Track Schedules

Jackson makes most of restart opportunity to win JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour opener

VINTON, Iowa (May 10) – After running second much of the distance, Vern Jackson was first to the IMCA Modified checkers in Tuesday night’s JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour opener at Ben­ton County Speedway.

Jackson chased Mitch Morris past midway, then took advantage of a lap 21 restart to take over the front spot. He led the last 10 times around the track to collect the $1,000 top check.

“I just kept beating my way around the bottom,” Jackson said from victory lane at Vinton. “That’s where the track was fastest tonight.”

Morris, “B” feature winners Ryan Dolan and California transplant Kellen Chadwick, and Mark El­liott rounded out the top five.

Two quick cautions slowed the early going as pole starter Larry Herring led the first three laps. Jackson was briefly in first before Morris moved ahead.

Morris brought Jackson and 11^th staring Ryan Dolan along as the front three pulled away from the rest of the field. A lap eight yellow bunched the pack back up, then Morris set sail and left Jack­son and Dolan well behind to fight over second. 

The final and fateful caution came on lap 19. Jackson charged by as the two headed into the se­cond set of turns and Morris could never catch up.

Richie Gustin moved up 14 spots from where he started to finish sixth. Defending track champion Scott Hogan took a provisional start and advanced from dead last to finish eighth.

Defending series champion Mike Jergens qualified by running second in his heat but exited early with engine trouble. Mark Schulte, fifth in tour points last season, was a DNS.

Forty-four Modifieds were on hand for the series lidlifter. The tour’s second stop is at I-35 Speed­way in Mason City for a Monday, May 30 Memorial Day show.

Danny Dvorak got the lead back on the final lap, beating Austin Kaplan to the finish by little more than the width of his bumper in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod main.

Driving a borrowed car, Brad Chandler passed Bill Whalen Jr. on the sixth of 12 laps and led to the end of the caution-free Mach-1 Sport Compact feature. 

Feature Results

Modifieds –

1. Vern Jackson, Waterloo;

2. Mitch Morris, Eldridge;

3. Ryan Dolan, Lisbon;

4. Kellen Chadwick, West Union;

5. Mark Elliott, Webster City;

6. Richie Gustin, Gilman;

7. Rich Smith, Davenport;

8. Scott Hogan, Vinton;

9. Mike Burbridge, Delhi;

10. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup;

11. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.;

12. Josh Foster, Montrose;

13. Joe Docekal, Dysart;

14. Larry Herring, Lone Tree;

15. Mike VanGenderen, Newton;

16. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton;

17. Kurt Krauskopf, Decorah;

18. Jason Seegmiller, Dubuque;

19. Adam Bolin, Waterloo;

20. Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids;

21. Shawn Ryan, Waterloo;

22. Wyatt Lantz, Augusta, Ill.;

23. Mike Jergens, Plover;

24. Mark Schulte, Delhi.

1^st heat (top two) – 1. Snyder; 2. Olson. 2^nd heat – 1. Lantz; 2. Herring. 3^rd heat – 1. Jackson; 2. Waterman. 4^th heat – 1. Morris; 2. Jergens. 5^th heat – 1. Elliott; 2. Smith.

1^st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Dolan; 2. Docekal; 3. Krauskopf; 4. Seegmiller. 2^nd “B” feature – 1. Chadwick; 2. Bolin; 3. Foster; 4. Burbridge. 3^rd “B” feature – 1. Lauritzen; 2. VanGenderen; 3. Gustin; 4. Ryan.

Northern SportMods –

1. Danny Dvorak, Vinton;

2. Austin Kaplan, Ankeny;

3. Carter Vandenberg, Oskaloosa;

4. Joel Rust, Grundy Center;

5. Jake Strayer, Newton;

6. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa;

7. Rod McDonald, Manchester;

8. Jamie Aikey, Cedar Falls;

9. Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls;

10. Drew Fish, Vinton;

11. Brad Iverson, Grinnell;

12. Mike Mitchell, Cedar Rapids;

13. Dave Schulze, Keystone;

14. Brian Anderson, Garrison;

15. Curt Hilmer, Dysart;

16. Kurt Hogan, Vinton;

17. Mike Hogencamp, Waterloo.

Heat winners were Strayer and Dvorak.

Sport Compacts –

1. Brad Chandler, Vinton;

2. Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside;

3. Nathan Chandler, Norway;

4. Steve Miedke, Newhall;

5. Brett Vanous, Quasqueton;

6. Merv Chandler, Vinton;

7. James Stevens, Cedar Rapids;

8. Jacob McVay, Palo;

9. Eric Youngblut, Fairbank;

10. Louis Trachta, Vinton;

11. Adam Gates, Cedar Rapids;

12. Joe Goodenbauer, Garrison;

13. Ross Kitner, Garrison.

Heat winners were Brad Chandler and Nathan Chandler.