East Moline, IL (Sunday, May 1, 2011) - For the first time in 2011 I was able to take in three nights of racing all on the same weekend. Rain showers moved in from the south to cancel Quincy Raceways in Quincy, IL soon enough to head north to the Quad City Speedway in East Moline, IL for there season points opener. In action on the night was the IMCA Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Pro Modifieds, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinders.
The first feature of the night was the 15 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Jake Waterman and Jerry Durbin drawing the front row for the event. Jason Pestka and Dwaine Hasson would collide in turn 1 on the drop of the green to bring the caution out for the first time. On the restart Mark VerVynck would spin in turn 1 to bring the yellow light back on. Waterman grabbed the lead on the restart, with Thad Wilson and John Ahlers following close behind. Ahlers run in the top 3 would come to an end, as he spun to a stop in turn 3 on lap 2 to bring the caution out. On the restart Tim Arp and Dwaine Hasson collided in turn 4 to bring the yellow light back on. VerVynck then dropped a drive shaft in turn 1 on the restart to bring caution back to the speedway. Once again Waterman moved out front on the restart, with Wilson close behind in second. Waterman worked to hold back Wilson over the next 12 laps. But a lapped car on the final lap would come into play, as Waterman went low coming off turn four to clear the lapped car. But Wilson would stay on the high side to get by Waterman at the line by inches to claim the win. Waterman settled for 2nd, Mitch Morris came from 7th to finish in 3rd, Craig Crawford started 10th and passed 6 cars to take home 4th, with Milo Veloz Jr., who had a flat in the heat, coming from 15th to round out the top 5.
Up next was the 15 lap Street Stock feature, with Chuck Fox and Ron Henry leading the field to the drop of the green. Henry would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Tim Current. Henry then held off Current until a lap 5 caution slowed the battle down. Cord Williams spun in turn 2 to bring out the first yellow of the event. On the restart Henry again moved out into the lead, with Current pressuring him for the top spot. The battle up front would take a big change on lap 6, as Jeremy Marquette, who was running 4th, spun in turn 4 to bring out the caution. At the same time Current slowed in turn 4 and pulled off with troubles. Henry jumped back out front on the restart and then held back Cary Brown over the final 9 laps to pick up the win. Fox was 3rd, Rick Schriner was 4th, with Chris Lawrence finishing fifth.
Ryan Dolan and Jerry Bailey Jr. drew the front row for the 20 lap Pro Modified feature, with Dolan jumping out front on lap 1. Dolan set a fast pace early as he built up a half a track lead over second. But the one and only caution of the race would come out on lap 3 to bring the field back to Dolan's back bumper. Andy Warner stopped in turn 4 to bring out the caution. On the restart Dolan moved back out into the lead, with Brandon Durbin following in second. Durbin would close in on Dolan over the final 2 laps, but Dolan was able to hold on to claim the win. John Bull came home in 3rd, Donovan Lodge was 4th, with Doug Crampton rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 25 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Shawn Mulvaney and Mike Zemo Jr. leading the field to the green. Zemo Jr. would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Mulvaney and Terry Neal, who started 5th. The first caution of the event would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Todd Alexander spun in turn 4 with a flat left rear. On the restart Travis Denning, who was running 11th, spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Zemo Jr. grabbed the lead over Neal and Mulvaney on the restart. The top three cars would start to enter lapped traffic on lap 9, as Neal tried the bottom several times to get by Zemo Jr. Neal would make the move stick on lap 11 as he over took Zemo Jr. for the top spot. But Zemo Jr. would come back on lap 12 to grab the lead back only to have the caution come out before the lap was complete, giving the lead back to Neal for the restart. Jeremy Gustaf would come to a stop in turn 1 to bring out the caution. On the restart Neal moved back out front, with Mulvaney grabbing second from Zemo Jr. Zemo Jr.'s great run up front would come to an end on lap 19 when Mike Garland rolled in turn 1 and collected him, as the two battled for 6th. Neal again jumped out into the lead on the restart, with Mulvaney and Adam Oppendike, who started 6th, battling for second. The last caution of the event came out on lap 20 for debris on the backstretch. Once again Neal grabbed the lead on the restart, with Oppendike over taking Mulvaney for second. Neal then held off a last lap challenge from Oppendike to pick up the win. Mulvaney settled for 3rd, Matt Ryan charged from 17th to take home 4th, with Ray Guss Jr. coming from 10th to finish in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap 4 Cylinders, with Wade Dahl and Thomas Patz drawing the front row. Dahl took advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Dustin Forbes and Justin Veloz. The first of two cautions in the event would come out on lap 3, when Aaron Hitt came to a stop in turn 2. On the restart Dahl moved back out into the lead, with Veloz and Bryce Garnhart, who started 8th, battling for 2nd. The battle of the front runners would take a change on lap 8 when Veloz slowed with motor troubles. At the same time Garnhart lost a right front tire in 3 and Jason Blocker came to a stop in turn 4, while running 6th, to bring the final caution out. Dahl again grabbed the lead on the restart and then led the final 4 laps to pick up the win. Brent Terry came from 18th to finish in 2nd, Forbes held on for 3rd, Brandon Dahl passed 17 cars from his 21st starting spot to take home 4th, with Dale Tucker coming from 19th to round out the top 5.
Notes from EM: Ray Cox Jr. scratched from his heat and started the IMCA Modified feature in 18th. He would pass 12 cars to take home a 6th place finish....Tim Arp recovered from his lap 2 crash to come back to finish in 7th....Dwaine Hasson also recovered from the lap 2 crash to come up and finish 10th....Todd Dykema came from 14th to finsih in 11th....Jason Pestka started 17th and finished 13th......Ron Henry claimed the Street Stock feature in a IMCA legal Stock Car....RJ Gonzales came from 12th to take home 6th....Jeremy Marquette recovered from his lap 6 spin to finish in 7th....Rob Nylin and Gerald Ward crashed hard in the heat race and was unable to fix there cars forcing them to scratch from the feature......Mike Murphy Jr. started the IMCA Late Model feature in 18th and passed 11 cars to take home 7th....Eric Sanders came from 19th to finish in 8th....Todd Mahlstrom passed 11 cars from his 20th place starting spot to finish in 9th....Travis Denning, a rookie driver in the IMCA Late Model class in 2011, recovered from his lap 1 spin to come back to finish 13th....Eric Gustaf was suppose to take the green from the 4th spot in the feature, but was late to the line up and was forced to start on the tail. He would make a few laps before pulling off to finish in 18th......Gabe Schrader took the green from the 11th place in the 4 Cylinder feature and passed 5 cars to finish 6th....Mike Wisdom came from 15th to take home 7th....Cameron Poce passed 12 cars from his 20th place starting spot to finish in 8th....Mike Cusack, started 17th and had worked his way to 4th, when he slowed on the final lap with troubles to get credited with 11th....Brandt Cole came from 16th to finish in 12th....Zachary Dahl was running 3rd, when he had a right front flat on the lap 3 restart. He was credited with 18th....Jeremy Kingsley was suppose to start 10th in the feature, but was a scratch.
I would like to thank Dewain Hulett from Tri State Speed Review for keeping me company on the drive up and back.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Babb Claims $10,000 Shootout Win at West Liberty
West Liberty, IA (Sat. April 30, 2011) - Its hard to believe after two weeks of almost no racing in this part of the country, I was able to get in two nights in a row in. Saturday at the West Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, Iowa was night 2 of the May Day Classic Shootout, featuring the Open Late Models battling for $10,000 to win.
After three Late Model heats with the top 16 in passing points going to the A Main, in which the top 6 going to the dash. Then a B Main, with the top 8 cars going to the A Main. The 24 car field was set for the 50 lap A Main, paying the winner $10,000.
The first feature of the night was the 12 lap IMCA Sport Compacts, with Bill Whalen and Dwyane Herb leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But it was 4th place starter Jarod McMichael who jumped into the lead on lap 1. McMichael would then hold the top spot until lap 3, when Merv Chandler, who started 8th, slipped by for the lead. The field was stopped for the one and only red, as Herb, who was running 3rd, rolled coming out of turn 2 and collected Whalen, who was running 4th. Herb and Whalen both climbed from there machines unhurt, but done for the event. On the restart Merv Chandler grabbed the lead, with Nathan Chandler, who started 10th, close behind in 2nd. Coming off of turn four for the checkered Nathan would get under Merv, as the two drag raced to the line. Merv was able to edge out Nathan by inches to claim the win. Brad Chandler would cross in 3rd, Steve Miendke came from 7th to finish in 4th, with McMichael coming home in fifth.
Tim Sands and Colt Mather drew the front row for the 20 lap Open Modified feature. Johnny Spaw would spin in turn 1 on the drop of the green flag with a flat to bring the caution out. On the restart Justin Spears came to a stop on the top of turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Mather jumped into the lead on the restart, with Steve Stewart and Scott Dickey, who started 7th, battling for 2nd. Mather quickly pulled out to a big lead and started to lap cars on lap 6. But the field was brought back to his back bumper on lap 9, when Bruce Hanford, who started 9th and was up to 4th, slowed to a stop to bring out the caution. On the restart Mather again moved out into the lead, with Stewart and Rayn Dolan, who started 14th, battling for 2nd. Mather would hold off a late challenge from Stweart to pick up the win. Dolan settled for 3rd, Mark Schulte started 13th and passed 9 cars to finish in 4th, with Ryan Peckman coming from 8th to round out the top 5.
Up next was the 50 lap Open Late Model Shootout, with dash winner Brian Birkhofer and Brian Shirley on the front row. Birkhofer would take advantage of his front row start to jump into the lead on lap 1 over Shirley, Billy Moyer and Shannon Babb, who started 6th. While Birkhofer set a fast pace up front, Babb would over take Moyer on lap 5 for the 2nd spot and then went to work on Birkhofer. But the first of two cautions would come out on lap 10. Jason Utter, who started 17th and had worked his way to 10th, slowed to a stop in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Birkhofer moved back into the lead, with Moyer over taking Babb for 2nd. Once again Birkhofer was pulling away, when Babb over took Moyer for 2nd on lap 22. Babb then caught Birkhofer as the two went side-by-side on laps 23rd and 24th, before Babb grabbed the top spot on lap 25. Babb then started to pull away from 2nd, as Moyer over took Birkhofer for 2nd on lap 30. The field was slowed for the final time on lap 36 for debris in turn 3. On the restart Babb jumped back into the lead over Birkhofer and Moyer. While Babb worked the bottom of the speedway, Birkhofer went to the top to take the top spot away from Babb on lap 39. But Babb didn't give up, as he closed in on Birkhofer with 2 laps to go. Then on the white flag lap Babb would slip under Birkhofer to take the lead and then pulled away on the final lap to claim the $10,000 top prize. Birkhofer settled for 2nd, Moyer was 3rd, Shirley 4th, with Justin Mitchell taking home fifth.
