Bailey wins the battle as Darbyshire clinches IMCA Late Model title
By Jake Croxton

DONNELLSON, Ia (Aug 17) – Coming into the Ideal Ready Mix IMCA Late Model Season Championship, five drivers were within eight points in the battle
for Lee County Speedway supremacy. At the end of the night, it was a familiar face earning his first LCS track championship.

Point leader Tom Darbyshire led the first lap and then ducked in and watched Justin Reed and Lonnie Bailey put on a show for the next twenty-four laps. Reed, who
had to overcome a four-point deficit to claim the title, left everything on the table as he and Bailey spent the majority of the event side-by-side. Reed’s car performed better off of turn four, but Bailey was able to roll one and two better and that ultimately allowed the former track champ to score his second victory of 2007 in the Triple R Performance / Bob’s Auto Body / Rocket / Intrepid. Two late cautions on laps 22 and 23 could not derail Bailey as Reed would have to settle for second. Mark Burgtorf slipped past Darbyshire on the final restart, but the fourth-place finish allowed “Darb” to earn the title by two points. Jay Johnson rounded out the top five.

“I would have rather been up next to that guardrail giving it all she could handle,” admitted the driver of the Darbyshire Trucking / Hamner Saw Mill / Mastersbilt / Monte Carlo. “I knew I had to race Justin (Reed), so I followed them around the bottom.” Darbyshire showed up to the facility just in time for the driver’s meeting and was on the road back to the Iowa State Fair Cattle Show for a 7 a.m. start time the next morning.

Josh Foster drove his Five Star Drywall / Farmington Tax Service / Raider into victory circle for the third time in Discount Tire IMCA Modified action. Bill Parks
led for seven laps until the event’s only caution slowed the 20-lapper. Foster went to the top of the slick surface and checked out on Kevin and Tyler Cale,
Parks, and Rich Smith.

Four different leaders took turns at the front of the always-competitive Budweiser IMCA Stock Car 15-lapper. Dennis Harwood, John Oliver, Jr., and Abe Huls changed the lead over the first seven laps before Jason Cook found the front in his Keystone Beer / 4th Street Bar & Grill / T&J Sandblasting / Olds. Cook held on for his third victory of 2007 ahead of Huls, Chris Wibbell, Oliver, Jr., and Kirk Kinsley.

For the second week in a row, Jake Wenig led only one lap en route to the Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock checkered flag. Dean Kratzer looked to have the race
well in hand, but made one miscalculation of lapped traffic going underneath the white flag. Wenig pounced in his Family Motors / Gaylord Construction / Chevy
and beat Kratzer back to the start/finish line. Rodger Dresden and Doug Fenton followed the lead duo across the line. Fenton will have a two-point advantage
heading into next week’s season championship. Matt Tucker finished fifth.

Rob Hammel rode his Heartland Carpet / CRYOTECH / Honda CRX to his third victory of the season. The Hamilton, Ill. driver led every lap of the GM Giant
Wild Thing finale. Jim Oliver, III, Travis DeMint, Michael Grossman, and David Helenthal rounded out the top five.

Point leader Jeff Waterman picked up his second Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified feature win of 2007. The driver of the Outdoor Power / Amsoil / Raceshop / Dart
held off Bob Jennings, Scott Boles, a charging Thad Gaylord, and Jim Gillenwater.

Next week, Rookie Rallies and Season Championship features close out the regular season on Shottenkirk Season Championship night. Race time is 7:30.

B Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 2. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 3. Scott Boles, New London; 4. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison; 5. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 6. Bill Seyb, Donnellson; 7. Jerad Fuller, Memphis, Mo.; 8. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 9. Levi Smith, Donnellson; 10. Travis Jordan, Donnellson; 11. Dan Wenig, Burlington; 12. Joe Hooper, Mendon, Ill..

Heat 01 -- 1. Joe Hooper, Mendon, Ill.; 2. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Dan Wenig, Burlington; 4. Jerad Fuller, Memphis, Mo.; 5. Levi Smith, Donnellson; 6. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison.

Heat 02 -- 1. Scott Boles, New London; 2. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 3. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Bill Seyb, Donnellson; 5. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 6. Travis Jordan, Donnellson.

Hobby Stocks

A-Main 01 -- 1. Jake Wenig, Burlington; 2. Dean Kratzer, Montrose; 3. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 4. Doug Fenton, Burlington; 5. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 6. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk; 7. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 8. Bruce Summers, Hamilton, Ill.; 9. Dan Wenig, Burlington; 10. Jacob Smith, Argyle; 11. Robert Kephart, Donnellson; 12. Keith Reed, Fowler, Ill.; 13. Jon Rooney, Donnellson; 14. Tim Gerleman, Mount Pleasant; 15. Jason Billings, Keokuk; 16. Bobby Six, Keokuk; 17. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson; 18. Ray Raker, Danville; 19. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 20. Kevin Cheney, Quincy, Ill.; 21. Chris Hubbow, Carthage, Ill..

