Nearly 6 inches of rain doesn¹t stop the action at 34 Raceway
By Dana Royer/34 Raceway

BURLINGTON, IA (June 23) ­ Who would have thought that with nearly six inches of rain, (that started Thursday night and ended Saturday morning), there would be racing at 34 Raceway last Saturday. The possibility of racing Saturday looked pretty grim when owner Jeff Laue saw all that water standing on the track Saturday morning. But Jeff and his crew were determined and beginning at noon they started working on the track. The official call was made around 3:00 that the races were on. The phone rang non stop as fans and racers wondered if they were going to be able to race. Cars were slow to arrive waiting on the final decision, but they turned out in time for the races to begin with 92 cars set to take to the . Come 7:00 the races were on. Hats off to Jeff and his crew.

It was Mid Season Championship Night for all five classes with features lined up according to points. Getting wins were Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Il, (late models), Rich Smith, Davenport (modifieds), Todd Holsteen, Burlington (stock cars), Brian Hetrick, Stronghurst, Il. (sprints), and Doug Fenton, Burlington (hobby stocks). The Ideal Ready Mix/J & J Steal IMCA Late models took the track for the first feature of the night. Fifteen cars set the field for the twenty five lap feature with Tom Bowling and Lonnie Bailey on the front row. Coming off a win on Friday night, Bailey was poised to make it two in a row as he began to pull away from the field. Hugging the inside of the track in the turns Bailey would gain a nearly 1/2 track lead over the field. A caution on lap twenty two would make it a race for the checkered flag for the final three laps. Boone McLaughlin moved up to take second but would be unable to catch Bailey as the #25 took the checkered flag with room to spare. McLaughlin finished second and Matt Ryan of Davenport took third. Bailey¹s win closed the gap but Bowling continues to lead the points 301 to 293.

Davenport¹s Rich Smith is the man to beat this year after Smith collected win number 4 Saturday night. Smith took the lead from his front row start pulling away from the field. But closing the gap would be Bill Roberts, Jr. Roberts pulled up on Smith¹s bumper with five laps to go but Smith was able to again pull away as he went on to take the checkered flag. Finishing second was Roberts followed by Darin Thye. Smith leads the points race over Roberts 345-302.

Twenty one IMCA Stock Cars made their way out to the track for the fourth feature of the night with Todd Holsteen and John Oliver, Jr. on the front row. Holsteen held a one point lead over Oliver going into the nights action. Oliver took the early lead and the two raced bumper to bumper for six of the first eight laps. During a caution on lap nine, Oliver had a puff of smoke come from his car and he headed to the pits. With Oliver out, Jason Cook took over the number two spot. Holsteen began to pull away from the field and the battle was on for second. A caution on lap fourteen made for a green, white, checkered finish. Kirk Kinsley took over the second spot from Cook and was followed to the finish line by Jeff Meuller one lap later. Holsteen took the win, his second in two weeks. With Oliver out of the race, Holsteen increased his point lead 294 to 275

Thirteen sprint cars were hand with Brian Hetrick, Stronghurst, Illinois, getting his fourth win this year and second in two weeks. In the second feature of the night, Hetrick took the lead from Jayson Ditsworth on lap 5 of the fifteen lap race and went on to take the checkered flag by a large margin. A red flag stopped the action during the race when Donnie Steward tipped on his side coming out of turn one. With Steward still in his car, crews set him upright and he returned to race finishing eighth. Hetrick continued to hold a large lead over the field and went on to take the checkered flag followed by Ditsworth and Matt Stephenson. Ditsworth continues to lead the points race with 300 over Justin Newberry with 294

A nice field of twenty three hobby stocks were on hand with point leader Luke McLaughlin in the pole position. Along side of McLaughlin was Tanner Thomann who took the early lead at the drop of the green. On lap six of the fifteen lap race, Doug Fenton took the lead from Thomann. Running second, Thomann was hit by Jason Gerdes sending them both spinning to bring out the second caution. Moving then into second was Dan Wenig. Fenton was given the checkered flag after twelve laps with the race being declared over because of a time limit. Wenig finished second and Dean Kratzer took third. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis leads Tanner Thomann in the points race 300 to 291.

