Mueller Earns Bounty, Hobby Stocks to Oliver, Jr.
By Jake Croxton

DONNELLSON, Ia (June 30, 2006) – In one of the best races of 2006 at the Lee County Speedway, Jeff Mueller became the first driver other than John Oliver, Jr. or Ryan Meyer to claim a Budweiser IMCA Stock Car feature win in his Hot Toddie’s Bar & Grill / Hawkeye Pizza / Concrete Restoration & Design / Regal. Courtesy of Dianna Chamberlain-Johnston and Green Bay Motors’ bounty, the win was worth $425. Meyer and Dave Hemsted led the field to green, with Meyer establishing himself as the car to beat early on. However, the 56 dropped off the pace, giving way to Hemsted. Sixth-starting Mueller and twelfth-starting John Oliver, Jr. reeled in Hemsted and proceeded to run the middle portion of the 15-lapper three-wide for the top position. Mueller resisted one final surge from the runner-up duo, as Hemsted edged Oliver, Jr. for second by less than half a car length. Kirk Kinsley and Adam Vantiger rounded out the top five.

The Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock 15-lapper featured much of the same on-track action, with Matt Gavin, Dan Wenig, and John Oliver, Jr. racing for the top spot. The trio exchanged the lead five times, with Oliver, Jr. leading the final three laps to earn the win in his Oliver Tri-County Heating & Air / Cutlass. Wenig, Gavin, Chris Webb, and Rodger Dresden ended the event in the top five.

A pair of Cales redrew the front row for the Discount Tire IMCA Modified finale. Kevin Cale won the race to turn one in his IMI Equipment / Auctions by Smith / Raider / Chevy and went on to dominate the 20-lapper. Darin Thye finished nearly a straightaway back in second, while Tyler Cale, Dave Wietholder, and Dennis LaVeine followed Cale across the line.

Wyatt Lantz started on pole in his Keokuk Collision Center / Meyers Driveway & Septic / FR1 and cruised to the Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified win over Jack Evans, Jr. A late restart allowed Evans, Jr. a shot at Lantz, but Wyatt was too strong and earned yet another 2006 victory. Brandon Savage, Chad Sovern, and Jeff Waterman completed the top five.

The GM Giant Wild Thing started Tyler Schulte and Gordon Blankenship, Jr. on the front row. The two drivers own most of the feature wins over the last couple of seasons, but did not disappoint. Blankenship, Jr. finally cleared Schulte on lap 4 and led the rest of the 12-lap distance. Travis DeMint, twelfth-starter Dennis Schulte, and Ron Kibbe had top five runs.

Next week, the Lee County Fair will feature the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders, Modifieds, and Hobby Stocks on the 3/8-mile. In two weeks, the Budweiser IMCA Stock Cars will race for $500 to win for two consecutive weeks courtesy of Dianna Chamberlain-Johnston.



Results

Budweiser IMCA Stock Cars

Heat Race #1 – 1. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 2. Ryan Meyer, Wayland; 3. Jeff Mueller, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Boe McLaughlin, Mediapolis; 5. Adam Vantiger, Yarmouth; 6. Brett Swyter, Donnellson

Heat Race #2 – 1. Dave Hemsted, Lone Tree; 2. Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 3. Dennis Harwood, Denmark; 4. Tony Becerra, Carthage, IL; 5. Dianna Chamberlain-Johnston, Montrose; 6. John Oliver, Jr., Danville DNS

Access Energy & Propane 15 – 1. Mueller; 2. Hemsted; 3. Oliver, Jr.; 4. Kinsley; 5. Vantiger; 6. Huls; 7. Becerra; 8. McLaughlin; 9. Meyer; 10. Swyter; 11. Chamberlain-Johnston; 12. Harwood



Donnellson Tire Hobby Stocks

Heat Race #1 – 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Roger Krieger, Burlington; 3. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, IL; 4. Robert Kephart, Donnellson; 5. Jim Lynch, Donnellson; 6. Austin Schulte, Keokuk; 7. Eric Rowley, Burlington; 8. Ray Milligan, Keokuk

