Birkhofer Tops Bud Shootout Opener
At Davenport 4-11-2003
April 11, 2003 Speedshots
Davenport, Iowa: The
2003 racing season got underway on Friday, April 11th as Simmons Promotions
presented the first of four Bud Open Late Model Shootouts at the Davenport
Speedway. An outstanding field of 52 Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Models
were on hand looking to qualify for the 50 lap main event and the $6,000 top
prize that was awarded to the winner.
The Hollywood Graphics
fast dash pitted the top six in points earned through the heats in a race for
starting position for the first three rows of the main event. Brian Birkhofer
was aligned out side the front row of the dash by virtue of earning the fifth
most points through his heat. “Birky” led the dash start to finish but was
challenged very hard by Kelly Boen from Henderson Colorado.
The 50 lap Bud
Shootout feature took to the track with Birkhofer on the pole and Boen to the
outside of the front row. Boen took off using the high side of the track and led
the first fifteen circuits of the big half mile dirt track. Boen’s lead was
being cut into by Birkhofer after lap ten, Birkhofer was able to use a move in
turn two on lap 16 to take over the point and go on to the lead the remainder of
the race. While Birkhofer was working through traffic a lot of good racing for
position was going on amongst the top five. A lap 44 caution bunched the field
together with 11 drivers remaining on the lead lap. Birkhofer was not seriously
challenged the remaining six laps on his way to the win. Darren “The Thriller”
Miller enjoyed an outstanding run in crossing the stripe in second ahead of the
“The River City Hustler” Ray Guss Jr., Al Purkey made the long haul from
Coffeyville, Kansas and ran a very impressive fourth ahead of Boen.
The next Bud Open
Shootout at the Davenport Speedway will be held on Memorial Day, Monday, May
26th.
The Modifieds were
also on the card on Friday night and another driver who has enjoyed a great deal
of success at Davenport notched a very impressive win. Ron Barker started the 20
lap main in the seventh position and steadily worked to the front overtaking
Mike Garland on the 16th lap on his way to the 20 lap feature victory. Garland
ran second to Barker, Steve Wetter ran third ahead of Mike Zogg and Marty
Thompson rounded out the top five.
Results Davenport
Speedway 4/11/03
Bud Open Late Model
Shootout
Presented By Iowa
Illinois Taylor Insulation
Iowa Illinois Taylor
Insulation Late Models
Heat 1. 14 Kyle Berck-Marquette,
NE
2. 1K John
Anderson-Omaha, NE
3. 18 Shannon
Babb-Decatur, IL
Heat 2
1. 32D Darren
Miller-Chadwick, IL
2. 07 Kelly Boen-Henderson,
CO
3. 52 Steve Kosiski-Omaha,
NE
Heat 3
1. 26 Steve Boley-West
Liberty, IA
2. 50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin,
IA
3. 33 Al Purkey,
Coffeyville, KS
Heat 4
1. 1G Rob Toland-Hillsdale,
IL
2. 48 Tim Lance
3. 77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar
Falls, IA
Heat 5
1. 51 matt Furman-Iowa
City, IA
2. 3X Skip Frey-Ely,
IA
3. 15 Brian Birkhofer-Muscatine,
IA
Consolation #1
1. 5 Jay Johnson-West
Burlington, IA
2. 56 Gary Webb-Blue
Grass, IA
3. 3T Todd Davis-Iowa
City, IA
Consolation #2
1. 28 Dennis Erb-Carpentersville,
IL
2. 2 Monte Ohrt-West
Branch, IA
3. 21h Brian
Harris-Davenport, IA
Hollywood Graphics
Fast Dash
1. Birkhofer
2. Boen
3. Toland
Iowa Illinois Taylor
Insulation 50
1. 15 Birkhofer
2. 32D Miller
3. 12 Ray Guss
Jr.-Milan, IL
4. 33 Purkey
5. 07 Boen
6. 18 Babb
7. 3x Frey
8. 28 Erb
9. 1K Anderson
10. 26 Boley
11. 48 Lance
12. 28B Jeff
Bair-Solon, IA
13. 56 Webb
14. 58 Dave Eckrich-Oxford
15. 2 Ohrt
16. 77 Aikey
17. 21H Harris
18. 3T Todd Davis-Iowa
City
19. 14 Berck
20. 50 Eckrich
21. 25S Chris Smyser-Lancaster,
MO
22. 53 Joe Kosiski-Omaha,
NE
23. 52 Steve Kosiski-Omaha,
NE
24. 1G Toland
25. 51 Furman
Modifieds
Heat 1
1. 23 Eric Pember
2. 33W Steve
Wetter-Platteville, WI
3. 19 Terry Lawson-New
Liberty, IA
Heat 2
1. 25 Marty
Thompson-Mineral, IL
2. 9Z Mike Zogg-New
Liberty, IA
3. 37B Ron
Barker-Dubuque, IA
Fast Dash
1. G1 Mike
Garland-Morrison, IL
2. 19 Lawson
3. 9Z Zogg
20 Lap Feature
1. 37B Barker
2. G1 Garland
3. 33 Wetter
4. 9Z Zogg
5. 25 Thompson
6. 23 Pember
7. 50M Jim
Sandusky-Moline, IL
8. 19 Lawson
9. 5D Bob Dominacki-Bettendorf,
IA
10. 27 John Bull-East
Moline, IL
11. 3 Jason Schueller-Dubuque,
IA
12. 01m Mitch
Way-Davenport, IA
13. 8S Rich
Smith-Davenport, IA
14. 45 Steve Kohli-Iowa
City, IA
15. D55 Scott
Lemke-Davis Junction, IL
16. 92 Casey Schram-Sterling,
IL
17. 1D Mel Saffran-Dubuque,
IA
18. 17 James Thompson
19. 13 Luke Pestka-Delhi
20. 24 Randy
Less-Hopkinton, IA
21. 41 Scott
Hill-Davenport, IA
22. 21 Todd
Hansen-Muscatine, IA
23. 2h Rick
Hixson-Orion, IL
Davenport Speedway
4/11/03
By: Jerry Mackey
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