Oliver, Jr. Finds Lee County Hobby Stock Glory
By Jake Croxton

DONNELLSON, Iowa (April 28) – Matt Gavin used his outside front-row starting spot to lead the opening twelve laps of the Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock 15-lapper during the opening points night at the Lee County Speedway. During the race’s midpoint, John Oliver, Jr. made his presence known in his Oliver Tri-County Heating & Air / Cutlass. At times, the 2004 LCS Champion pushed Gavin’s Chevy Nova down the straightaway. The two exchanged the lead on three occasions before Oliver, Jr. took command and won the 2006 opener by a few car lengths over Gavin, pole-starter Matt Tucker, Dan Wenig, and Roger Krieger. Brad Weber and Jim Lynch scored heat race wins.

Phillip Cossel and Chad Sovern exchanged the lead during each of the first three laps of the Discount Tire IMCA Modified feature event. Close racing produced a chain-reaction crash on the back straightaway that eliminated Dennis LaVeine and Andy Krieger. In all, six cars were involved including Sovern, Brandon Rothzen, Kevin Cale and Jim Gillenwater. That allowed Billy Roberts to put his Roberts Tire Center / Roderrer’s Pit Stop / Pierce / Chevy on the point and the Burlington, Iowa driver led the final sixteen laps to claim the win. Josh Foster battled back from a broken gear in the heat race to finish second, while Cale, Lonnie Heap, and Cossel rounded out the top five. LaVeine and Cale won in Heat Race action.

Dennis Schulte and Tyler Schulte provided thrills in the front of the GM Giant Wild Thing 12-lapper, while Robert Anderson provided thrills in the back of the field. Anderson, in his Chevy S10, started third before the laws of physics prevailed sending the truck for a roll. Before the red was displayed, Anderson re-fired and soldiered on for a ninth place finish. Dennis Schulte stayed ahead of Tyler and put his Discount Tire / Midwest Exhaust / Celica to earn the victory. Jim Oliver, III, Ron Kibbe, and Luke Davidson completed the top five. Dennis Schulte and Oliver, III won the Heat Races.

Ryan Meyer started a streak after earning his second consecutive Budweiser IMCA Stock Car triumph over Kirk Kinsley, John Oliver, Jr., Abe Huls, and Dennis Harwood. Meyer led every lap after holding off Kinsley over the final third of the event. Oliver, Jr. won the Heat Race.

Defending Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified champion Wyatt Lantz drew the pole and led eight laps before defending runner-up Jack Evans, Jr. worked by in his JE Performance Engines / Meyers Driveway & Septic / Raider. Evans, Jr. led the final eight laps to pick up the race win. Lantz held off a charging Scott Boles for the runner-up position ahead of Tom Goble and Bob Jennings. Evans, Jr. and Jim Kuhlmeier won the Heats.

Next week, those with proof of residency from Denmark and Wever will be admitted free to the Lee County Speedway for the second points night for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, B-Modifieds, and Wild Things. Race time is 7:30.DONNELLSON, Ia (April 28, 2006) Results from  Lee County Speedway

B Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Jack Evans, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 3. Scott Boles, New London; 4. Tom Goble, Burlington; 5. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 6. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 7. Phillip Beard, Crawfordsville; 8. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 9. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison; 10. Mitch Higdon, Wever.

Heat 01 -- 1. Jack Evans, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 3. Scott Boles, New London; 4. Tom Goble, Burlington; 5. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 2. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 3. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Phillip Beard, Crawfordsville; 5. Mitch Higdon, Wever.

Hobby Stocks

A-Main 01 -- 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Matt Gavin, Monmouth, Ill.; 3. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 4. Dan Wenig, Middletown; 5. Roger Krieger, Bulington; 6. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 7. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, Ill.; 8. Justin Hamelton, Hamilton, Ill.; 9. Stacey Jennings, Mt Pleasant; 10. Jessie Little, LaHarpe, Ill.; 11. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 12. Eric Rowley, Burlington; 13. Bradley Weber, Donnellson; 14. Brett Swyter, Donnellson; 15. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 16. Jake Wenig, West Burlington.

Heat 01 -- 1. Bradley Weber, Donnellson; 2. Matt Gavin, Monmouth, Ill.; 3. Dan Wenig, Middletown; 4. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 5. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, Ill.; 6. Justin Hamelton, Hamilton, Ill.; 7. Brett Swyter, Donnellson; 8. Jessie Little, LaHarpe, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 2. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 3. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 4. Roger Krieger, Bulington; 5. Stacey Jennings, Mt Pleasant; 6. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 7. Eric Rowley, Burlington; 8. Jake Wenig, West Burlington.

IMCA Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Bill Roberts, Burlington; 2. Josh Foster, Montrose; 3. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 4. Lonne Heap, Media, Ill.; 5. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 6. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Ill.; 7. Bryan Fett, Donnellson; 8. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 9. Chad Sovern, West Burlington; 10. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 11. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington; 12. Andy Krieger, West Burlington; 13. Chris Larson, Keokuk.

Heat 01 -- 1. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington; 2. Bill Roberts, Burlington; 3. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 4. Lonne Heap, Media, Ill.; 5. Andy Krieger, West Burlington; 6. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 7. Josh Foster, Montrose.

Heat 02 -- 1. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 2. Chad Sovern, West Burlington; 3. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Ill.; 4. Bryan Fett, Donnellson; 5. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 6. Chris Larson, Keokuk.

IMCA Stock Cars

A-Main 01 -- 1. Ryan Meyer, Liberty, Ill.; 2. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 3. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 4. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 5. Dennis Harwood, West Point; 6. Jeff Mueller, New London.

Heat 01 -- 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 3. Jeff Mueller, New London; 4. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 5. Ryan Meyer, Liberty, Ill.; 6. Dennis Harwood, West Point.

4 Cyl. Wild Things

A-Main 01 -- 1. Dennis Schulte, Keokuk; 2. Tyler Schulte, Montrose; 3. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 4. Ronald Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant; 5. Luke Davidson, Argyle; 6. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 7. Adam Swanson, Burlington; 8. Levi Smith, Donnellson; 9. Robert Anderson, Payson, Ill.; 10. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 11. Tyler Scott, Danville; 12. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, Mo.; 13. Ryan Anderson, Donnelson; 14. Jim Hamelton, Keokuk; 15. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, Ill..

Heat 01 -- 1. Dennis Schulte, Keokuk; 2. Tyler Schulte, Montrose; 3. Ronald Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 5. Ryan Anderson, Donnelson; 6. Adam Swanson, Burlington; 7. Tyler Scott, Danville; 8. Jim Hamelton, Keokuk.

Heat 02 -- 1. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. Luke Davidson, Argyle; 3. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, Mo.; 4. Robert Anderson, Payson, Ill.; 5. Levi Smith, Donnellson; 6. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 7. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, Ill..