COMING UP
This Saturday, June 30, Fleck Sales and Miller Lite present ³Silly Full Moon Saturday² . There will be Miller Lite Beer Specials and giveaways, clowns and games for the kids, $1 fountain pop and free popcorn for the kids, plus point races in all five classes.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
Wednesday, July 4th will be the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders. PLUS FIREWORKS. There will be free American flags to the first 500 fans and racing for 360 sprints, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Vintage Cars. The Invaders were rained out in two previous scheduled appearances at 34 Raceway so this will be their first appearance at the 3/8 mile this year. Let¹s hope Mother Nature wants to go racing. Also the rescheduled Deery Brothers Summer Series race for late models will be Tuesday, July 17. June 23, 2007 results

	MILLER LITE IMCA MODIFIEDS FEATURE: 1. 1. Rich Smith, Davenport, 2. Bill Roberts, Jr, Burlington, 3. Darin Thye, Burlington, 4. Andy Krieger, West Burlington, 5. Mike Weikert, Jr., Muscatine, 6. Bill Parks, Colchester, Il., 7. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison, 8. Phillip Cossel, Montrose, 9. Kevin Goben, Sherrard, Il., 10. Sean Wyett, Danville, 11. Kevin Londrie, Keokuk, 12. Adam Swanson, Burlington, 13. Dave Cloke, Burlington, 14. Scott Boles, New London, 15. Dave Anderson, Burlington, 16. Kyle Kaestner, Burlington, 17. Brandon, Savage, Keokuk. HEAT WINNERS: Higdon, Weikert.
	IMCA STOCK CARS FEATURE: 1. 1. Todd Holsteen, Burlington, 2. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello, 3. Jeff Mueller, New London, 4. Darin Thye, Burlington, 5. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 6. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Il., 7. Derek Coleman, New London, 8. Greg Johnson, Burlington, 9. Abe Huls, Carthage, Il., 10. Derek Goble, Burlington, 11. Corey Strothman, New London, 12. Otto Christofferson, Niota, Il., 13. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun, 14. Trent Vrohoticky, Columbus Junction, 15. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Il., 16. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, 17. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant, 18. Rod Staats, Columbus Jct., 19. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 20. Shawn Whiting, West Burlington, 21. Randy Phillips, Muscatine, 22. Tim Breuer, Burlington. HEAT WINNERS; Cook, Webb, Rothzen.
	ZAISER FABRICATION 305 SPRINTS FEATURE; 1. Brian Hetrick, Stronghurst, Il., 2. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il., 3. Matt Stephenson, Des Moines, 4. Bobby Mincer, Burlington, 5. Justin Newberry, West Burlington, 6. Tasker Phillips, Knoxville, 7. Matt Krieger, 8. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, 9. Dustin Whiting, Burlington, 10. Monte Hill, Fairfield, 11. Seth Wilke, Burlington, 12. Scott Boles, New London, 13. Kevin Hetrick, Gladstone, Il., HEAT WINNERS: B. Hetrick, Stephenson.
	IDEAL READY MIX/J & J STEEL IMCA LATE MODELS FEATURE: 1. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Il., 2. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, 3. Matt Ryan, Davenport, 4. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun, 5. Matt Strassheim, Burlington, 6. Ron Elbe, Augusta, Il., 7. Tom Bowling, Jr., Danville, 8. Tom Goble, Burlington, 9. Leroy Brenner, Aledo, Il., 10. TJ Criss, Oskaloosa, 11. Chris Guerrero, Macomb, Il., 12. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, 13. Nate Bueseling, Coal Valley, il., 14. Gary Russell, Biggsville, Il., 15. Sam Halstead, New London, 16. Cory Richards, Burlington. HEAT WINNERS: McLaughlin, Halstead.

PEPSI HOBBY STOCKS; FEATURE: 1. Doug Fenton, Burlington, 2. Dan Wenig, West Burlington, 3. Dean Kratzer, Montrose, 4. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis, 5. Cale Samberg, Burlington, 6. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk, 7. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, 8. Brodie Dopler, Wapello, 9. Alex Buffington, Wapello, 10. Tanner Thomann, West Burlington, 11. Jason Gerdes, Lomax, Il., 12. Blaine Dopler, Wapello, 13. Todd Lange, Stronghurst, Il., 14. Jarod Conrad, Wayland, 15. Jamie Smith, Monmouth, Il., 16. Brian Holmes, Wapello, 17. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 18. Kent Rhum, Burlington, 19. Sky Griffith, Wapello, 20. Chase Klenk, New London, 21. Joe Laue, Wapello, 22. Chuck Underwood, Burlingotn, 23. Ray Raker, Danville, 24. Brandon Peitz, Burlington, 25. Victor Hastings, Oquawka, Il., HEAT WINNERS: Brodie Dopler, Wilsey, Gerdes.