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Guengerich, Roberts pick up first wins for 2011 season at 34
Raceway
Four points separate top six positions in late model point race.
By Dana Royer/34 Raceway
BURLINGTON, IA (August 13, 2011) -- I-Wirless/Danville Telecom and
Waterworks Car Wash Night at 34 Raceway brought out the fans to watch five
classes of cars take to the track as the 2011 point season nears its end.
Two drivers picked up their first wins at the track this season with Jeff
Guengerich, Washington, taking the win in the J & J Steel/Ideal Ready Mix
IMCA Late Model feature and Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington, taking the
checkered flag in the Miller Lite IMCA Modified feature event. Getting
repeat wins were Jeff Mueller, New London (stock cars), Jake Wenig,
Burlington (hobby stocks) and Scott Van Buskirk, Hedrick (sport mods).
Racing action was delayed for 30 minutes when a brief downpour just as heat
action wrapped up hit the track. The rain lasted just briefly but forced the
track crew to work the track in again to continue the nights action. The
cars then took to the track for a set of hot laps before the feature races
were started. The large crowd quickly returned to their seats and were
entertained with T-Shirts shot into the crowd, I-Wireless/Danville Telecom,
34 Raceway and Waterworks Car Wash prize giveaways.
Coming Up at 34 Raceway on Saturday, August 20 Holtkamps Trailer Repair
presents Sprint Invaders Night of the Twins. Night of the Twins is a fan
favorite at 34 Raceway where Sprint Invaders fans get to see twice the
sprint action with a twist. Following heat race action the first of two
sprint features will be run. The second sprint feature will add a twist when
the finishing order of the first feature is reversed for the starting line
up of the second feature. Also adding to the action will be the 4 Cylinders
and Mod Lites.
Bill Roberts, Jr, picked up his first Miller Lite Modified feature win
Saturday night topping the sixteen car field. Roberts took the lead from his
front row start and was challenged late in the race by Mike Weikert. Weikert
pulled to within a car lenth on the final lap but would be not be able to
catch Roberts who took the win by three car lengths in the flag to flag
race. With one more week of point race action remaining, Brandon Rothzen
holds a narrow ten point lead over Scott Hogan, 390 to 380. Dean McGee
follows with 377.
Jake Wenig took the lead from Mike Amanell on lap five of the fifteen lap
Pepsi Hobby Stock feature. With Wenig in the lead, Ray Raker was moving up.
Raker moved in to second on lap thirteen and was closing on Wenig. As the
two came out of turn four on the final lap, Wenig was heading for lap
traffic and Raker had a chance to take advantage. But Wenig made a quick
move to the inside to avoid getting held up and went on to get his third win
this year by just two car lengths. With one point race remaining, Wenig
holds a 22 point lead over Raker 329 to 307.
Scott Van Buskirk raced to his second Weikert Iron and Metal IMCA Sport Mod
feature this season at 34 Raceway. Van Buskirk went to the inside of Derek
Coleman on lap two following a caution and would pull away from the field to
win by several car lengths. In another tight point race, Jeff Mueller holds
a narrow 6 point lead over Rodger Dresden 190 to 184 with one more point
race remaining.
Jeff Mueller took the lead from John Brockway on lap two of the twenty lap
Mikes Auto Parts IMCA Stock Car feature. Mueller had developed a comfortable
lead until the only caution of the race came out on lap ten. The restart
allowed Jason Cook to close the gap and this time Mueller was not able to
pull away. The final lap brought the fans to their edge of the seats as the
two were side by side on the back stretch. But Mueller would hold his lead
and hold off Cooks challenge to get his fifth win this season. Can Mueller
get a double championship? He currently leads the points race in both the
IMCA Sport Mods and IMCA Stock Car division. Mueller holds a 14 point lead
over John Oliver in the stock car point battle and a narrow six point lead
over Rodger Dresden in the sport mod division. The final point race of the
season will be August 27 for stock cars and Sept. 3 for sport mods. Can he
do it!
