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.

DAVE ECKRICH SURVIVES HOT WEATHER AND HOT COMPETITION
He wins the Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation 50 at West Liberty Raceway

WEST LIBERTY, IOWA (July 7, 2001) - The weather was hot on Saturday for the O'Reilly Auto Parts All-star Series, NASCAR Touring rac0 at West Liberty Raceway. But the temperature wasn't nearly as hot as O'Reilly Series driver Dave Eckrich of Oxford, Iowa.

The 13-year racing veteran, driver of the Precision Performance/Noel's Tree and Crane Service Mi-T-M Mustang, won his qualifying race, captured the Bud Pole Award, then won the Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation 50.

The 50-lap victory marked Eckrich's first win ever in the O'Reilly Series and, despite being hot and tired at the end of race, he said, "It's a great night." He dedicated the victory to his son, Jared, 2, who had been released from the hospital earlier Saturday after being injured in a car accident.

Eckrich's Bud Pole Award came after he won the most passing points in qualifying heats among the 51 drivers on hand. But since the top six starting positions in the feature are inverted, Eckrich started the race on the outside of the sixth row.

Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., led the first two laps, with Skip Frey of Ely. Iowa, right behind him. Frey then led laps three through 16. Berck chased Frey from second place for laps three through six. Then Eckrich won second place and pursued Frey through the 16th lap. Eckrich grabbed the lead on the 17th circuit. He was followed by Frey for five laps before Webb went into second place on the 22nd lap.

Eckrich, 32, who led by the length of a straightaway at times during the race, was followed across the finish line, in order, by Webb; Frey; his brother, Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa; and Rick Wendling of Hazleton, Iowa.

In addition to Dave Eckrich, qualifying heat winners were Kurt Stewart of Ainsworth, Iowa; Monte Ohrt of West Branch, Jeff Eair of Solon, Iowa, and Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Neb.

Consolation events went to Dana Wells of Muscatine, Iowa, and Todd Davis of Iowa City, Iowa.

As the drivers of NASCAR's only dirt track touring series head to the Eagle (Nebraska) Raceway this Friday, July 13, and Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D., on Saturday, July 14. Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., leads Joe Kosiski by a 1371 40-1349 margin.

O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series Race Report
West Liberty Raceway
West Liberty, Iowa
July 7, 2001
Race No. 9

First Qualifying Heat:
1. Dave Eckrich- Oxford, Iowa
2. Ray Guss Jr. - Milan, Ill.
3. Gary Webb- Davenport, Iowa
4. Todd Davis- Iowa City, Iowa
5. Steve Johnson- Camanche, Iowa
6. Fred Remley- Blue Grass, Iowa
7. Kurt Kile- West Liberty, Iowa
8. Mark Ward- Muscatine, Iowa
9. Denny Petersen- Rochester, Iowa
10. John Anderson- Omaha, Neb.

 Second Qualifying Heat:
1. Kurt Stewart- Ainsworth, Iowa
2. Darren Miller- Chadwick, Ill.
3. Kyle Berck- Marquette, Neb.
4. Steve (Ace) Ihm- Hazel Green, Wis.
5. Ed Kosiski- Ralston, Neb.
6. Scott Koskovich- Omaha, Neb.
7. Clayton Jensen- Iowa City, Iowa
8. Nick Marolf- Moscow, Iowa
9. Chuck Mayerhofer- Dixon, Iowa
10. Wayne Brau- Annawan, Ill.

Third Qualifying Heat:
1. Monte Ohrt- West Branch, Iowa
2. Denny Eckrich- Tiffin, Iowa
3. Skip Frey- Ely, Iowa
4. Rusty Zook- Riverside, Iowa
5. Rick Wendling- Hazleton, Iowa
6. Brian Harris- Davenport, Iowa
7. Donnie McClellan- Grant City, Mo.
8. Steve Kosiski- Papillion, Neb.
9. Paul Watters- Parkersburg, Iowa
10. Kevin Kile- West Liberty, Iowa

Fourth Qualifying Heat:
1. Jeff Bair- Solon, Iowa
2. Sonny Findling- Kirksville, Mo.
3. Jason Hobscheidt- Nehawka, Neb.
4. Matt Furman- Iowa City, Iowa
5. John Hampel- Nodaway, Iowa
6. Brian Morgan- Muscatine, Iowa
7. Rollie Frink- Davenport, Iowa
8. Marty Beckler- Hills, Iowa
9. Rob Moss- Iowa City, Iowa
10. Rob Hillyer- Nichols, Iowa

