Birkhofer 2 for 2 In Shootouts With
West Liberty Win
The second of two 4th of
July holiday Budweiser Open Late Model Shootouts was held on Saturday night at
the West Liberty Raceway. 46 Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Models took
part in the program sponsored by Riggos Convenience Store of Muscatine, Iowa.
4 heats, two consolations and the
Hollywood Graphics fast dash were run to set the 26 car starting field for the
50 lap main event. Dan Schlieper won the six last dash earning the pole position
for the main event. Outside front row starter Brian Birkhofer took off at the
dropping of the green and led the race flag to flag earning the $6,000 paycheck.
Birkhofer closed in on the back of the pack by lap ten. A restart bunched the
field with 17 laps completed and Birkhofer had already lapped up to the 11th
place car. Birkhofer stated in victory lane “We were consistently running laps
in the mid 18 seconds that is the fastest that I have ever run West Liberty.”
The track was smooth and extremely fast on Saturday night.
Darren Miller started the 50 lap
feature in sixth following earning the most points through the heat races.
Miller was running third and was able to take second away from Jeff Bair on a
restart but Miller was unable to catch Birkhofer. Lapped traffic closed the gap
between the two leaders on more than one occasion but Miller was unable to mount
a serious challenge on Birkhofer. At the checkers it was Birkhofer, Miller, and
Ray Guss Jr., who advanced from his 7th position start. Dave Eckrich
came all the way from 22nd to cross the line in fourth ahead of Jeff
Aikey who started 13th.
The Auto Acres Non-Qualifiers race
for the Bud Late Models pitted the next five finishers out of each consolation
in a 10 lap race awarding the winner with $700. Skip Frey took the lead from
early pace setter Ron Boyse and went on to record the win.
The Miller Time Modified 20 lap
feature was won by Jim Vest. Vest was chasing race leader Larry Herring to the
checkers when misfortune struck Herring. The drive shaft broke on Herring’s car
as he exited turn four on his way to the win, Herring slowed just enough to
allow Vest to shoot by and take the win by ˝ a car length. Todd Stoolman
followed Herring across the line in third.
The Dadco Corp/Parker Stores Pro
Stocks feature saw young Andy Eckrich turn in another outstanding performance.
Eckrich steadily worked to the front from his sixth row start to take the lead
at the midway point of the race and went on to record the win. Stormin Norman
Bean took second ahead of Darren Plett.
The NASCAR Hobby Stocks ran their ten
lap feature flag to flag caution free. Derrin Voss won his first ever feature
one week ago, but it didn’t take him long to get his second win. Voss scored the
win over Jeremie Thompson.
Racing will continue at the West
Liberty Raceway on Saturday, July 13th with a full program of NASCAR
Weekly Racing Series action presented by Dodge.
Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout
Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation
Late Models
Heat 1
1.
9 Dan Schlieper-Pewaukee, WI
2.
45m Curt Martin-Independence
3.
12 Ray Guss Jr.-Milan, IL
Heat 2
1.
15 Brian Birkhofer-Muscatine
2.
50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin
3.
51 Matt Furman-Iowa City
Heat 3
1.
32D Darren Miller-Chadwick, IL
2.
28 Jeff Bair-Solon
3.
87 Clint Hines-Andalusia, IL
Heat 4
1.
45 Michael Klinkhammer-West Branch
2.
56 Gary Webb-Blue Grass
3.
77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls
Consolation 1
1.
13k Denny Petersen-Tipton
2.
5 Jay Johnson-W. Burlington
3.
44 Duane Coulson-East Dubuque, IL
Consolation 2
1.
58 Dave Eckrich-Oxford
2.
8m Mark Ward-Muscatine
3.
32 Tom Cannon-Iowa City
Riggos Convenience Store Feature
1.
15 Birkhofer
2.
32D Miller
3.
12 Guss Jr
4.
58 Eckrich
5.
77A Aikey
6.
2 Monte Ohrt-West Branch
7.
51 Furman
8.
50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin
9.
45 M Martin
10.
56 Webb
11.
99 Johnny Johnson-West Burlington
12.
13k Petersen
13.
18Z Rusty Zook-Riverside
14.
8M Ward
15.
11 Steve Ihm-Kieler, WI
16.
30b Dan Brockert-Muscatine
17.
7 Mark Burgtorf-Quincy, IL
18.
23D Dana Wells-Moscow
19.
