Month Of May Ends At The Buena Vista Raceway
By Denny Grabenbauer

BUENA VISTA, Ia. (May 31, 2006) - It was a beautiful night of racing as the final racing night during the month of May took place Wednesday night as Bob’s Garage and Auto Sales Night roared to life at the Buena Vista Raceway. The evening started off with Boy Scout Troop 107 from Cherokee leading the grandstand in the Pledge of Allegiance, before the National Anthem.

With the sun beating down on the 3/8-mile raceway and a pit area full of race teams, drivers would have to battle a dryer than usual racing surface before the night would come to an end. “The tracks appearance was somewhat deceiving,” said Stock Car driver Randy Andreason. “During hot laps and the heat race I must of picked up at least 150-pounds of mud from the track. The moisture was down on the low side and that is where a lot of us like to run. My car was fast, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Andreason, referring to a feature race mishap, which ended his night before the checkered flag.

The evening started with the heat race actions that would run flawless between all five divisions. A gorgeous sunset would await the start of the feature events. As in the past two nights of racing the racing Smith Brothers, would use Wednesday night as somewhat of a family reunion, and on this week number eight it would be now different as the Smith’s would again dominate in there respective divisions.

Devin Smith would take the lead on lap two from Justin Nehring in the Rasmussen Ford BVR Bomber division, as the real battle would be for the second position. With Smith out in front and pulling away, Eric Puhrman, Adam Hicks and Jess Bieret would run three wide for the second spot. By the end of the ten lap event, Hick’s would move into second followed by Puhrman and then by Gary Duitsman. Duitsman who will be celebrating his birthday this weekend has been on a tear since coming out of retirement just three weeks ago. Smith would score his fifth feature win in the first eight weeks of the season.

Kyle Timmerman for the second week in a row would hold the early lead in the Storm Lake Truck & Trailer I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock feature but would give way to Dustin Smith on lap two. Dustin would hang on to the lead until lap seven when brother Donovan would come calling for the top spot. The two brothers would run side by side for two laps before Donovan would use the low side to make his pass for the lead and would go on to score his sixth feature win of the year. Behind the Smith’s was Luke Wanninger and Tony Pogeler.



Austin Lucas would stay persistent and consistent in the Storm Lake Artic Car 360 B-Mod division and it would pay off during week number eight by winning his first feature event. Moving from the Hobby Stock in 2004, Lucas would score his victory by taking the lead on lap four. Challenged right to the end by two-time feature winner Matt Sangwin Lucas was not to be denied the victory as he would hold off a last lap move by Sangwin to hold on to the victory. Behind Lucas and Sangwin at the finish was Harvey VanDeWeerd and point leader Dan Hanselman.

Randy Lawrey, in his rookie season in the Scooters Bar & Grill I.M.C.A. Stock Car division would drive like a seasoned veteran on Wednesday night, would take the lead on the opening lap. By running the extremely low line, Lawrey would hold off numerous challenges in the early going of the fifteen-lap event. On lap three, as Brian Blessington would get to the inside at the start finish line, and take the lead, the motor in

Blessing ton’s car would blow sending him to the pit area. A three car mishap on lap eight would end the night for Randy Andreason, and would send point leader David Smith to the back of the field for the restart. With Lawrey still in the lead Smith would be charging to the through the field to get back to the front. With three laps to go, Smith would make the pass off of turn four to give him his third feature win in a row. Lawrey would have his first second place finish, and his second top four in as many weeks. Bud Mattson would finish in the top four for the third time this season by finishing third followed by Jason Mickelson in forth.

With the track now a hard dry slick-racing surface, the final feature event of the night would pull onto the raceway. Point leader Jay Noteboom would start in the twelfth starting spot in the Fitzpatrick Auto Center I.M.C.A. Modified twenty-lap feature event. Last weeks feature winner Joel Ziegmann would take the early lead and battle Jim Thies for the top spot in the early going as Noteboom was making his way toward the front. Numerous yellow flags would slow the event as Noteboom continued his charge to the front. Jeff Stephens and Ricky Stephan would mount a charge and challenge for Noteboom but at the end it would be Noteboom who would win his fifth feature of the season. Thies would finish second followed by Stephan and Mike Hansen in forth.

