Zook Blasts to NASCAR Win At West Liberty Raceway

West Liberty, Iowa:  The 3^rd night of NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series action was held on Saturday May 3^rd at the West Liberty Raceway on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds in West Liberty, Iowa.

Another outstanding field of 34 Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation NASCAR Late Models were on hand battling for the 28 starting positions. Ray Guss Jr. took off from his front row start and led the race for the first seven laps before Steve Boley was able to move out front. The battle was on between the two West Liberty hotshoes, but it was not to be for either of the veterans. A lap 11 restart saw Rusty Zook move to the outside in turn two and shoot by both Boley and Guss. Zook went on to pace the field the remaining 14 laps despite the race being slowed by a couple more cautions. Matt Furman advanced from his sixth row start to take second at the stripe ahead of Luke Merfeld, Ron Boyse and Kurt Kile rounded out the top five.

The Miller Time modified feature saw veteran John Brumley lead for the first 7 laps before Matt Ruess was able to capture the point position. Ruess was forced to the pits following mechanical problems on lap 12. Mitch Way took over the lead on lap 12 and went on to record his second win of the young season. Ryan Dolan ran a very strong second. The top two finishers came from the fifth row. Kevin Kile, Terry Lawson and Terry Walker rounded out the top five finishers.

The Pro Stock feature saw hometowner Bruce Miller lead the entire fifteen laps in route to the win. Miller scored the win by a comfortable margin over Matt Bodman and Chris Simpson.    

Rick Curtis is back in racing after a year off, and Saturday night was a triumphant return for the Muscatine Hobby Stock driver. Curtis took the lead on lap 4 and went on to take the win over Matt Greiner and Dave Schrier.

NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing will continue at the West Liberty Raceway on Saturday nights throughout the summer with hot laps at 6p.m. and racing to follow.

West Liberty Raceway Race Results 5/3/03

NASCAR Hobby Stocks

Heat 1

Heat 2

1. 12 Scotty Pratt-Tipton
2. 29 W Dave Wadda-Muscatine
3. 29 Matt Greiner-Washington

Feature

1. 31 Rick Curtis-Muscatine
2. 29 Greiner
3. 100 Dave Schrier-Muscatine
4. S9 Ron Schruers-Fruitland
5. 2W Roger Whitcomb-Letts
6. 0 O’Brien
7. 20 Dan Albright-Hiawatha
8. 25 Jim Schrier-Washington
9. 12P Pratt
10. 28 Sobaski
11. 15 Jared Collins-West Liberty
12. 17 Marcus Ostofi-Davenport
13. 29W Wada
14. 72 Yates
15. 92 Adam Bell-Kalona
16. 11 Chris Mauer-West Liberty
17. 9R Jeff Riggan-Muscatine

NASCAR Pro Stocks

Heat 1

1. 21 Brian VanDusen-Atalissa
2. 3D Dan Lange-Rochester
3. 36 Jason Gingerich-West Liberty

Heat 2

1. 32 Chris Simpson-Marion
2. 29 Bruce Miller-West Liberty
3. 11 Troy Philpott-Muscatine

Heat 3

1. 25 Chad Simpson-Marion
2. 5M Larry McCall-Mechanicsville
3. 42V Darren Voss-Wilton

Feature

1. 29 Miller
2. 0 Matt Bodman-Muscatine
3. 32 Simpson
4. 21 VanDusen
5. 36 Gingerich
6. 5m McCall
7. 26 Paul Hallett-Muscatine
8. 25 Simpson
9. 9 Davey Elliott-Moscow
10. 77 Darren Plett-Donahue
11. 17 Gary Beuter-Tipton
12. 24 Monte Hayden-Wilton
13. 11 Philpott
14. 38 Skeet Smith-Wilton
15. 7 Dale Franklin-Marion
16. 75 Mike Welsh-Davenport
17. 9Z Dan Werner-Muscatine
18. 42V Voss
19. 3D Lange
20. 33 Randy Franzen-Maquoketa
21. 60 Matt Brockert-Muscatine

Miller Time Modifieds

Heat 1

1. 01M Mitch Way-Davenport
2. 42 John Brumley-Riverside
3. 19 Terry Lawson-New Liberty

Heat 2

1. 2 Jim Vest-Wellman
2. 9Z Mike Zogg-New Liberty
3. 26 Scott Fridley-Mechanicsville

Heat 3

1. 51 Ryan Dolan-Lisbon
2. 1 Dan Chapman-Clarence
3. 96 Larry Herring-Lone Tree

Consolation

1. 2H Rick Hixson-Orion, IL
2. 8 Rich Smith-Davenport
3. 1K Kevin Kile-West Liberty

Miller Time Modified Feature

1. 01M Way
2. 51 Dolan
3. 1k Kile
4. 19 Lawson
5. 12 Terry Walker-Riverside
6. 9Z Zogg
7. 1 Chapman
8. 2h Hixson
9. 37 Todd Stoolman-West Branch
10. 8 Smith
11. M2 Scott Megonigle-Cedar Rapids
12. 60 Rob Verbeck-Anawan, IL
13. 26 Fridley
14. 1 Johnny Spaw-Cedar Rapids
15. 71Z Ray Partida-West Liberty
16. 42 Brumley
17. 21 Todd Hansen-Muscatine
18. 17 Steve Stewart-Washington
19. 17 F Pat Flanagan-Cedar Rapids
20. 18 Ruess
21. 2 Vest
22. 7 Mike Thomas-West Branch
23. 64 Brett Frieden-Walford
24. 34 Dave Hemsted-Lone Tree
25. 20 John Fellman-Blue Grass
26. 96 Herring

Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Models

Heat 1

1. 26 Steve Boley-West Liberty
2. 45 Mike Klinkhammer-West Branch
3. 43 Kurt Stewart-Ainsworth

Heat 2

1. 32 Tom Cannon-Iowa City
2. 12 Ray Guss Jr.-Milan, IL
3. 21 Luke Merfeld-Dubuque

Heat 3

1. 3T Todd Davis-Iowa City
2. 78 Andy Cook-Clinton
3. 56E Andy Eckrich-Cosgrove

Heat 4

1. 66 Matt Gilchrist-Grandview
2. 77 Kurt Kile-West Liberty
3. 74 Ron Boyse-Kalona

Consolation

1. 23D Dana Wells-Moscow
2. 57 Tom Christensen-West Liberty
3. M32 Marty Beckler-Hills

IITI  Feature

1. 18Z Rusty Zook-Riverside

2. 51 Matt Furman-Iowa City

3. 21 Merfeld

4. 74 Boyse

5. 77 Kile

6. 88 Kevin Kile-West Liberty

7. 57 Christensen

8. 28 Jeff Bair-Solon

9. 21h Brian Harris-Davenport

10. 12 Guss Jr.

11. 2 Monte Ohrt-West Branch

12. 23D Wells

13. 31u Jason Utter-Columbus Junction

14. 56E Eckrich

15. 1M Rob Moss-Iowa City

16. 8m Mark Ward-Muscatine

17. 3t Davis

18. 4 Bobby Sexton-West Branch

19. 32 Tom Cannon-Iowa City

20. 45 Klinkhammer

21. 50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin

22. 33 Nick Marolf-Moscow

23. 26 Boley

24. 43 Stewart

25. 66 Gilchrist

26. 78 Cook

27. 77J Steve Johnson-Camanche

28. M32 Beckler

West Liberty Raceway

Saturday,  May 3

By: Jerry Mackey