. jumped back out front on the restart, while Babb used the momentum off the top of the track to get second from Pierce. But when Babb jumped the cushion in turn 3 on lap 43, this allowed Pierce to go back by for the runner up spot. Once again Piece had some work to do to chase down Jackson Jr. But disaster would strike Jackson Jr. on lap 46, as his car sputtered down the front stretch and slowed down the backstretch to bring out the yellow. After reading on Facebook this morning it was discovered that Jackson Jr. broke a fuel pump bracket that cost him his shot at his first "Slocum 50" title and the $10,555 check to go with it.
Pierce inherited the lead on the restart, with Babb and Birkhofer looking to challenge him for the top spot. Coming to the white flag Babb had the momentum coming off the top of the track and would challenge Pierce going into turn 1. But Babb had to jam on the brakes to keep from making contact with Pierce. Babb would recover to try and use the top coming out of turn 4 for the checkers. But when Pierce slid up in front of him off turn 4, Babb had to turn back under him. Pierce was able to hold off Babb by a half a car length to become the first diver to win back-to-back "Slocum 50" events. Pierce is also the only driver to win the race more then once, as it was his fourth win in the twelve year history. Birkhofer finished in 3rd, Jeremiah Hurst was 4th, with Chris Simpson coming from 11th to round out the top 5. Johnny Scott finished 6th after starting in 9th, Spatola was 7th, current MLRA points leader Chad Simpson was 8th, Garrett Alberson won the hard charger award, after starting in 20th and coming home in 9th, with Tim Manville completing the top 10 from his 18th place starting spot.
The 20 lap 305 Sprint Car feature was the final race of the night, with Nathan Murders and Dan Keltner drawing the front row. Murders took advantage of his draw to grab the lead on lap 1 over Cody Wehrle and Keltner. Wehrle was able to clear Murders for the top spot on lap 2. The action was slowed for the first time on lap 6, when Wyatt Wilkerson went for a 360 spin to bring out the yellow. On the restart Wehrle moved back out front, with Keltner and Murders following. Wehrle would start to pull away from the field, when Matt Krieger and Devon Rouse made contact and collected Blaine Jamison in turn 4 on lap 11. Even though they all continued on, they all would slow to bring out the yellow for safety reasons. Once again Wehrle grabbed the lead on the restart, with Keltner and Murders behind. While Keltner and Murders battled for second, Wehrle would pull away to an easy win. Murders won the battle for 2nd, Keltner was 3rd, Dugan Thye crossed the line in 4th, but was docked one spot for jumping the final restart. This would move Nick Guernsey up to the fourth spot.
Another "Slocum 50" event was put into the books, and another one that didn't disappoint. I can't wait until the date for the 2021 edition is announced! I would like to say thank you to Brad Stevens, Jessi Mynatt, and the entire 34 Raceway crew for the great hospitality!
I plan on taking the rest of this holiday weekend off. Right now the plan is to make the trip over to the Marshalltown Speedway in Marshalltown, Iowa next Thursday, July 9th for the Dale DeFrance Memorial race. It will also be the 500th and final Summer Series race, with Darrel DeFrance being honored as the only driver to attend all 500 events.
Until then, please get out and support your local track!
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