4 First Time Winners Visit Victory Lane At Dubuque Mid-Season Championships Aikey, Moyer, Schmidt, Leehan score first of season, Barker repeats

The Dubuque Speedway presented Mid-Season Championships on Sunday June 23^rd featuring the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge.

The 35 lap Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Model feature was the headliner of the night. The race provided the fans with plenty of side by side racing excitement with the hottest battle on the speedway for the lead position. For the majority of the 35 laps, Darren Mish, Gary Webb and Jeff Aikey were dicing it out for the lead. The three drivers swapped the lead several times before Aikey was able to secure the top spot with less than ten laps to go. Webb was able to take second over Mish with Luke Merfeld running a strong fourth.

Ronnie Barker continued his hot streak by winning his 11^th feature of the season at the SPI promoted tracks.  Barker had trouble in his heat, which forced him to start in 18^th in the 20 lap feature. Barker was able to work every inch of the track in his trek to the front of the pack. Barker overtook leader Jason Schueller with five to go on his way to the impressive win. Schueller crossed the line in second ahead of Mark Schulte and Ryan Dolan.   

Bobby Moyer not only won his first feature of the season at his hometown track in the Pro Stock feature, in addition it was Moyer’s first ever win on the high banked 3/8 mile track since moving into the Pro Stock class a couple of years ago. Moyer led the 15 lap Mid-Season Championship race flag to flag. Moyer put his car up on the top side of the tacky track and was able to win by approximately five car lengths over Dan Shelliam. Jeff Tharp took third ahead of Jim Brokus.

B.J. Schmidt won his first feature of the year in the NASCAR Hobby Stock feature event. Schmidt is having a fine year in his rookie season in the very tough Hobby Stock Class. For the majority of the race, the lead was contested by a pack of at least five cars. Schmidt was able to emerge from the pack with two laps to go to take the win over Steve Dunkel with Jerry Merkes taking third.

Randy Leehan won his first feature ever in taking the Farley Flyer Championship win. Leehan drove his Toyota to the win over fellow Toyota driver Jason Roth. Leehan led the race early but was passed by Roth then came back to regain the lead at the midway point of the race. Levi Benn took third on Sunday night.

Sunday, June 30^th the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series action will continue at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway. It will be Craftsman night at the races with twin 25 lap features on the card for the NASCAR Late Models.  All classes will be in action with race time slated for 6:30 p.m.

Race Results 6/23/02

Farley Flyers

Heat 1

1.      9 Chad Dugan-Garber

2.      66 Tony Brimeyer-Dubuque

3.      14 Levi Benn-Dyersville

Heat 2

1.      45 Jeff Jorgensen-Mineral Point, WI

2.      17 Randy Leehan-Apple River, IL

3.      38X Bryan Melocarro-Dubuque

Feature 

1. 17 Leehan

2. 31 Jason Roth-Hazel Green, WI

3. 14 Benn

4. 69 Becky Roth-Cuba City, WI

5. 66 Brimeyer

6. 71 Norm Marcov-Dubuque

7. 68 Steve Stackis-Dubuque

8. 3 Steve Driscoll Jr. –Asbury

9. 69R Tim Roth-Punta Gorda, FL

10. 8 Joe Sarazin-Dubuque

11. 23 Keith Kiernan-Dubuque

12. 9 Dugan

13. 38X Melocarro

14. 00 John Flury-Epworth

15. 55 Brian Kammerude-Hazel Green, WI

16. 45 Jorgensen

17. 38G Kyle Gansen-Epworth

18. 75 Chad Naderman-Farley

19. 07 Joel Steinman-Brodhead, WI

20. 91 Jim Thompson-Delhi

NASCAR Hobby Stocks

Heat 1

1. 59 Mike Hughes-Galena, IL

2. 33 Jim Turpin-Shullsburg, WI

3. 8K Jerry Merkes-Farley  

Heat 2

1. 89 Kelly Welter-Dubuque

2. 97Steve Dunkel- Worthington

3. 22 Cory Bauer-Monticello  

Feature

1. 44 B.J. Schmidt-Dubuque

2. 97 Dunkel

3. 8K Merkes

4. 28 Ed McIntyre-Delhi

5. 98 Jason Rauen-Farley

6. 89 Welter

7. 59 Hughes

8. 22 Bauer

9. 83 R Rob Petsche-Centralia

10. 6 Jed Frieberger-Dubuque

11. 13 Larry Benn-Dyersville

12. 33 Turpin

13. 39 Dave Humphrey-Hazel Green, WI

NASCAR Pro Stocks

Heat 1          

1. 71 Kevin Schroeder-Low Moor

2. 12 Jeff Tharp-Dubuque

3. 18 Skip Culbertson-Dubuque

Heat 2

1. 25 Bob Moyer-Dubuque

2. 2K Jeff Kennedy-Dubuque

3. 35 Jim Brokus-Dubuque

Feature

1. 25 Moyer

2. 16 Dan Shelliam-Hazel Green, WI

3. 12 Tharp

4. 35 Brokus

5. 97 Jeff Reinert-Dyersville

6. 2k Kennedy

7. 71 Schroeder

8. 18 Culbertson

9. 29 Matt Rodebaugh-Orangeville, IL

10. 1 John Walker-Cedar Rapids

11. 13 Dennis Pergande-Dubuque

12. 22 Jeff Valentine-Dubuque

NASCAR Modifieds 

Heat 1

1. 74 Scott Nesteby-Dubuque

2. 1D Mel Saffran-Dubuque

3. 4 Jerry Miles-Dubuque

Heat 2

1. 27 Mark Schulte-Delhi

2. 69 Roger Donahue-Dubuque

3. 19 Jim Allen-Dubuque

Heat 3

1. 89 Tom Pestka-Delhi

2. 39 Bob Bollon-Freeport, IL

3. 16 Ryan Dolan-Lisbon

Feature

1. 37b Ron Barker-Dubuque

2. 3 Jason Schuller-Dubuque

3. 27 Mark Schulte-Delhi

4. 16 Dolan

5. 74 Nesteby

6. 08 Mike Miller-Leaf River, IL

7. 4 Miles

8. 20 Cory Burmeister-Glen Haven, WI

9. 63 Scott Olson-Preston

10. 10 Jed Hurst-Hazel Green, WI

11. 15 Sean Rupp-Dubuque

12. 69 Roger Donahue-Dubuque

13. 39 Bollon

14. 89 Pestka

15. 1D Saffran

16. 71 Buddy Weber-Lancaster, WI

17. 24m Jan Messer-Manchester

18. 00 Josh Vinnedge-Forreston, IL

19. 19 Allen

Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation Late Models 

Heat 1

1. 56 Gary Webb-Blue Grass

2. 21 Luke Merfeld-Dubuque

3. 50 Denny Eckrich-Tiffin  

Heat 2

1. 77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls

2. 79 Darren Mish-Cassville, WI

3. 21h Brian Harris-Davenport

Feature

1. 77 Jeff Aikey-Cedar Falls

2. 56 Webb

3. 79 Mish

4. 21 Merfeld

5. 50 Eckrich

6. 8 Mark Merfeld-Dubuque

7. 98.1 Bobby Hansen-Dike

8. 61r Jon Rogers-German Valley, IL

9. 95 Ed Sanger-Postville

10. 5 Wade Halverson-Elgin

11. 54 Mark Curwen-Hazel Green, WI

12. 21 H Harris

13. 37B Troy Bruder-Freeport, IL

Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway

6/23/02

By: Jerry Mackey