Birky Defends “Liberty 100” Title;
Vest, Andy Eckrich & Thompson Score Championship Wins
The 2002 racing season came to a very
successful ending on Saturday night at the West Liberty Raceway. The
championships of the 6th annual “Liberty” 100 were run in front of a
packed house.
The Bud Shootout “Liberty 100” saw
29 very fast Late Model drivers take to the smooth track and the feature
provided the crowd with lots of exciting action. When the checkered flag flew it
was the odds on favorite taking the win. Brian Birkhofer started the race in the
9th position and steadily worked his way to the front taking the lead
from Denny Eckrich on lap 34. Despite having the field bunched up for a few
minor cautions “Birky “ was able to dominate the remainder of the race. Steve
Boley has had a season that he would just as soon forget, but this weekend will
help erase many of those memories as he ran up front all race long and finished
a very strong second to Birkhofer. Sonny Findling was also a strong contender
throughout the 100 laps bringing the #8 under the checkers in third. Denny
Eckrich led the first 34 laps before tagging the wall in turn two and dropping
back several positions. Eckrich was able to recover and advance back to a fourth
place finish. Ray Guss Jr. was very steady in rounding out the top five. Denny
Eckrich had won the Hollywood Fast Dash earlier in the evening earning the right
to start on the pole position of the 100 lap feature.
The 25 lap Miller Time Modified
feature was run very quickly with only one minor caution slowing the race. Jim
Vest took the lead from pole sitter Terry Walker very early and led the race the
majority of the way. Vest was very smooth in running a high line to the
championship win. Jim Sandusky pressured Vest late in the race but was not able
to overtake the leader and finished a very close second. Walker took third at
the checkers ahead of Darrell Brick and Ryan Dolan.
Andy Eckrich completed his Pro Stock
career at the West Liberty Raceway with a championship win in the “Liberty 100”.
The 2002 season highlights for the youngest of the three Eckrich brothers
included the West Liberty Raceway Pro Stock point championship and the “Yankee”
championship. The Liberty 100 title earned Eckrich the Pro Stock triple crown.
Eckrich chased down early leader Matt Gilchrist and took over the lead near the
midway point of the 20 lap race and went on to score the win. Jeff Tharp, John
Maher and Matt Bodman rounded out the top five. Andy Eckrich will be making the
move into the Late Model division for the 2003 season.
Jeremie Thompson took the lead from
Jeff Wellington early in the Hobby Stock championship feature and went on to
score the championship win. The Hobby Stocks ran in a pack early in the race
before Thompson was able to establish himself as the man to beat. Wellington
crossed the stripe in second ahead of Matt Fulton, Rod Staats and Ron Schreurs.
The 2003 racing season will get
underway at the West Raceway on the first Saturday in April with the running of
the annual Spring Championships.
Race Results West Liberty
Raceway 6th annual “Liberty 100”
Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout
Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation
Late Models
Heat 1
1.
26 Steve Boley-West Liberty
2.
50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin
3.
58 Dave Eckrich-Oxford
Heat 2
1.
8 Sonny Findling-Kirksville, MO
2.
74 Ron Boyse-Kalona
3.
12 Ray Guss Jr.-Milan, IL
Heat 3
1.
15 Brian Birkhofer-Muscatine
2.
32D Darren Miller-Chadwick, IL
3.
88 Kevin Kile-West Liberty
Heat 4
1.
28 Jeff Bair-Solon
2.
45 Michael Klinkhammer-West Branch
3.
3 Josh McGowan-Vinton
Heat 5
1.
37 Mike Smith-Jewell
2.
39 Rob Toland-Hillsdale, IL
3.
M32 Marty Beckler-Hills
Consolation 1
1.
3T Todd Davis-Iowa City
2.
5 Jay Johnson-W. Burlington
Consolation 2
1.
33 Nick Marolf-Moscow
2.
2h John Hampel-Nodaway
25 lap Race of Champions
1. 15 Birkhofer
2.. 58 Eckrich
3. 77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls
4. 50 Eckrich
5. 39 Toland
6. 12 GussJr.
7. 88 Kile
8. 8 Findling
9. 74 Ron Boyse
10. 26 Boley
Last Chance Race 1
1.
4 Bobby Sexton-West Branch
2.
2 Monte Ohrt-West Branch
Last Chance Race 2
1.
Mark Ward-Muscatine
2.
32 Tom Cannon-Iowa City
Hollywood Graphics Fast Dash
1.
50 Eckrich
2.
88 Kile
3.
26 Boley
Liberty 100
1.
15 Birkhofer
2.
26 Boley
3.
8 Findling
4.
50 Eckrich
5.
12 Guss Jr.
6.
45M Curt Martin-Independence
7.
58 Eckrich
8.
3T Davis
9.
45 Klinkkammer
10.
74 Boyse
11.
5 Johnson
12.
8M Ward
13.
3 McGowan
14.
4 Sexton
15.
2H Hampel
16.
77 Kurt Kile-West Liberty
17.
