2014 Track Champions crowned at 34 Raceway
By Dana Royer/34 Raceway
Burlington, IA (August 30, 2014) – Despite 3 ½ inches of rain in the last couple days, it was back to racing at 34 Raceway Saturday night August 30 for Season Championship night in all six classes. Six drivers were crowned 2014 Track Champions. Jeff Waterman (IMCA Modifieds), Quincy, Il., John Oliver, Jr. (IMCA Stock Cars), Danville, Donnie Steward (305 Sprints), West Burlington, Bobby Anders (IMCA Sport Mods), Quincy, Il., Dan Keltner, (Mod Lites), Coralville and Austen Becerra (4 cylinders),
$5 Fan appreciation night brought the race fans out who enjoyed some exciting racing and the popular on track autograph session with the drivers on the front stretch during intermission.
Going home with feature wins Saturday night were Dustin Clark (305 sprints), Eldon, Jeff Waterman (IMCA Modifieds), Quincy, Il., John Oliver, Jr., (IMCA Stock Cars), Danville, Joey Gower (IMCA Sport Mods), Quincy, Il., Daniel Keltner (mod lites), Coralville and Austen Becerra, (4 Cyl), Carthage, Il.
Although the point season is now completed there is still some fun and exciting racing action to come at 34 Raceway. Coming up this Saturday, September 4 the MOWA (Midwest Open Wheel Association) 410 Outlaw Sprints will be returning to 34 Raceway with some of the best in 410 sprint racing taking on the 3/8 high bank racing for $3000 to win. 305 Sprints will be competing for a $2000 to win check and Outlaw 4 Cylinders will add to the action for a $250 to win check. Gates open at 5 with hot laps at 6:00, 410 and 305 Sprint time trials at 6:30 and racing to follow. Saturday, Sept. 13 will be the Midwest Performance and Power Clash for Cash Night 4, Saturday, September 27 will be the Brockway Mechanical Sprint Invaders 2014 Season Championship and the season caps off with the return and final stop of the Midwest Power and Performance & Power Clash for Cash Season Championship.
For more information go to www.34raceway.com or 34 Raceway facebook page.
With a season championship already locked up for Casebine Credit Union Mod Lite racer Daniel Keltner, he would cap the point season off with his seventh 34 Raceway feature win. Keltner led from start to finish pulling away to a nearly 8 second lead for the win in the eight car field. Devon Rouse, Jimmy Halcomb, Collin Ball and Chase Flatt followed to round out the top five. Keltner got a cool reception as he was getting ready for winners photos getting a couple cool buckets of water dumped on his head.
Austen Becerra held a 40 point lead over Kimberly Abbott going into the nights action. Then the driver from Carthage, Il, picked up his 35th 4 cylinder feature win of his season (his eighth at 34) and a 34 Raceway Track Championship Saturday night leading the eighteen car field for 12 laps in their final point race of the season. Becerra got a challenge from Larry Miller for several laps before pulling away at the end. Miller would finish second and Daytona Fenton, Rachael Reger and Ron Kibbe would follow to round out the top five in the flag to flag race.
Joey Gower, Quincy, Il. picked up his third Casebine Credit Union IMCA Sport Mod feature win Saturday night but it wasn’t enough to get him a track championship. Bobby Anders held a 23 point lead over Sean Wyett in the point race with Gower 25 points behind the leader. The track championship honor went to Anders who ended the night with a third place finish behind Gower and Tony Dunker. Gower took the lead from Anders on lap seven and held off a hard charging Dunker to take the checkered flag with Dunker on his tail as they crossed the finish line in the eighteen car field. Dunker had moved up from the rear of the field, following a spin early in the race, and moved into the second spot with three laps to go. Anders’ third place finished clinched him the 2014 Track Championship for the sport mods, his second in two years.
John Oliver, Jr., Danville, won the fifteen car Pepsi IMCA Stock Car feature and claimed the Stock Car Track 2014 Track Championship Saturday night. Oliver took the lead on lap four from Shane Watts with the two putting on a good show for the fans. With two laps to go, Dane Fenton would take over the second spot from Jake Wenig but Oliver’s lead was too great and Fenton would take second as Oliver took the checkered flag , his second this year at 34 Raceway. Oliver held an 18 point lead over Watts before the night began and the win clinched him the stock car championship.
One of the closest points races of the night was in the Ryner Transportation IMCA Modified division where Mitch Morris held a 2 point lead, 367-365, over Bill Roberts following heat race action and Jeff Waterman was right behind with 364. Morris and Waterman lead the field to the green flag and it was Waterman taking the early lead. Then hard luck hit Morris who’s car ended up by the turn 3 wall on lap three bringing out the yellow flag and his night ending as well as a chance for the track championship. Waterman continued to led the field being chased by Tyler Glass. On lap seven, Bill Roberts saw his chance at a track championship end when he would pull into the pit area with car problems also ending his night. But it was a great night for Waterman who picked up his fourth feature win and an IMCA Modified Track Championship. Glass, Dennis LaVeine, Dugan Thye and Dustin Smith would round out the top five.
