34 Raceway holds its first points race of 2012

By Dana Royer/34 Raceway

 BURLINGTON, IA (April 28, 2012) – A Nice field of race cars turned out for the first points race of the 2012 season at 34 Raceway Saturday night April 28 with over 100 cars in the pits. Winners included: Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Il., (IMCA Late Models); Josh Foster, Montrose (Coors Silver Bullet IMCA Modifieds); Donnie Steward, West Burlington (W.T. Gabeline and Sons Trucking 305 Sprints); Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant (Mikes Auto Parts IMCA Stock Cars), Jake Wenig, Burlington (Pepsi Hobby Stocks) and Nick Wilkerson, Morning Sun (I-Wireless/Louisa Communications 4 Cylinders). The make up April 21 Stock Car feature was won by Jim Lynch, Donnellson. Four of the seven feature races went flag to flag for non stop action.

 Coming up this week at 34 Raceway, May 5 will be Bobcat of Burlington Night with point races for Late Models, 305 Sprints, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, 4 Cylinders and the first night for the Sport Mods.

The first feature of the night saw the Mikes Auto Parts IMCA Stock Cars take to the track with eighteen cars lined up for the first of two Stock Car features to be run. Jason Cook led all twenty laps but he had to work for the win being challenged by John Oliver Jr. throughout the race.

Sixteen Coors Silver Bullet IMCA Modifieds would take to the track next with Mitch Morris of Eldridge taking the early lead and leading for the next fifteen laps. With Josh Foster on his tail, Morris got caught behind a lap car on lap sixteen and Foster took advantage going to the inside in turn two for the lead. Foster went on to take the checkered flag in the twenty lap flag to flag feature race.

Burlingtons Jake Wenig picked up his second straight Pepsi Hobby Stock win taking the checkered flag in the fifteen car field. Wenig took the lead from Eric Rowley on lap three on a red flag restart and would pull away for the win in the second flag to flag feature race of the night. Josh Tripp, West Burlington took a roll on the back stretch to bring out the red flag. He walked away unhurt.

Quincy, Illinois Mark Burgtorf held off challenges by Colby Springsteen, Wapello, to win the IMCA Late Model 25 lap  feature race. Burgtorf took the lead from his front row start on the first circuit but would have to work to stay ahead of Springsteen . Springsteen, who took a couple shots at the lead, did some quick reacting to avoid a lap car that had spun on lap fifteen and was able to continue putting pressure in Burgtorf.  But Burgtorf was too fast and would take the checkered by three car lengths. Springsteen took second followed by Lonnie Bailey who took third.

Donnie Steward held off a challenge from Jayson Ditsworth to win the W.T. Gabeline and Sons Trucking 305 Sprint feature. Fourteen cars set the field with Daniel Bergquist and Nick Guernsey on the front row. Bergquist took the early lead, leading the field for the first ten laps of the twenty lap feature. On lap eleven, Stewart would take the lead in turn two. Ditsworth would move into the second spot on lap sixteen and had his sights set on Steward, both running the high side of the track. But Ditsworth wouldnt be able to catch the leader as Steward took the win by a comfortable margin in the third flag to flag race of the night.

A nice field of sixteen I-Wireless/Louisa Communications 4 Cylinders took to the track next with Casey Mehaffy, Danville and Michael Grossman, Keokuk on the front row. Grossman would take the early lead and lead the field for the next seven laps. When Grossman got caught behind lap traffic on lap eight, Nick Wilkerson, Morning Sun, would take advantage and slip by for the lead. Wilkerson would go on to take the checkered flag for the second straight week in the fourth flag to flag feature of the night.

The final race of the night was the Mikes Auto Parts IMCA Stock Cars make up feature from the April 21 rainout. Jim Lynch took the lead from his front row start in the twenty lap feature. A thriller it was, with bumper to bumper, side by side action. The final four laps it was bumper to bumper for the top six cars. As they came out of turn four on the final lap, the cars got bunched up pushing Lynch up to the front stretch wall. Sliding down the wall on two wheels, Lynch crossed the finish line for the checkered flag, while, Shane Watts, who was running second, got spun allowing Jason Cook to finish in second as Watts crossed the finish line sideways for third.

34 Raceway results from Saturday, April 28, 2012

W.T. GABELINE & SONS TRUCKING 305 SPRINTS

FEATURE: 1. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, 2. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il., 3. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, 4. Nick Guernsey, Burlington, 5. Dustin Whiting, Burlington, 6. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, 7. John Schulz, West Burlington, 8. Justin Newberry, Danville, 9. Chase Wanner, Agency, 10. Matt Stephenson, Des Moines, 11. Harold Pohren, New London, 12. Shane Quam, Gladstone, Il., 13. Brandyn Martin, Eldon, 14. Shawn Whiting, West Burlington, 15. Andy Huston, Roseville, Il., 16. Tony Bundy, Monmouth, Il., 17. Corey Timmerman, Carman, Il., 18. Dave Getchell, Sperry. HEAT WINNERS: Ditsworth, Schulz, Steward.