Fifth Qualifying Heat:
1. Joe Kosiski- Omaha, Neb.
2. Terry Neal- Ely, Iowa
3. Jay Johnson- West Burlington, Iowa
4. Mike Klinkkammer Jr.- West Branch, Iowa
5. Dana Wells- Muscatine, Iowa
6. Ron Boyse- Kalona, Iowa
7. Brandon Hennick- Central City, Iowa
8. Johnny Johnson- West Burlington, Iowa
9. Tom Cannon- Iowa City, Iowa
10. Tom Christensen- West Liberty, Iowa

Bud Pole Qualifying:
1. Dave Eckrich

First Consolation:
1. Wells
2. Kurt Kile
3. Furman
4. Christensen
5. Hennick
6. Koskovich
7. Boyse
8. Cannon
9. Andy Nezworski- Buffalo, Iowa
10. Frink

Second Consolation:
1. Davis
2. Steve Johnson
3. Remley
4. McClellan
5. Kevin Kile
6. Petersen
7. Harris
8. Ward
9. Steve Kosiski
10. Anderson  

O'REILLY'S LATE MODELS
1. 58 Dave Eckrich  Coralville
2. 56 Gary Webb  Blue Grass
3. 3x Skip Frey  Ely
4. 50 Denny Eckrich  Coralville
5. 78 Rick Wendling  Hazelton
6. 14 Kyle Berck  Marquette NE
7. 53 Joe Kosiski  Omaha NE
8. 33 Kurt Stewart  Ainsworth
9. 2h John Hampel   Nodaway
10. 2 Monte Ohrt  West Branch
11. 28 Jeff Bair   Riverside
12. 12 Ray Guss Jr  Milan IL
13. 35 Ed Kosiski  Omaha NE
14. 77 Kurt Kile  West Liberty
15. 5 Jay Johnson  West Burlington
16. 52 Steve Kosiski  Omaha NE
17.  77j Steve Johnson  Camanche
18. 11 Steve Ihm  Hazel Green WI
19.  78h Jason Hobscheidt  Nehawka NE
20. 4 Todd Davis  Iowa City
21. 18z Rusty Zook  Riverside
22. 8 Sonny Findling  Kirksville MO  
23. 12n Terry Neal  Ely
24. 23d Dana Wells  Moscow
25. 1k John Anderson  Omaha NE
26. 32d Darren Miller  Chadwick IL

DNQ
51 Matt Furman  Iowa City
66 Fred Remely  Blue Grass
57 Tom Christensen   West Liberty
22m Donnie McClellan Grant City MO
70   Brandon Hennick  Central City
88 Kevin Kile  West Liberty
80 Scott Koskovich  Omaha NE
13k Denny Peterson  Tipton 
74 Ron Boyes  Kalona
21h Brian Harris  Davenport
32   Tom Cannon    Iowa City
8 Mark Ward  Muscatine
37 Rollie Frink  Davenport
99 Johnny Johnson  West Burlington
7 Andy Nezworski  Buffalo
45  Mike Klinkkammer West Branch 
31  Brian Morgan  Muscatine
h20  Paul  Watters    Waterloo
m32  Marty Beckler  Hills
14m Rob Moss  Iowa City
ez33 Nick Maroff  Moscow
17 Clayton Jensen  Iowa City
8m  Chuck Mayerhofer   Dixon IL
02 Robert Hillyer  Nichols
26b Wayne Brau  Annawan IL

Bud Pole Award: Dave Eckrich
Gatorade Front Runner Award: Dave Eckrich
Current Point Leaders: Kyle Berck 1371, Joe Kosiski 1349, Gary Webb 1305, Ray Guss Jr. 1258 and Ed Kosiski 1249
Rookie of the Race: John Anderson

MILLER TIME MODIFIEDS
1. 30  Gus Hughes  Monticello
2. 96 Larry Herring  Lone Tree
3. 1   Dan Chapman  Clarence
4. b3  Russ Olson   Cedar Rapids
5. 12 Terry Walker  Riverside
6. 71z  Ramon Partida West Liberty
7. 55 Scott Stecher  Muscatine
8. m2 Scott Megonigle  Cedar Rapids
9. 19 Terry Lawson  New Liberty
10. 37 Todd Stoolman West Branch
11. 9  Richard Steadman Hiawatha
12. 007 Brian Sexton  Lone Tree  
13. 44  Wade Lee  Muscatine
14. 9z  Mike Zogg  New Liberty
15. 18 Matt Ruess  West Liberty
16. 34  David Hemsted  Lone Tree
17. 54  Doug Picray  Monticello
18. 57  Dennis Betzer  Central City 
19. 45 Steve Kohli   Iowa City
20. 19b  Jerry Pratt  
21. 60 Robbie Verbeck  Annawan IL 
22. 56  Bob Fier  Davenport  
23. 25 Dustin Lovell  Rochester
24. 64 Bret Frieden  Cedar Rapids
25. 2   Jim Vest  Wellman
26. 22  Darrall Brick  West Branch
27. 7  Mike Thomas  West Branch