BIRKHOFER GRABS FLAG-TO-FLAG AL FRIEDEN MEMORIAL WDRL VICTORY
Popular Muscatine, Iowa driver scores sixth series victory on West Liberty half-mile
By Tom Lathen WORLD Dirt Racing League

WEST LIBERTY, IA. (Oct. 6, 2006) -  Brian Birkhofer grabbed the lead on the opening circuit Friday night and went on to win the Al Frieden Memorial 25, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series sanctioned event here at West Liberty Raceway.

The convincing win, in the annual event commemorating the life of one of Iowa’s legendary race car owners and track promoters, was Birkhofer’s sixth series victory on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds half-mile since the series began running there in 2002.

“I grew up watching my dad race when Al (Frieden) ran all of the tracks,” commented Birkhofer in AMSOIL Victory Lane. “He was a great guy and a great promoter, and he was great for my career. I have to thank him for putting on the races he did to help get me where I am today.”

“Every time you look at a race track here in Iowa, you have to think of Al Frieden, because he probably had something to do with that track at one time,” added the winner. “I miss him because racing needs good promoters and he was always pretty fair.”

Coming from an outside front row starting position, Birkhofer powered to the advantage at the drop of the green flag, with pole setter Brian Harris battling Dave Eckrich, Matt Furman, Denny Eckrich, and Kurt Kile wheel-to-wheel for the runner-up spot.

A pair of caution flags in the first four laps kept the field bunched tightly, but on each restart, Birkhofer was able to maintain the point, just ahead of the furious four-car battle for second.

On lap five, two-time series champion Kyle Berck, who started twelfth, tried to squeeze to the inside of fifth-place running Denny Eckrich, with the pair tangling briefly in turn four, ending the Marquette, Nebraska driver’s chances for a top-five finish.

Four laps later, with his car suffering obvious handling problems, Berck slowed down the back straightaway bringing out the third caution flag of the night, with the yellow flag waving three more times over the next nine circuits.

Following the lap nine restart, Birkhofer suffered a power steering problem, but the popular Muscatine, Iowa chauffeur was able to wrestle his Daufelt Transport/Rocket/Pro Power Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the checkered flag to secure the win.

“The car was awesome the first five laps, but once that power steering went, I was thinking, ‘I’m going to have to hang on here’,” said Birkhofer. “Every yellow (flag), I kept thinking about pulling in because I was afraid I was going to crash this thing.”

Added the winner, “The problem was, when you get in there against that cushion and you get counter-steer, I couldn’t hardly pull back out of it. The guys behind me were probably thinking, ‘where’s he going,’ because I would drive over the cushion and I just couldn’t steer.”

Dave Eckrich meanwhile, finished strong to grab second, with Harris closing to within 17 markers of series points leader Denny Eckrich in the PolyDome Late Model Series point standings, with a consistent third place finish. Denny Eckrich, the defending series champion, finished a position back, in fourth.

Crossing the line behind fifth-place finisher Kevin Kile were Jason Utter and Chris Simpson. The pair started side-by-side on row 12, after getting into the event via series provisionals, and stormed through the field to finish sixth and seventh place, respectively.

Race Report:

First PolyDome Qualifier; 1. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (72.5), 2. Tommy Elston; Keokuk, IA (55.5), 3. Todd Cooney; Des Moines, IA 52.0), 4. Dan Shelliam; Hazel Green, WI (50.75), 5. Hal Rusell; Blue Grass, IA (45.0), 6. Jay Chenoweth; Wapello, IA (41.5), 7. Sam Halstead; New London, IA (40.25), 8. Sam Harroun; West Liberty, IA (34.5), 9. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (33.25), 10. Tom Darbyshire; Yarmouth, IA (27.5).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brian Birkhofer; Muscatine, IA (68.0), 2. Trent Follmer; Elk River, MN (57.75), 3. Kyle Berck; Marquette (52.0), NE, 4. Rob Moss; Iowa City (48.5), IA, 5. Chad Simpson; Mount Vernon, IA (47.25), 6. Andy Eckrich; Oxford, IA (48.5), 7. Darrel DeFrance; Marshalltown, IA 44.75), 8. Mike Fryer; Freeport, IL (34.5), 9. David Schrier; Muscatine, IA (31.0), 10. D.J. Burke; Davenport, IA (27.5).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (61.25), 2. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (65.5), 3. Kurt Kile; Nichols, IA (63.25), 4. Jeremy Grady; Story City, IA 55.25), 5. Ray Guss, Jr.; Milan, IL (45.0), 6. Jeff Aikey; Cedar Falls, IA (50.5), 7. Jason Rauen; Farley, IA (42.5), 8. Jody Metzger; Muscatine, IA (34.5), 9. Johnny Johnson; West Burlington, IA (31.0), 10. Skip Frey; Ely, IA (27.5).

Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (65.75), 2. Matt Furman; Iowa City, IA (69.0), 3. Todd Davis; Iowa City, IA (52.0), 4. Johnny Spaw; Cedar Rapids, IA (48.5), 5. Kevin Kile; West Liberty, IA (45.0), 6. Jeremiah Hurst; Dubuque, IA 41.5), 7. Nick Marolf; Moscow, IA (42.5), 8. Matt Gilchrest; Muscatine, IA (34.5), 9. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction, IA (31.0).

KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Andy Eckrich, 2. Kevin Kile, 3. Guss, Jr., 4. Rauen, 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Hurst, 7. Marolf, 8. Utter, 9. Chenoweth, 10. Fryer, 11. Johnson, 12. Metzger, 13. Russell, 14. Halstead, 15. DeFrance, 16. Schrier, 17. Harroun, 18. Darbyshire.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Harris, 2. Birkhofer, 3. Furman, 4. Dave Eckrich, 5. Denny Eckrich, 6. Follmer, 7. Pember, 8. Kurt Kile.

Al Frieden Memorial 25: 1. Birkhofer, 2. Dave Eckrich, 3. Harris, 4. Denny Eckich, 5. Kurt Kile, 6. Utter, 7. Chris Simpson, 8. Follmer, 9. Pember, 10. Chad Simpson, 11. Kevin Kile, 12. Cooney, 13. Rauen, 14. Shelliam, 15. Andy Eckrich, 16. Spaw, 17. Aikey, 18. Grady, 19. Moss, 20. Berck, 21. Elston, 22. Guss, Jr., 23. Davis, 24. Furman.

Additional Information of Interest:

Number of Entrants: 39
Lap Leaders: Birkhofer (1-25)
Time of Race: 31:49
Margin of Victory: .691
Caution Flags: 6 (Laps 1, 4, 9, 14, 17, 18)
Red Flags: None
Fastest Lap: Birkhofer (18.553)
Series Provisionals: Chris Simpson, Utter
Rookie-of-the-Race: Utter
Hard Luck Driver: Berck

Contingency Award Winners:

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Harris, Birkhofer, Furman
QA1 Motorsports: Dave Eckrich
The Brake Man: Birkhofer
Champ Pans: Dave Eckrich
Joie of Seating: Harris
Performance Bodies: Denny Eckrich
Design 500 Racewear: Kurt Kile
V-Performance Batteries: Utter
Fast Shafts: Chris Simpson
Hooker Harness: Follmer
Weld Wheels: Pember
Scott Performance Wire: Chad Simpson
Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Marolf
KSE Racing Products: Kevin Kile
Chase Race Decals: Berck