28 Bair
20.
32 Cannon
21.
45 Klinkhammer
22.
5 Jay Johnson-West Burlington
23.
9 Schlieper
24.
43 Kurt Stewart-Ainsworth
25.
87 Hines
26.
44 Duane Coulson-East Dubuque, IL
Auto Acres Non-Qualifiers Race
1.
3x Skip Frey-Ely
2.
M32 Marty Beckler-Hills
3.
39 Rob Toland-Hillsdale, IL
4.
4 Bobby Sexton-West Branch
5.
21H Brian Harris-Davenport
Top 12 in Track Points did not run
in heats in support classes
Miller Time Modifieds
Heat 1
1.
1 Dan Chapman-Clarence
2.
19Terry Lawson-New Liberty
3.
01 Mitch Way-Davenport
Heat 2
1.
34 Dave Hemsted-Lone Tree
2.
45 Steve Kohli-Iowa City
3.
D56 Mike Dains-Mechanicsville
Feature
1.
2 Jim Vest-Wellman
2.
96 Larry Herring-Lone Tree
3.
37 Todd Stoolman-West Branch
4.
36 Gerry Brick-West Branch
5.
M2 Scott Megonigle-Cedar Rapids
6.
19 Lawson
7.
22 Darrell Brick-West Branch
8.
60 Robbie Verbeck-Annawan, IL
9.
64 Bret Frieden-Walford
10.
1 Chapman
11.
18 Matt Reuss-West Liberty
12.
17 Steve Stewart-Washington
13.
9Z Mike Zogg-New Liberty
14.
42 John Brumley-Riverside
15.
25 Dustin Lovell-Rochester
16.
7 Mike Thomas-West Branch
17.
38 Rob Hillyer-Nichols
18.
34 Hemsted
19.
45 Kohli
20.
10m Steve Marks-Muscatine
21.
54 Doug Picary-Monticello
22.
2h Rick Hixson-Orion, IL
23.
92Z Tim Zeman-Fruitland
24.
D56 Mike Dains-Mechanicsville
25.
55 Scott Stecher-Muscatine
26.
71Z Raymond Partida-West Liberty
27.
6D Les Wood-Waterloo
DADCO Corp./Parker Stores Pro
Stocks
Heat 1
1.
3D Dan Lange-Rochester
2.
1 Matt Gichrist-Grandview
3.
24 Monte Hayden-Wilton
Feature
1.
56 Andy Eckrich-Cosgrove
2.
62 Norman Bean-Muscatine
3.
77 Darren Plett-Donahue
4.
29 Bruce Miller-West Liberty
5.
7 Dale Franklin-Marion
6.
36 Jason Gingerich-West Liberty
7.
25 Chad Simpson-Marion
8.
32 Chris Simpson-Marion
9.
21 Brian VanDusen-Atalissa
10.
17 Gary Beuter-Tipton
11.
75 Mike Welsh-Davenport
12.
69 John Maher-West Branch
13.
31 Jeremy Honts-Muscatine
14.
24 Monte Hayden-Wilton
15.
2R Rusty Daufeldt-Blue Grass
16.
38 Skeet Smith-Wilton
17.
60 Matt Brockert-Muscatine
18.
0B Matt Bodman-Muscatine
19.
1 Gilchrist
20.
11 Troy Philpott-Muscatine
21.
3d Lange
NASCAR Hobby Stocks
Feature
1.
42V Darren Voss-Wilton
2.
57J JeremieThompson-Ainsworth
3.
20 Dan Albright-Hiawatha
4.
S9 Ron Schreurs-Fruitland
5.
9 Davey Elliott-Moscow
6.
21 Todd Hansen-Muscatine
7.
25 Jim Schrier-Washington
8.
0 Stan O’Brien-Muscatine
9.
94 Jason Lange-Lisbon
10.
15 Jared Collins-West Liberty
11.
40 Jake Purdy-West Liberty
12.
100 Dave Schrier-Muscatine
13.
28 Ed McIntyre-Delhi
14.
66 Jason Erwin-Muscatine
15.
99 Jason Speers-Oxford
16.
55 Rod Perdue-West Liberty
17.
D1 Matt Fulton-Muscatine
18.
2B Bill Butteris-Lisbon
19.
2W Roger Whitcomb-Letts
West Liberty Raceway
7/6/02
By: Jerry Mackey
