Elliott races back into contention with Farley JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour checkers
Elliott races back into contention with Farley JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour checkers
FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 14) – The race for the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour took an interesting turn when defending champion Mark Elliott took the checkers Friday night at Farley Speedway.
Elliott became the first driver to return to victory lane through the IMCA Modified series’ first 10 events. The $1,500 win puts him on the ballot for the 2013 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.
Chasing Elliott across the stripe in the Yankee Dirt Track Classic show were Jeff Waterman, Ron Barker, Darin Duffy and Ryan Dolan.
Jeremy Mills ran sixth and regained the top spot in the series point standings when co-leaders Richie Gustin and Jay Noteboom had more than their share of problems. Gustin broke in his heat while Noteboom had to take a provisional, exited early after losing a bumper and was scored 20th.
Mills will take a seven point advantage over Noteboom into Saturday’s $2,000 to win HDT event at Farley. Dolan is eight points back while Elliott lurks just 10 points off the pace.
Moving quickly from the fourth starting spot, Duffy took the early lead and started to pull away while Troy Cordes, Elliott and Waterman battled for second.
By midway of the 25-lapper, Elliott and Cordes had gained some separation of their own and were reeling in Duffy. They ran three-wide coming out of turn four on lap 14. Elliott was scored first on the next circuit but Cordes moved ahead on lap 16.
The first caution came out on lap 19. Several attempts were needed to get the race restarted and when it did, Cordes pulled into the infield with mechanical issues.
That handed the lead to Elliott, who stayed in front while Waterman, Duffy, Mills, Barker and eventually Dolan tussled over the second through sixth positions. Elliott took the checkers with Waterman closing.
Elliott had also won the HDT feature at Farley last year. The series concludes during the Sept. 21-22 Havoc On The High Banks at Marshalltown Speedway.
Feature results – 1. Mark Elliott, Webster City; 2. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Ron Barker, Dubuque; 4. Darin Duffy, Hazleton; 5. Ryan Dolan, Lisbon; 6. Jeremy Mills, Garner; 7. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 8. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 9. Rich Smith, Davenport; 10. Mike Van Genderen, Newton; 11. Larry Herring, Lone Tree; 12. Brandon Rothzen, Raritan, Ill.; 13. Chris Horn, Cedar Rapids; 14. Ryan DeShaw; Dyersville; 15. Kevin Pittman, Waterloo; 16. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 17. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 18. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; ?19. Ray Cox Jr., Maquoketa; 20. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; ?21. Bob Moyer, Dubuque; ?22. Shawn Ryan, Waterloo; 23. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque; 24. Jason Schueller, Dubuque.
1st heat (top two qualify) – 1. Schulte; 2. Carter. 2nd heat – 1. Dolan; 2. Cordes. 3rd heat – 1. Barker; 2. Duffy. 4th heat – 1. Mills; 2. Elliott. 5th heat – 1. DeShaw; 2. Rothzen. 6th heat – 1. Waterman; 2. Moyer.
1st “B” feature (top three qualify) – 1. Pittman; 2. Lauritzen; 3. Ryan. 2nd “B” feature – 1. Jackson; 2. Herring; 3. Freiburger. 3rd “B” feature – 1. Schueller; 2. Horn; 3. Van Genderen.
Provisionals – Noteboom, Smith and Cox.
Category: Hawkeye Dirt Tour, Iowa, News, Series