Notes from WL: Only 29 Open Late Models signed in on the night to compete for $10,000, with 28 Open Modifieds and 12 IMCA Sport Compacts making up the 69 cars total......Ryan Walker started the Sport Compact feature in 12th and passed 6 cars to take home 6th....John Flurry started 9th and finished 7th....Jason Delzell finished 9th after starting 11th....Larry Herring passed 6 cars from his 12th place starting spot in the Open Modified feature to take home 6th....Johnny Spaw recovered from his lap 1 flat tire to come back to finish in 7th......Kellen Chadwick came from 16th to finish in 10th....Chris Zogg passed 13 cars from his 24th place starting spot to take home 11th....Zack Less started 19th and came home in 12th....Rick Hixson, who was running 6th, went to the pits on the lap 9 caution for a left rear flat. He was credited with a 15th place finish....Scott Dickey, who was running 3rd on the lap 9 caution, would pull into the pits with troubles and was credited with 16th....Todd Hansen was suppose to start 3rd in the feature, but motor troubles in his heat caused him to scratch from the the event....Noah Coppess was another one with troubles after his B Main, as he was suppose to start the feature in 20th. But was forced to scratch from the event....Dan Albirght, Brad Dierks, Mike Zogg, Alex Buffington all crashed in there B Main events. All cars were to damaged to continue on for the rest of the night....Terry Walker was leading the 3rd heat, when he crashed hard in the turn 4 wall to end his night. He walked away ok......Chad Simpson started 10th in the Open Late Model feature and finished 6th....Jeremiah Hurst came from 12th to finish in 7th....Todd Frank made the pull down from Green Bay, WI pay off, as he started 18th and passed 9 cars to finish in 9th....Matt Furman came from 14th to finish in 10th....Darren Miller was credited with 11th, after starting 11th and making it up to 4th before pulling off on lap 26 with troubles....Andy Eckrich came from 16th and was running 12th, when he pulled off on lap 21 to get credited with 12th....Brain Harris came from 22nd and passed 8 cars to finish in 14th....Tyler Bruening, who passed Ricky Frankel on the last lap of the B Main to take the final transfer spot, started the A Main in 24th. He would pass 9 cars to take home a 15th place finish....Chris Simpson was suppose to start the dash, after coming from 5th to 2nd in heat 3. But motor troubles after the checkered in that heat would force him to scratch from the dash. He would tag the tail of the A Main and only made 1 lap to finish in 24th....Only 9 cars of the 24 Late Models that started the A Main would finish the race. While only 5 of them were on the lead lap....Those who failed to make the A Main were Ricky Frankel, Jim Rychtik, John Brauns, Mike Fryar, who was running 3rd in the B Main but pulled off with troubles to end his night, and Andrew McKay..........My only question on the night was the way they qualified the Modifieds. With 28 cars signing in they ran 4 heats races and only taking the top 3 to the A Main. They then ran 2 B Mains, with only 8 cars in each. On the start of each B Main they had two cars pile up to cut the field to 6, in which all 6 would make the A Main. But they still ran 8 laps. Why? Guess they needed to stretch the program out or tried to sell more concession to the small crowd in attendance...who knows!
After three Late Model heats with the top 16 in passing points going to the A Main, in which the top 6 going to the dash. Then a B Main, with the top 8 cars going to the A Main. The 24 car field was set for the 50 lap A Main, paying the winner $10,000.
The first feature of the night was the 12 lap IMCA Sport Compacts, with Bill Whalen and Dwyane Herb leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But it was 4th place starter Jarod McMichael who jumped into the lead on lap 1. McMichael would then hold the top spot until lap 3, when Merv Chandler, who started 8th, slipped by for the lead. The field was stopped for the one and only red, as Herb, who was running 3rd, rolled coming out of turn 2 and collected Whalen, who was running 4th. Herb and Whalen both climbed from there machines unhurt, but done for the event. On the restart Merv Chandler grabbed the lead, with Nathan Chandler, who started 10th, close behind in 2nd. Coming off of turn four for the checkered Nathan would get under Merv, as the two drag raced to the line. Merv was able to edge out Nathan by inches to claim the win. Brad Chandler would cross in 3rd, Steve Miendke came from 7th to finish in 4th, with McMichael coming home in fifth.
Tim Sands and Colt Mather drew the front row for the 20 lap Open Modified feature. Johnny Spaw would spin in turn 1 on the drop of the green flag with a flat to bring the caution out. On the restart Justin Spears came to a stop on the top of turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Mather jumped into the lead on the restart, with Steve Stewart and Scott Dickey, who started 7th, battling for 2nd. Mather quickly pulled out to a big lead and started to lap cars on lap 6. But the field was brought back to his back bumper on lap 9, when Bruce Hanford, who started 9th and was up to 4th, slowed to a stop to bring out the caution. On the restart Mather again moved out into the lead, with Stewart and Rayn Dolan, who started 14th, battling for 2nd. Mather would hold off a late challenge from Stweart to pick up the win. Dolan settled for 3rd, Mark Schulte started 13th and passed 9 cars to finish in 4th, with Ryan Peckman coming from 8th to round out the top 5.
Up next was the 50 lap Open Late Model Shootout, with dash winner Brian Birkhofer and Brian Shirley on the front row. Birkhofer would take advantage of his front row start to jump into the lead on lap 1 over Shirley, Billy Moyer and Shannon Babb, who started 6th. While Birkhofer set a fast pace up front, Babb would over take Moyer on lap 5 for the 2nd spot and then went to work on Birkhofer. But the first of two cautions would come out on lap 10. Jason Utter, who started 17th and had worked his way to 10th, slowed to a stop in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Birkhofer moved back into the lead, with Moyer over taking Babb for 2nd. Once again Birkhofer was pulling away, when Babb over took Moyer for 2nd on lap 22. Babb then caught Birkhofer as the two went side-by-side on laps 23rd and 24th, before Babb grabbed the top spot on lap 25. Babb then started to pull away from 2nd, as Moyer over took Birkhofer for 2nd on lap 30. The field was slowed for the final time on lap 36 for debris in turn 3. On the restart Babb jumped back into the lead over Birkhofer and Moyer. While Babb worked the bottom of the speedway, Birkhofer went to the top to take the top spot away from Babb on lap 39. But Babb didn't give up, as he closed in on Birkhofer with 2 laps to go. Then on the white flag lap Babb would slip under Birkhofer to take the lead and then pulled away on the final lap to claim the $10,000 top prize. Birkhofer settled for 2nd, Moyer was 3rd, Shirley 4th, with Justin Mitchell taking home fifth.
Notes from WL: Only 29 Open Late Models signed in on the night to compete for $10,000, with 28 Open Modifieds and 12 IMCA Sport Compacts making up the 69 cars total......Ryan Walker started the Sport Compact feature in 12th and passed 6 cars to take home 6th....John Flurry started 9th and finished 7th....Jason Delzell finished 9th after starting 11th....Larry Herring passed 6 cars from his 12th place starting spot in the Open Modified feature to take home 6th....Johnny Spaw recovered from his lap 1 flat tire to come back to finish in 7th......Kellen Chadwick came from 16th to finish in 10th....Chris Zogg passed 13 cars from his 24th place starting spot to take home 11th....Zack Less started 19th and came home in 12th....Rick Hixson, who was running 6th, went to the pits on the lap 9 caution for a left rear flat. He was credited with a 15th place finish....Scott Dickey, who was running 3rd on the lap 9 caution, would pull into the pits with troubles and was credited with 16th....Todd Hansen was suppose to start 3rd in the feature, but motor troubles in his heat caused him to scratch from the the event....Noah Coppess was another one with troubles after his B Main, as he was suppose to start the feature in 20th. But was forced to scratch from the event....Dan Albirght, Brad Dierks, Mike Zogg, Alex Buffington all crashed in there B Main events. All cars were to damaged to continue on for the rest of the night....Terry Walker was leading the 3rd heat, when he crashed hard in the turn 4 wall to end his night. He walked away ok......Chad Simpson started 10th in the Open Late Model feature and finished 6th....Jeremiah Hurst came from 12th to finish in 7th....Todd Frank made the pull down from Green Bay, WI pay off, as he started 18th and passed 9 cars to finish in 9th....Matt Furman came from 14th to finish in 10th....Darren Miller was credited with 11th, after starting 11th and making it up to 4th before pulling off on lap 26 with troubles....Andy Eckrich came from 16th and was running 12th, when he pulled off on lap 21 to get credited with 12th....Brain Harris came from 22nd and passed 8 cars to finish in 14th....Tyler Bruening, who passed Ricky Frankel on the last lap of the B Main to take the final transfer spot, started the A Main in 24th. He would pass 9 cars to take home a 15th place finish....Chris Simpson was suppose to start the dash, after coming from 5th to 2nd in heat 3. But motor troubles after the checkered in that heat would force him to scratch from the dash. He would tag the tail of the A Main and only made 1 lap to finish in 24th....Only 9 cars of the 24 Late Models that started the A Main would finish the race. While only 5 of them were on the lead lap....Those who failed to make the A Main were Ricky Frankel, Jim Rychtik, John Brauns, Mike Fryar, who was running 3rd in the B Main but pulled off with troubles to end his night, and Andrew McKay..........My only question on the night was the way they qualified the Modifieds. With 28 cars signing in they ran 4 heats races and only taking the top 3 to the A Main. They then ran 2 B Mains, with only 8 cars in each. On the start of each B Main they had two cars pile up to cut the field to 6, in which all 6 would make the A Main. But they still ran 8 laps. Why? Guess they needed to stretch the program out or tried to sell more concession to the small crowd in attendance...who knows!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Lee County Speedway Finally Gets There 2011 Season Started
Donnellson, IA (April 29, 2011) - The Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa finally got there 2011 season started, after two straight weeks of rain outs. For the fans the wait was well worth it, as 131 cars signed in to do battle for the points opener.
The first feature on the night was the 15 laps IMCA SportMods, with Austin Schulte and Dylan Book drawing the front row. Before the first lap could be scored the caution would appear, as Rod Staats spun in turn 1 to avoid a tire. On the restart Shannon Sample would spin in turn four and collect the machines of Jim Gillenwater, Nathan Murders, Chad Cannady, Steve Pumphrey and Phillip Cossel. Book would grab the lead on the restart over Jeff Mueller, who is driving the Fenton owned car driven by Jason Cook to the 2010 Championship in the SportMod class. But the field was again slowed after the completion of lap 1, as Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 4. On the restart Jacob Smith would spin in turn 4 and collected Ryan Fullenkamp and Jim Gillenwater to bring the caution light back on. Once again Book would move out into the lead on the restart, with Mueller close behind in second. The battle up front was slowed on lap 3, as Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 4 for his second solo to end his night. This caution would put an end to the time limit, with the next yellow or the checkered flag putting an end to the race. Book again grabbed the lead on the restart over Mueller, as the top two was pulling away. But the battle would end on lap 8, as Dustin Smith spun in turn 4 on lap 8 to bring an end to the race. Book held on for the win, Mueller was 2nd, Dean Kratzer came from 7th to finish in 3rd, Mike Shelton started 10th and came home in 4th, with Rick Barlow Jr. coming from 9th to round out the top 5.
Mike Amenell and Bob Cowman led the field to the drop of the green in the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature, but it was 5th place starter Dan Wenig who would grab the lead on lap 1. The first of four yellows would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Nathan Anders spun in turn 4 with a flat. On the restart Kirk Puttmann would spin in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Aaron Sperry and Puttman would collide on the restart in turn 2 to bring caution out once again. On the restart Wenig jumped out into the lead, with Dane Fenton, who started 7th, close behind in 2nd. While Wenig started to pull away, the battle for 2nd would heat up as Fenton, Rob Wilsey and Matt Gavin would go three wide for 2nd. But the 3 wide battle would come to an end on lap 7, as Wilsey and Gavin got together going into turn 1 with both spinning to bring out the final caution. Weing once again grabbed the lead on the restart and then pulled away over the final 8 laps to claim the win. Fenton settled for 2nd, Jim Lynch came from 9th to finish in 3rd, Nick Fenton was 4th, with Ray Raker coming from 12th to finish in fifth.
Up next was the 25 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Mark Burgtof and Ray Guss Jr. drawing the front row for the event. Guss Jr. would take advantage of his front row draw to grab the lead on the drop of the green, with Burgtorf following behind in second. The two started to pull away from the field when they entered lapped traffic on lap 10, that would allow Jason Perry and Justin Reed to close in. Burgtorf would try to get under Guss Jr. over the next 10 laps, as they entered more lapped traffic, but Guss Jr. was able to hold Burgtorf back. Guss Jr. would lead all 25 laps, which went caution free, to pick up the $1,000 top prize. Burgtorf held on for 2nd, Perry was 3rd, Reed 4th, with Jeff Aikey coming from 8th to round out the top 5.
Ryan Cook and Kevin Goben led the field to the green in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature, with Goben grabbing the lead on lap 1. But the first caution of the race would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Dustin Crear, AJ Fike, Kirk Hopkins, Bill Roberts and Joe Beal collided off of turn 4. On the restart Goben jumped back out into the lead, with Cook working to hold back Josh Foster, who started 7th, for second. Foster worked the bottom of the speedway to perfection, as he grabbed the top spot away from Goben on lap 5. Foster then started to pull away from the field, when Hopkins spun in turn 2 on lap 10 to bring the yellow light on. Once again Foster moved out front on the restart, but now had Dennis LaVeine following close behind in second. LaVeine tried to get by Foster on the top side, but there battle would be slowed on lap 13 when Dustan Fenton spun in turn 2. Foster again grabbed the lead on the restart, with LaVeine trying the high side to get by Foster for the lead. But there battle was slowed on lap 15 when Roberts and Beal collided in turn 4 to bring the yellow out. At the same time Goben would clip a tire in turn 2 and broke his left front to spin to a stop, which ended his top 5 run. Once again Foster grabbed the lead on the restart, with LaVeine working to hold back Brandon Rothzen, who started 11th. The three car battle up front was slowed for the final time on lap 18, as Milo Veloz Jr. spun in turn 2. Foster again moved out front on the restart and held on over the final 2 laps to pick up the win. LaVeine held on for 2nd, Rothzen was 3rd, Tyler Cale came from 9th to finish in 4th, with Jim Roach coming home in fifth.