IMCA LATE MODELS

FEATURE: 1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Il., 2. Colby Springsteen, Wapello, 3. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun, 4. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun, 5. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Il., 6. Nate Bueseling, Silvis, Il., 7. Sam Halstead, New London, 8. Tom Bowling, Danville, 9. Tom Goble, Danville, 10. Joey Gower, Quincy, Il., 11. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa, 12. Jay Chenoweth, Wapello, 13. Clint Kirkham, Camden, Il., 14. Matt Bailey, Quincy, Il., 16. Tim Simpson, Iowa City, 17. Tommy Elston, Keokuk. HEAT WINNERS: Darbyshire, Halstead.

COORS SILVER BULLET IMCA MODIFIEDS

FEATURE: 1. Josh Foster, Montrose, 2. Mitch Morris, Eldridge, 3. Scott Hogan, Vinton, 4. Milo Veloz, Colona, Il., 5. Kevin Goben, Sherrard, Il., 6. Rich Smith, Davenport, 7. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, 8. Lonnie Heap, Media, Il., 9. Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington, 10. Andy Krieger, Burlington, 11. Mike Weikert, Jr, Muscatine,  12. Brad Tyler, Wilton, 13. Darin Thye, Burlington, 14. Dean McGee, Galesburg, Il., 15. Todd Dykena, Davenport, 16. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Il., 17. Brandon Rothzen, Raritan, Il., HEAT WINNERS: Hogan, Smith.

MIKES AUTO PARTS IMCA STOCK CARS

FEATURE: 1. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 2. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 3. Brett Timmerman, Wapello, 4. Matt Greiner, Washington, 5. Abe Hulls, Carthage, Il., 6. Jim Lynch, Donnellson, 7. Shane Watts, Burlington, 8. Jeff Mueller, New London, 9. Cale Samberg, Burlington, 10. Blaine Dopler, Wapello, 11. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, 12. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson, 13. John Brockway, Morning Sun, 14. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun, 15. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 16. Corey Strothman, Mt. Union, 17. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Il., 18. Tim Breuer, Burlington, 19. Alex Buffington, Wapello. HEAT WINNERS: Oliver, Strothman, Webb.

PEPSI HOBBY STOCKS

FEATURE: 1. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 2. Dan Wenig, West Burlington, 3. Dane Fenton, Burlington, 4. Matt Gavin, Kirkwood, Il., 5. Victor Hastings, Oquawka, Il., 6. Loyd Duffie, Avon, Il., 7. Eric Rowley, Burlington, 8. Nathan Anders, Quincy, Il., 9. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, 10. Dugan Thye, Burlington, 11. Mark Bowman, West Burlington, 12. Skyler Troutman, Danville, 13. Ed Weyrick, Burlington, 14. Travis Plummer, Burlington,  15. Josh Tripp, West Burlington. HEAT WINNERS:  Hastings, J. Wenig.

I-WIRELESS/LOUISA COMMUNICATIONS 4 CYLINDERS

FEATURE: 1. Nick Wilkerson, Morning Sun, 2. Bill Whalen, Jr., Riverside, 3. Micahel Grossman,
Keokuk, 4. Bradley Stevenson, Burlington, 5. Jerrod Nichols, Stronghurst, Il., 6. James Roose, Grandview, 7. Geoffrey Theobald, Wapello, 8. John Whalen, Ainsworth, 9. Billy Stanford, Wapello, 10. Brian Mehaffy, Danville, 11. Daytona Fenton, Burlington, 12. Dustin Ravelin, Burlington, 13. Casey Mehaffy, Danville, 14. Bryerson Tharp, Grandview, 15. Matt Wilson, Burlington, 16. Garrett McGinnity, 17. Cody Thompson, Ainsworth, 18. Kevin Mortimer, Biggsville, Il., 19. Adam Gates, Cedar Rapids. HEAT WINNERS: Stevenson, Stanford.

MIKES AUTO PARTS IMCA STOCK CAR (Make up from 4/21 rainout)

FEATURE: 1. Jim Lynch, Donnellson, 2. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 3. Shane Watts, Burlington, 4. Matt Greiner, Washington, 5. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 6. Alex, Buffington, Wapello, 7. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, 8. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson, 9. John Brockway, Morning Sun, 10. Tim Breuer, Burlington, 11. Blaine Dopler, Wapello, 12. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Il., 13. Jeff Mueller, New London, 14. Abe Huls, Carthage, Il., 15. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 16. Tanner Thomann, West Burlington, 17. Gabe Harrison, Warsaw, Il., 18. Travis Hartman, Burlington, 19. Troy Greiner, Lockridge. HEAT WINNERS: Pundt, Mueller, Dopler.

Category: 34 Raceway, Iowa, News