Weekly racing will continue next Wednesday night with the Pepsi/Car Tunes night at the speedway, to start off the month of June. The following week will be the Rasmussen Ford Mid-Season Championships and along with the regular night of racing the Deery Brothers I.M.C.A. Late Models will be on hand for there second stop at the Buena Vista Raceway. Defending race winner Darrell DeFrance from Marshalltown will be on hand to defend his title, all being part of the Alta Race Day Celebration. Any young lady that is interested in becoming the next Alta Raceway Queen, the entries forms and now available and can be picked up at the raceway or contact Christy Danielson at 712-213-1297 for more information. Judging will be on the afternoon of June 14th, and the winner will be announced that evening at the races.


FITZPATRICK AUTO CENTER I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Derek Smith-Merrill—Jim Thies-Mapleton—Brad Williams-Lytton

HEAT 2: Loren Reuter-Allen, Neb—Bruce Bonnesen-Aurelia—Ben McVinua-Storm Lake

FEATURE: Jay Noteboom—Jim Thies—Ricky Stephan—Mike Hansen—Joel Ziegmann—Jeff Stephens—Randy Brands—Bruce Bonnesen—Denny Johnson—Clay Christensen—Loren Reuter—Derek Smith—Brad Williams—Jesse Cowles—Ben McVinua—James Slawson—Brian Schmidt



SCOOTERS BAR & GRILL I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Brian Blessington-Breda—Bud Mattson-Alta—Dale Woodard-Storm Lake

HEAT 2: David Smith-Lake City—Randy Lawrey-Marcus—Jason Mickelson-Storm Lake

FEATURE: David Smith—Randy Lawrey—Bud Mattson—Jason Mickelson—Mike Scharn—Tom Sierck—Mark Stanley—Dale Woodard—Melvin Elsberry—Josh Suhr—Brian Mattson—Randy Andreason—Chris Ullrich—Brian Blessington



STORM LAKE TRUCK & TRAILER I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Kyle Timmerman-Lake City—Josh Bieret-Wall Lake

HEAT 2: Dustin Smith-Lake City—Matt Mahoney-Pierson—Drew Barglof-Sioux Rapids

FEATURE: Donovan Smith—Dustin Smith—Luke Wanninger—Tony Pogeler—Matt Mahoney—Kyle Timmerman—Josh Bieret—Merle Bass—Matt Schmillen—Trent Murphy—Kyle Robinson—Ross DeWall—Cody Lucas—Paul Toms—Galen Freese—Drew Barglof—Doug Smith—Mark Hill



RASMUSSENS FORD BVR BOMBERS:

HEAT 1: Devin Smith-Lake City—Jess Bieret-Wall Lake—Adam Hicks-Lake City

HEAT 2: Eric Puhrman-Newell—Shawn Halder-Spencer-Tim Hansen-Newell

FEATURE: Devin Smith—Adam Hicks—Eric Puhrman—Gary Duitsman—Shawn Halder—Tim Hansen—Justin Nehring—Nick Smith—Thomas Haukap—Ramon Luna



STORM LAKE HONDA ARTIC CAT BVR 360 B-Mods:

HEAT 1: Austin Lucas-Cherokee—Mike Bailey-Schaller—Casey Friedrichsen-Arthur

HEAT 2: Chris Grothe-Schaller—Harvey VanDeWeerd—Granville—Brandon Lucas-Cherokee

FEATURE: Austin Lucas—Matt Sangwin—Harvey VanDeWeerd—Dan Hanselman—Casey Friedrichsen—Mike Bailey—Doug Ockerman—Travis Schuller—Nick DeLeeuw—Brandon Lucas—Tony Ross—Chris Grothe—Ronnie Fogelman—Chris DeMara—Mark White