Up next was he 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with rookie Jeremy Pundt and Jason Cook leading the field to the green. But it was 3rd place starter Jeff Mueller grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jason Cook. Pundt's run up front would come to an end on the completion of lap 2, as he spun off turn 4 and collected John Oliver Jr. to bring out the first caution. On the restart Ryan Cook and Gabe Harrison collided in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Mueller jumped back out into the lead on the restart, with Jason Cook getting sideways and falling from 3rd to 6th. Just as Mueller started to put some distance on the second place car, the caution would come out on the completion of lap 3. This time a tire was clipped and thrown out onto the track in turn 3. On the restart Derek St. Clair would get sideways off turn 4 and collected the cars of Corey Strothman, Aaron Brocksieck and Ryan Cook to bring the yellow back out. Mueller again jumped out front on the restart, with Kevin Tomlinson, who started 7th, and Jim Redmann, who started 8th, battling it out for second. Mueller would pull away from the field over the final 12 laps to claim the win. Redmann came home in 2nd, Jason Cook recovered to finish in 3rd, Matt Greiner started 10th and finished in 4th, with Cale Samberg coming home in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Darin Smith and Chuck Fullenkamp drawing the front row. But it was 3rd place starter David Helenthal moving out into the lead on lap 1. Helenthal, Smith and Fullenkamp had a great three car battling going up front until the 1 and only caution of the event came out on lap 6. Debris in turn 4 would slow the field down and set up a lap 6 dash to the finish. On the restart Helenthal moved back out into the lead and then held it until lap 9, when Smith got by for the top spot. Smith then held on over the final 3 laps to claim the win. Helenthal crossed the line in 2nd but was disqualified in tech for miss matched tires. That would move Fullenkamp up to 2nd, Wayne Noble charged from 16th to finish in 3rd, Craig Bangert came from 8th to finish in 4th, with Kimberly Abbott rounding out the top 5.
Notes from LCS: 30 IMCA Modifieds, 24 IMCA Late Models, 23 IMCA SportMods, 21 Hobby Stocks, 17 IMCA Stock Cars and 16 Wild Things made up the 131 cars signed in on the first night of competition......AJ Johnson started 11th in the IMCA SportMod feature and worked his way up to finish in 7th....Patrick Profeta came from 12th to finish in 8th....Rodger Dresden started 15th and passed 6 cars to finish in 9th....Michael Joe Bliven passed 7 cars from his 17th place starting spot to take home 10th....Derek Coleman came from 19th and passed 8 cars to finish in 11th....Rod Staats recovered from his lap 1 spin to finish in 12th....Jacob Smith came from 21st and passed 8 cars to take home 13th....Phillip Cossel had a hard crash in his heat to end his night early, as he was a scratch from the feature......Nathan Anders who brought out the caution on lap 1 of the Hobby Stock feature and then pitted with a flat, restarted 17th. He would work his way to finish in 6th by the end of the 15 lap event....Tim Dawson made the pull up from Callao, Missouri pay off, as he started 15th and passed 8 cars to finish in 7th....Jim Oliver Jr. charged up from his 19th place starting spot to claim 8th....Josh Tripp came from 14th to take home 10th....Michael Wenke came from 17th to finish in 12th......Rob Toland started the IMCA Late Model feature in 12th and passed 5 cars to finish in 7th....Jason Frankel started 11th and came home in 8th....Boone McLaughlin came from 13th to finish in 9th....Colby Springsteen passed 6 cars from his 18th place starting spot to take home 12th....Nick Marolf started 17th and took home an 13th place finish....Jay Johnson came from 20th to finish in 15th......Jeff Waterman, who picked up the IMCA Modified B Main, started the feature in 21st. He would pass 15 cars to take home a 6th place finish....James Leffew came from 13th to finish in 7th....Mike Weikert Jr. also came from the B Main and started 22nd. He would pass 10 cars to take home an 12th place finish....Jim Lynch started 19th and passed 6 cars to finish in 13th....Dustan Fenton recovered from his lap 13 spin to come back to finish in 14th......Abe Huls took the green in the IMCA Stock Car feature in 11th and passed 5 cars to finish in 6th....Kevin Tomlinson was going for second on the final lap, when he and Redmann made contact in turn 2. Tomlinson would get into the guardrail, which cut the right front, to drop him back to 10th at the finish......C Jay Loring came from 15th to pass 9 cars for a 6th place finish in the Wild Things feature....Sierra Bueker started 13th and passed 6 cars to take home 7th....Mike Hornung Jr. came from 12th to finish in 8th.
The first feature on the night was the 15 laps IMCA SportMods, with Austin Schulte and Dylan Book drawing the front row. Before the first lap could be scored the caution would appear, as Rod Staats spun in turn 1 to avoid a tire. On the restart Shannon Sample would spin in turn four and collect the machines of Jim Gillenwater, Nathan Murders, Chad Cannady, Steve Pumphrey and Phillip Cossel. Book would grab the lead on the restart over Jeff Mueller, who is driving the Fenton owned car driven by Jason Cook to the 2010 Championship in the SportMod class. But the field was again slowed after the completion of lap 1, as Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 4. On the restart Jacob Smith would spin in turn 4 and collected Ryan Fullenkamp and Jim Gillenwater to bring the caution light back on. Once again Book would move out into the lead on the restart, with Mueller close behind in second. The battle up front was slowed on lap 3, as Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 4 for his second solo to end his night. This caution would put an end to the time limit, with the next yellow or the checkered flag putting an end to the race. Book again grabbed the lead on the restart over Mueller, as the top two was pulling away. But the battle would end on lap 8, as Dustin Smith spun in turn 4 on lap 8 to bring an end to the race. Book held on for the win, Mueller was 2nd, Dean Kratzer came from 7th to finish in 3rd, Mike Shelton started 10th and came home in 4th, with Rick Barlow Jr. coming from 9th to round out the top 5.
Mike Amenell and Bob Cowman led the field to the drop of the green in the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature, but it was 5th place starter Dan Wenig who would grab the lead on lap 1. The first of four yellows would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Nathan Anders spun in turn 4 with a flat. On the restart Kirk Puttmann would spin in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Aaron Sperry and Puttman would collide on the restart in turn 2 to bring caution out once again. On the restart Wenig jumped out into the lead, with Dane Fenton, who started 7th, close behind in 2nd. While Wenig started to pull away, the battle for 2nd would heat up as Fenton, Rob Wilsey and Matt Gavin would go three wide for 2nd. But the 3 wide battle would come to an end on lap 7, as Wilsey and Gavin got together going into turn 1 with both spinning to bring out the final caution. Weing once again grabbed the lead on the restart and then pulled away over the final 8 laps to claim the win. Fenton settled for 2nd, Jim Lynch came from 9th to finish in 3rd, Nick Fenton was 4th, with Ray Raker coming from 12th to finish in fifth.
Up next was the 25 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Mark Burgtof and Ray Guss Jr. drawing the front row for the event. Guss Jr. would take advantage of his front row draw to grab the lead on the drop of the green, with Burgtorf following behind in second. The two started to pull away from the field when they entered lapped traffic on lap 10, that would allow Jason Perry and Justin Reed to close in. Burgtorf would try to get under Guss Jr. over the next 10 laps, as they entered more lapped traffic, but Guss Jr. was able to hold Burgtorf back. Guss Jr. would lead all 25 laps, which went caution free, to pick up the $1,000 top prize. Burgtorf held on for 2nd, Perry was 3rd, Reed 4th, with Jeff Aikey coming from 8th to round out the top 5.
Ryan Cook and Kevin Goben led the field to the green in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature, with Goben grabbing the lead on lap 1. But the first caution of the race would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Dustin Crear, AJ Fike, Kirk Hopkins, Bill Roberts and Joe Beal collided off of turn 4. On the restart Goben jumped back out into the lead, with Cook working to hold back Josh Foster, who started 7th, for second. Foster worked the bottom of the speedway to perfection, as he grabbed the top spot away from Goben on lap 5. Foster then started to pull away from the field, when Hopkins spun in turn 2 on lap 10 to bring the yellow light on. Once again Foster moved out front on the restart, but now had Dennis LaVeine following close behind in second. LaVeine tried to get by Foster on the top side, but there battle would be slowed on lap 13 when Dustan Fenton spun in turn 2. Foster again grabbed the lead on the restart, with LaVeine trying the high side to get by Foster for the lead. But there battle was slowed on lap 15 when Roberts and Beal collided in turn 4 to bring the yellow out. At the same time Goben would clip a tire in turn 2 and broke his left front to spin to a stop, which ended his top 5 run. Once again Foster grabbed the lead on the restart, with LaVeine working to hold back Brandon Rothzen, who started 11th. The three car battle up front was slowed for the final time on lap 18, as Milo Veloz Jr. spun in turn 2. Foster again moved out front on the restart and held on over the final 2 laps to pick up the win. LaVeine held on for 2nd, Rothzen was 3rd, Tyler Cale came from 9th to finish in 4th, with Jim Roach coming home in fifth.
Up next was he 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with rookie Jeremy Pundt and Jason Cook leading the field to the green. But it was 3rd place starter Jeff Mueller grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jason Cook. Pundt's run up front would come to an end on the completion of lap 2, as he spun off turn 4 and collected John Oliver Jr. to bring out the first caution. On the restart Ryan Cook and Gabe Harrison collided in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Mueller jumped back out into the lead on the restart, with Jason Cook getting sideways and falling from 3rd to 6th. Just as Mueller started to put some distance on the second place car, the caution would come out on the completion of lap 3. This time a tire was clipped and thrown out onto the track in turn 3. On the restart Derek St. Clair would get sideways off turn 4 and collected the cars of Corey Strothman, Aaron Brocksieck and Ryan Cook to bring the yellow back out. Mueller again jumped out front on the restart, with Kevin Tomlinson, who started 7th, and Jim Redmann, who started 8th, battling it out for second. Mueller would pull away from the field over the final 12 laps to claim the win. Redmann came home in 2nd, Jason Cook recovered to finish in 3rd, Matt Greiner started 10th and finished in 4th, with Cale Samberg coming home in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Darin Smith and Chuck Fullenkamp drawing the front row. But it was 3rd place starter David Helenthal moving out into the lead on lap 1. Helenthal, Smith and Fullenkamp had a great three car battling going up front until the 1 and only caution of the event came out on lap 6. Debris in turn 4 would slow the field down and set up a lap 6 dash to the finish. On the restart Helenthal moved back out into the lead and then held it until lap 9, when Smith got by for the top spot. Smith then held on over the final 3 laps to claim the win. Helenthal crossed the line in 2nd but was disqualified in tech for miss matched tires. That would move Fullenkamp up to 2nd, Wayne Noble charged from 16th to finish in 3rd, Craig Bangert came from 8th to finish in 4th, with Kimberly Abbott rounding out the top 5.
