Burgtorf Captures IMCA Late Model Payday at Donnellson
By Jake Croxton

DONNELLSON, Ia (June 9, 2006) – Multi-time Lee County Speedway IMCA Late Model track champion Mark Burgtorf drew the pole for the 25-lap Backslash Technologies A-main and led every lap to earn the $700 payday. Burgtorf had to deal with current IMCA National Point Leader Tom Darbyshire over the final two-thirds of the event, but held on by five car-lengths at the line in his Rick’s Transit Repair / Turner Bros. Garage / Rayburn / Fusion. Gary Russell came from eleventh starting spot to take third, while Tom Goble picked up his best finish of 2006 in fourth. The most recent LCS Track Champion, Lonnie Bailey, rounded out the top five.

Kevin Cale took the lead from Brandon Rothzen on lap 6 and never looked back in the Discount Tire IMCA Modified finale. Cale started ninth, but quickly established himself as the car to beat. The Donnellson, Iowa veteran worked a unique line that put his IMI Equipment / Auctions by Smith / Raider into the winner’s circle for the first time in 2006. Rothzen crossed the line second for his best career Modified finish ahead of Dave Wietholder, Tyler Cale, and Billy Roberts.

Robert Kephart led a traffic-jam on lap 1 of the 15-lap Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock feature before Jim Oliver, Jr. took command. Tenth-starter John Oliver, Jr. slowly reeled in the leader and took the top spot for good on lap 9. Jim Oliver, Jr. finished second, with Brad Weber, Rodger Dresden, and Dan Wenig completing the top five.

Ryan Meyer showed Jeff Mueller that there was a high groove late in the evening during the Budweiser IMCA Stock Car 15-lapper. With most of the field content to run the inside line, Meyer used a lap 9 restart to outfox Mueller and score his third win of 2006. Dennis Harwood, Kirk Kinsley, and Abe Huls followed the lead duo across the line.

Wyatt Lantz earned another Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified checkered flag. The Bowen, Ill. driver earned an extra $50 for starting eighth, as a part of the Boles Auto Sales Challenge. Scott Boles took advantage of a late restart and earned his best finish of the season ahead of Brandon Savage, Joe Hooper, and Jim Gillenwater.

Gordon Blankenship, Jr. looked to be the class of the field in the GM Giant Wild Thing mayhem, but Dennis Schulte hunted him down from the eleventh starting position and stole the show on lap 7. Tyler Schulte made it three-wide amongst the leaders on the final lap, and Blankenship, Jr. beat Dennis and Tyler to the line. Dave Burdette and Ron Kibbe ended the event in the top five.

Next week is Pilot Grove Savings Bank Mid-Season Championships at the Lee County Speedway. All five members of the Weekly Racing Series will be in action, with race time at 7:30.

Results – IMCA Sunoco Late Models – Heat Race #1 – 1. Matt Strassheim, Burlington; 2. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis; 3. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, IL; 4. Matt Bailey, Quincy, IL; 5. Robby Warner, Quincy, IL; 6. Jason Perry, Payson, IL; 7. Terry White, Fowler, IL; 8. Sam Halstead, New London

Heat Race #2 – 1. Tom Darbyshire, Yarmouth; 2. Tom Bowling, Jr., Danville; 3. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, IL; 4. Billy Genenbacher, Camp Point, IL; 5. Adam Helmick, Ft. Madison; 6. Dustin Neese, Nebo, IL; 7. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun

Heat Race #3 – 1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, IL; 2. Jeff Laue, Burlington; 3. Gary Russell, Biggsville, IL; 4. Tom Goble, Burlington; 5. Jeff Gerhardt, Niota, IL; 6. Darin Weisinger, Tioga, IL; 7. Ned Palmer, LaHarpe, IL

Fast Dash – 1. Darbyshire; 2. Burgtorf; 3. McLaughlin; 4. Bowling, Jr.; 5. Laue; 6. Strassheim

Backslash Technologies 25 – 1. Burgtorf; 2. Darbyshire; 3. Russell; 4. Goble; 5. L. Bailey; 6. Laue; 7. Woodworth; 8. Warner; 9. McLaughlin; 10. Strassheim; 11. M. Bailey; 12. Bowling, Jr.; 13. Gerhardt; 14. Springsteen; 15. Helmick; 16. Palmer; 17. Neese; 18. Perry; 19. Genenbacher; 20. White; 21. Weisinger; 22. Halstead DNS



Discount Tire IMCA Modifieds – Heat Race #1 – 1. Brandon Rothzen, Media, IL; 2. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington; 3. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 4. Jim Fuller, Memphis, MO; 5. Bill Parks, Colchester, IL; 6. Phillip Cossel, Montrose

