2004 SPI TRACKS

Suzuki 4 wheeler that Wilwert's has provided SPI for race track and  tee shirt shoot each night. The Suzuki Fun Gun provided by Wilwert's Inc.

FARLEY SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP TO ECKRICH 

Farley Iowa
August 31st, 2001

Denny Eckrich topped a strong field of NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Models on Season Championship Night at the Farley Speedway on Friday August 31st. 

Starting the race on the pole, Eckrich was never seriously challenged throughout the 35 lap affair.  Luke Merfeld gave chase late in the race but finished a distant second ahead of Josh McGowan, Matt Furman and Ace Ihm  Points leader Jeff Aikey was battling his way up from the twelfth spot when  a strange set of events centered around a lap 24 caution put him out of competition for the evening.   Running fourth a full straightaway behind Eckrich, it appeared that Aikey got the break he needed when the yellow light signaled a slowing of the action.  Unfortunately all the drivers didn't see the caution at the same time and Aikey got rear ended at a high rate of speed on the backstretch.  Somehow he appeared to escape damage and continued on until racing resumed, when he was tagged after spinning unexpectedly on the restart, ending his evening.   

Ron Barker took home his fifth feature win of the season in Modified action after battling with Jed Hurst throughout the 20 lap race.  Taking the lead following a lap three caution when leader Mark Schulte slowed, Barker spent the rest of the race holding off Hurst's challenge.  A lap ten restart provided Hurst the break he needed when Barker locked bumpers with the third place car of Jason Schueller, causing Barker to fall six car lengths behind before he was able to shake himself free.  In pursuit the rest of the distance, Barker quickly made up his lost ground, barley retaking the lead with two laps to go.  An intense last lap war was wasted as the race ended under caution, giving Barker the win over Hurst, Schueller, Ryan Dolan and Dan Chapman.  Dolan's finish was enough to hand him the Points Championship despite not winning a single event in 2001. 

Pro Stock action was marred by a violent opening lap accident on the backstretch when contact sent the car of Jeff Valentine into the outside retaining wall with a series of barrel rolls.  Valentine's car came to rest upside down and in a ball of flames with another car perched on top.   Valentine somehow emerged unhurt after safety crews extinguished the flames.    When racing did resume, Ty Kleiner went on to post his thid win of the season by a large margin over John Maher, Dan Shelliam, Jeff Kennedy and Dana Servoy.  Roger Cieleski's crossed under the checkers in the third position but was disqualified in post race inspection for not making the minimum weight.  Shelliam wrapped up the points championship over Jeff Tharp with his third place effort. Kory Haverly notched his first Hobby Stock feature win of the season by topping Duane Ahmann, Jerry Merkes and TJ Leslein while Jeff Reinert cinched up the Points Champioship with his fifth place effort.  Brian Strang took home the Fun Car honors ahead of Chad Hallahan and Kelly Welter.  Hallahan and Ray Fawcett ended up in a tie for the points lead, with the Champion undetermined at press time pending review of the tiebreakers. 

Only three events remain on the 2001 schedule at the Palace of Speed, starting with a make-up night of racing on Saturday September 8th.  Late Models will be running for regional and track points with Modified, Pro Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Fun Cars using the Open Shootout format of passing points to determine feature lineups.  After that everyone's attention turns to the 24th Annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 12th to 15th.   This year's Yankee format will change to the Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout rules and will provide the champion with over $15,000 in winnings, making the 4 day event Iowa's richest and oldest stock car race.  Saturday October 6th will be the final event for 2001, the First Annual Farley Fall Classic for Pro Stock and Hobby Stock cars.  This Open Shootout will pay the winner of the Pro Stocks $1000 with the Hobby Stock Champion taking home $800.  For more information contact Simmons Promotions at 563-744-3620 or online at www.simmonspromotionsinc.com.  For raceday updates and quick results afterwards, call your local McLeod USA InTouch Directory, category 3740 and 3741. 

