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CHAD SIMPSON GOES FLAG TO FLAG FOR WORLD DIRT RACING LEAGUE
WIN
Mt. Vernon, Iowa, driver holds on to series point lead with his victory at
Deer Creek Speedway
By Rusty Daufeldt
WORLD Dirt Racing League
SPRING VALLEY, MN. (Sept. 6) - Round 13 brought the cars and stars of the
WORLD Dirt Racing League here to the beautiful Deer Creek Speedway. Perfect
weather made for an evening of some of the best Late Model racing seen in
the 2009 season. Coming into the Deer Creek event, series point leader Chad
Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, hoped to hold on to his slim point lead for the
2009 series championship. But a strong field of drivers was on hand to try
to spoil his championship bid.
First on Saturday night's agenda was Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Group
Qualifying. Dave Eckrich was able to set fast time around the perfectly
prepared, fast, three-eighths-mile track with a time of 14.614. Simpson
continued his storybook season, turning in second-quick time, which was only
.034 second off Eckrich's mark.
Three competitive heat races and the Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole
Dash set the field for the 40-lap, $5,000-to-win Baudoin Oil-sponsored main
event, with Simpson marching toward to the 2009 title with a win in the IITI
pole dash. Rookie-of-the-year point leader Chad Mahder started the feature
from the outside pole by virtue of his a runner-up finish in the dash.
Simpson took off from the point when the green flag fell in the 40-lapper,
but there was an all-out dog fight from second position on back. Mahder and
Adam Hensel fought door to door for what seemed to be the entire first half
of the race.
The field was tightened on many occasions due to five caution flags that
fell. But on the final restart, Hensel, of Baron, Wis., was able to move
past Mahder and set his sites on Simpson.
Hensel was able to close to Simpson's rear bumper in lapped traffic but
could never mount a charge strong enough to overtake the leader. During the
last 15 laps, Deer Creek Speedway 2009 track champion Keith Foss was able to
move into fourth position ahead of series regular Eckrich. Eckrich and Foss,
however, were no match for a late-race charge from Nick Anvelink, who had
started in ninth position.
Anvelink advanced past Foss and Eckrich and, in the closing laps, passed
Mahder. Up front, Hensel continued to put pressure on Simpson as the leader
sliced through a three-wide pack of lapped cars en route to his fourth WDRL
win of 2009. Hensel ended up second, Anvelink third and Mahder fourth.
Eckrich made a late-race pass on Foss for fifth position.
In Victory Lane, Simpson commented, "The car was good. We have a new shock
package that we have been working on, and we are two for two with it -- I
think we'll keep it!"
With his flag-to-flag Baudoin Oil 40 win, Simpson has edged closer to a
second consecutive WORLD Dirt Racing League Late Model series championship.
For more information on the WORLD Dirt Racing League or the latest schedule,
check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.
RACE REPORT
DEER CREEK SPEEDWAY
SPRING VALLEY, MINN.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 5, 2009
Group Qualifying: 1. Dave Eckrich (14.614), 2. Chad Simpson (14.644), 3.
Adam Hensel (14.645), 4. Jason Utter (14.718), 5. Tim Isenberg (14.729), 6.
Nick Anvelink (14.754), 7. Eric Pember (14.756), 8. Denny Eckrich (14.840),
9. Justin Mitchell (14,871), 10. Chris Simpson (14.921), 11. Chad Mahder
(14.924), 12. Kerry Hansen (14.951), 13. Rob Moss (15.017), 14. Keith Foss
(15.082), 15. Alan Mondus (15.085), 16. Steve Hucovski (15.317), 17. Justin
Sass (15.355), 18. Dennis Hillson (15.414), 19. Matt Furman (15.675), 20.
Nick Kramer (15.721), 21. Jerry Bloom (15.849), 22. Rick Hanestead (15.379),
First Qualifying Heat Race: 1. Adam Hensel (44), 2. Kerry Hansen (25), 3.
Nick Anvelink (15), 4. Justin Mitchell (28X), 5. Rob Moss (1M), 6. Dennis
Hillson (7), 7. Nick Kramer (40), 8. Steve Hucovski (15).
Second Qualifying Heat Race: 1. Chad Mahder (55C), 2. Chad Simpson (25), 3.
Denny Eckrich (50), 4. Keith Foss (95), 5. Tim Isenberg (9T) , 6. Jerry
Bloom (35), 7. Justin Sass (24S). 8. Tyler Bruening (16).
Third Qualifying Heat Race: 1. Eric Pember (90X), 2. Jason Utter (31), 3.
Dave Eckrich (58), 4. Matt Furman (51), 5. Andrew McKay (71), 6. Alan Mondus
(55M), 7. Chris Simpson (32), 8. Rick Hanestead (71)
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Simpson, 2. Mahder, 3. Hensel,
4. Pember, 5. Utter, 6. Hansen, 7. Eckrich, 8. Furman.
40-Lap Baudoin Oil Feature: 1. Simpson, 2. Hensel, 3. Anvelink, 4. Mahder,
5. Dave Eckrich, 6. Foss, 7. Mondus, 8. Utter, 9. Pember, 10. Denny Eckrich,
11. Hansen, 12. Furman, 13. Moss, 14. Bloom, 15. Isenberg, 16. Mitchell, 17.
Hillson, 18. Kramer, 19. Bruening, 20. Hucovski, 21. McKay, 22. Chris
Simpson, 23. Hanestead, 24. Sass.
INFORMATION OF INTEREST:
Entrants: 24
Lap Leaders: Simpson 1- 40
Time of Race: n/a
Margin of Victory: n/a
Caution Flags: 5
Red Flags: none
Chase Decals Rookie-of-the-Race: Chad Mahder
Hard Luck Driver: Eric Pember
Series Provisionals: n/a
CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: 1. Chad Simpson
QA1 Motorsports: Chad Simpson
The Brake Man: Chad Mahder
Champ Pans: Dave Eckrich
Performance Bodies: Jason Utter
Fast Shafts: Denny Eckrich
Hooker Harness: Matt Furman
BSB Manufacturing: Eric Pember
Randy's Racing Filters: 9th place finish: Eric Pember, 10th place finish:
Denny Eckrich
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