Jeff Guengerich became the nineth driver in twelve races to win a late model
feature. Guengerich took the lead from his front row start as a battle for
second followed behind him. With Guengerich out in front, Joey Gower and Tom
Bowling, Jr. would exchange positions several times before Bowling would
slow coming out of turn one bringing out the first of two cautions. On the
restart, Matt Bailey surged past Gower to move into the second spot followed
by Matt Strassheim. With Guengerich working the top he continued to hold his
lead as Bailey worked the bottom, and went on to hold off Bailey for the
win. With just one more week of point race action remaining the late model
division championship is up for grabs. Just four points separates the top
six positions with Matt Bailey the current leader with 315 followed by
Dennis Woodworth, Joey Gower and Matt Strassheim all tied with 314 , Lonnie
Bailey has 312 and Keith Pratt 311.
34 Raceway results from Sat., August 13, 2011
J & J STEEL/IDEAL READY MIX IMCA LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Jeff Guengerich, Washington, 2. Matt Bailey, Quincy, Il., 3.
Joey Gower, Quincy, Il., 4. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun, 5. Lonnie Bailey,
Quincy, Il., 6. Keith Pratt, Mendon, Il., 7. Jason Perry, Payson, Il., 8.
Dennis Woodworth, Quincy, Il., 9. Sam Halstead, New London, 10. Ron Elbe,
Augusta, Il., 11. Tom Goble, Burlington, 12. Tom Bowling, Danville, 13. Ray
Raker, Danville. HEAT WINNERS: Guengerich, Gower.
MILLER LITE IMCA MODIFIED
FEATURE: 1. Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington, 2. Mike Weikert, Jr., Muscatine,
3. Dustin Crear, Mediapolis, 4. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Il., 5. Brandon
Rothzen, Raritan, Il., 6. Scott Hogan, Vinton, 7. Dean McGee, Galesburg,
Il., 8. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, 9. Wyatt Lantz, Augusta, Il., 10.
Dustan Fenton, Burlington, 11. Elmer Arnold, Sperry, 12. Chadwick Giberson,
Packwood, 13. Dusty Kraklio, Durant, 14. Chris Horn, Cedar Rapids, 15. Darin
Thye, Burlington, 16. Adam Birck, Canton, Mo. HEAT WINNERS: Waterman,
Weikert.
WEIKERT IRON AND METAL IMCA SPORT MODS
FEATURE: 1. Scott Van Buskirk, Hedrick, 2. Derek Coleman, New London, 3.
Chris Larson, Keokuk, 4. Jeff Mueller, New London, 5. M. Joe Bliven, Quincy,
Il., 6. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk, 7. Creston Williams, Atkins, 8. Dean Kratzer,
Fort Madison, 9. Tim Zeman, Muscatine, 10. Levi Smith, Donnellson, 11.
Nathan Murders, Burlington, 12. Jonny Williams, Atkins, 13. Rod Staats,
Columbus Junction, 4. Jacob Smith, Donnellson, 15. David Mathews, Danville.
HEAT WINNERS: Williams, Coleman.
MIKES AUTO PARTS IMCA STOCK CARS
FEATURE : 1. Jeff Mueller, New London, 2. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 3. Chris
Webb, Biggsville, Il., 4. Shane Watts, Burlington, 5. Brett Timmerman,
Wapello, 6. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, 7. John Brockway, Morning Sun, 8. Bo
Hunter, Burlington, 9. Joe Gerdes, Burlington, 10. Troy Greiner, Lockridge,
11. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 12. Corey Strothman, Mt. Union, 13. Travis
Hartman, Burlington. HEAT WINNERS: Cook, Watts.
PEPSI HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 2. Ray Raker, Danville, 3. Tanner
Thomann, West Burlington, 4. Dane Fenton, Burlington, 5. Victor Hastings,
Oquawka, Il., 6. Dugan Thye, Burlington, 7. Randy Wachter, Burlington, 8.
Mike Amenell, Burlington, 9. Dustan Fenton, Burlington, 10. Chuck Underwood,
Burlington, 11. Kent Rhum, Burlington, 2. Skyler Troutman, Danville, 13. Ed
Weyrick, Burlington, 14. Dan Wenig, Danville, 15. Jon Rooney, Donnellson,
16. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 17. Jim Lynch, Donnellson. HEAT WINNERS:
Wachter, Oliver.
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