BIRKHOFER SCORES ANOTHER WDRL VICTORY AT DAVENPORT SPEEDWAY
Muscatine, Iowa, driver picks up sixth WDRL win on historic half-mile
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

DAVENPORT, IA (Sept. 5, 2006) - To say Brian Birkhofer owns the Davenport Speedway half-mile would be an understatement.

The popular Muscatine, Iowa, chauffeur used slower traffic to grab the lead from Darren "The Thriller" Miller on lap 27 Monday night and went on to win The Salute to the Armed Forces 40, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series-sanctioned event at the historic Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds oval.

The Labor Day win was Birkhofer's sixth series victory in nine tries since the WDRL's first appearance at the Speedway in March of 2002.

"I feel kind of bad winning this," admitted Birkhofer in AMSOIL Victory Lane. "Darren Miller had the best car, hands down.

"He got into lapped traffic and got a little impatient, but I really feel bad for him," added the winner. "He had the best car, and he should have won the race. I guess the luck's still here for me."

Miller, who started on the outside pole, went to the high side of the half-mile fairgrounds oval and darted to the opening lap advantage as the front-runners raced out of turn two, with polesitter Chris Simpson running a car length and a half ahead of Birkhofer for third.

A half dozen laps in, Miller's Greg Greenhill Construction/Rocket/Pro Power Ford Taurus had opened up an eight-car-length advantage over the second place Simpson, and by the 10th circuit, the Chadwick, Ill., hot-shoe had increased his lead to nearly a full straightaway over his nearest competitor.

On lap 12, Birkhofer and Dave Eckrich powered past Simpson, shuffling the young Marion, Iowa, driver back to fourth, with Miller continuing to run at the point, a comfortable distance ahead of the remainder of the field.

Caution flags on lap 15 and 17 regrouped the field, but when racing resumed, Miller again blasted to a good-sized advantage before slower traffic became a factor by the race's midpoint.

With his lead evaporating quickly, Miller had difficulty dispatching the slower car of Jason Rauen, and on lap 27, Birkhofer surprised the front-runner, powering to the inside through turns one and two to steal the advantage.

"I don't know if Darren knew how good the rubber was down there, but that's what you get when you're leading once in a while," commented Birkhofer of his pass for the lead. "He thought he could move up a little bit and roll that guy on the outside, and I was thinking, 'Man, it's nothing but dust up there, so I've got to get position on him.'

"Going down the straightaway wasn't so bad," he added. "But when you got into that corner, if you're weren't in the rubber, it was like you were on a gravel road and the other guy was on asphalt."

A pair of laps later, as Miller tried frantically to retake the lead, the 29-year old Illinois driver slid high in turn two, allowing Denny Eckrich to sneak by to grab second, ending his chances for the win.

Slower traffic allowed both Eckrich and Miller to stay within striking distance over the final few circuits, but Birkhofer was able to hold on for the $5,000 victory.

"The lapped traffic made things really interesting," noted Birkhofer. "Some of those guys were about a second off from what we were, so you had to kind of slice and dice and make sure you didn't make the wrong move at the wrong time. I didn't make any mistakes for 13 laps, so that's why I'm standing here, I guess."

Chris Simpson held off Andy Eckrich to finish fourth, with local driver Brian Harris finishing just ahead of Jason Utter, Dan Shelliam and Steve Boley for sixth.

The Modified feature event was won by Davenport, Iowa's Bruce Hanford. Hanford started second in a 24-car field and outran polesitter Rick Hixson on lap three to score the $1,000 victory.

For more information on WDRL or the latest PolyDome Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.

RACE REPORT
DAVENPORT SPEEDWAY
DAVENPORT, IOWA
LABOR DAY, MONDAY, SEPT. 4, 2006

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Andy Eckrich; Oxford, IA (59.0), 2. Biran Birkhofer; Muscatine, IA (71.75), 3. Ray Guss, Jr.; Milan, IL (52.0), 4. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (52.5), 5. Jay Johnson; West Burlington, IA (45.0), 6. Matt Furman; Iowa City, IA (46.5), 7. Jody Metzger; Muscatine, IA (38.0), 8. Mike Fryer; Freeport, IL (34.0), 9. Jerry Miles; Bernard, IA (31.0), 10. Bryan Kammer; Davenport, IA (scratch).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Darren Miller; Chadwick, IL (70.25), 2. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (60.5), 3. Dan Shelliam; Hazel Green, WI (52.0), 4. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (48.0), 5. Jason Bodenhamer; Centerview, MO (51.75), 6. Nick Marolf; Moscow, IA (48.75), 7. Trent Follmer; Elk River, MN (44.75), 8. Tim Lance; Mapleton, IL (34.0), 9. Craig Jacobs; Freeport, IL (31.0), 10. Rich Bell; Sheffield, IL (28.0).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Steve Boley; West Liberty, IA (61.25), 2. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (60.5), 3. Chad Simpson; Mount Vernon, IA (52.0), 4. Kyle Berck; Marquette, NE (48.0), 5. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction, IA (54.0), 6. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (42.0), 7. Jason Rauen; Farley, IA (38.0), 8. Chris Spieker; Massena, IA (34.0), 9. Jeff Larson; Freeport, IL (scratch).

KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Pember, 2. Spieker, 3. Rauen, 4. Lance, 5. Metzger, 6. Jacobs, 7. Bell, 8. Fryer, 9. Miles.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Chris Simpson, 2. Miller, 3. Birkhofer, 4. Dave Eckrich, 5. Utter, 6. Boley, 7. Denny Eckrich, 8. Andy Eckrich.

Salute to the Armed Forces 40-Lap Feature: 1. Birkhofer, 2. Denny Eckrich, 3. Miller, 4. Chris Simpson, 5. Andy Eckrich, 6. Harris, 7. Utter, 8. Shelliam, 9. Boley, 10. Marolf, 11. Follmer, 12. Chad Simpson, 13. Dave Eckrich, 14. Johnson, 15. Spieker, 16. Berck, 17. Pember, 18. Rauen, 19. Metzger, 20. Guss, Jr., 21. Bodenhamer, 22. Fryer, 23. Furman, 24. Lance, 25. Jacobs.

Additional Information of Interest:

Number of Entrants: 29

Lap Leaders: Miller (1-26), Birkhofer (27-40)

Time of Race: 30:00

Margin of Victory: 2.309

Caution Flags: 2 (Laps 15,17)

Red Flags: None

Fastest Lap: Miller (21.507)

Series Provisionals: Fryer, Jacobs

Rookie-of-the-Race: Utter

Hard Luck Driver: Dave Eckrich

Contingency Award Winners:

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Chris Simpson, Miller, Birkhofer

QA1 Motorsports: Birkhofer

The Brake Man: Birkhofer

Champ Pans: Denny Eckrich

Joie of Seating: Miller

Performance Bodies: Chris Simpson

Design 500 Racewear: Harris

V-Performance Batteries: Utter

Fast Shafts: Shelliam

Hooker Harness: Boley

Weld Wheels: Marolf

Scott Performance Wire: Follmer

Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Larson

KSE Racing Products: Pember

Chase Race Decals: Dave Eckrich

Modified Race Report:

First Qualifier: 1. Bruce Hanford; Davenport, IA, 2. Scott Stecher; Muscatine, IA, 3. Mike Zogg; New Liberty, IA, 4. Chad Goff; Monmouth, IL, 5. Drew Otten; Davenport, IA, 6. Milo Veloz; Colona, IL, 7. Ray Guss, Jr.; Milan, IL, 8. Tony Baker, Walcott, IA, 9. Jim Willert; Davenport, IA, 10. Mike Garland; Morrison, IL.

Second Qualifier: 1. Billy Tuckwell; Peoria, IL, 2. Bob Dominacki; Bettendorf, IA, 3. Larry Herring; Lone Tree, IA, 4. Kevin Peters; Monmouth, IL, 5. Shaun Lewis; Kewanee, IL, 6. Darrin Thye; Burlington, IA, 7. Brett Diercks; Bettendorf, IA, 8. Mike Thomas; West Branch, IA, 9. Jordan Schrams; Sterling, IL, 10. Scott Hill; Davenport, IA.

Third Qualifier; 1. Rich Smith; Davenport, IA, 2. Rick Hixson; Orion, IL, 3. Troy Emerick; Geneseo, IL, 4. Donovan Lodge; Andover, IL, 5. Brad Dubil; Bettendorf, IA, 6. Dean McGee; Galesburg, IL, 7. Todd Hansen; Muscatine, IA, 8. Bob Helm; Milan, IL, 9. Tony Vondresky; Davenport, IA.

Consolation: 1. Guss, Jr., 2. Hansen, 3. Thomas, 4. Helm, 5. Schrams, 6. Baker, 7. Hill, 8. Diercks, 9. Willert, 10. Vondresky, 11. Garland.

Pole Dash: 1. Hixson, 2. Hanford, 3. Smith, 4. Tuckwell, 5. Stecher, 6. Dominacki.

Feature Race: 1. Hanford, 2. Tuckwell, 3. Hixson, 4. Dominacki, 5. Stecher, 6. Herring, 7. Thye, 8. Peters, 9. Emerick, 10. Guss, Jr., 11. Lodge, 12. Lewis, 13. Zogg, 14. Thomas, 15. Helm, 16. Hansen, 17. McGee, 18. Schrams, 19. Goff, 20. Hill, 21. Baker, 22. Dubil, 23. Smith, 24. Otten.

2006 WORLD Dirt Racing League sponsors include PolyDome Products, AMSOIL, Hoosier Racing Tires, Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation, Lincoln Electric Company, Chase Race Decals, Wyman's Ford, Gatorade, QA1 Motorsports, The Brake Man, Champ Pans, The Joie of Seating, Performance Bodies, Design 500 Racewear, V-Performance Batteries, Fast Shafts, Hooker Harness, Weld Wheels, Scott Performance Wire, KSE Racing Products, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and Swartz Xtreme Race Cars.