Notes from LCS: 30 IMCA Modifieds, 24 IMCA Late Models, 23 IMCA SportMods, 21 Hobby Stocks, 17 IMCA Stock Cars and 16 Wild Things made up the 131 cars signed in on the first night of competition......AJ Johnson started 11th in the IMCA SportMod feature and worked his way up to finish in 7th....Patrick Profeta came from 12th to finish in 8th....Rodger Dresden started 15th and passed 6 cars to finish in 9th....Michael Joe Bliven passed 7 cars from his 17th place starting spot to take home 10th....Derek Coleman came from 19th and passed 8 cars to finish in 11th....Rod Staats recovered from his lap 1 spin to finish in 12th....Jacob Smith came from 21st and passed 8 cars to take home 13th....Phillip Cossel had a hard crash in his heat to end his night early, as he was a scratch from the feature......Nathan Anders who brought out the caution on lap 1 of the Hobby Stock feature and then pitted with a flat, restarted 17th. He would work his way to finish in 6th by the end of the 15 lap event....Tim Dawson made the pull up from Callao, Missouri pay off, as he started 15th and passed 8 cars to finish in 7th....Jim Oliver Jr. charged up from his 19th place starting spot to claim 8th....Josh Tripp came from 14th to take home 10th....Michael Wenke came from 17th to finish in 12th......Rob Toland started the IMCA Late Model feature in 12th and passed 5 cars to finish in 7th....Jason Frankel started 11th and came home in 8th....Boone McLaughlin came from 13th to finish in 9th....Colby Springsteen passed 6 cars from his 18th place starting spot to take home 12th....Nick Marolf started 17th and took home an 13th place finish....Jay Johnson came from 20th to finish in 15th......Jeff Waterman, who picked up the IMCA Modified B Main, started the feature in 21st. He would pass 15 cars to take home a 6th place finish....James Leffew came from 13th to finish in 7th....Mike Weikert Jr. also came from the B Main and started 22nd. He would pass 10 cars to take home an 12th place finish....Jim Lynch started 19th and passed 6 cars to finish in 13th....Dustan Fenton recovered from his lap 13 spin to come back to finish in 14th......Abe Huls took the green in the IMCA Stock Car feature in 11th and passed 5 cars to finish in 6th....Kevin Tomlinson was going for second on the final lap, when he and Redmann made contact in turn 2. Tomlinson would get into the guardrail, which cut the right front, to drop him back to 10th at the finish......C Jay Loring came from 15th to pass 9 cars for a 6th place finish in the Wild Things feature....Sierra Bueker started 13th and passed 6 cars to take home 7th....Mike Hornung Jr. came from 12th to finish in 8th.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Inaugural Midwest Open Wheel Association Win Goes to Lasoski
Burlington, IA (Saturday, April 23, 2011) - Despite mother natures attempts on Friday and several times during the night on Saturday, 34 Raceway was able to get there program in. The Monster Energy Midwest Open Wheel Association 410 Sprint Cars inaugural season kicked off, along with the IMCA Late Models and IMCA Stock Cars in action on the night.
Thirty-nine 410 Sprint Cars signed, with Danny Lasoski getting the events started by setting fast time, with a lap of 12.5428. Then 4 heats, with the top 4 going into the feature, and 2 B Mains, with the top 2 going into the feature, were ran to help set the 21 car feature.
The first feature of the night was the 20 lap IMCA Stock Cars, with Jim Redmann and John Oliver Jr drawing the front row. Oliver Jr would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag. Redmann and Jeff Mueller, who started 5th, would make it a three car battle for the lead until the first caution came out on lap 5. Gabe Harrison would come to a stop on the front stretch to slow the great battle of front. On the restart Oliver Jr would moved back out into the lead over Mueller by inches. But Mueller would slip under him on lap 7 to take over the top spot. Mueller then pulled away over the final 13 laps of caution free racing to claim his first win of 2011. Oliver Jr settled for 2nd, Corey Strothman started 9th and came home in 3rd, Matt Greiner passed 11 cars from his 15th place starting spot to finish in 4th, with Derek St. Clair coming from 13th to round out the top five.
Jerrod Hull and Danny Lasoski led the field to the green flag in the 30 lap 410 Sprint car feature, with Lasoski leading lap 1 over Hull and Craig Dollansky, who started 6th. Lasoski started to pull away from the battle for second when he entered lapped traffic on lap 4, to allow Dollansky and Kerry Madsen to close in on him. But the battle for second and third would change on lap 6 when Madsen came off of turn four on the high side of Dollansky, who was running the middle. Dollansky would try to move up to the top to clear a lapped car and made contact with Madsen. Robbie Standridge had not where to go and was collected in the wreck, causing his machine to get upside down. He climbed out ok, with Dollansky having to be towed off with right front damage. Madsen would continue on from the wreck without stopping and would restart in 2nd.
Lasoski jumped back out into the lead on the restart, with Madsen following behind. On lap 10 Lasoski caught back up to the back of the field to allow Madsen to close in on him for the lead. Madsen would take advantage of a lapped car on lap 11 to grab the top spot away from Lasoski. But disaster strike Madsen 1 lap later as he slowed to a stop in turn 1 with a right rear flat, a result of the contact with Dollansky back on lap 6. Once again Lasoski moved back into the lead on the restart and was pulling away, when he entered lapped traffic on lap 17. This allowed Joey Moughan, who started 8th, and Kaley Gharst, who had charged up from his 18th place starting spot, to close in. Gharst would over take Moughan on lap 27 for second and then went to work on Lasoski for the lead. Coming out of turn 4 for the white Gharst tried to get under Lasoski in turn 1, but bobbled to allow Lasoski to pull away enough to claim the win and the $2,500 top prize. Gharst settled for 2nd, Moughan was 3rd, Brandon Wimmer was 4th, with Hull holding on for 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 25 lap IMCA Late Models, with Matt Bailey and Keith Pratt drawing the front row for the event. A caution before the first lap was complete, for Darin Weisinger who slowed to a stop in turn 2 with a left front flat, set up a complete restart. On the restart Pratt jumped into the lead over Matt Bailey and Colby Springsteen. Pratt would work to hold off Matt Bailey, Tom Darbyshire and Rob Toland until lap 7. Toland went into turn 1 on the top of Matt Bailey and would come out of turn 2 on the bottom of Pratt to set up a challenge going into turn 3 for the lead. Toland came out of turn four with the lead on lap 8 and then held it until lap 10. Darbyshire would jump under Toland going into turn 1 when Toland moved down to get around a lapped car. The two made contact with Darbyshire coming out of turn 2 with the lead. But Toland would shove Darbyshire down the backstretch, getting Darbyshire sideways and spinning himself out to bring out the caution. Darbyshire would continue on before the caution appeared to get the lead back for the restart, while Toland went to the pits. On the restart Darbyshire moved out into the lead, with Denny Woodworth, who started 7th, close behind in 2nd. Darbyshire would hold off several challenges from Woodworth over the final 15 laps to claim the win. Woodworth settled for 2nd, Tom Goble came from 9th to finish in 3rd, Jason Frankel passed 9 cars from his 13th place starting spot to finish in 4th, with Jason Perry coming home in fifth.
Notes from 34: The crew from 34 Raceway has to be thanked for there hard work all night Friday and all day Saturday to get the show in. Jeff Laue said they worked Friday night after the rains until 4am Saturday, then went home to get a break before returning Saturday morning to stay with it. The hard work paid off with 39 410 Sprints, 26 IMCA Late Models and 26 IMCA Stock Cars signing in to do battle in front of a great crowd......Ron Henry in his first year in an IMCA Stock Car legal car, after several years in a Street Stock, made the trip to 34 pay off with a nice 6th place finish....Tim Breuer passed 9 cars from his 16th place starting spot to finish in 7th....Brain Holmes started 21st and passed 13 cars to take home 8th....Rookie IMCA Stock Car driver Jeremy Pundt, who moved up from the Hobby Stock ranks for 2011, managed to come home in 9th....Another rookie IMCA Stock Car driver Gabe Harrison, who moved up from the 4 Cylinders, came from 14th to finish in 10th....Brett Timmerman, who started 7th, had worked his way into 3rd but pulled off on lap 18 with troubles to end his night in 11th....Kirk Kinsley was running in 5th when he pulled off on lap 18 with troubles to end his run in 12th....Jim Redmann who was battling for the lead early and fell back to 6th, before troubles sent him pitside on lap 17 to finish in 13th....Bo Hunter came from 23rd and passed 9 cars to finish in 14th....Abe Huls was running 4th when he pulled off on lap 16 with troubles to end his run in 15th....Chris Wibbell was running in 10th when he left the track on lap 11 with troubles to end his night in 17th....Shane Watts ended his night in 18th, after running 12th, when he pulled off on lap 11 with troubles....It was nice to see Ryan Cook back in action in the area. Ryan moved back from the state of Washington this winter after serving our country in the military. (Thank you Ryan for your service!) He would start the feature in 10th, but had troubles early to end his run in 19th....David Brandies, Chris Webb, Mark Massey and Troy Greiner all had troubles in there heat race or hot laps to end there nights before the feature......Korey Weyant would start the 410 Sprint feature in 15th and passed 6 cars to take home 9th....Matt Sutton, who won heat 2 in a 360 powered Sprinter, started the feature in 14th and came home in 11th....Ben Wagoner, who made a last lap pass coming off 4 in the first B Main to get into the feature, came from 19th to finish in 15th....Davey Heskin was leading the first B Main when he slowed in turn 4 with 2 laps to go with a broken driveshaft....Jordan Goldsberry lost a tire in the first B Main to get upside down in turn 3, but he climbed from his machine ok....Brian Rieck, who moved up from the Modified ranks, took a few rolls in turn 3 in the second B Main. He also climbed from his machine ok....Cory Bruns had troubles in hot laps and was a scratch for the rest of the evening......Matt Strassheim passed 9 cars from his 15th place starting spot to finish the Late Model feature in 6th....Tom Bowling Jr came from 12th to finish in 7th....Lonnie Bailey, who was leading heat race 3 but pulled off with troubles, had to start the feature in 24th. He would pass 15 cars in the 25 lap event to take home a 9th place finish....Justin Reed came from his 23rd starting spot to pass 12 cars in finishing 11th....Jason Cook started 19th and finished in 13th, in only his 3rd Late Model start of his career....Doug Yates made the pull down to 34 pay off, as he started 25th in the feature and passed 10 cars to finish in 15th....Travis Smock came from 22nd to finish in 17th....Mark Burgtorf started 26th, after troubles in the heat, and had worked his way to 13th before pulling off mid race to finish in 19th....Matt Bailey challenged for the lead early, but would pull off early to end his run in 20th....Rob Toland was credited with 21st after his lap 8 tangle....Keith Pratt was leading early and would have troubles to end his night in 22nd......I would also like to thank Jason Goble, who opened up an empty both for fellow Positively Racing writers, Jeff Broeg and Ryan Clark, to get in out of the weather.
Thirty-nine 410 Sprint Cars signed, with Danny Lasoski getting the events started by setting fast time, with a lap of 12.5428. Then 4 heats, with the top 4 going into the feature, and 2 B Mains, with the top 2 going into the feature, were ran to help set the 21 car feature.
The first feature of the night was the 20 lap IMCA Stock Cars, with Jim Redmann and John Oliver Jr drawing the front row. Oliver Jr would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag. Redmann and Jeff Mueller, who started 5th, would make it a three car battle for the lead until the first caution came out on lap 5. Gabe Harrison would come to a stop on the front stretch to slow the great battle of front. On the restart Oliver Jr would moved back out into the lead over Mueller by inches. But Mueller would slip under him on lap 7 to take over the top spot. Mueller then pulled away over the final 13 laps of caution free racing to claim his first win of 2011. Oliver Jr settled for 2nd, Corey Strothman started 9th and came home in 3rd, Matt Greiner passed 11 cars from his 15th place starting spot to finish in 4th, with Derek St. Clair coming from 13th to round out the top five.
Jerrod Hull and Danny Lasoski led the field to the green flag in the 30 lap 410 Sprint car feature, with Lasoski leading lap 1 over Hull and Craig Dollansky, who started 6th. Lasoski started to pull away from the battle for second when he entered lapped traffic on lap 4, to allow Dollansky and Kerry Madsen to close in on him. But the battle for second and third would change on lap 6 when Madsen came off of turn four on the high side of Dollansky, who was running the middle. Dollansky would try to move up to the top to clear a lapped car and made contact with Madsen. Robbie Standridge had not where to go and was collected in the wreck, causing his machine to get upside down. He climbed out ok, with Dollansky having to be towed off with right front damage. Madsen would continue on from the wreck without stopping and would restart in 2nd.