Heat Race #2 – 1. Chris Webb, Biggsville, IL; 2. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 3. Dan Wenig, Middletown; 4. Matt Gavin, Monmouth, IL; 5. Brad Weber, Donnellson; 6. Keith Reed, Quincy, IL; 7. Patrick Profeta, Keokuk; 8. Rich Uppinghouse, Hannibal, MO

Access Energy & Propane 15 – 1. Jo. Oliver, Jr.; 2. Wenig; 3. Gavin; 4. Webb; 5. Dresden; 6. Profeta; 7. Reed; 8. Lynch; 9. Kephart; 10. Uppinghouse; 11. Schulte; 12. Rowley; 13. Milligan; 14. Krieger; 15. Weber; 16. Ji. Oliver, Jr.



Discount Tire IMCA Modifieds

Heat Race #1 – 1. Darin Thye, Burlington; 2. Dennis LaVeine, Burlington; 3. Jim Fuller, Memphis, MO; 4. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 5. Joe Bliven, Quincy, IL; 6. Lonnie Heap, Media, IL; 7. Bryan Fett, Donnellson; 8. Brandon Rothzen, Media, IL

Heat Race #2 – 1. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 2. David Wietholder, Liberty, IL; 3. Andy Krieger, Burlington; 4. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 5. Brad Carson, Colchester, IL; 6. Billy Roberts, Burlington; 7. Josh Foster, Montrose

Access Energy & Propane 20 – 1. K. Cale; 2. Thye; 3. T. Cale; 4. Wietholder; 5. LaVeine; 6. Fuller; 7. Heap; 8. Krieger; 9. Carson; 10. Fett; 11. Cossel; 12. Bliven; 13. Foster; 14. Roberts DNS; 15. Rothzen DNS



Arrowhead Bowl B-Modifieds

Heat Race #1 – 1. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 2. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 3. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, IL; 4. Chad Sovern, W. Burlington; 5. Scott Boles, New London; 6. Jared Fuller, Memphis, MO; 7. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant

Heat Race #2 – 1. Jack Evans, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 3. Joe Hooper, Mendon, IL; 4. Phillip Beard, Crawfordsville; 5. Jim Kuhlmeier, Ft. Madison; 6. Mitch Higdon, Denmark; 7. Thad Gaylord, Ft. Madison

Access Energy & Propane 15 – 1. Lantz; 2. Evans, Jr.; 3. Savage; 4. Sovern; 5. Waterman; 6. Hooper; 7. Fuller; 8. Boles; 9. Beard; 10. Higdon; 11. Kuhlmeier; 12. Gaylord; 13. Jennings; 14. Gillenwater



GM Giant Wild Things

Heat Race #1 – 1. Dennis Schulte, Keokuk; 2. Adam Swanson, Burlington; 3. Luke Davidson, Argyle; 4. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 5. Ty Scott, Danville; 6. Katie Hawk, Argyle; 7. Robert Anderson, Payson, IL

Heat Race #2 – 1. Travis DeMint, Basco, IL; 2. Chuck Fullenkamp, Ft. Madison; 3. David Helenthal, Ft. Madison; 4. Jim Oliver, III, Hamilton, IL; 5. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, IL; 6. Michael Smith, Burlington

Heat Race #3 – 1. Gordon Blankenship, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Tyler Schulte, Montrose; 3. Stevie Shull, Rome; 4. Ron Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant; 5. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, MO; 6. Jake Oglesby, Ft. Madison

Access Energy & Propane 12 – 1. Blankenship, Jr.; 2. T. Schulte; 3. DeMint; 4. D. Schulte; 5. Kibbe; 6. Oliver, III; 7. Helenthal; 8. Barnes; 9. Davidson; 10. Shull; 11. Oglesby; 12. Ry. Anderson; 13. Hammel; 14. Smith; 15. Hawk; 16. Scott; 17. Swanson; 18. Fullenkamp; 19. Ro. Anderson DNS