Bailey, Ditsworth crowned season champion; 3 get first wins
By Dana Royer/34 Raceway

BURLINGTON, IA (Aug 27) ­ Two racers were crowned the 2007 season champions following racing action at 34 Raceway Saturday, Aug. 25. It was Olson Bros. Custom Shop season championship night for the J & J Steel/Ideal Ready Mix IMCA Late Models and the Zaiser Fabrication 305 sprints. Lonnie Bailey of Quincy, Il., completed the point season with a nineteen point advantage over Tom Bowling, Jr., to win the late model season championship. Gladstone, Illinois¹ Jayson Ditsworth had the season championship wrapped up going into the 305 sprint feature event. Ditsworth completed the season with 571 points, a 13 point lead over Donnie Steward to win the title.

This week at 34 Raceway will be season championship night for the Miller Lite IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and Pepsi Hobby Stocks. The closest race by far is the IMCA Modifeds where Davenport¹s Rich Smith holds a one point lead over Burlington¹s Bill Roberts. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis, and Tanner Thomann, West Burlington, are battling it out to the end with McLaughlin holding a 11 point lead over Thomann in the Pepsi Hobby Stock division. In the IMCA Stock Car division, Todd Holsteen increased his lead over Jason Cook leading the points with 573, a 26 point margin.

Another packed pit area saw 111 cars competing in 15 heats, a B-main and five features definitely giving the fans their money¹s worth. When the evening was completed three drivers got their first wins at 34 Raceway this year. Matt Strassheim, Burlington, took the checkered flag in the ICMA Late Model feature, Chris Larson, Keokuk, won his first IMCA Modified feature and Abe Hulls took the checkered flag in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Getting repeat wins were Justin Newberry, West Burlington, winning the 305 Sprint feature and Matt Gavin, Kirkwood, Il., got his second win in four races.

Driver introductions were held before the start of the nineteen car, 25 lap late model feature. Before racing began for the evening, late model drivers voted for a sportsmanship award winner. Amy Laue presented the trophy to Johnny Johnson, Burlington. Following introductions. Point leader Lonnie Bailey sat on the front row taking an early lead. Bailey began to pull away from the field with Matt Strassheim running second. The second caution of the race came out on lap fifteen and Strassheim took advantage. Strassheim went to the inside of Bailey coming out of turn four and took the lead. Bailey gave it one last shot on the final lap racing side by side on the back stretch. The two came out of turn four headed for the checkered flag bumper to bumper. Strassheim would hold on and take the checkered flag in a close finish. Bailey finished second and Tom Bowling would take third.

Having the 305 sprint season championship wrapped up before the race started, Jayson Ditsworth would have liked to also won the feature that night. Ditsworth took the early lead in the fifteen lap race. The on on lap six, Ditsworth spun in turn two to bring out the caution and giving Justin Newberry the lead. Newberry then went on to take the checkered flag followed by Dustin Whiting. Ditsworth was able to move back up to finish third. Following the 305 sprint driver introductions, Amy Laue announced that Dustin Whiting was voted to receive the Sportsmanship Award for the sprint class.

Matt Gavin took the checkered flag for the second time this year winning the 24 car hobby stock feature. 37 hobby stocks competed in four heats and b-feature for the twenty four spot feature. Cale Samberg took the lead from Chad Witte on lap two of the fifteen lap race holding the lead for the next seven laps before Gavin would take over. Gavin went on to take the checkered flag by a large margin while Doug Fenton moved up to finish second

Another first time winners was Chris Larson, Keokuk, in the modified feature. Twenty two cars started the race with Larson on the front row taking the early lead. Dennis LaVeine stayed close as the two raced side by side, bumper to bumper for four laps. With two laps to go, Bill Roberts had joined the battle getting by LaVeine on the white flag lap. Larson took the checkered flag for his first win at 34 and Roberts finished second.

Abe Huls, Carthage, Il., was yet another first time winner at 34 Raceway topping the twenty car IMCA Stock Car field. Huls took the lead on lap two of the fifteen lap race. Chris Wibbell gave Huls a run as the two raced bumper to bumper for the final five laps. But it would be Huls taking the checkered flag for the win.