Heat 01 -- 1. Dean Kratzer, Montrose; 2. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 3. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 4. Tim Gerleman, Mount Pleasant; 5. Jason Billings, Keokuk; 6. Bobby Six, Keokuk; 7. Dan Wenig, Burlington.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jake Wenig, Burlington; 2. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 3. Bruce Summers, Hamilton, Ill.; 4. Keith Reed, Fowler, Ill.; 5. Jacob Smith, Argyle; 6. Jon Rooney, Donnellson; 7. Doug Fenton, Burlington.

Heat 03 -- 1. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk; 2. Ray Raker, Danville; 3. Kevin Cheney, Quincy, Ill.; 4. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson; 5. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 6. Robert Kephart, Donnellson; 7. Chris Hubbow, Carthage, Ill..

IMCA Late Models

A-Main 01 -- 1. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill.; 2. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.; 4. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 5. Jay Johnson, W. Burlington; 6. Darrell DeFrance, Marshalltown; 7. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, Ill.; 8. Tom Goble, Burlington; 9. Nick Ingalls, Quincy, Ill.; 10. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun; 11. Clint Kirkham, Canton, Ill.; 12. Adam Helmick, Ft. Madison; 13. Darin Weisinger, Quincy, Ill.; 14. Matt Strassheim, Burlington; 15. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 16. Jeremy Grady, Story City; 17. Sam Halstead, New London; 18. Luke Pestka, Robins.

Heat 01 -- 1. Matt Strassheim, Burlington; 2. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Jeremy Grady, Story City; 4. Tom Goble, Burlington; 5. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 6. Clint Kirkham, Canton, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill.; 2. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Jay Johnson, W. Burlington; 4. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun; 5. Luke Pestka, Robins; 6. Darin Weisinger, Quincy, Ill..

Heat 03 -- 1. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 2. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, Ill.; 3. Darrell DeFrance, Marshalltown; 4. Nick Ingalls, Quincy, Ill.; 5. Sam Halstead, New London; 6. Adam Helmick, Ft. Madison.

IMCA Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Josh Foster, Montrose; 2. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 3. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 4. Bill Parks, Colchester, Ill.; 5. Rich Smith, Davenport; 6. Dean McGee, Sr., Galesburg, Ill.; 7. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison; 8. Mike Weikert Jr., Muscatine; 9. Bill Roberts, Burlington; 10. Rob Kirchner, Donnellson; 11. Phillip Cossel, Montrose.

Heat 01 -- 1. Bill Parks, Colchester, Ill.; 2. Dean McGee, Sr., Galesburg, Ill.; 3. Rich Smith, Davenport; 4. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 5. Rob Kirchner, Donnellson; 6. Brandon Savage, Keokuk.

Heat 02 -- 1. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 2. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 3. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison; 4. Josh Foster, Montrose; 5. Mike Weikert Jr., Muscatine; 6. Bill Roberts, Burlington; 7. Dave Cloke, Burlington.

IMCA Stock Cars

A-Main 01 -- 1. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant; 2. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 3. Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, Ill.; 4. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 5. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 6. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 7. Corey Strothman, New London; 8. Steve Steinkuhrer, Camp Point, Ill.; 9. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant; 10. Derek Goble, Burlington; 11. Doug Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 12. Dennis Harwood, West Point; 13. Jeff Mueller, New London.

Heat 01 -- 1. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant; 2. Dennis Harwood, West Point; 3. Jeff Mueller, New London; 4. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 5. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 6. Derek Goble, Burlington; 7. Steve Steinkuhrer, Camp Point, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, Ill.; 2. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant; 3. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 4. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 5. Corey Strothman, New London; 6. Doug Huls, Carthage, Ill..

4 Cyl. Wild Things

A-Main 01 -- 1. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 3. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 4. Michael Grossman, Keokuk; 5. David Helenthal, Fort Madision; 6. Brent Hartley, Niota, Ill.; 7. Chris Loring, Jr., Keokuk; 8. Chuck Fullenkamp, Fort Madison; 9. Jermy Billings, Keokuk; 10. Bryan Rodefer, Fort Madison; 11. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 12. Dane Fenton, Burlington; 13. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson; 14. Stevie Shull, Rome; 15. Tyler Westercamp, Rome; 16. Jerry Taft, Donnellson; 17. Dave Cloke, Burlington; 18. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 19. Travis Briggs, Montrose; 20. Chris Steele, Keokuk; 21. Brock Sammons, Rome; 22. Gabe Harrison, Warsaw, Ill.; 23. Hamza Smajlovic, Hamilton, Ill..

Heat 01 -- 1. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. Jermy Billings, Keokuk; 3. Bryan Rodefer, Fort Madison; 4. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 5. Chris Steele, Keokuk; 6. Chris Loring, Jr., Keokuk; 7. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 8. Gabe Harrison, Warsaw, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Hamza Smajlovic, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. Michael Grossman, Keokuk; 3. Brent Hartley, Niota, Ill.; 4. Brock Sammons, Rome; 5. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson; 6. Jerry Taft, Donnellson; 7. Travis Briggs, Montrose; 8. Dave Cloke, Burlington.

Heat 03 -- 1. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 3. David Helenthal, Fort Madision; 4. Tyler Westercamp, Rome; 5. Chuck Fullenkamp, Fort Madison; 6. Stevie Shull, Rome; 7. Dane Fenton, Burlington.