Late Model
1. 50  Denny Eckrich  Coralville
2. 21  Luke Merfeld  Dubuque
3. 3    Josh McGowan  Vinton
4. 51  Matt Furman Iowa City
5. 11  Ace Ihm  Hazel Green WI
6. 23d  Dana Wells  Moscow
7. 44  Duane Coulson  East Dubuque IL
8. 98.1 Bobby Hansen  Dike
9. 61r  Jon Rogers  Freeport IL
10. 69  Todd Hormel  West Liberty
11. 41j  Jeremiah Hurst  Dubuque
12. 12n  Terry Neal  Ely 
13. 78b Cory Best  Waterloo 
14. 72  Terry Huizel  Freeport IL
15. 78  Rick Wendling  Hazelton
16. 77  Jeff Aikey  Cedar Falls
17. 58  Dave Eckrich  Coralville
18. 8   Mark  Merfeld  Dubuque
19. 21x  Michael Recker  Waterloo 
20. 15  Cam Granger  West Union
21. 95  Ed Sanger  Postville
22. 1m  Rob Moss  Iowa City
23. 4  Dion Turner  Waterloo
24. 86  Rick Dralle  Waterloo
25. 79  Darren Mish  Cassville WI
26. 70  Max Corporon  Marion
27. 32  Tom Cannon  Iowa City

MODIFIEDS
1. 37b Ron Barker  Dubuque
2. 10  Jed Hurst   Hazel Green WI
3. 3 Jason Schueller  Dubuque
4. 16  Ryan Dolan  Lisbon
5. 1  Dan Chapman  Clarence
6. 5d  Bob Dominacki  Bettendorf
7. b3  Russ Olson  Cedar Rapids
8. 96  Larry Herring  Lone Tree
9. 33  Steve Wetter  Platteville WI
10. 74   Scott Nesteby  Asbury
11. d1  Rich Smith  Davenport 
12. 27  Mark Schulte  Delhi
13. 11  Mike Burbridge  Delhi
14. 45  Steve Kohli  Iowa City
15. 1a  Kelly Meyer  Wheatland 
16. d55  Scott Lemke  Davis Junction IL
17. 54 Doug Picray  Monticello
18. 76  Matt Mish  Cassville WI
19. 24d  Daron Oberbroeckling 
20. f7  Patrick Flannagan Cedar Rapids  
21. 33x  John Burbridge  Delhi 
22. 20 Cory Burmeister Glen Haven WI
23. 9x  Richard Steadman  Hiawatha 
24. 2c  Greg Chapman  Dubuque
25. 1d  Mel Saffran  Dubuque
26. 00  Josh Vinnedge  Forreston IL

PRO STOCK
1. 20  Ty Kleiner  Potosi WI
2. 69  John Maher  West Branch
3. 16  Dan Shelliam  Hazel Green WI
4. 2k  Jeff Kennedy  Dubuque
5. 17s  Dana Servoy  Marion
6. 12  Jeff Tharp  Dubuque
7. 25  Bobby Moyer  Dubuque
8. 35  Jim Brokus  Dubuque
9. 34  Ken Hanson  Vinton
10. 99  Ken Martelle Dubuque
11. 4   Kevin Duerr  Scales Mound IL
12. 71s  Kevin Schroeder  Low Moor 
13. s1  Steve Hunter  Hopkinton
14. 18  Brian Culbertson  Dubuque
15. 89  John Irwin 
16. 23  Jim Amos  Peosta
17. 03  Don Hughes  Monticello
18. 56  Jamie  Pfeiffer  Freeport IL
19. 22  Jeff Valentine  Dubuque

DQ
37c  Roger Ciesleski 

BOMBER
1. 44  Kory Haverly  Anamosa 
2. 98  Duane Ahmann  Epworth
3. 8k   Jerry Merkes  Farley
4. 38  TJ Leslein  Dubuque
5. 97  Jeff Rienert  Farley
6. 7b  Randy Benn  Earlville
7. 23  Dennis Etten
8. 81  KC Ansel  Dubuque
9. 72  Doug Yates  Monticello
10. 1  Tom Boyes  Dubuque
11. 28  Ed McIntyre  Delhi
12. 30   Mark Massey  Farley
13. 33  Jim Turpin  Shullsberg WI
14. 13   Larry Benn  Dyersville
15. 61  Scott Reichers  Belmont  WI

FUN CARS
1. 26  Brian Strang  Dubuque
2. 7   Chad Hallahan  Dubuque
3. 89  Kelly Welter  Farley
4. 44  BJ Schmitt  Dubuque
5. 64  Ray Fawcett  Benton WI
6. 66   Brad Strang  Dubuque
7. 38  Russ Yonkovic  Dubuque
8. b4jr  Brian Diercks  Anamosa
9. 6c  Chris Hinrichs  Monticello
10. 6  Todd Moore  Dubuque
11. 33  Nick McElmeel  Dubuque