Lasoski jumped back out into the lead on the restart, with Madsen following behind. On lap 10 Lasoski caught back up to the back of the field to allow Madsen to close in on him for the lead. Madsen would take advantage of a lapped car on lap 11 to grab the top spot away from Lasoski. But disaster strike Madsen 1 lap later as he slowed to a stop in turn 1 with a right rear flat, a result of the contact with Dollansky back on lap 6. Once again Lasoski moved back into the lead on the restart and was pulling away, when he entered lapped traffic on lap 17. This allowed Joey Moughan, who started 8th, and Kaley Gharst, who had charged up from his 18th place starting spot, to close in. Gharst would over take Moughan on lap 27 for second and then went to work on Lasoski for the lead. Coming out of turn 4 for the white Gharst tried to get under Lasoski in turn 1, but bobbled to allow Lasoski to pull away enough to claim the win and the $2,500 top prize. Gharst settled for 2nd, Moughan was 3rd, Brandon Wimmer was 4th, with Hull holding on for 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 25 lap IMCA Late Models, with Matt Bailey and Keith Pratt drawing the front row for the event. A caution before the first lap was complete, for Darin Weisinger who slowed to a stop in turn 2 with a left front flat, set up a complete restart. On the restart Pratt jumped into the lead over Matt Bailey and Colby Springsteen. Pratt would work to hold off Matt Bailey, Tom Darbyshire and Rob Toland until lap 7. Toland went into turn 1 on the top of Matt Bailey and would come out of turn 2 on the bottom of Pratt to set up a challenge going into turn 3 for the lead. Toland came out of turn four with the lead on lap 8 and then held it until lap 10. Darbyshire would jump under Toland going into turn 1 when Toland moved down to get around a lapped car. The two made contact with Darbyshire coming out of turn 2 with the lead. But Toland would shove Darbyshire down the backstretch, getting Darbyshire sideways and spinning himself out to bring out the caution. Darbyshire would continue on before the caution appeared to get the lead back for the restart, while Toland went to the pits. On the restart Darbyshire moved out into the lead, with Denny Woodworth, who started 7th, close behind in 2nd. Darbyshire would hold off several challenges from Woodworth over the final 15 laps to claim the win. Woodworth settled for 2nd, Tom Goble came from 9th to finish in 3rd, Jason Frankel passed 9 cars from his 13th place starting spot to finish in 4th, with Jason Perry coming home in fifth.
Notes from 34: The crew from 34 Raceway has to be thanked for there hard work all night Friday and all day Saturday to get the show in. Jeff Laue said they worked Friday night after the rains until 4am Saturday, then went home to get a break before returning Saturday morning to stay with it. The hard work paid off with 39 410 Sprints, 26 IMCA Late Models and 26 IMCA Stock Cars signing in to do battle in front of a great crowd......Ron Henry in his first year in an IMCA Stock Car legal car, after several years in a Street Stock, made the trip to 34 pay off with a nice 6th place finish....Tim Breuer passed 9 cars from his 16th place starting spot to finish in 7th....Brain Holmes started 21st and passed 13 cars to take home 8th....Rookie IMCA Stock Car driver Jeremy Pundt, who moved up from the Hobby Stock ranks for 2011, managed to come home in 9th....Another rookie IMCA Stock Car driver Gabe Harrison, who moved up from the 4 Cylinders, came from 14th to finish in 10th....Brett Timmerman, who started 7th, had worked his way into 3rd but pulled off on lap 18 with troubles to end his night in 11th....Kirk Kinsley was running in 5th when he pulled off on lap 18 with troubles to end his run in 12th....Jim Redmann who was battling for the lead early and fell back to 6th, before troubles sent him pitside on lap 17 to finish in 13th....Bo Hunter came from 23rd and passed 9 cars to finish in 14th....Abe Huls was running 4th when he pulled off on lap 16 with troubles to end his run in 15th....Chris Wibbell was running in 10th when he left the track on lap 11 with troubles to end his night in 17th....Shane Watts ended his night in 18th, after running 12th, when he pulled off on lap 11 with troubles....It was nice to see Ryan Cook back in action in the area. Ryan moved back from the state of Washington this winter after serving our country in the military. (Thank you Ryan for your service!) He would start the feature in 10th, but had troubles early to end his run in 19th....David Brandies, Chris Webb, Mark Massey and Troy Greiner all had troubles in there heat race or hot laps to end there nights before the feature......Korey Weyant would start the 410 Sprint feature in 15th and passed 6 cars to take home 9th....Matt Sutton, who won heat 2 in a 360 powered Sprinter, started the feature in 14th and came home in 11th....Ben Wagoner, who made a last lap pass coming off 4 in the first B Main to get into the feature, came from 19th to finish in 15th....Davey Heskin was leading the first B Main when he slowed in turn 4 with 2 laps to go with a broken driveshaft....Jordan Goldsberry lost a tire in the first B Main to get upside down in turn 3, but he climbed from his machine ok....Brian Rieck, who moved up from the Modified ranks, took a few rolls in turn 3 in the second B Main. He also climbed from his machine ok....Cory Bruns had troubles in hot laps and was a scratch for the rest of the evening......Matt Strassheim passed 9 cars from his 15th place starting spot to finish the Late Model feature in 6th....Tom Bowling Jr came from 12th to finish in 7th....Lonnie Bailey, who was leading heat race 3 but pulled off with troubles, had to start the feature in 24th. He would pass 15 cars in the 25 lap event to take home a 9th place finish....Justin Reed came from his 23rd starting spot to pass 12 cars in finishing 11th....Jason Cook started 19th and finished in 13th, in only his 3rd Late Model start of his career....Doug Yates made the pull down to 34 pay off, as he started 25th in the feature and passed 10 cars to finish in 15th....Travis Smock came from 22nd to finish in 17th....Mark Burgtorf started 26th, after troubles in the heat, and had worked his way to 13th before pulling off mid race to finish in 19th....Matt Bailey challenged for the lead early, but would pull off early to end his run in 20th....Rob Toland was credited with 21st after his lap 8 tangle....Keith Pratt was leading early and would have troubles to end his night in 22nd......I would also like to thank Jason Goble, who opened up an empty both for fellow Positively Racing writers, Jeff Broeg and Ryan Clark, to get in out of the weather.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Quincy Raceways Produces Another Career First Deery Series Win in Matt Bailey
Quincy, IL (Sunday, April 10, 2011) - Despite mother natures attempt, with lighting and rains all around the raceway, Quincy Raceways was able to get in there Sunday night program featuring the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models. Another career first Deery Brothers Summer Series winner was produced when the checkers fell at the end of the 40 lap IMCA Late Model main event.
The evening started out with 35 IMCA Late Models signing in to battle for the $2,000 top prize. Four heat races, with the top 3 transferring to the A Main, followed by 2 B Mains, with the top 4 going into the A Main, would help set 20 of the 24 car field. The final 4 cars were added with the driver passing the most cars in the heats and B Mains combined, followed by 3 series provisionals for the highest in points that didn't make it in the A Main through the heats and B Mains.
Up first on the night was the 25 lap UMP Modified feature, with David Wietholder and Shawn Deering drawing the front row for the event. Wietholder would take advantage of his front row start to jump into the lead on lap 1, with Deering and Michael Long battling for second. The first caution of the event would appear on the completion of lap 1, as Trent Grotz and Steven DeLonjay collied in turn 4. On the restart, Wietholder moved back into the lead, with Long and Jared Schlipman, who started 5th, battling for the runner up spot. The action up front was slowed again on lap 4, as a tire was thrown onto the raceway in turn 2. Wietholder again grabbed the lead on the restart and was working to hold off Schlipman, when another caution appeared on lap 7. Deering and Patrick Phillips would make contact, with both spinning to a stop in turn 1.
On the restart Wietholder again grabbed the lead, with Schlipman close behind in second. Schlipman would slip under Wietholder coming off turn 4 on lap 8 to take over the top spot and then started to pull away from the field. But another caution on lap 11, for Robbie Reed who spun in turn 4, would slow Schlipman's pace. Schlipman moved back out into the lead for the restart, only to be slowed 1 lap later for another caution. This time Phillips would spin his machine in turn 4. On the restart Todd Reed, Jake Griffin, Grotz and Phillips would collide in turn 4 to bring the caution back out. Schlipman again grabbed the lead on the restart, but once again was slowed 1 lap later as Joe Kindhart spun in turn 4. With that caution the time limit was up for the event, so the next yellow or the checkers would put an end to the event. On the restart Schlipman jumped into the lead and then started to pull away from the battle for second between Wietholder, Vance Wilson, Tony Dunker and DeLonjay, who battled back to the front after his lap 1 crash. The final caution, which meant the race was over, appeared on lap 18 when Deering got into Long for the battle for 6th with Long spinning to a stop in turn 4. Schlipman was declared the winner, his first of 2011. Wietholder won the battle for 2nd, Wilson was 3rd, Dunker 4th in his first appearance of 2011 at Quincy, with DeLonjay coming home in 5th.
Bobby Anders and Jake Powers led the field to the drop of the green in the 20 lap Hobby Stock feature, with Anders jumping out front on lap 1. Anders started to put some distance between himself and the second place car, when the first of 2 cautions appeared on lap 10. Jim Powell would spin in turn 4. Then Tanner Klingele, who was running 4th, would spin in turn 4 on the restart to bring the final caution out. On the restart Anders again moved out into the lead, with Wesley Mayfield close behind in second. Mayfield would stay close to Anders over the final 10 laps, but Anders was to much as he claimed his second win in a row at the raceway. Nathan Anders came from 6th to finish in 3rd, Brandon Symmonds started 11th and passed 7 cars to finish in 4th, with Steve Carlin rounding out the top 5.
With heavy lighting south of the raceway the 40 lap IMCA Late Model feature came out with the decision to scratch the 4 wide salute to the fans and go right to racing. Mark Burgtorf and Andy Eckrich drew the front row for the event, with Burgtorf grabbing the lead on the drop of the green. Tyler Bruening, who started in 3rd, moved up to challenge Burgtorf early in the event. The battle for the lead was only slowed once, as Jason Frankel, who started 16th and worked his way to 12th, slowed to a stop on the backstretch on lap 10. He would drop a drive shaft on the front stretch to end his night early. On the restart Burgtorf again moved out into the lead, but now had Matt Bailey close behind in second. Bailey would slip under Burgtorf coming off 4 on lap 12 to take over the top spot. He would lead the final 28 laps to claim his career first Deery Brothers Summer Series win. Burgtorf held on for 2nd, Terry Neal came from 13th to pass Justin Reed on the final lap to finish in 3rd, Reed was 4th, with Bruening holding on for fifth.
Matt Bailey celebrates with his family and crew after picking up his first ever Deery Brothers IMCA Late Model Series Feature Win at Quincy Raceways on Sunday April 10, 2011. Photo by Hulett Photography.
Andrew Griffin and Terry Houston led the field to the green in the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Griffin grabbing the lead on lap 1. Aaron Brocksieck, who started 5th, quickly moved up to challenge Griffin for the lead. Coming off turn 2 Brocksieck would get under Griffin, with Griffin not giving an inch as the two got tangled up in turn 3 to bring out the caution. Griffin would have to pit with a right front flat, with Brocksieck going to the back. Jerry Jansen would inherit the lead on the restart, but the caution would come back out as Griffin jumped from last to first on the restart. Again Jansen would grabbed the lead on the restart, but couldn't hold back Houston who slipped under him on lap 5 to take over the top spot. Houston would then have to try to hold back Griffin and Brocksieck, who came from the back after there lap 3 collision. Griffin make the pass for the lead on lap 13, with Brocksieck following him into second. Coming off turn 4 for the white flag Brocksieck would get under Griffin, as the two entered into 1 and 2 side-by-side. Griffin would try the bottom grove pass of Brocksieck coming off 4 for the checkered, but Brocksieck was able to hold him off by inches at the line for his second win in a row. Houston held on for 3rd, Jansen was 4th, with Kevin Tomlinson coming home in 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Seth Woodruff and Casey Kendrick leading the field to the drop of the green. Kendrick would move out into the lead on lap 1, with Woodruff battling Todd Nelson, who started 5th, for second. Kendrick would lead all 12 laps, which ran caution free, to claim his first win of 2011 at the raceway. Nelson came home in 2nd, Craig Bangert started 6th and finished in 3rd, Woodruff was 4th, with Austin Uppinghouse rounding out the top 5.