Heat Race #2 – 1. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 2. Dave Wietholder, Liberty, IL; 3. Billy Roberts, Burlington; 4. Bryan Fett, Donnellson; 5. Josh Foster, Montrose; 6. Brad Carson, Colchester, IL

Backslash Technologies 15 – 1. K. Cale; 2. Rothzen; 3. Wietholder; 4. T. Cale; 5. Roberts; 6. LaVeine; 7. Foster; 8. Fuller; 9. Parks; 10. Fett; 11. Carson; 12. Cossel



Donnellson Tire Hobby Stocks – Heat Race #1 – 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 3. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 4. Jason Billings, Keokuk; 5. Eric Rowley, Burlington; 6. Ray Milligan, Keokuk; 7. Jessie Little, LaHarpe

Heat Race #2 – 1. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, IL; 2. Brad Weber, Donnellson; 3. Matt Gavin, Monmouth, IL; 4. Robert Kephart, Donnellson; 5. Dusty Bingamon, Barry, IL; 6. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis; 7. Jake Wenig, Middletown DNS

Heat Race #3 – 1. Dan Wenig, Middletown; 2. Chris Webb, Biggsville, IL; 3. Patrick Profeta, Keokuk; 4. Todd Reichert, Quincy, IL; 5. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 6. Jeremy Billings, Keokuk

Backslash Technologies 15 – 1. Jo. Oliver, Jr.; 2. Ji. Oliver, Jr.; 3. Weber; 4. Dresden; 5. D. Wenig; 6. Webb; 7. Gavin; 8. Kephart; 9. Lynch; 10. Reichert; 11. Bingamon; 12. Profeta; 13. Rowley; 14. Schulte; 15. Milligan; 16. Little; 17. Ja. Billings DNS; 18. McLaughlin DNS; 19. Je. Billings DNS; 20. J. Wenig DNS



Budweiser IMCA Stock Cars – Heat Race #1 – 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Jeff Mueller, Mt. Pleasant; 3. Ryan Meyer, Wayland; 4. L.Z. Coleman, New London; 5. Brett Swyter, Donnellson; 6. Dianna Chamberlin-Johnston, Montrose

Heat Race #2 – 1. Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 2. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 3. Dennis Harwood, Denmark; 4. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun; 5. Brandon Wear, Camp Point, IL; 6. Boe McLaughlin, Mediapolis

Backslash Technologies 15 – 1. Meyer; 2. Mueller; 3. Harwood; 4. Kinsley; 5. Huls; 6. Oliver, Jr.; 7. Coleman; 8. McLaughlin; 9. Wear; 10. Swyter; 11. Simmons; 12. Chamberlin-Johnston



Arrowhead Bowl B-Modifieds – Heat Race #1 – 1. Joe Hooper, Mendon, IL; 2. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 3. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Thad Gaylord, Ft. Madison; 5. Doak Allen, Jr., Burlington; 6. Kevin Londrie, Keokuk

Heat Race #2 – 1. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 2. Scott Boles, New London; 3. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, IL; 4. Chad Sovern, W. Burlington; 5. Mitch Higdon, Denmark; 6. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 7. Jarrod Fuller, Memphis, MO

Backslash Technologies 15 – 1. Lantz; 2. Boles; 3. Savage; 4. Hooper; 5. Gillenwater; 6. Jennings; 7. Sovern; 8. Allen, Jr.; 9. Kuhlmeier; 10. Fuller; 11. Higdon; 12. Gaylord; 13. Londrie



GM Giant Wild Things – Heat Race #1 – 1. Dennis Schulte, Keokuk; 2. Tyler Schulte, Montrose; 3. Rob Hammel, Hamilton; 4. Jim Oliver, III, Hamilton, IL; 5. David Helenthal, Ft. Madison; 6. Chuck Fullenkamp, Ft. Madison; 7. Tyler Westercamp, Rome

Heat Race #2 – 1. Dave Burdette, Keokuk; 2. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, MO; 3. Luke Davidson, Argyle; 4. Ron Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant; 5. Stevie Shull, Rome; 6. Michael Smith, Burlington

Heat Race #3 – 1. Gordon Blankenship, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Travis DeMint, Basco, IL; 3. Jake Oglesby, Ft. Madison; 4. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 5. John Helenthal, Ft. Madison; 6. Scott Rogers, Danville

Backslash Technologies 12 – 1. Blankenship, Jr.; 2. D. Schulte; 3. T. Schulte; 4. Burdette; 5. Kibbe; 6. Hammel; 7. Davidson; 8. Barnes; 9. DeMint; 10. Fullenkamp; 11. Anderson; 12. Oglesby; 13. Oliver, III; 14. Westercamp; 15. J. Helenthal; 16. Smith; 17. D. Helenthal; 18. Shull; 19. Rogers DNS