Weber Triumphs over Oliver, Jr. for Career-First
By Jake Croxton

DONNELLSON, Ia (May 26, 2006) – Five years of hard knocks finally paid off for Donnellson’s Brad Weber in the 15-lap Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock feature at the Lee County Speedway. Weber started fifth in his The Wooden Pig Barbecue / Hillcrest Hostas / Grand Prix and worked past Jim Oliver, Jr. for the race lead on the second lap. Weber held off challenges from John Oliver, Jr. and Dan Wenig over the final fourteen circuits and initiated a wild victory lane celebration. Jake Wenig came from the back to finish fourth ahead of Chris Webb.

Josh Foster’s hot streak continues in the Discount Tire IMCA Modified division. Foster became the third leader of the 20-lapper after overtaking Billy Roberts on lap 6. Kevin Cale mounted a bid for the race lead over the final third of the event, but it was Foster earning his second win of 2006 in the Five Star Drywall / All-Pro Mowing & Lawn Care / Donnellson Tire / Raider. Cale was credited with second, but an improper weight adjustment for those cars with aluminum heads / roller rockers put the Donnellson driver at the end of the feature order. Dennis LaVeine, Roberts, Aaron Poe, and Chad Sovern rounded out the top five.

Jack Evans, Jr. distanced himself from the Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified feature field and picked up his second win of 2006, tying him with Wyatt Lantz through four events. Evans, Jr.’s TA Auto & Tire / Keokuk Collision Center / Raider was on a rail, with Lantz trailing for the runner-up position. Jeff Waterman, Scott Boles, and Robby Reed completed the top five.

John Oliver, Jr. made the late move on lap 9 of the 15-lap Budweiser IMCA Stock Car finale. The Danville, Iowa driver promptly scored his third consecutive IMCA Stock Car victory in his Oliver Tri County Heating & Air / Century 21 / Terminator. Kirk Kinsley slid past Abe Huls for second, after Huls led the opening eight laps around the Donnellson 3/8-mile. Dennis Harwood and Ryan Meyer followed in the back half of the top five.

Travis DeMint earned his first trip to victory lane in the second “Rookie Rally” for the GM Giant Wild Things. In the night cap, defending champion Gordon Blankenship, Jr. looked to have the race well in hand, but the motor went sour with two laps remaining. That allowed Tyler Schulte to pick up his second win on the season ahead of DeMint, Ron Kibbe, Rob Hammel, and Jake Oglesby.

Next week, weekly racing action resumes as the GM Goodwrench Service Center at Shottenkirk sponsor action in the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, B-Modifieds, and Wild Things. A Candy Dash is planned courtesy of Cellular Concepts and the Lee County Speedway Race Teams.



Results – Donnellson Tire Hobby Stocks – Heat Race #1 – 1. Matt Gavin, Monmouth, IL; 2. Robert Kephart, Donnellson; 3. Patrick Profeta, Keokuk; 4. Ricky Hutcherson, Keokuk; 5. Justin Hamelton, Hamilton, IL; 6. Brett Swyter, Donnellson

Heat Race #2 – 1. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, IL; 2. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 3. Dan Wenig, Middletown; 4. Randy Samberg, Burlington; 5. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 6. Jake Wenig, Middletown

Heat Race #3 – 1. Chris Webb, Biggsville, IL; 2. Brad Weber, Donnellson; 3. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 4. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 5. Eric Rowley, Burlington; 6. Doug Fenton, Burlington

Farmers & Merchants Mutual Telephone Company / Verizon Wireless 15 – 1. Weber; 2. Jo. Oliver, Jr.; 3. D. Wenig; 4. J. Wenig; 5. Webb; 6. Gavin; 7. Samberg; 8. Hamelton; 9. Swyter; 10. Rowley; 11. Schulte; 12. Hutcherson; 13. Lynch; 14. Profeta; 15. Dresden; 16. Kephart; 17. Ji. Oliver, Jr.; 18. Fenton DNS



Discount Tire IMCA Modifieds – Heat Race #1 – 1. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington; 2. Aaron Poe, Warrensburg, MO; 3. Josh Foster, Montrose; 4. Bryan Fett, Donnellson; 5. Darin Thye, Burlington DNS; 6. Brandon Rothzen, Media, IL DNS

Heat Race #2 – 1. Chris Larson, Keokuk; 2. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 3. Mike Irwin, Kahoka, MO; 4. Brad Carson, Colchester, IL; 5. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 6. Bill Parks, Donnellson DNS