Notes from Quincy: Jake Griffin started the Modified feature in 17th and was involved in the lap 12 crash, but that didn't slow the youngster down as he recovered to finish in 7th....Patrick Phillips was involved in a crash on lap 7 and then a solo spin on lap 12 to be sent to the back twice. But he would come back to take home a 8th place finish....Joe Kindhart spun on lap 13, but recovered to finish in 9th....Long was credited with 10, after Deering got into him on lap 18 while battling for 6th......Jim Powell came from the rear of the Hobby Stock feature, after spinning on lap 10, to finish in 7th....Adam Scott came from 12th to finish in 8th......Terry Neal picked up the hard charger award in the Late Model feature, as he started 13th and passed 10 cars to finish in 3rd....Jason Perry came from 15th and passed 8 cars to claim 7th....The "Ironman" of the Deery Series Darrel DeFrance passed 9 cars from his 17th place starting spot to come home in 8th....Colby Springsteen took a series points provisional and started 22nd. He would pass 6 cars to finish in 16th....Tommy Elston earned the passing provisional and started 21st. He would pass 3 cars to finish in 18th....Boone McLaughlin was another driver who took a points provisional and started 24th. He would pass 4 cars to finish in 20th....Todd Mahlstrom was the final points provisional and started 23rd. He would pull out of the event early to finish in 23rd.
The evening started out with 35 IMCA Late Models signing in to battle for the $2,000 top prize. Four heat races, with the top 3 transferring to the A Main, followed by 2 B Mains, with the top 4 going into the A Main, would help set 20 of the 24 car field. The final 4 cars were added with the driver passing the most cars in the heats and B Mains combined, followed by 3 series provisionals for the highest in points that didn't make it in the A Main through the heats and B Mains.
Up first on the night was the 25 lap UMP Modified feature, with David Wietholder and Shawn Deering drawing the front row for the event. Wietholder would take advantage of his front row start to jump into the lead on lap 1, with Deering and Michael Long battling for second. The first caution of the event would appear on the completion of lap 1, as Trent Grotz and Steven DeLonjay collied in turn 4. On the restart, Wietholder moved back into the lead, with Long and Jared Schlipman, who started 5th, battling for the runner up spot. The action up front was slowed again on lap 4, as a tire was thrown onto the raceway in turn 2. Wietholder again grabbed the lead on the restart and was working to hold off Schlipman, when another caution appeared on lap 7. Deering and Patrick Phillips would make contact, with both spinning to a stop in turn 1.
On the restart Wietholder again grabbed the lead, with Schlipman close behind in second. Schlipman would slip under Wietholder coming off turn 4 on lap 8 to take over the top spot and then started to pull away from the field. But another caution on lap 11, for Robbie Reed who spun in turn 4, would slow Schlipman's pace. Schlipman moved back out into the lead for the restart, only to be slowed 1 lap later for another caution. This time Phillips would spin his machine in turn 4. On the restart Todd Reed, Jake Griffin, Grotz and Phillips would collide in turn 4 to bring the caution back out. Schlipman again grabbed the lead on the restart, but once again was slowed 1 lap later as Joe Kindhart spun in turn 4. With that caution the time limit was up for the event, so the next yellow or the checkers would put an end to the event. On the restart Schlipman jumped into the lead and then started to pull away from the battle for second between Wietholder, Vance Wilson, Tony Dunker and DeLonjay, who battled back to the front after his lap 1 crash. The final caution, which meant the race was over, appeared on lap 18 when Deering got into Long for the battle for 6th with Long spinning to a stop in turn 4. Schlipman was declared the winner, his first of 2011. Wietholder won the battle for 2nd, Wilson was 3rd, Dunker 4th in his first appearance of 2011 at Quincy, with DeLonjay coming home in 5th.
Bobby Anders and Jake Powers led the field to the drop of the green in the 20 lap Hobby Stock feature, with Anders jumping out front on lap 1. Anders started to put some distance between himself and the second place car, when the first of 2 cautions appeared on lap 10. Jim Powell would spin in turn 4. Then Tanner Klingele, who was running 4th, would spin in turn 4 on the restart to bring the final caution out. On the restart Anders again moved out into the lead, with Wesley Mayfield close behind in second. Mayfield would stay close to Anders over the final 10 laps, but Anders was to much as he claimed his second win in a row at the raceway. Nathan Anders came from 6th to finish in 3rd, Brandon Symmonds started 11th and passed 7 cars to finish in 4th, with Steve Carlin rounding out the top 5.
With heavy lighting south of the raceway the 40 lap IMCA Late Model feature came out with the decision to scratch the 4 wide salute to the fans and go right to racing. Mark Burgtorf and Andy Eckrich drew the front row for the event, with Burgtorf grabbing the lead on the drop of the green. Tyler Bruening, who started in 3rd, moved up to challenge Burgtorf early in the event. The battle for the lead was only slowed once, as Jason Frankel, who started 16th and worked his way to 12th, slowed to a stop on the backstretch on lap 10. He would drop a drive shaft on the front stretch to end his night early. On the restart Burgtorf again moved out into the lead, but now had Matt Bailey close behind in second. Bailey would slip under Burgtorf coming off 4 on lap 12 to take over the top spot. He would lead the final 28 laps to claim his career first Deery Brothers Summer Series win. Burgtorf held on for 2nd, Terry Neal came from 13th to pass Justin Reed on the final lap to finish in 3rd, Reed was 4th, with Bruening holding on for fifth.
Matt Bailey celebrates with his family and crew after picking up his first ever Deery Brothers IMCA Late Model Series Feature Win at Quincy Raceways on Sunday April 10, 2011. Photo by Hulett Photography.
Andrew Griffin and Terry Houston led the field to the green in the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Griffin grabbing the lead on lap 1. Aaron Brocksieck, who started 5th, quickly moved up to challenge Griffin for the lead. Coming off turn 2 Brocksieck would get under Griffin, with Griffin not giving an inch as the two got tangled up in turn 3 to bring out the caution. Griffin would have to pit with a right front flat, with Brocksieck going to the back. Jerry Jansen would inherit the lead on the restart, but the caution would come back out as Griffin jumped from last to first on the restart. Again Jansen would grabbed the lead on the restart, but couldn't hold back Houston who slipped under him on lap 5 to take over the top spot. Houston would then have to try to hold back Griffin and Brocksieck, who came from the back after there lap 3 collision. Griffin make the pass for the lead on lap 13, with Brocksieck following him into second. Coming off turn 4 for the white flag Brocksieck would get under Griffin, as the two entered into 1 and 2 side-by-side. Griffin would try the bottom grove pass of Brocksieck coming off 4 for the checkered, but Brocksieck was able to hold him off by inches at the line for his second win in a row. Houston held on for 3rd, Jansen was 4th, with Kevin Tomlinson coming home in 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Seth Woodruff and Casey Kendrick leading the field to the drop of the green. Kendrick would move out into the lead on lap 1, with Woodruff battling Todd Nelson, who started 5th, for second. Kendrick would lead all 12 laps, which ran caution free, to claim his first win of 2011 at the raceway. Nelson came home in 2nd, Craig Bangert started 6th and finished in 3rd, Woodruff was 4th, with Austin Uppinghouse rounding out the top 5.
Notes from Quincy: Jake Griffin started the Modified feature in 17th and was involved in the lap 12 crash, but that didn't slow the youngster down as he recovered to finish in 7th....Patrick Phillips was involved in a crash on lap 7 and then a solo spin on lap 12 to be sent to the back twice. But he would come back to take home a 8th place finish....Joe Kindhart spun on lap 13, but recovered to finish in 9th....Long was credited with 10, after Deering got into him on lap 18 while battling for 6th......Jim Powell came from the rear of the Hobby Stock feature, after spinning on lap 10, to finish in 7th....Adam Scott came from 12th to finish in 8th......Terry Neal picked up the hard charger award in the Late Model feature, as he started 13th and passed 10 cars to finish in 3rd....Jason Perry came from 15th and passed 8 cars to claim 7th....The "Ironman" of the Deery Series Darrel DeFrance passed 9 cars from his 17th place starting spot to come home in 8th....Colby Springsteen took a series points provisional and started 22nd. He would pass 6 cars to finish in 16th....Tommy Elston earned the passing provisional and started 21st. He would pass 3 cars to finish in 18th....Boone McLaughlin was another driver who took a points provisional and started 24th. He would pass 4 cars to finish in 20th....Todd Mahlstrom was the final points provisional and started 23rd. He would pull out of the event early to finish in 23rd.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Ryan Claims Career First Deery Win During "Slocum 50"
Burlington, IA (Saturday, April 9, 2011) - WOW!!! Couldn't have asked for better weather for the 3rd Annual "Slocum 50", featuring the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models. A huge crowd came out to pay tribute to the late Brent Slocum, on a night with mid 70's temperatures.
Forty-seven IMCA Late Models signed in, with hopes of taking home the $3,000 top prize. The top 3 in each of the five heats would transfer into the A Main, with the top 3 in each of the two B Mains also moving into the A Main. Then two series provisionals for the highest in 2011 points who didn't make into the A Main through the heats and B Mains would be added. The final spot was giving to the driver who passed the most cars during the heats and B Mains combined, to make up the twenty-four starting field.
The first feature of the night was the 25 lap 305 Sprints, with Bobby Mincer and Justin Parrish drawing the front row. Parrish would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green over Mincer and Matt Krieger. The first caution of the event would appear on lap 14, when Kenneth Bragg spun off of turn 2. Parrish had built up a half a track lead over the battle for second between Mincer and Krieger. On the restart the red flag was displayed as Krieger, who was running 3rd, got sideways in turn one and was hit by Alan Ambers, who was running 6th. Causing both cars to roll off the speedway in turn 2. Both drivers climbed from there machines ok. Another red flag appeared on the restart, as Nick Guernsey got high in turn 1 and rolled off turn 2. Parrish jumped back out front on the restart, with Mincer and Jayson Ditsworth, who started 10th, close behind in 2nd and 3rd. Ditsworth would clear Mincer for 2nd on lap 18 and then went to work on Parrish for the lead. Parrish was able to hold back Ditsworth until lap 22, when he drifted to high coming off 2 allowing Ditsworth to slip under for the top spot. Ditsworth then pulled away over the final 3 laps to claim the win. Parrish held on for 2nd, Mincer was 3rd, Chad Huston was 4th, with Justin Newberry coming from 9th to round out the top 5.
Wayne Noble and Kenny Foor led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 15 lap 4 Cylinder feature, with Noble moving out front on the drop of the green. The first of two cautions of the event would come out on lap 2, for debris in turn 1. On the restart Noble jumped back into the lead and started to pull away, when he was slowed for the final time on lap 5. Mike Hornung would get into the side of Jason Delzell, with both spinning to a stop in turn 2. Once again Noble moved into the lead on the restart, but now had Nick Wilkerson, who started 10th, and Darin Smith, who started 9th, close behind in second. Noble, who was running the high side, Wilkerson, was running the middle, and Smith, down low, would run several laps three wide for the lead. On the final lap Wilkerson would slid under Noble going into turn 3 and then edged out Noble at the line to pick up the win. Smith settled for 3rd, Brad Chandler started 11th and came home in 4th, with Jacob Darbyshire coming home in 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 50 lap "Slocum 50" for the IMCA Late Models. Denny Woodworth and Billy Tuckwell drew the front row to lead the field to the drop of the green flag. Woodworth would grab the lead on lap 1 over Tuckwell, Todd Mahlstrom and Rob Toland. Toland worked the bottom of the speedway to perfection, as he slid under Woodworth on lap 6 to grab the top spot. The field was slowed for the first time on lap 7, as Dan Shelliam spun down the backstretch. On the restart Toland moved back out into the lead, with Woodworth and Boone McLaughlin, who started 6th, battling it out for second. Toland would hold the lead until lap 10, when he suddenly did a 360 spin in turn 2, giving the lead back to Woodworth. A caution on lap 11 for Terry Neal, who started 14th and was up to 10th, spun to a stop in turn 2. Meanwhile Toland excited to the pits to change a left rear flat, which may have been the cause of his 360 spin a lap earlier. Woodworth again jumped into the lead on the restart, leaving McLaughlin and Ray Guss Jr., who started 10th, battling for the running up spot. Just as Woodworth started to pull away from the field, another caution appeared on lap 15. Brian Harris, who started 11th, got into the left rear of Guss Jr., as the two where battling for 3rd, causing Harris to spin to a stop in turn 2. On the yellow, Guss Jr. went to the pits to change the left rear flat from the contact from Harris.
