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BRIAN FRANKS WINS BUDWEISER SPORTSMEN 50 THRILLER GRADY PICKS
UP FIRST MODIFIED WIN
by: Brad Grupe
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (July 7, 2006) - Brian Franks of Central City picked up his
first victory of the season in thrilling fashion Friday night, leading the
Budweiser Sportsman 50 from start to finish. However, getting to the finish was
the tough part.
The field was set after each car took two laps on time and the fast qualifier
Brian Franks drew a ‘2’ setting a two car invert.
After the green dropped and a couple early cautions Franks built a substantial
lead as Martin Ballard and Dave McCalla slugged it out for second. Kevin Lee
took advantage of the battle and slipped into second just past the halfway mark
of the race and set his sights on the leader Franks.
While Lee had cut into Franks lead, it appeared that Franks had the win tucked
away with four laps to go when an incident between the cars of Andy Duggan and
Gene Peterson brought out the yellow flag. That set up a four lap shootout that
saw Lee catch Franks on the final lap. Lee bumped Franks a little too hard
sending both cars spinning and bringing out the yellow flag once again.
Officials sent Lee to the rear and gave Franks the lead back rewinding the lap
counter for a green-white-checker finish.
Franks prevailed at the stripe, finishing ahead of Dave McCalla, Martin Ballard,
Ross Zumbach, and Joey King.
The Miller Time Modifieds staged an equally thrilling 25 lap feature as Scott
Grady picked up his first win since moving to the half-mile. Grady, who started
up front, watched a big lead evaporate as the laps ticked off and then held off
a determined Griffin McGrath for the win. McGrath finished a scant .299 second
behind Grady.
Arlo Becker made up some ground on current point leader Tim Plummer by finishing
third. Rodney Rocarek finished in fourth while Chad Willet crossed the stripe in
fifth. The point leader, Plummer, finished in sixth.
In other Papa Johns Cup/ I Wireless Championship action, Brad Dvorak picked up
his second win of the season in the Barron Motor Supply IMCA Stock Car division
edging Chad Siems by just .058 seconds. Siems led much of the race but Dvorak
worked to the outside and made the winning pass as the duo approached the Coors
Light Finish Line. Logan Hale finished a strong third with Bob Ahrendsen fourth
and Randy Filling fifth.
The win broke a three way tie for the division lead between Dvorak, Arendsen,
and Filling.
Scott Wennermark posted a relatively easy win over a slim field of Performance
Concepts Late Models. His run to the checkers was interrupted briefly for a
caution of Lap 14 but once green flag racing resumed Wennermark again put some
distance between himself and the second place car of Brad Osborn. The current
division point leader, Kyle Hinrichs finished in third. Jeff King took the
fourth spot and Danny Ouderkirk finished fifth.
The two divisions that make up the Full Throttle Energy Drink Stars of Tomorrow
were in action as well.
The Barron Motor Supply IMCA Hobby Stock feature went to Rodney Grother, who
picked up his fifth trip to Coca-Cola Victory Lane this season. Grother, who
leads the point chase, edged out Tim Dains, who is chasing him in the point
race. Dennis Klinsky finished a very strong third while Terry Shaffar was fourth
and Scot Siems, fifth.
Shawn Meyers put the 701 Dodge Rampage in victory lane once again. Myers shares
driving duties with Brian Beaty and the two have become regular visitors to the
podium of late. Jeff Selfridge piloted the Bighouse Motorsports VW Golf to
second place with Brian Bries finishing third. Point leader Nathan Ballard
crossed the line in fourth and defending champion Connie Binder was fifth.
FEATURE RESULTS
BUDWEISER SPORTSMEN
FEATURE (50 laps)
1. Brian Franks, Central City, IA; 2. Dave McCalla, Cedar Rapids, IA; 3. Martin
Ballard, Marengo, IA : 4. Ross Zumbach, Racine, MN; 5. Joey King, Silvis, IL; 6.
Kevin Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Andy Duggan,
Marion, IA; 9. Gene Peterson, Des Moines, IA; 10. Sonny Parker, Cedar Rapids,
IA; 11. Mel Schappert, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Ben Glascock, Indianola, IA; 13.
Mark Hauder, Dubuque; DNS- Kevin Franks, Cedar Rapids FAST QUALIFIER- Dave
McCalla 20.094
MILLER TIME MODIFIEDS
FEATURE ( 25 laps)
1. Scott Grady, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Griffin McGrath, Cedar Rapids, IA; 3. Arlo
Becker, Norway; 4. Rodney Rocarek, Mt. Vernon, IA; 5. Chad Willet, Alburnett,
IA; 6. Tim Plummer, Norway, IA; 7. Larry Clausen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Craig
Bender, Cedar Rapids, IA; 9. Shawn Stinger, Palo, IA; 10. Jim Hanson, Cedar
Rapids, IA; 11. Aric Becker, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Darrell Long, Cedar Rapids,
IA; 13. Cory Houdek, Marion, IA DNS- Scott Strauss, Cedar Rapids, IA
PERFORMANCE CONCEPTS ASA LATE MODELS
FEATURE ( 25 laps)
1. Scott Wennermark, Ely, IA; 2. Brad Osborn, Janesville, IA; 3. Kyle Hinrichs,
Swisher, IA; 4. Jeff King, Cedar Rapids, IA; 5. Danny Ouderkirk, Lawson, MO
BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY IMCA STOCK CARS
FEATURE (20 laps)
1. Brad Dvorak, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Chad Siems, Marion, IA; 3. Logan Hale,
Cedar Rapids, IA; 4. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 5. Randy Filling,
Toddville, IA; 6. Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City, IA; 7. Dennis Hundley, Center Point,
IA; 8. Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha, IA; 9. Seth Thomas, Center Point, IA; 10. Wendy
Carnahan, Cedar Rapids, IA DNS- Terry Clayton, Brooklyn, IA; DNS- Doug Otto,
Cedar Falls, IA
BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY IMCA HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE (15 laps)
1. Rodney Grother, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Tim Dains, Marion, IA; 3. Dennis Klinsky,
Ely, IA; 4. Terry Shaffar, State Center, IA; 5. Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids, IA;
6. Kandi Floyd, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Ron Fare, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Duayne Herb,
Marion, IA; 9. Chad Vozenilek, Cedar Rapids, IA; 10. Roland Bohnsack, Clutier,
IA; 11. Matt Lacoursiere, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Kris Jones, Cedar Rapids, IA;
13. Deb Mefford, Cedar Rapids, IA; 14. Gary Pfantz, State Center, IA ;DNS- Joe
Sprague, Independence, IA
SUNLINE HORNETS
FEATURE ( 12 laps)
1. Shawn Myers, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Jeff Selfridge, Marion, IA; 3. Brian Bries,
Norway, IA; 4. Nathan Ballard, Marengo, IA; 5. Connie Binder, Clutier, IA; 6.
Dennis Preston, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Derrick Beadle, Hiawatha, IA; 8. Brad
Fisher, Oxford, IA; 9. Dan Vincent, Solon, IA