Dave Eckrich Takes $6,000 Bud
Shootout Win At Dubuque Speedway July 7, 2002
The Holiday Budweiser Open Late Model
Shootout swing wrapped up on Sunday, July 7th with racing action at
the Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway. A first time winner took the checkers
in the 50 lap main event, Dave Eckrich drove his Grove powered Precision
Performance late model to the win.
Eckrich qualified for the outside
front row by taking second to Brian Birkhofer in the Hollywood Graphics fast
dash. Eckrich put his car on the top side of the high banked 3/8 mile track and
fought off the constant challenges of Birkhofer the entire 50 laps. Birkhofer
took the lead on the 40th lap but his move was erased due to a
caution. The last ten laps was a real nail biter as Eckrich and Birkhofer
circled the track practically glued together. Neither driver was able to gain
any advantage, the margin of victory was less than ˝ a car length at the
checkers. Eckrich said in victory lane” we were running so close that at times
you couldn’t have put a piece of paper between us, but Brian is a professional
racer and he raced me clean the entire way.” While the battle for the lead went
on several other battles for position went on throughout the field. Local
favorite Darren Mish won a heated battle for third coming from an 8th
position start to cross under the checkers ahead of a very strong Darren Miller.
Ray Guss Jr. rounded out the top five. Miller, Duane Coulson and Gary Webb won
the Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation qualifying heats. The Hollywood Graphics
fast dash went to Birkhofer. The consolation race was won by Jeff Laue.
Modified point leader Jason Schueller
advanced form a sixth row start to win his second feature of the season at the
Dubuque Speedway. Schueller fought off several late race charges by Ron Barker
in scoring the win. Ryan Dolan took third ahead of Mark Schulte.
The NASCAR Pro Stock feature had a
first time winner make his way to victory lane, Jeff Reinert won his first ever
main event since moving up from the hobby Stock division. Reinert won the late
race battle with Bobby Moyer in taking his rookie season Pro Stock win. Jeff
Tharp followed Moyer across the line in third.
The Hobby Stock feature win went to
Steve Dunkel driving a car owned by Jeff Reinert. Dunkel took the checkers by a
few feet over Jerry Merkes. The two drivers swapped the lead back and forth on
the white flag lap with Dunkel winning the race off of turn four to the
checkers. Larry Benn crossed the line in third.
Brad Klaas won his first ever Farley
Flyer feature topping a 20 car starting field. Klaas held off Joe Sarazin at the
checkers for the win and the beautiful trophy that went with the win.
The NASCAR Weekly Racing Series
presented by Dodge will be back in action on Sunday, July 14th with
race time set for 6:30 p.m. a the Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway.
Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout
Race Results 7/7/02
Farley Flyers Feature
-
3x Brad Klaas-Lancaster, WI
-
8 Joe Sarazin-Dubuque
-
31 Jason Roth-Hazel Green, WI
-
38 R.J.Simon-Farley
-
66 Tony Brimeyer-Dubuque
-
17 Randy Leehan-Apple River, IL
-
14 Levi Benn-Dyersville
-
99.3 Loras Feldman-Farley
-
68 Steve Stackis-Dubuque
-
21m Bill Flynn-Dubuque
-
11 Tyler Hardy
-
69 Becky Roth-Cuba City, WI
-
21W Dustin Wilwert-Dubuque
-
01 Damien Miller-Dubuque
-
75 Chad Nadermann-Farley
-
21k Danny Kennedy-Dubuque
-
95 Deb McNabb-Maquoketa
-
1T Mark Thul-Dubuque
-
38 Bryan Melocarro-Dubuque
-
55 Brian Kammerude-Hazel Green, WI
Top 12 in Track Points Did Not Run
Qualifying Heats
NASCAR Hobby Stocks
Feature
-
97 Steve Dunkel-Worthington
-
8K Jerry Merkes-Farley
-
13 Larry Benn-Dyersville
-
98 Jason Rauen-Farley
-
81 K.C. Ansel-Dubuque
-
28 Ed McIntyre-Delhi
-
59 Mike Hughes-Galena, IL
-
89 Kelly Welter-Dubuque
-
44x Mike Lynch-Platteville, WI
-
83 Rob Petsche-Centralia
-
44 B.J. Schmidt-Dubuque
-
6 Jed Frieberger-Dubuque
-
33 Jim Turpin-Shullsburg, WI
NASCAR Pro Stocks
Feature
-
97 Jeff Reinert-Dyersville
-
25 Bobby Moyer-Dubuque
-
12 Jeff Tharp-Dubuque
-
20 Ty Kleiner-Potosi, WI
-
16 Dan Shelliam-Hazel Green, WI
-
56 Andy Eckrich-Cosgrove
-
35 Jim Brokus-Dubuque
-
1 John Walker-Cedar Rapids
-
22 Jeff Valentine-Dubuque
-
18 Skip Culbertson-Dubuque
-
2K Jeff Kennedy-Dubuque
-
71 Kevin Schroeder-Low Moor
NASCAR Modifieds
Feature
-
3 Jason Schuller-Dubuque
-
37 B Ron Barker-Dubuque
-
16 Ryan Dolan-Lisbon
-
27 Mark Schulte-Delhi
-
33 Steve Wetter-Platteville, WI
-
74 Scott Nesteby-Dubuque
-
20 Korey Burmeister-Glen Haven, WI
-
10 Jed Hurst-Hazel Green, WI
-
69 Corey Dripps-Waterloo
-
63 Scott Olson-Preston
-
5D Bob Dominacki-Bettendorf
-
1D Mel Saffran-Dubuque
-
15 Sean Rupp-Dubuque
-
19 Jim Allen-Dubuque
-
92 Tim Zeman-Fruitland
-
10 M Steve Marks-Muscatine
-
24M Jan Messer-Manchester
-
4 Jerry Miles-Dubuque
Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation
Late Models
Budweiser Open Late Model Shootout
Heat 1
-
32D Darren Miller-Chadwick, IL
-
58 David Eckrich-Oxford
-
21h Brian Harris-Davenport
Heat 2
-
44 Duane Coulson-East Dubuque, IL
-
7 Mark Burgtorf-Quincy, IL
-
77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls
Heat 3
-
56 Gary Webb-Blue Grass
-
37B Troy Bruder-Freeport, IL
-
15 Brian Birkhofer-Muscatine
Consolation
-
45l Jeff Laue-Burlington
-
51 Matt Furman-Iowa City
-
87 Clint Hines-Andalusia
Hollywood Graphics Fast Dash
1.
15 Birkhofer
2.
58 Eckrich
3.
56 Webb
50 Lap Bud Shootout
Feature
-
58 Eckrich
-
15 Birkhofer
-
79 Mish
-
32D Miller
-
12 Ray Guss Jr.-Milan, IL
-
99D Darrell DeFrance-Marshalltown
-
21 Luke Merfeld-Dubuque
-
7 Burgtorf
-
21H Harris
-
77 Aikey
-
37b Bruder
-
33g Dan Galant-Clinton
-
13K Denny Petersen-Tipton
-
1m Rob Moss-Iowa City
-
87 Hines
-
44 Coulson
-
56 Webb
-
45l Laue
-
12n Terry Neal-Ely
-
37 Rollie Frink-Davenport
-
25 Kerry Hanson-Spencer, WI
-
50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin
-
51 Furman
-
8 Mark Merfeld-Dubuque
-
3 Brad Stewart-Milledgeville, IL
-
45 Curt Martin-Independence
Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway
7/7/02
By: Jerry Mackey