On the restart Woodworth once again grabbed the lead, with McLaughlin and Matt Ryan, who started 7th, battling it out for 2nd. Woodworth's lead was erased on lap 18, as Keith Pratt, who started 18th and had work his way up to 7th, slowed to a stop off of turn 2 to bring caution to the speedway. Once again Woodworth moved into the lead on the restart, with McLaughlin trying to hold back Ryan for 2nd. Woodworth had built up a straight away lead over McLaughlin over the next 13 laps, when the final caution of the event came out on lap 31. Toland, who had come from the rear after his lap 11 flat to get back to 6th, slowed to a stop in turn 2. On the restart Woodworth jumped back out into the lead, with Ryan getting by McLaughlin for 2nd. Woodworth looked to be heading for victory when disaster struck him on lap 34, when he excited the track in turn 2 with a right rear flat. Ryan would inherit the lead, with McLaughlin close behind in 2nd. Ryan, was working the bottom of the speedway, with McLaughlin, working the top, as the two battled side-by-side for the lead. McLaughlin would try a last lap pass of Ryan coming off turn four, but would come up a half a car length short. Ryan would claim his first career Deery Brothers Summer Series win and the $3,000 top prize. Mark Burgtorf charged from 22nd to finish in 3rd, Neal recovered from his lap 11 spin to come back to finish 4th, with Tom Darbyshire taking a provisional and passing 18 cars to round out the top 5.
Notes from 34: 47 Late Models, 26 4 Cylinders and 17 305 Sprints made up the 90 cars signed in to battle in front of the huge crowd......Brian Harris, who started 10th, made a last lap pass of Keith Pratt to take the final transfer spot in heat 1...Tom Goble came from 7th to grab the final transfer spot in heat 2....Justin Reed came from 6th to hold off Colby Springsteen, who started 7th, for the final transfer spot in heat 3....Ray Guss Jr came from 6th to win heat 5....Jason Cook held off Jeff Aikey to take the final transfer spot in heat 5, to make his first career Deery Brothers Summer Series start....Matt Bailey held off a charge from Mark Burgtorf, who started 12th, to get the final transfer spot in B Main 1....Joey Gower held off Matt Strassheim for the final transfer spot in B Main 2. But was disqualified in tech to give Strassheim the transfer spot....Burgtorf would get the most cars passed provisional and started 22nd in the A Main. He would pass 19 cars to claim 3rd and the hard charger of the race....Terry Neal, who started 14th, recovered from his lap 11 spin to come back to finish in 4th....Tom Darbyshire took a series provisional and started 23rd, he would pass 18 cars to come home in 5th....Strassheim came from 21st and passed 15 cars to come home in 6th....Colby Springsteen started 16th and passed 9 cars to finish in 7th....Tyler Bruening also took a series provisional and started 24th. He would pass 16 cars to take home an 8th place finish....Jason Cook would finish in 10th in his first career Deery Summer Series A Main start....Denny Woodowrth, who dominated much of the race, was credited with 11th....Brian Harris had worked his way back to 5th after a lap 15 spin, but excited on lap 33 to finish in 13th....Any Eckrich was running 6th and also excited to the speedway on lap 33 to end the night in 14th....Toland was credited with 14th, after his flat on lap 11 and then move back up to 6th before his troubles on lap 31....Tom Goble, who started 12th, had worked his way to 3rd when he pulled off on the lap 18 yellow to be credited with 21st......Tony Davis started the 305 Sprint in 13th and passed 7 cars to finish in 6th....Daniel Bergquist came from 14th to also pass 7 cars to finish in 7th....John Draper passed 8 cars from his 16th starting spot to come home in 8th....Defending track champion Kevin Hetrick struggled on the night and came home in 10th....Jason Gingerich started 17th and passed 6 cars to finish 11th in his first 305 Sprint Car start......Nathan Chandler passed 8 cars from his 14th starting spot in the 4 Cylinder feature to come home in 6th....Todd Nelson, who owns the Late Model of Mark Burgtorf, started the feature in 13th and passed 5 cars to finish in 8th....Gabe Schrader came from 18th to pass 9 cars to take home a 9th place finish....CJ Loring came from 15th to round out the top 10....Mike Hornung recover the the lap 5 spin to finish in 15th....David Helenthal started 26th and passed 8 cars to come home in 18th.
Forty-seven IMCA Late Models signed in, with hopes of taking home the $3,000 top prize. The top 3 in each of the five heats would transfer into the A Main, with the top 3 in each of the two B Mains also moving into the A Main. Then two series provisionals for the highest in 2011 points who didn't make into the A Main through the heats and B Mains would be added. The final spot was giving to the driver who passed the most cars during the heats and B Mains combined, to make up the twenty-four starting field.
The first feature of the night was the 25 lap 305 Sprints, with Bobby Mincer and Justin Parrish drawing the front row. Parrish would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green over Mincer and Matt Krieger. The first caution of the event would appear on lap 14, when Kenneth Bragg spun off of turn 2. Parrish had built up a half a track lead over the battle for second between Mincer and Krieger. On the restart the red flag was displayed as Krieger, who was running 3rd, got sideways in turn one and was hit by Alan Ambers, who was running 6th. Causing both cars to roll off the speedway in turn 2. Both drivers climbed from there machines ok. Another red flag appeared on the restart, as Nick Guernsey got high in turn 1 and rolled off turn 2. Parrish jumped back out front on the restart, with Mincer and Jayson Ditsworth, who started 10th, close behind in 2nd and 3rd. Ditsworth would clear Mincer for 2nd on lap 18 and then went to work on Parrish for the lead. Parrish was able to hold back Ditsworth until lap 22, when he drifted to high coming off 2 allowing Ditsworth to slip under for the top spot. Ditsworth then pulled away over the final 3 laps to claim the win. Parrish held on for 2nd, Mincer was 3rd, Chad Huston was 4th, with Justin Newberry coming from 9th to round out the top 5.
Wayne Noble and Kenny Foor led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 15 lap 4 Cylinder feature, with Noble moving out front on the drop of the green. The first of two cautions of the event would come out on lap 2, for debris in turn 1. On the restart Noble jumped back into the lead and started to pull away, when he was slowed for the final time on lap 5. Mike Hornung would get into the side of Jason Delzell, with both spinning to a stop in turn 2. Once again Noble moved into the lead on the restart, but now had Nick Wilkerson, who started 10th, and Darin Smith, who started 9th, close behind in second. Noble, who was running the high side, Wilkerson, was running the middle, and Smith, down low, would run several laps three wide for the lead. On the final lap Wilkerson would slid under Noble going into turn 3 and then edged out Noble at the line to pick up the win. Smith settled for 3rd, Brad Chandler started 11th and came home in 4th, with Jacob Darbyshire coming home in 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 50 lap "Slocum 50" for the IMCA Late Models. Denny Woodworth and Billy Tuckwell drew the front row to lead the field to the drop of the green flag. Woodworth would grab the lead on lap 1 over Tuckwell, Todd Mahlstrom and Rob Toland. Toland worked the bottom of the speedway to perfection, as he slid under Woodworth on lap 6 to grab the top spot. The field was slowed for the first time on lap 7, as Dan Shelliam spun down the backstretch. On the restart Toland moved back out into the lead, with Woodworth and Boone McLaughlin, who started 6th, battling it out for second. Toland would hold the lead until lap 10, when he suddenly did a 360 spin in turn 2, giving the lead back to Woodworth. A caution on lap 11 for Terry Neal, who started 14th and was up to 10th, spun to a stop in turn 2. Meanwhile Toland excited to the pits to change a left rear flat, which may have been the cause of his 360 spin a lap earlier. Woodworth again jumped into the lead on the restart, leaving McLaughlin and Ray Guss Jr., who started 10th, battling for the running up spot. Just as Woodworth started to pull away from the field, another caution appeared on lap 15. Brian Harris, who started 11th, got into the left rear of Guss Jr., as the two where battling for 3rd, causing Harris to spin to a stop in turn 2. On the yellow, Guss Jr. went to the pits to change the left rear flat from the contact from Harris.
On the restart Woodworth once again grabbed the lead, with McLaughlin and Matt Ryan, who started 7th, battling it out for 2nd. Woodworth's lead was erased on lap 18, as Keith Pratt, who started 18th and had work his way up to 7th, slowed to a stop off of turn 2 to bring caution to the speedway. Once again Woodworth moved into the lead on the restart, with McLaughlin trying to hold back Ryan for 2nd. Woodworth had built up a straight away lead over McLaughlin over the next 13 laps, when the final caution of the event came out on lap 31. Toland, who had come from the rear after his lap 11 flat to get back to 6th, slowed to a stop in turn 2. On the restart Woodworth jumped back out into the lead, with Ryan getting by McLaughlin for 2nd. Woodworth looked to be heading for victory when disaster struck him on lap 34, when he excited the track in turn 2 with a right rear flat. Ryan would inherit the lead, with McLaughlin close behind in 2nd. Ryan, was working the bottom of the speedway, with McLaughlin, working the top, as the two battled side-by-side for the lead. McLaughlin would try a last lap pass of Ryan coming off turn four, but would come up a half a car length short. Ryan would claim his first career Deery Brothers Summer Series win and the $3,000 top prize. Mark Burgtorf charged from 22nd to finish in 3rd, Neal recovered from his lap 11 spin to come back to finish 4th, with Tom Darbyshire taking a provisional and passing 18 cars to round out the top 5.
Notes from 34: 47 Late Models, 26 4 Cylinders and 17 305 Sprints made up the 90 cars signed in to battle in front of the huge crowd......Brian Harris, who started 10th, made a last lap pass of Keith Pratt to take the final transfer spot in heat 1...Tom Goble came from 7th to grab the final transfer spot in heat 2....Justin Reed came from 6th to hold off Colby Springsteen, who started 7th, for the final transfer spot in heat 3....Ray Guss Jr came from 6th to win heat 5....Jason Cook held off Jeff Aikey to take the final transfer spot in heat 5, to make his first career Deery Brothers Summer Series start....Matt Bailey held off a charge from Mark Burgtorf, who started 12th, to get the final transfer spot in B Main 1....Joey Gower held off Matt Strassheim for the final transfer spot in B Main 2. But was disqualified in tech to give Strassheim the transfer spot....Burgtorf would get the most cars passed provisional and started 22nd in the A Main. He would pass 19 cars to claim 3rd and the hard charger of the race....Terry Neal, who started 14th, recovered from his lap 11 spin to come back to finish in 4th....Tom Darbyshire took a series provisional and started 23rd, he would pass 18 cars to come home in 5th....Strassheim came from 21st and passed 15 cars to come home in 6th....Colby Springsteen started 16th and passed 9 cars to finish in 7th....Tyler Bruening also took a series provisional and started 24th. He would pass 16 cars to take home an 8th place finish....Jason Cook would finish in 10th in his first career Deery Summer Series A Main start....Denny Woodowrth, who dominated much of the race, was credited with 11th....Brian Harris had worked his way back to 5th after a lap 15 spin, but excited on lap 33 to finish in 13th....Any Eckrich was running 6th and also excited to the speedway on lap 33 to end the night in 14th....Toland was credited with 14th, after his flat on lap 11 and then move back up to 6th before his troubles on lap 31....Tom Goble, who started 12th, had worked his way to 3rd when he pulled off on the lap 18 yellow to be credited with 21st......Tony Davis started the 305 Sprint in 13th and passed 7 cars to finish in 6th....Daniel Bergquist came from 14th to also pass 7 cars to finish in 7th....John Draper passed 8 cars from his 16th starting spot to come home in 8th....Defending track champion Kevin Hetrick struggled on the night and came home in 10th....Jason Gingerich started 17th and passed 6 cars to finish 11th in his first 305 Sprint Car start......Nathan Chandler passed 8 cars from his 14th starting spot in the 4 Cylinder feature to come home in 6th....Todd Nelson, who owns the Late Model of Mark Burgtorf, started the feature in 13th and passed 5 cars to finish in 8th....Gabe Schrader came from 18th to pass 9 cars to take home a 9th place finish....CJ Loring came from 15th to round out the top 10....Mike Hornung recover the the lap 5 spin to finish in 15th....David Helenthal started 26th and passed 8 cars to come home in 18th.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Harris Dominates Deery Series Opener at Dubuque
Dubuque, IA (Saturday, April 2, 2011) - Finally after five months, the 2011 racing season in the midwest went into full swing. What started out to be a very poor forecast for the weekend, turned out to be a great weekend to kick off the racing season. On Saturday the Dubuque Speedway in Dubuque, Iowa played host to the season opener for the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models.