34 Raceway results from Aug. 25

J & J STEEL/IDEAL READY MIX IMCA LATE MODELS ­ Season Championship FEATURE: 2. Matt Strassheim, Burlington, Ia., . Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Il., 3. Tom Bowling, Danville, Ia., 4. Sam Halstead, New London, Ia., 5. Gary Russell, Biggsville, Il., 6. Justin Reed, Quincy, Il., 7. Tom Goble, Burlington, Ia., 8. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Ia., 9. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun, Ia., 10. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, Ia., 11. Stephen Kammerer, Blue Grass, Ia., 12. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Ia., 13. Johnny Johnson, Burlington, Ia., 14. Ned Palmer, Blandinsville, Il., 15. Billy Genebacher, Camp Point, Il., 16. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake, Ia., 17. Cory Richards, Burlington, Ia., 18. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Ia., 19. Nick Ingalls, Quincy, Il., HEAT WINNER: Strassheim, L. Bailey, Johnny Johnson.

PEPSI HOBBY STOCKS FEATURE: 1. Matt Gavin, Kirkwood, Il., 2. Doug Fenton, Burlington, Ia., 3. Cale Samberg, Burlington, Ia., 4. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Ia., 5. Randy Wachter, Burlington, Ia., 6. Tanner Thomann, West Burlington, Ia., 8. Sky Griffith, Wapello, Ia., 9. Dan Wenig, West Burlington, Ia., 10. Jason Gerdes, Lomax, Il., 11. Roger Krieger, Burlington, Ia., 12. Alex Buffington, Wapello, Ia., 13. Dean Kratzer, Montrose, Ia., 14. Keith Reed, Fowler, Il., 15. Bobby Linch, Ottumwa, Ia., 16. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk, Ia., 17. Adam Vantiger, 18. Blaine Dopler, Wapello, Ia., 19. Brodie Dopler, Wapello, Ia., 20. Brandon Peitz, Burlington, Ia., 21. Chuck Underwood, Burlington, Ia., 22. Jake Wenig, Burlington, Ia., 23. Jamie Smith, Monmouth, Il., 24. Allen Johnston, Burlington, Ia., HEAT
WINNERS: Brodie Dopler, Gerdes, McLaughlin. Witte. B-Main, Kratzer.

MILLER LITE IMCA MODIFIEDS FEATURE: 1. Chris Larson, Keokuk, Ia., 2. Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington, Ia., 3. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington, Ia., 4. Kevin Goben, Sherrard, Il., 5. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison, Ia., 6. Darin Thye, Burlington, Ia., 7. Dean McGee, Galesburg, Il., 8. Kevin Cale, Donnellson, Ia., 9. Andy Krieger, West Burlington, Ia., 10. Brandon Savage, Keokuk, Ia., 11. Rich Smith, Davenport, Ia., 12. Elmer Arnold, Sperry, Ia., 13. Bill Parks, Colchester, Il., 14. Dusty Krakilo, Durant, Ia., 15. Mike Weikert, Jr., Muscatine, Ia., 16. Dave Cloke, West Burlington, Ia., 17. David Goble, Burlington, Ia., 18. Dan Wenig, West Burlington, Ia., 19. Phillip Cossel, Montrose, Ia., 20. Adam Carson, Colchester, Il., 21. Sean Wyett, Danville, Ia., 22. Jeff Flake, Donnellson, Ia., HEAT WINNERS: Wyett, Arnold, Goben.

IMCA STOCK CARS FEATURE: 1. Abe Huls, Carthage, Il., 2. Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, Il., 3. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, Ia, 4. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Il., 5. Bert McDaniel, Eldon, Ia., 6. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello, Ia., 7. Shane Watts, Burlington, Ia., 8. Doug Huls, Carthage, Il. 9. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant, Ia., 10. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun, Ia., 11. Tim Breuer, Burlington, Ia., 12. Shawn Whiting, West Burlington, Ia., 13. Todd Holsteen, Burlington, Ia., 14. Greg Johnson, Burlington, Ia., 15. Core Strothman, New London, Ia., 16. Rod Staats, Columbus Jct., Ia., 17. Patrick Mincer, Columbus, Jct., Ia., 18. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, Ia., 19. John Brockway, Morning Sun, Ia., 20. Jeff Mueller, New London, Ia., 21. Derek Coleman, New London, Ia., 22. Derek Goble, Burlington, Ia., HEAT WINNERS: Mueller, Holsteen, Cook.

ZAISER FABRICATION 305 SPRINTS ­ Season Championship FEATURE: 1. Justin Newberry, West Burlington, Ia., 2. Dustin Whiting, Burlington, Ia., 3. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il., 4. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, Ia., 5. Seth Wilke, Burlington, Ia., 6. Kevin Hetrick, Gladstone, Il., 7. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, Ia., 8. Monte Hill, Fairfield, Ia., 9. Scott Boles, New London, Ia., 10. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, Ia., 11. Brian Hetrick, Stronghurst, Il. HEAT WINNER: K. Hetrick, B. Hetrick.