WEBB SNAGS MID SEASON CHAMPS IN DUBUQUE 

DUBUQUE SPEEDWAY
July 8, 2001

Gary Webb notched his fourth victory of the season during the 35 lap Mid-Season Championships at the Dubuque Speedway on Sunday July 8^th.   

Starting the race in twelfth, Webb quickly marched his way to the front of the pack, taking the lead away from Mark Merfeld on the eighth lap.   Merfeld spent the first several laps racing with his brother Luke Merfeld after taking the lead away from Curt Hanson on the second circuit.  While the Merfeld’s were engaged in a dogfight for the lead when Webb closed in and split the brother’s cars to take the lead.  Webb kept the hammer down, lapping up to the 13^th place car before the only caution came out on lap 24.  With lapped cars removed and a double file restart, Darren Miller looked to be the biggest beneficiary, lining up behind Webb in the third position.  Miller was unable to capitalize on his good fortune, slipping off the top of the racetrack and back into seventh on the restart, allowing Darren Mish to close in on the second place car of Luke Merfeld.  Mish took the position away in the closing laps to finish a distant second ahead of Luke Merfeld, Denny Eckrich and Mark Merfeld.  

Ron Barker came out on top of the Modified main event after fending off a furious charge by the red hot Jason Schueller.  Schueller had won three straight features on the high banked 3/8 mile oval coming into the evenings race, and looked to make it four straight as the cars sped down the backstretch for the final time.  Schueller found some extra traction on the top of the racetrack, allowing him to pull alongside the low  running Barker, but ran out of room as the cars entered the third corner.  Finishing behind Schueller in third was Jed Hurst, followed by points leader Ryan Dolan and Steve Wetter.  Jim Brokus came out on top of a wild Pro Stock feature that saw himself, Dan Shelliam and Jeff Tharp locked in a three way battle for the lead during the closing stages.  The cars exited the second corner three wide, but contact between Shelliam and Tharp allowed Brokus to pull ahead.  Shelliam beat Tharp back to the line followed by Jeff Kennedy and Ty Kleiner.  Duane Ahman inherited the Bomber winners trophy after apparent victor Jim Turpin was disqualified in post race tech inspection.  Prior to the DQ, Turpin and Ahman waged a fierce war on the track, running nose-to-tail over half the event.  Russ Yonkovic cruised to the easy Fun Car win ahead of Brian Strang and BJ Schmitt. 

Racing action continues this Sunday at the Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway, with hot laps for all five divisions of NASCAR stock cars scheduled for 6 pm and racing to follow.  Raceday weather updates can be found by calling your local McLeod USA InTouch Directory category #3741, with post-race results in category #3740.  Highlights from all Simmons Promotions INC events will be shown on Fox 28/40 at 10:30 am on Sunday Mornings.  For more information, contact Simmons Promotions at 563-744-3620 or online at www.simmonspromotionsinc.com.

BOMBERS  
1. 98  Duane Ahmann  Epworth
2. 30 Mark Massey Farley
3. 28  Ed McIntyre  Delhi 
4. 8k  Terry Merkes  Farley
5. 97  Jeff Reinert  Farley
6. 61r  Scott Reichers  Belmont WI
7. 20x  Jarvis  Eastlick  Platteville WI
8. 13  Larry Benn  Dyersville
9. 81  KC Ansel  Dubuque
10. 52  Pat Coleman Dubuque
11. 23g  Randy Grant
12. 59  Mike Hughes  Galena IL
13. 11  Jason Brimeyer  Dubuque
DQ
33  Jim Turpin  Shullsberg WI

FUN CARS
1. 38  Russ Yonkovic  Dubuque
2. 26  Brian Strang  Dubuque
3. 44  BJ Schmitt Dubuque
4. 64  Ray Fawcett Benton WI
5. 66  Brad Strang  Dubuque
6. 7  Chad Hallahan  Dubuque
7. 6  Todd Moore  Dubuque
8. 11  Ann Brown  Dubuque
9. 12  Jeremy Gengler  Lancaster WI
10. 70  Lance Mish  Cassville WI