|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WEBB AND ECKRICH BATTLE IN DUBUQUENASCAR WEEKLY RACING SERIES Gary Webb posted his second NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model feature win of the season at the Dubuque Speedway on Sunday, May 27th, but couldn’t increase his point lead much over Denny Eckrich. Front row starters Mark Merfeld and Brian Webb stayed in doublewide formation at the drop of the green while Webb and Eckrich began picking off traffic from the sixth row. Eckrich initially held the advantage over the defending NASCAR Weekly Racing Series National Champion, running in the fifth spot when the first caution flag slowed the pace. The restart proved to be a boon for Webb, as he took advantage of the bunched up cars to shoot from seventh into third on the restart; Eckrich followed after getting passed, settling in to the fourth position. Webb just began closing in on the lead pair of Merfeld and his son Brian Webb when the event’s only other caution flag flew on lap ten. Wasting no time, Gary split the leaders on the restart to take the lead. Eckrich had a slightly more difficult time, racing alongside Merfeld until lap seventeen, when he cleared the second place car and began closing in on the leader. Quickly eliminating Webb’s advantage, Eckrich first looked for the lead on lap 20, but failed in several attempts to dive underneath before lapped traffic came into play, allowing Webb to cruise to a two car-length victory over Eckrich. Luke Merfeld followed Eckrich on the low side of the racetrack late in the race to charge to third, ahead of his brother Mark and Ryan Dolan. Ron Barker topped Modified action in what appeared to be an easy cruise after taking the lead away from Scott Olson, who was nursing a sick-sounding motor around the high-banks. What made Barker’s journey to victory lane more interesting is that earlier in the evening he developed engine problems of his own, forcing him to return to his shop and swap power plants after the evening had begun. Gone less than 40 minutes, Barker returned just in time for his first race of the evening. Starting the feature event in the twelfth spot, Barker benefited from several attempts to get the race underway as several multi-car tangles improved his starting position. Running fourth at the end of the first completed lap, Barker took the lead away from Olson on lap seven and was never challenged as the race stayed green for the final nineteen laps. Jim Brokus and Jeff Tharp waged war for the fifteen lap Pro Stock feature event, with Tharp occupying the cushion and Brokus using the short way around on the inside of the racetrack. They swapped the top spot several times during the event, with Brokus eventually emerging as the victor by a few car lengths. Ty Kleiner, Dan Shelliam and Jeff Valentine rounded out the top five. TJ Leslein led every lap of the Hobby Stocks to post his first victory of the season over Pat Coleman and Scott Riechers. Chad Hallahan took home the Fun Car honors ahead of Brian Strang and Ray Fawcett. Racing action continues this Sunday June 3rd at the Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway, with hot laps for all five divisions of NASCAR stock cars scheduled for 6 pm and racing to follow. For more information, contact Simmons Promotions at 563-744-3620 or online at www.simmonspromotionsinc.com.
|
|