Forty-three IMCA Late Models signed in, in hopes of taking home the $2,000 top prize. After five heat races (with the top three cars transferring into the A Main, with the top 2 redrawing), two B Mains (with the top three making into the A Main) and three provisionals the field was set for the 50 lap A Main.
But before that took place the 15 lap Stock Car feature took to the track first, with David Brandies and Joe Bonney drawing the front row for the event. On the drop of the green flag Duane Smith slowed coming off of four, with Jason Brimeyer running into the back of him to bring out the caution. Brandies jumped out into the lead on the restart, with Bonney, Mitch Schmitz and Timmy Current, who started 9th, battling it out three wide for second. But Jeremy Gustaf would spin in 4, with Austin Heacock spinning to avoid him to bring the caution back out. Once again Brandies jumped into the lead on the restart, only to be slowed on lap 2, for Heacock who spun off of turn 4. On the restart Terry Rittmer, who started 8th, slipped under Brandies to grab the top spot away. After the completion of lap 3, Kerry Dake spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out. Rittmer again moved out into the lead on the restart, but was slowed one lap later as Bonney stopped in turn 4 with troubles.
On the restart, Rittmer grabbed the lead and then had to work to hold off Current, who started 9th. The battle up front would be slowed again on lap 5, as Gustaf spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Once again Rittmer had to work to hold off Current on the restart. But another caution on lap 8 for Ethan Milder who spun in turn 2 would slow the field. One lap later Dake would spin in turn 2 for his second solo to end his night. On the restart Milder dropped a drive shaft down the front stretch to bring the yellow out for the final time. Rittmer again worked to hold off Current on the restart. Coming out of turn four for the checkered, Current was able to get under Rittmer. But Rittmer was able to hold back Current at the line by inches to pick up the win. Rob Henry came from 13th to finish in 3rd, Schmitz was 4th, with K.C. Ansel coming from 10th to round out the top 5.
Lenny Ollendick and Chris Powers led the field to the green in the 12 lap Sport Compact feature, with Ollendick grabbing the lead. His lead would only last for 1 lap, as Trevor Bookman slipped by to grab the top spot away on lap 2. John Flury, who started 6th, would slip past Bookman on lap 4 to grab the lead. But Bookman took the lead back on lap 5. The first caution would come out on lap 6, as Ollendick spun off of turn 4. On the restart, Flury tried to get under Bookman coming out of turn four. But made contact with the left rear of Bookman, causing the right front tire to be cut and giving Bookman a left rear flat. The yellow light would appear on the restart, as debris was left on the track in turn 4. Bryce Garnhardt inherited the lead over Gabe Schroeder and Steve Niedke on the restart. One final caution in the event would appear on lap 9, as Powers spun in turn 2. On the restart B. Garnhardt would hold off a last lap charge from Flury, who restarted in 12th on lap 6, to claim the win. But after going thru tech he was found to have an illegal aftermarket header and was disqualified, giving the win to Flury. Schroeder was moved to 2nd, after starting in 10th, Niedke was credited with 3rd, Jacob Ellithrope came from 8th to get 4th, with Derek McBee coming home in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 50 lap IMCA Late Models, with Tom Darbyshire and Colby Springsteen drawing the front row for the event. Darbyshire would jump out into the lead on the drop of the green flag, as Darrel DeFrance and Brian Harris battled for the second spot. Harris slipped under Darbyshire on lap 3 to take over the top spot. Once out front, Harris set a fast pace and was pulling away from the field. He would approach lap traffic on lap 14, but that didn't slow him down. While Harris was lapping cars, Andy Eckrich, who started 15th, was working his way towards the front. Eckrich would slip into 2nd on lap 30 and then went to work on cutting into Harris' lead. The one and only caution of the race would appear on lap 42, as Ray Guss Jr. slowed in turn 3 with a left rear flat. On the restart, Harris moved back into the lead, with Eckrich close behind in second. Eckrich would try Harris on the bottom over the final 8 laps, but couldn't make the pass as Harris held on for the win. Darbydhire came home in 3rd, Tyler Bruening started 8th and came gome in 4th, with Terry Neal rounding out the top 5.
Notes from Dubuque: Mike Murphy Jr. came from 5th in heat 2 and raced his way to a 2nd place finish. But found to be illegal in tech and was disqualified, moving Mark Burgtorf into the redraw spot and Todd Mahlstrom into the A Main in 3rd....Heat race 5 had the defending series champion Ray Guss Jr. starting in 7th. He would hit the tire in turn two to bring out the caution. Alot of front end damage was done to the car. But the crew got it fixed to take a provisional and start the feature in 23rd....B Main 1 had Murphy Jr. starting from the rear, 14th. But he would jump to the top of the speedway to work his way to the final transfer spot by the checkers....Matt Ryan started B Main 2 in the third spot and was battling for the lead when he jumped a restart with 3 laps to go, penalizing him 2 spots. He never recovered to finish in 6th....B Main 2 had Billy Tuckwell in the 90x starting in 13th. He would pass 8 cars by the end of the race to finish in 5th. But he was giving the provisional to the driver who passes the most cars in the heat and B Mains combined....The other series provisional went to Jay Johnson....Rob Toland started the A Main in 11th and would come home in 7th....Jason Perry came from 16th to finish in 8th....Murphy Jr. passed 9 cars from his 20th place starting spot to finish in 11th....Ray Guss Jr. came from 23rd and a flat tire on lap 42 to finish in 14th....Matt Strassheim was the final car to get in by finishing 3rd in B Main 2. He would start 21st in the A Main and passed 6 cars to come in 15th.....Harris , who started lapping cars by lap 14, had put 13 cars a lap down by the lap 42 caution.... My only question on the night was if the support classes had a time limit on thier feature events, as the 15 lap Stock Car feature took about 35 minutes to run. The crowd kept yelling throw the checkered as, yellow, after yellow, after yellow kept coming out with 7 cars left on the track with only 9 laps down.
Forty-three IMCA Late Models signed in, in hopes of taking home the $2,000 top prize. After five heat races (with the top three cars transferring into the A Main, with the top 2 redrawing), two B Mains (with the top three making into the A Main) and three provisionals the field was set for the 50 lap A Main.
But before that took place the 15 lap Stock Car feature took to the track first, with David Brandies and Joe Bonney drawing the front row for the event. On the drop of the green flag Duane Smith slowed coming off of four, with Jason Brimeyer running into the back of him to bring out the caution. Brandies jumped out into the lead on the restart, with Bonney, Mitch Schmitz and Timmy Current, who started 9th, battling it out three wide for second. But Jeremy Gustaf would spin in 4, with Austin Heacock spinning to avoid him to bring the caution back out. Once again Brandies jumped into the lead on the restart, only to be slowed on lap 2, for Heacock who spun off of turn 4. On the restart Terry Rittmer, who started 8th, slipped under Brandies to grab the top spot away. After the completion of lap 3, Kerry Dake spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out. Rittmer again moved out into the lead on the restart, but was slowed one lap later as Bonney stopped in turn 4 with troubles.
On the restart, Rittmer grabbed the lead and then had to work to hold off Current, who started 9th. The battle up front would be slowed again on lap 5, as Gustaf spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Once again Rittmer had to work to hold off Current on the restart. But another caution on lap 8 for Ethan Milder who spun in turn 2 would slow the field. One lap later Dake would spin in turn 2 for his second solo to end his night. On the restart Milder dropped a drive shaft down the front stretch to bring the yellow out for the final time. Rittmer again worked to hold off Current on the restart. Coming out of turn four for the checkered, Current was able to get under Rittmer. But Rittmer was able to hold back Current at the line by inches to pick up the win. Rob Henry came from 13th to finish in 3rd, Schmitz was 4th, with K.C. Ansel coming from 10th to round out the top 5.
Lenny Ollendick and Chris Powers led the field to the green in the 12 lap Sport Compact feature, with Ollendick grabbing the lead. His lead would only last for 1 lap, as Trevor Bookman slipped by to grab the top spot away on lap 2. John Flury, who started 6th, would slip past Bookman on lap 4 to grab the lead. But Bookman took the lead back on lap 5. The first caution would come out on lap 6, as Ollendick spun off of turn 4. On the restart, Flury tried to get under Bookman coming out of turn four. But made contact with the left rear of Bookman, causing the right front tire to be cut and giving Bookman a left rear flat. The yellow light would appear on the restart, as debris was left on the track in turn 4. Bryce Garnhardt inherited the lead over Gabe Schroeder and Steve Niedke on the restart. One final caution in the event would appear on lap 9, as Powers spun in turn 2. On the restart B. Garnhardt would hold off a last lap charge from Flury, who restarted in 12th on lap 6, to claim the win. But after going thru tech he was found to have an illegal aftermarket header and was disqualified, giving the win to Flury. Schroeder was moved to 2nd, after starting in 10th, Niedke was credited with 3rd, Jacob Ellithrope came from 8th to get 4th, with Derek McBee coming home in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 50 lap IMCA Late Models, with Tom Darbyshire and Colby Springsteen drawing the front row for the event. Darbyshire would jump out into the lead on the drop of the green flag, as Darrel DeFrance and Brian Harris battled for the second spot. Harris slipped under Darbyshire on lap 3 to take over the top spot. Once out front, Harris set a fast pace and was pulling away from the field. He would approach lap traffic on lap 14, but that didn't slow him down. While Harris was lapping cars, Andy Eckrich, who started 15th, was working his way towards the front. Eckrich would slip into 2nd on lap 30 and then went to work on cutting into Harris' lead. The one and only caution of the race would appear on lap 42, as Ray Guss Jr. slowed in turn 3 with a left rear flat. On the restart, Harris moved back into the lead, with Eckrich close behind in second. Eckrich would try Harris on the bottom over the final 8 laps, but couldn't make the pass as Harris held on for the win. Darbydhire came home in 3rd, Tyler Bruening started 8th and came gome in 4th, with Terry Neal rounding out the top 5.
Notes from Dubuque: Mike Murphy Jr. came from 5th in heat 2 and raced his way to a 2nd place finish. But found to be illegal in tech and was disqualified, moving Mark Burgtorf into the redraw spot and Todd Mahlstrom into the A Main in 3rd....Heat race 5 had the defending series champion Ray Guss Jr. starting in 7th. He would hit the tire in turn two to bring out the caution. Alot of front end damage was done to the car. But the crew got it fixed to take a provisional and start the feature in 23rd....B Main 1 had Murphy Jr. starting from the rear, 14th. But he would jump to the top of the speedway to work his way to the final transfer spot by the checkers....Matt Ryan started B Main 2 in the third spot and was battling for the lead when he jumped a restart with 3 laps to go, penalizing him 2 spots. He never recovered to finish in 6th....B Main 2 had Billy Tuckwell in the 90x starting in 13th. He would pass 8 cars by the end of the race to finish in 5th. But he was giving the provisional to the driver who passes the most cars in the heat and B Mains combined....The other series provisional went to Jay Johnson....Rob Toland started the A Main in 11th and would come home in 7th....Jason Perry came from 16th to finish in 8th....Murphy Jr. passed 9 cars from his 20th place starting spot to finish in 11th....Ray Guss Jr. came from 23rd and a flat tire on lap 42 to finish in 14th....Matt Strassheim was the final car to get in by finishing 3rd in B Main 2. He would start 21st in the A Main and passed 6 cars to come in 15th.....Harris , who started lapping cars by lap 14, had put 13 cars a lap down by the lap 42 caution.... My only question on the night was if the support classes had a time limit on thier feature events, as the 15 lap Stock Car feature took about 35 minutes to run. The crowd kept yelling throw the checkered as, yellow, after yellow, after yellow kept coming out with 7 cars left on the track with only 9 laps down.
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