The final feature of the point season and night was the W.T. Gabeline and Sons Trucking 305 Sprints with point leaders Donnie Steward and Jason Ditsworth just one point apart (402 and 401) following heat race action. To add to the excitement Daniel Bergquist followed with 397. But disaster struck for Ditsworth who would flip his #1 Olson Brothers sprint car on the start of the race coming out of turn one to end his shot at the championship. With Ditsworth out there was opportunity for Bergquist to claim his first track title but it would not be for the Burlington driver who would drop back throughout the race. Meanwhile with Steward holding the lead a challenge was coming from Dustin Clark. Clark who would start from the 13th position would move up through the field to second by lap fourteen. Clark would take the lead from Steward on lap sixteen and went on to get his first 34 Raceway win this year. But it would be Steward, who finished second, who would claim the 2014 305 Sprint track championship.
34 Raceway August 30 results
W.T. GABELINE AND SONS TRUCKING 305 SPRINTS
FEATURE: . 1. Dustin Clark, Eldon, 2. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, 3. Justin Newberry, Danville, 4. John Schulz, West Burlington, 5. Andy Huston, Roseville, Il., 6. Andy Kreiger, Burlington, 7. Nick Guernsey, Burlington, 8. Patrick Moore, Bettendorf, 9. Shane Quam, Gladstone, Il., 10. Dave Getchell, Sperry, 11. Dillan Roth, Burlington, 12. Blaine Jamison, Mediapolis, 13. Jeff Wilker, Genoa, Il., 14. Chase Wanner, Agency, 15. Dustin Whiting, Burlington, 16. Andrew Genkinger, Mt. Pleasant, 17. Richard Brod, Downers, Grove, Il., 18. Kade Higday, Altoona, 20. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, 21. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, 22. Austin Sears, Macomb, Il., 23. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il.,
HEAT WINNERS: Steward, Newberry, Roth.
RYNER TRANSPORTATION IMCA MODIFIEDS
FEATURE: 1. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Il., 2. Tyler Glass, Cedar Rapids, 3. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, 4. Dugan Thye, Burlington, 5. Dustin Smith, Tayler Ridge, Il., 6. Lonne Heap, Monmouth, Il., 7. Larry McConnell, Danville, 8. Brian Woodruff, Abingdon, Il., 9. Chadwick Giberson, Packwood, 10. Troy Greiner, Fairfield, 11. Blake Woodruff, Galesburg, Il., 12. Dustan Fenton, Burlington, 13. Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington 14. Darrow Lillie, Burlington, 15. Mitch Morris, Eldridge,
HEAT WINNERS: Smith, Roberts.
PEPSI IMCA STOCK CARS
FEATURE: 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 2. Dane Fenton, Burlington, 3. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 4. Tom Bowling, Danville, 5. John Brockway, Morning Sun 6. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, 7. Les Blakley, Fairfield, 8. Shane Watts, Burlington, 9. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, 10. Michael McClure, Bloomfield, 11. Joe Gerdes, Burlington, 12. Derek Schwandt, Danville, 13. Ray Raker, Danville, 14. Bo Hunter, Burlington, 15. Randy Wachter, Burlington.
HEAT WINNERS: Bowling, Blakley.
CASEBINE CREDIT UNION IMCA SPORT MODS
FEATURE: 1. Joey Gower, Quincy, Il., 2. Tony Dunker, Quincy, Il., 3. Bobby Anders, Quincy, Il., 4. Dakota Simmons, Libertyville, 5. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk, 6. Nathan Bringer, Lewistown, Mo., 7. Creston Williams, Newhall, 8. Brett Timmerman, Wapello, 9. Adam Shelman, Ames, 10. James Chesmore, Wapello, 11. Ethan Allen, Fort Madison, 12. Michael Goodwin, Quincy, Il., 13. Andre’ Laporte, East Moline, Il., 14. Sean Wyett, Danville, 15. Ryan Fullenkamp, Bloomfield., 16. Branden Dale, Memphis, Mo., 17. Kyle Hill, New London, 18. Austin Howes, Labelle, Mo.
HEAT WINNERS: Dale, Dunker, Shelman.
LOUISA COMMUNICATIONS 4 CYLINDERS
FEATURE: 1. Austen Becerra, Carthage, Il., 2. Larry Miller, Burlington, 3. Daytona Fenton, Burlington, 4. Rachael Reger, Burlington, 5. Ron Kibbe, Danville, 6. Billy Stanford, Wapello, 7. Brandon Reu, Donnelson, 8. Barry Taft, Argyle, 9. Shawn Baker, Burlington, 10. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, Il., 11. Jerrod Nichols, Stronghurst, Il., 12. Roy Norton, Burlington, 13. Dustin Ravelin, Burlington, 14. Kevin Mortimer, Biggsville, Il., 15. Brian Mehaffy, Danville, 16. Kenneth Brigner, Lewstown, Mo., 17. Justin Richardson, Wapello, 18. Dustan Fenton, Burlington.
HEAT WINNER: Becerra, Baker, Reu.
COORS LIGHT MOD LITES
FEATURE: 1. Daniel Keltner, Coralville, 2. Devon Rouse, Burlington, 3. Jimmy Halcomb, Kirkwood, Il., 4. Collin Ball, Wapello, 5. Chase Flatt, Monmouth, Il., 6. Jared Halcomb, Monmouth, Il., 7. Michael Dominguez, Lone Tree, 8. Gary Snyder, Monmouth, Il., 9. Justin Buchholz, Davenport, 10. Greg Rossell, Knoxville, Il.
HEAT WINNERS: Jimmy Halcomb, Keltner.
Category: 34 Raceway, Iowa
