Dover Takes First ASCS Win with Midwest Score at I-80
by: Lonnie Wheatley

GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 14, 2007) – Jack Dover earned his first career American Sprint Car Series feature win by topping Tuesday night's 25-lap ASCS Midwest Region main event at Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway.

After starting third, Dover took the lead from Chuck Swenson on the fifth round then held off the charges of Shane Stewart over the final rounds to secure the win aboard Marc and Lori Dover's Eckley-powered 3D Auto Transport/Keizer Wheels No. 53 Eagle.

"I've been trying to get this first ASCS win for two years now, it feels great to finally get it," the 17-year-old Springfield, NE, racer commented afterwards. "I could hear Shane there and knew I had to get going."

Swenson outgunned polesitter Stewart for the early lead, with Dover taking second from Stewart by the third round. Dover quickly went to work on Swenson and charged by to take command on the fifth circuit.

Working through heavy lapped traffic, Dover's lead over Swenson and Stewart was erased when the caution flew after 15 laps for his younger sister, Trish Dover, who came to a stop on the low side of turn three with front end damage.

Back under way, Stewart and Swenson battled for second behind Jack Dover with Stewart taking the position before the caution flew after 18 laps for Ryan Roberts' disabled mount.

Working the high line, Stewart challenged Dover for the lead over the next several rounds with Dover successfully fighting off the bids. As the pair split the lapped car of Jason Becker on the white-flag lap with Dover on the low side and Stewart up top, Becker flipped to bring out the red flag.

Set for a green-white-checkered run, Swenson and Stewart traded the runner-up slot as action resumed, thus allowing Dover to slip away to a slight advantage. Dover streaked underneath the checkered flag with Stewart in second and Swenson in the show position.

Don Droud, Jr., snared fourth, with Larry Pinegar II rounding out the top five. Seth Brahmer was sixth, with defending series champion Toby Chapman, Brian Brown, Lee Grosz and 19th-starter Billy Alley completing the top ten.

Moving one step closer to making history by becoming the first female champion in ASCS history, North Dakota's Natalie Sather crossed the stripe eleventh to maintain a 78-point lead over Chapman with just one ASCS Midwest Region event remaining.

Swenson, Chapman and Pinegar topped heat race action.

ASCS Midwest Region Results from I-80 Speedway:

First Heat (8 Laps): 1. X-Chuck Swenson, 2. 4J-Lee Grosz, 3. 27-Brian Brown, 4. 2x-Don Droud, Jr., 5. 5-Rick Ideus, 6. 92-Mike Sitzmann, Jr., 7. 1m-Billy Alley, 8. 76-Jay Russell.

Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 84-Toby Chapman, 2. 53-Jack Dover, 3. 13-Seth Brahmer, 4. 77-John Klabunde, 5. 94s-Natalie Sather, 6. 8b-Bobby Becker, 7. 57-Don Stoutner, 8. 17-Gage Dorr.

Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 44-Larry Pinegar II, 2. 4-Mike Chadd, 3. 1hd-Shane Stewart, 4. 9T-Trish Dover, 5. 18-Ryan Roberts, 6. 28-John Klabunde, 7. 17b-Jason Becker, 8. 7-Roger Sundquist.

Dash (5 Laps): 1. 1hd-Shane Stewart, 2. X-Chuck Swenson, 3. 53-Jack Dover, 4. 44-Larry Pinegar II, 5. 13-Seth Brahmer, 6. 84-Toby Chapman.

A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 1hd-Shane Stewart, 3. X-Chuck Swenson, 4. 2x-Don Droud, Jr., 5. 44-Larry Pinegar II, 6. 13-Seth Brahmer, 7. 84-Toby Chapman, 8. 27-Brian Brown, 9. 4J-Lee Grosz, 10. 1m-Billy Alley, 11. 94s-Natalie Sather, 12. 4-Mike Chadd, 13. 5-Rick Ideus, 14. 76-Jay Russell, 15. 28-John Klabunde, 16. 8b-Bobby Becker, 17. 92-Mike Sitzmann, Jr., 18. 17-Gage Dorr, 19. 17b-Jason Becker, 20. 18-Ryan Roberts, 21. 9T-Trish Dover, 22. 77-Ken Klabunde, 23. 7-Roger Sundquist, 24. 57-Don Stoutner.

Lap Leaders: Chuck Swenson 1-4, Jack Dover 5-25.

ASCS Midwest Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Natalie Sather 1,320, 2. Toby Chapman 1,242, 3. Chuck Swenson 1,179, 4. Jason Danley 1,065, 5. Brian Brown 962, 6. Lee Grosz 910, 7. Mike Boston 828, 8. Don Droud, Jr., 810, 9. Jack Dover 759, 10. Seth Brahmer 752.