Birkhofer Sails To Bud Shootout Win At Dubuque Speedway $6,000 Win

Round three of the Budweiser Open Late Model Shootouts was held on Sunday night May, 26^th at the high banked 3/8 mile dirt track Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway.

Mother Nature provided a near perfect night for racing and the fans responded in big numbers.

The racing action in the Budweiser Open Late Model division was nothing short of spectacular. 43 Late Model drivers were vying for the starting positions in the 50 lap main event. 4 heats 2 consolations and the Hollywood Graphics fast dash were run prior to the feature taking to the speedway. Darren Mish won the six lap fast dash earning the pole position with Steve Boley on the outside front row. Boley shot into the lead at the dropping of the green and went on to lead the first 36 caution free laps. Boley was hounded by defending track champion Gary Webb, the two veteran racers were knifing through lapped traffic when a caution was waved on lap 36. The restart had Boley out front with Webb in second ahead of Darren Miller and Denny Eckrich. Brian Birkhofer started the feature in 22^nd after having to qualify by winning the second consolation. Oil filter problems forced Birkhofer out of his heat, on the lap 36 restart Birkhofer had worked up to the seventh position. The caution waved once again on lap 38 for a minor caution. Birkhofer had advanced 2 more spots but still had Boley, Webb, Miller, and Eckrich to deal with. The final 12 laps were as exciting racing action as ever witnessed at the high banked 3/8 mile dirt track. Birkhofer took the lead on lap 45 as the leaders were racing three wide. Birkhofer took the checkers ahead of Webb, Miller, Eckrich and Boley. The final ten laps saw Boley, Miller, Webb and finally Birkhofer all lead the race.

Bobby Hansen picked up the win in the 10 lap Non-Qualifiers feature for the Budweiser Open Late Models. Hansen shot to the front using the extreme low side of the speedway coming from the inside third row to take the win over Rusty Zook and Steve “Ace” Ihm.

Scott Megonigle led the 20 lap Modified feature for less than one lap but it was the white flag lap. Megonigle, who was making his first visit of the year to the Dubuque Speedway started 16h. Megonigle used top side of the track to chase down race leader Jason Schuller and set up his last lap heroics. Schuller settled for a very close second ahead of Scott Nesteby.

Andy Eckrich took advantage of a front row start and went on to lead the Pro Stock feature flag to flag. Eckrich was not able to shake Dubuque Speedway strong competitors Dan Shelliam and Jeff Tharp. Shelliam finished very strong in taking second just ahead of Tharp.     

The Hobby Stock feature was decided at the scales on Sunday night. Apparent race winner Jim Turpin failed to make weight which handed the win over to Steve Dunkel. Larry Benn advanced to second with the disqualification.

Brian Kammerude won his second consecutive feature win in the all new Farley Flyer division. Kammerude won the ten lap feature over a field of 18 drivers. Randy Madigan came from a 16^th position start to take second.

NASCAR Weekly Racing Series action presented by Dodge will be back on center stage on Sunday, June 2^nd at the Dubuque Speedway. It will be 50’s night with a cruiser car show being held from 3-6 p.m. prior to the races. Prizes will be awarded to best 50’s attire and an Elvis look alike contest will also be held.   

Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout

Race Results 5/26/02

Farley Flyers Feature

1. 55 Brian Kammerude-Hazel Green, WI

2. 21 Randy Madigan-Dubuque

3. 17 Randy Leehan-Apple River, IL

4. 38 Bryan Melocard-Dubuque

5. 69 Becky Roth-Cuba City, WI

6. 66 Tony Brimeyer-Dubuque

7. 3 Steve Driscoll Jr. –Asbury

8. 21M Robbey Munter-Hazel Green, WI

9. 7k Travis Kaiser-Dyersville

10. 31 Jason Roth-Hazel Green, WI

11. 57 Don Marcov-Dubuque

12. 9 Chad Dugan-Garber

13. 79Cliff Schanbeck-Dyersville

14. 38 Rob Kramer-Peosta

15. 14 Levi Benn-Dyersville

16. 00x Ryan Simon-Farley

17. 45 Jeff Jorgensen-Mineral Point, WI

18. 75 Chad Nadermann-Farley

 Top 12 in track Points Did not Run qualifying Heats

NASCAR Hobby Stocks

Feature

1. 97 Steve Dunkel-Worthington

2. 13 Larry Benn-Dyersville

3. 38 T.J. Leslein-Durango

4. 22 Cory Bauer-Monticello

5. 8K Jerry Merkes-Farley

6. 33j Joe Huenfeld-Freeport, IL

7. 72 Doug Yates-Monticello

8. 44 B.J. Schmidt-Dubuque

9. 6 Jed Frieberger-Dubuque

10. 98 Jason Rauen-Farley

11. 81 K.C. Ansel-Dubuque

12. 39 Dave Humphrey-Hazel Green, WI

13. 83 Rob Petsche-Centralia

14. 59 Mike Hughes-Galena, IL

15. 7 Chad Hallahan-Dubuque

16. 89 Kelly Welter-Dubuque

NASCAR Pro Stocks

Feature

1. 56 Andy Eckrich-Cosgrove

2. 16 Dan Shelliam-Hazel Green, WI

3. 12 Jeff Tharp-Dubuque

4. 22 Jeff Valentine-Dubuque

5. 91 Rich Picha-Prairie Du Chein, Wi

6. 97 Jeff Reinert-Dyersville

7. 1 John Walker-Cedar Rapids

8. 29 Matt Rodebaugh-Orangeville, IL

9. 2K Jeff Kennedy-Dubuque

10. 18 Skip Culbertson-Dubuque

11. 35 Jim Brokus-Dubuque

12. 71 Kevin Schroeder-Low Moor

13. 23 Jim Amos-Peosta

14. 33 Randy Franzen-Maquoketa

15. 20 Ty Kleiner-Potosi, WI

NASCAR Modifieds

Heat 1

1. 27 Mark Schulte-Delhi

2.  39 Bob Bollon-Freeport, IL

3. 63 Scott Olson-Preston

Heat 2

1. 16 Ryan Dolan-Lisbon

2. M2 Scott Megonigle-Cedar Rapids

3. S19 Rich Smith-Davenport

Feature

1. M2 Megonigle

2. 3 Jason Schuller-Dubuque

3. 74 Scott Nesteby-Dubuque

4. 10 Jed Hurst-Hazel Green, WI

5. 15 Sean Rupp-Dubuque

6. 4 Jerry Miles-Dubuque

7. 27 Schulte

8. S19 Smith

9. D55 Scott Lemke-Davis Junction, IL

10. 9Z Mike Zogg-New Liberty

11. 39 Bob Bollon-Freeport, Il

12. 75 Bob Silaggi-Freeport, IL

13. 19 Jim Allen-Dubuque

14. 63t Steve Olson-Preston

15. 24M Jan Messer-Manchester

16. 20 Korey Burmeister-Glen Haven, WI

17. 33 John Burbridge-Delhi

18. 01M Mitch Way-Davenport

19. 37 B Ron Barker-Dubuque

20. 63 Scott Olson-Preston

21. 5D Bob Dominacki-Bettendorf

22. 69 Roger Donahue-Dubuque

23. 1D Dustin Edwards-Maquoketa

24. 92Z Tim Zeman-Fuitland

25. 11 Mike Burbridge, Delhi

26. 16 Dolan

Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Models

Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout

Heat 1

1. 26 Steve Boley-West Liberty

2. 50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin

3. 12 Ray Guss Jr.-Milan, IL

Heat 2

1. 32D Darren Miller-Chadwick, IL

2. 25 Kerry Hanson-Spencer, WI

3. 79 Darren Mish-Cassville, WI

 Heat 3

1. 87 Clint Hines-Andalusia

2. 21h Brian Harris-Davenport

3. 58 David Eckrich-Oxford

Heat 4

1. 45 Curt Martin-Independence

2. 56 Gary Webb-Blue Grass

3. 28 Dennis Erb-Carpentersville, IL

Consolation 1

1. 12N Terry Neal-Ely

2. 7 Mark Burgtorf-Quincy, IL

3. 90 Mike Cothron-Moiline, IL

Consolation 2

1.      15 Brian Birkhofer-Muscatine

2.      39 Rob Toland-Hillsdale, IL

3.      8F Sonny Findling-Kirksville, MO

Hollywood Graphics Fast Dash

1.      79 Mish

2.      26 Boley

3.      56 Webb

50 Lap Bud Shootout

Feature

1. 15 Birkhofer

2. 56 Webb

3. 32D Miller

4. 50 Eckrich

5. 26 Boley

6. 12 Guss Jr.

7. 45 Martin

8. 77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls

9. 58 Eckrich

10. 79 Mish

11. 87 Hines

12. 39 Toland

13. 7 Burgtorf

14. 00 Mitch Johnson-Fargo, N.D.

15. 90 Cothron

16. 56x Brian Webb-Davenport

17. 99D Darrell Defrance-Marshalltown

18. 25 Hansen

19. 07 Terry Ryan-Davenport

20. 28 Erb

21. 21H Harris

22. 8F Findling

23. 73 Greg Kastli-Waterloo

24. 12n Neal

25. 10X Pete Parker-Kaukauna, WI

26. 21 Luke Merfeld-Dubuque

 10 Lap Non-Qualifiers Feature

1. 98.1 Bobby Hansen-Dike

2. 11 Steve Ihm-Kieler, WI

3. 18Z Rusty Zook-Riverside

4. 51 Matt Furman-Iowa City

5. 95 Ed Sanger-Postville

Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway

5/26/02

By: Jerry Mackey