37 Smith
18.
21h Brian Harris-Davenport
19.
32D Miller
20.
88 Kevin Kile
21.
33 Marolf
22.
2 Ohrt
23.
77A Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls
24.
39 Toland
25.
41j Jeremiah Hurst-Dubuque
26.
M32 Marty Beckler-Hills
27.
90 Dan Galant-Clinton
28.
32 Cannon
29.
28 Bair
Miller Time Modifieds
Heat 1
1.
2 Jim Vest-Wellman
2.
22 Darrell Brick-West Branch
3.
96 Larry Herring-Lone Tree
Heat 2
1.
37 Todd Stoolman-West Branch
2.
M50 Jim Sandusky-Moline, IL
3.
7 Mike Thomas- West Branch
Heat 3
1.
12 Terry Walker-Riverside
2.
19Terry Lawson-New Liberty
3.
42 John Brumley-Riverside
Consolation
1.
36 Leroy Brenner-Aledo, IL
2.
23 Marty Leik-Iowa City
3.
45 Steve Kohli-Iowa City
4. 44 Wade Lee-Muscatine
Fast Dash
1. 12 Walker
2. 2 Vest
3. M50 Sandusky
25 Lap Feature
1. 2 Vest
2. M50 Sandusky
3. 12 Walker
4. 22 Brick
5. 16 Ryan Dolan-Lisbon
6. 96 Herring
7. 7 Thomas
8. 37 Stoolman
9. 19 Lawson
10. 45 Kohli
11. 17 Steve Stewart-Washington
12. 42 Brumley
13. 44 Wade Lee- Muscatine
14. 55 Scott Stecher-Muscatine
15. 38 Rob Hilyer-Nichols
16. 01m Mitch Way-davenport
17. 51 Harry Wethington-Tipton
18. 36 Brenner
19. 71Z Ramon Partida-West Liberty
20. 34 Dave Hemsted-Lone Tree
21. 92Z Tim Zeman-Fruitland
22. 2h Rick Hixson-Orion, IL
23. 54 Doug Picray-Monticello
24. 23 Leik
25. 5 Denny Poulson-West Liberty
26. D56 Mike Dains-Mechanicsville
DADCO Corp./Parker Stores Pro
Stocks
Heat 1
1.
29 Jason Gingerich-West Liberty
2.
12 Jeff Tharp-Dubuque
3.
69 John Maher-West Branch
Heat 2
1.
56 Andy Eckrich-Cosgrove
2.
25 Chad Simpson-Marion
3.
1 Matt Gichrist-Grandview
Heat 3
1.
32 Chris Simpson-Marion
2.
26 Paul Hallett-Muscatine
3.
36 Justin Gingerich-West Liberty
Fast Dash
1.
1 Gilchrist
2.
32 Chris Simpson
3.
56 Eckrich
20 Lap Feature
1. 56 Eckrich
2. 1 Gilchrist
3. 12 Tharp
4. 69 Maher
5. 0 Matt Bodman- Muscatine
6. 17 Gary Beuter-Tipton
7. 32 Chris Simpson
8. 25 Chad Simpson
9. 33 Randy Franzen-Maquoketa
10. 3 Dan Lange-Rochester
11. 7 Dale Franklin-Marion
12. 21 Brian VanDusen-Atalissa
13. 9z Dan Werner-Muscatine
14. 75 Mike Welsh-Davenport
15. 2R Rusty Daufeldt-Blue Grass
16. 36 Justin Gingerich-West Liberty
17. 21b Barry Dugan-Muscatine
18. 80 Jerry Dedrick-Vinton
19. 60 Matt Brockert-Muscatine
20. 5M Larry McCall-Mechanicsville
21. 29 Jason Gingerich-West Liberty
22. 26 Paul Hallett-Muscatine
23. 24 Monte Hayden-Wilton
NASCAR Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
1.
57 Jeff Wellington-Columbus Junction
2.
57J JeremieThompson-Ainsworth
3.
59 Mike Hughes-Galena, IL
Heat 3
1.
S9 Ron Schreurs-Fruitland
2.
20 Dan Albright-Hiawatha
3.
15 Jared Collins-West Liberty
Fast Dash
-
08 Rod Staats
-
57j Jeremie Thompson
-
S9 Ron Schreurs
12 Lap Feature
1. 57J Thompson
2. 57 Wellington
3. D1 Fulton
4. 08 Staats
5. S9 Schruers
6. 15 Collins
7. 0x Harold O’Brien-Muscatine
8. 9 Davey Elliott-Moscow
9. 2W Roger Whitcomb-Letts
10. 59 Hughes
11. 0 Stan O’Brien-Muscatine
12. 100 Dave Schrier-Muscatine
13. 25 Jim Schrier-Washington
14. 29 Matt Greiner-Washington
15. 32 Deon Harris-Muscatine
16. 72 Doug Yates-Monticello
17. 99 Jason Speers-Oxford
18. 20 Albright
19. 42V Derrin Voss-Wilton
