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High marks to Waterman in Cresco JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour
By Jeff Werderman

CRESCO, Iowa (June 24) – Jeff Waterman became the third different winner in as many JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour events this season, battling Mark Elliott and Rich Smith to the checkers Thursday evening at Cresco Speedway.

Waterman emerged from a two- and three-wide tussle with the lead on lap 24 and took the $1,000 victory by a couple car lengths. Elliott edged out Smith for second in the Mighty Howard County Fair event.

Right behind the lead trio, Josh Foster, Mike Jergens and Jay Noteboom put on a show fighting for fourth. Foster owned the spot when the dust settled, followed by Noteboom and Jergens.

The win put Waterman on the ballot for the 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Pole starter Dan Chapman took the lead at the drop of the green but quickly found himself battling Smith and Waterman for the front.

Smith moved to the high side and wrestled the lead away from Chapman on lap four. Chapman and Water­man put pressure on but neither could manage to get around Smith.

Smith opened a commanding lead by lap 10, leaving the rest of the field to battle for second place. Chap­man, Waterman and Richie Gustin Jr. were locked in a dogfight for the runner-up spot.

Two quick caution flags flew near midway and tightened the field, one of which was for Gustin, who came to town with the tour point lead but lost a driveshaft running in third and was forced to the pit area early.

Waterman, Elliott and Smith brawled for first before Waterman began pulling away with two laps left. Note­boom joined the tussle over fourth with five circuits to go, passing Jergens but running out of time to catch Foster.

Foster and Gustin had won the first two series events, at Independence and Mason City, respectively.

The fourth of 10 events in the inaugural tour is Thursday, July 1 at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson as part of the third annual Liberty Cup special.

IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will also be trackside for the final night of the Great American Stock Car Series. Each feature pays $1,000 to win.

Feature results – 1. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 2. Mark Elliott, Webster City; 3. Rich Smith, Davenport; 4. Josh Foster, Montrose; 5. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; 6. Mike Jergens, Plover; 7. Shawn Ryan, Waterloo; 8. Nate Caruth, Ames; 9. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 10. Justin O'Brien, West Union; 11. Ron Pope, Mason City; 12. Jeff Ignaszekski, Wells, Minn.; 13. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 14. Max Corporon, Marion; 15. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 16. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 17. Greg Cox, Altoona; 18. Randy Havlik, Madrid; 19. Dennis Betzer, Central City; 20. Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 21. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 22. Clint Wendel, Mason City; 23. Dan Chapman, Clarence; 24. Richie Gustin Jr., Gilman; 25. Darin Duffy, Hazleton.

1^st heat (top three) – 1. Smith; 2. Noteboom; 3. Foster. 2^nd heat – 1. Jergens; 2. Pope; 3. Lauritzen. 3^rd heat – 1. Duffy; 2. Gustin; 3. Waterman. 4^th heat – 1. Elliott; 2. Corporon; 3. Chapman.

1^st “B” feature (top five) – 1. Schulte; 2. Ryan; 3. Cox; 4. Caruth; 5. Ignaszewski. 2^nd “B” feature – 1. Jack­son; 2. Havlik; 3. O’Brien; 4. Cordes; 5. Wendel.