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RICHIE GUSTIN CLAIMS HAWKEYE DIRT TOUR WIN AT UPPER IOWA July 29, 2010
By: Jeff Werderman 

DECORAH, IA (July 29) - Richie Gustin was the first to the checkered flag during the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds visit to the Upper Iowa Speedway. Despite two late race caution flags, Gustin was able to hold of the pack for the win. 

Ron Pope (Mason City, IA) and Mark Schulte (Delhi, IA) lead the field to the green of the Weis Buick 30 A-Main. Pope would lead the first lap. Schulte quickly found himself battling fourth place starter Richie Gustin (Gilman, IA) for second place. 

Gustin passes Schulte for the lead

Gustin Passes Schulte

On lap three, Gustin would drop to the bottom of turn one and worked passed Schulte, and he was able to work underneath Pope to battle for the lead down the backstretch. Gustin would climb to the top of the scoring sheet by lap four. Schulte followed Gustin to slip by Pope for second. 

Justin O'Brien (West Union, IA) moved into third and challenged Schulte for second. The two swapped positions lap after lap. While the two battled for second, Gustin began to open up a comfortable lead. 

As the Weis Buick 30 A-Main reached the halfway point, the lead pack began to work through lapped traffic. Gustin was in command as he opened up a large lead over Schulte, O'Brien, and Vern Jackson (Waterloo, IA). 

On lap twenty-three, O'Brien unfortunately got caught up in lapped traffic. Contacted with a lapped car caused him and that car to spin to a stop coming off of turn four. 

The third and final caution hit the speedway on lap twenty-four setting up a dash for the $,1000 payday. Gustin pulled away from the field and grabbed his second JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour win of the season. 

Schulte and Jackson worked door-to-door trying to decided who would come home second, and Mike Jergens (Plover, IA) was right behind the battle for second. Schulte would edge Jackson for second. Jergens finished fourth. 

Rich Smith (Davenport, IA) used the two late-race cautions to his advantage to parlay a fifth place finish. 

Specialty Technologies Heat Race winners were Mike Jergens, Richie Gustin, and Vern Jackson. 

With the win, Gustin picked up the $100 bonus award by Specialty Technologies for winning a heat race and the A-Main in the same night. Greg Cox (Altoona, IA) was awarded the RaceTechInfo.com Hardcharger bonus. 

Next up for the HDT is a trip to the Hancock County Speedway and a chance at $3,000. It's the annual "Night of 1,000 Stars" on Thursday, August 12, 2010. 

To learn more about the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour, log onto the tour's web site at www.DirtTour.com.

RACE RESULTS

JR MOTORSPORTS HAWKEYE DIRT TOUR

UPPER IOWA SPEEDWAY

DECORAH, IA

JULY 29, 2010

WEIS BUICK 30 A-Main: (30 Laps)

 1. 19G - Richie Gustin    - Gilman, IA

 2. 27M - Mark Schulte     - Delhi, IA

 3. 64  - Vern Jackson     - Waterloo, IA

 4. 37x - Mike Jergens     - Plover, IA

 5.  8  - Rich Smith       - Davenport, IA

 6. 45  - Ron Pope         - Mason City, IA

 7. 10K - Ronn Lauritzen   - Jesup, IA

 8. 62  - Greg Cox         - Altoona, IA

 9. 60  - Kurt Krauskopf   - Decorah, IA

10. 86X - Mitch Morris     - Long Grove, IA

11. 98  - Jason Snyder     - Dunkerton, IA

12. 22x - Jeff Ignaszewski - Wells, MN

13. 01  - Ed Thomas        - Waterloo, IA

14. 57B - Dennis Betzer    - Central City, IA

15. 32  - Rick Speck       - Garwin, IA

16. 23W - Robert Whalen    - Nashua, IA

17. 41P - Keith Pittman    - Waterloo, IA

18. 12J - Justin O'Brien   - West Union, IA

19. 71W - Jeff Waterman    - Quincy, IL

20. 91  - Shawn Ryan       - Waterloo, IA

SPECIALTY TECHNOLOGIES HEAT RACES: 8 Laps HEAT 1: Mike Jergens, Kurt Krauskopf, Keith Pittman, Jason Snyder, Mitch Morris, Ronn Lauritzen, Rick Speck.

HEAT 2: Richie Gustin, Rich Smith, Jeff Waterman, Mark Schulte, Shawn Ryan, Jeff Ignaszewski, Dennis Betzer.

HEAT 3: Vern Jackson, Justin O'Brien, Ed Thomas, Ron Pope, Robert Whalen, Greg Cox.

HDT CONTINGENCY AWARDS:

Specialty Technologies: Richie Gustin

RaceTechInfo Hardcharger: Greg Cox (+10) Aero Race Wheels: Rick Speck Bob Harris Ent: Ed Thomas Belleville Motorsports: Rich Smith BSB Manufacturing: Rich Smith