MARS HOLDS ON TO WIN WDRL KNOXVILLE LATE MODEL CLASSIC
Menomonie, Wis., driver goes flag to flag to pick up $5,000 win
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

KNOXVILLE, Ia (May 13, 2005) - Jimmy Mars held off the late-race charge of Brian Harris Friday night to win the Knoxville Late Model Classic, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series event, here at Knoxville Raceway.

In addition to the persistent challenge from Harris, the Menomonie, Wis., driver also survived eight caution flags, but led all 40 laps to pick up the $5,000 top prize.

"Any time you can win here at Knoxville, it's going to feel good," commented Mars following the win. "This is such a historic race track, and we're so glad to be able to be able to race Late Models here, it's just real exciting to win tonight.

"It was kind of a cold night," he added. "But it turned into a nice race track, and I can't say enough about how this MasterSbilt worked all night. So we're real happy with the way things turned out."

Following an opening lap caution flag, Mars outran fellow front-row starter Trent Follmer at the drop of the green flag to grab the advantage as the strong 26-car field thundered into turn one on the opening circuit.

With Mars setting the pace, Follmer, Colorado traveler Kelly Boen, Nebraska veteran Al Humphrey and Harris battled wheel to wheel for positions two through five before the second caution flag of the night was unfurled on lap seven when Sonny Findling of Kirksville, Mo., slowed out of turn two.

A third caution was waved a half dozen laps later when John VanDenBerg, who had been running just out of the top five, coasted to a halt halfway down the back straightaway.

On the subsequent restart, the second-place running Harris powered to the bottom out of turn two to grab the momentary advantage, but Mars' Deppe Enterprises/MasterSbilt/Custom Race Engines Chevrolet Monte Carlo regained the top spot as the duo roared out of turn four and in front of the grandstands.

Caution flags on laps 17, 22 and 23 kept the field close, but on each restart, Mars was able to outrun Harris and the third-place running Boen to maintain the point. Popular Muscatine, Iowa, driver Brian Birkhofer brought out another caution flag on lap 25 when his mount coasted to a halt in turn four while running sixth.

With Mars continuing to hold the advantage, Harris took his Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation-sponsored car number 21H to the top-side of the Marion County Fairgrounds half-mile and began to apply pressure. On lap 34, Harris pulled alongside of Mars out of turn four, with the pair running virtually side by side in front of the grandstands.

A final caution flag on the following lap, however, slowed Harris' charge, and over the final five circuits, the Wisconsin driver was able to hold on the grab the checkers.

"That 21 car was definitely there," noted Mars. "You're on such a fine line of being conservative and yet having a good enough car be able to get after it when you need to.

"He showed himself, and I raced him back down into turn one and I had him beat into turn one so I could get back to my line again. The caution flag came out, but I guess I was ready to turn the wick up when I needed to."

Sullivan, Wisconsin's Dan Schlieper, who started 21st in the field, finished third, followed by two-time series champion Kyle Berck, who had started 20th. Boen, meanwhile, held on for a fifth-place finish followed by Brady Smith and Joe Kosiski. The remainder of the top 10 included 22nd starting Chris Simpson, Denny Eckrich and Follmer.

For more information on WDRL or the latest PolyDome Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.

RACE REPORT
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY
KNOXVILLE, IOWA
FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2006

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. John VanDenBerg (Oskaloosa, IA), 2. Brian Harris (Davenport, IA), 3. Justin Fegers (Mound, MN), 4. Denny Eckrich (Tiffin, IA), 5. Nick Marolf (Moscow, IA).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Jimmy Mars (Menomonie, WI), 2. Paul Glendenning (Mount Ayr, IA), 3. Chris Spieker (Massena, IA), 4. Steve Boley (West Liberty, IA), 5. Dan Schlieper (Sullivan, WI).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 2. John Hampel (Union, NE), 3. Chris Smyser (Lancaster, MO), 4. Kurt Kile (Nichols, IA), 5. Jeff Aikey (Cedar Falls, IA).

Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Trent Follmer (Elk River, MN), 2. Bill Koons (Omaha, NE), 3. Joe Kosiski (Omaha, NE), 4. Brian Birkhofer (Muscatine, IA), 5. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI).

Fifth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Kelly Boen (Henderson, CO), 2. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO), 3. Al Humphrey (Giltner, NE), 4. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, IA), 5. Kyle Berck (Marquette, NE).

First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Denny Eckrich, 2. Schlieper, 3. Smith, 4. Tommy Elston (Keokuk, IA), 5. Aikey.

Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Berck, 2. Chris Simpson (Marion, IA), 3. Denny Woodworth (Mendon, IL), 4. Mike Stadel (Rapid City, SD), 5. Scott Daly (Elkhorn, NE).

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Mars, 2. Follmer, 3. Humphrey, 4. Boen, 5. Anderson, 6. Harris, 7. VanDenBerg, 8. Glendenning.

Knoxville Late Model Classic 40-Lap Feature: 1. Mars, 2. Harris, 3. Schlieper, 4. Berck, 5. Boen, 6. Smith, 7. Kosiski, 8. Chris Simpson, 9. Denny Eckrich, 10. Follmer, 11. Glendenning, 12. Woodworth, 13. Eric Pember (Pittsville, WI), 14. Koons, 15. Humphrey, 16. Boley, 17. Birkhofer, 18. Fegers, 19. Anderson, 20. Hampel, 21. Smyser, 22. VanDenBerg, 23. Spieker, 24. Dave Eckrich, 25. Findling, 26. Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, IA).

ITEMS OF INTEREST:
* Entrants: 45
* Passing Points: Mars (69.56)
* Series Provisionals: Pember, Chad Simpson
* Lap Leaders: Mars (1-40)
* Rookie-of-the-Race: Follmer
* Hard Luck Driver: Elston

CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:
* Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Mars, Follmer, Humphrey
* QA1 Motorsports: Mars
* The Brake Man: Mars
* Champ Pans: Harris
* The Joie of Seating: Berck
* Performance Bodies: Boen
* Design 500 Racewear: Kosiski
* V-Performance Batteries: Chris Simpson
* Fast Shafts: Denny Eckrich
* Hooker Harness: Follmer
* Weld Wheels: Glendenning
* Scott Performance Wire: Pember
* Chase Race Decals: Elston
* Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Elston
* KSE Racing Products: Denny Eckrich, Berck