Heat Race #3 – 1. Chad Sovern, W. Burlington; 2. Billy Roberts, Burlington; 3. Dave Wietholder, Liberty, IL; 4. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 5. Adam Carson, Colchester, IL; 6. Lonnie Heap, Media, IL DNS

Farmers & Merchants Mutual Telephone Company / Verizon Wireless 20 – 1. Foster; 2. LaVeine; 3. Roberts; 4. Poe; 5. Sovern; 6. Cossel; 7. B. Carson; 8. T. Cale; 9. A. Carson; 10. Fett; 11. Larson; 12. Irwin; 13. Wietholder; 14. Heap DNS; 15. Rothzen DNS: 16. Thye DNS: 17. Parks DNS; 18. K. Cale DQ



Arrowhead Bowl B-Modifieds – Heat Race #1 – 1. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 2. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 3. Jeff Waterman, Quincy; 4. Robby Reed, Mexico, MO; 5. Scott Boles, New London; 6. Kevin Londrie, Keokuk; 7. Thad Gaylord, Ft. Madison DNS

Heat Race #2 – 1. Jack Evans, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Tom Goble, Burlington; 3. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 4. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, IL; 5. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 6. Josh Larson, Keokuk; 7. Mitch Higdon, Denmark; 8. Butch Symmonds, Keokuk

Farmers & Merchants Mutual Telephone Company / Verizon Wireless 15 – 1. Evans, Jr.; 2. Lantz; 3. Waterman; 4; Boles; 5. Reed; 6. Goble; 7. Savage; 8. Kuhlmeier; 9. Jennings; 10. Higdon; 11. Gillenwater; 12. Londrie; 13. Symmonds; 14. Larson; 15. Gaylord DNS



Budweiser IMCA Stock Cars – Heat Race #1 – 1. Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 2. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 3. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 4. Dennis Harwood, Denmark; 5. Ryan Meyer, Wayland; 6. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun; 7. DiAnna Chamberlin-Johnston, Montrose; 8. Shawn Whiting, W. Burlington; 9. Jeff Mueller, Mt. Pleasant

Farmers & Merchants Mutual Telephone Company / Verizon Wireless 15 – 1. Oliver, Jr.; 2. Kinsley; 3. Huls; 4. Harwood; 5. Meyer; 6. Chamberlin-Johnston; 7. Simmons; 8. Whiting; 9. Mueller DNS



Shottenkirk GM Giant Wild Things – Heat Race #1 – 1. Gordon Blankenship, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, IL; 3. Dennis Schulte, Keokuk; 4. Jim Oliver, III, Hamilton, IL; 5. Ron Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant; 6. Jake Oglesby, Ft. Madison; 7. Chris Wrage, Ft. Madison; 8. John Helenthal, Ft. Madison; 9. Adam Swanson, Burlington; 10. Tyler Westercamp, Rome; 11. Steve Strunk, W. Point; 12. Jim Hamelton, Keokuk DNS

Heat Race #2 – 1. Travis DeMint, Basco, IL; 2. Tyler Schulte, Montrose; 3. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, MO; 4. David Helenthal, Ft. Madison; 5. Chuck Fullenkamp, Ft. Madison; 6. Robert Anderson, Payson, IL; 7. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 8. Stevie Shull, Rome; 9. Tim Brown, Ft. Madison; 10. John Haltmeyer, Burlington; 11. Luke Davidson, Argyle DNS

“Rookie Ralley” – 1. DeMint; 2. Hammel; 3. Fullenkamp; 4. J. Helenthal; 5. Swanson; 6. Shull; 7. Wrage; 8. Haltmeyer; 9. D. Helenthal; 10. Brown; 11. Westercamp; 12. Barnes; 13. Kibbe; 14. Hamelton; 15. Strunk

Farmers & Merchants Mutual Telephone Company / Verizon Wireless 12 – 1. T. Schulte; 2. DeMint; 3. Kibbe; 4. Hammel; 5. Oglesby; 6. Barnes; 7. Oliver, III; 8. Fullenkamp; 9. Wrage; 10. Ry. Anderson; 11. D. Helenthal; 12. Swanson; 13. Davidson; 14. Brown; 15. J. Helenthal; 16. Haltmeyer; 17. Blankenship, Jr.; 18. Ro. Anderson; 19. Westercamp; 20. D. Schulte; 21. Shull DNS; 22. Strunk DNS; 23. Hamelton DNS