Oliver, Jr. motors to second IMCA Stock Car victory at Donnellson
Story By Jake Croxton
Photos by Dennis Krieger Imagery

DONNELLSON, Iowa (June 15) – John Oliver, Jr. drove by early leader Brett Swyter on lap 2 and led the rest of the 15-lap distance to earn his second Budweiser IMCA Stock Car feature win on Pilot Grove Savings Bank night at Lee County Speedway. Behind Oliver, points leader Jeff Mueller worked traffic from the fourteenth starting spot to finish in the runner-up position. Mueller battled Chris Wibbell and Kirk Kinsley over the final third of the event but ran out of time in his pursuit of Oliver’s Oliver Tri-County Heating & Air / Lips to Go / Buick. Swyter held on for his best career finish in fifth.

Tyler Cale led the opening four circuits of the Discount Tire IMCA Modified 20-lapper before giving way to rookie of the year contender Brandon Savage.

Savage held on to the top spot for eight laps before Kevin Cale and Josh Foster worked past following a lap 10 restart. Unfortunately for Tyler Cale, he was the cause of the restart after slapping the guardrail in turn three. Cale retired to a fourteenth place finish.

The elder Cale used the hub of the 3/8-mile to perfection as he put his IMI Equipment / Auctions by Smith / Raider / Chevy into the winner’s circle ahead of eleventh-starter Foster. Savage, Darin Thye, and Rich Smith rounded out the top five.

Dan Wenig became the first repeat winner in Donnellson Tire Hobby Stock competition. The defending track champion figured out a car that had been in the weeds until last weekend, after he trashed his primary car during last week’s A-Main. Wenig held off Jim Oliver, Jr. in his IROC Gaylord Construction / Family Motors / Chevy. Rob Wilsey, early leader Dean Kratzer, and Doug Fenton followed Wenig across the line.

Wyatt Lantz turned the Arrowhead Bowl B-Modified 15-lapper into a snoozer as he drove away from the field in his Keokuk Collision Center / CR McDowell Crane Service / Raider. Lantz opened up a half-lap advantage in between cautions and was never challenged. Jeff Waterman, Bob Jennings, Tyler Gilmour, and Thad Gaylord completed the top five.

A massive field of 28 GM Giant Wild Things took to the track, but it was a familiar face in victory lane.

Gordon Blankenship, Jr. took the lead with two to go after David Helenthal retired to the infield. Michael Grossman was unable to slip past Blankenship in traffic and settled for second. Travis DeMint, Jim Oliver, III, and Brent Hartley had top five runs.

A busy June / July stretch continues with the inaugural visit of the O’Reilly POWRi Midget series on Wednesday, July 20. A $2,000 bonus is available courtesy of Knoxville Raceway head-man Ralph Capatini if a driver can with both the Donnellson and King Doodlebug events. Race time is 7:30. Next Friday, IMCA Late Models are on the card for the second of their five-race series in 2007. All weekly classes are also on the schedule.

B Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 2. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 4. Tyler Gilmour, Keithsburg, Ill.; 5. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison; 6. Jerad Fuller, Memphis, Mo.; 7. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 8. Joe Hooper, Mendon, Ill.; 9. Bill Seyb, Donnellson; 10. Levi Smith, Donnellson; 11. Mike Browning, Farmington.

Heat 01 -- 1. Joe Hooper, Mendon, Ill.; 2. Wyatt Lantz, Bowen, Ill.; 3. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 4.Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant; 5. Bill Seyb, Donnellson; 6. Levi Smith, Donnellson.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jerad Fuller, Memphis, Mo.; 2. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk; 3. Thad Gaylord, Fort Madison; 4.Tyler Gilmour, Keithsburg, Ill.; 5. Mike Browning, Farmington.

 

Hobby Stocks

A-Main 01 -- 1. Dan Wenig, Burlington; 2. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, Ill.; 3. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk; 4. Dean Kratzer, Montrose; 5. Doug Fenton, Burlington; 6. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 7. Beau Taylor, Canton, Mo.; 8. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 9. Ray Raker, Danville; 10. Jarod Conrad, Wayland; 11. Jerry Jansen, Plainville, Ill.; 12. Justin Hamelton, Hamilton, Ill.; 13. Jon Rooney, Donnellson; 14. Jake Wenig, Burlington; 15. Jason Billings, Keokuk; 16. Kevin Cheney, Quincy, Ill.; 17. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson; 18. Stevie Shull, Rome.

Heat 01 -- 1. Dan Wenig, Burlington; 2. Matt Tucker, Lomax, Ill.; 3. Jim Oliver, Jr., Beardstown, Ill.; 4. Jerry Jansen, Plainville, Ill.; 5. Derek St. Clair, Donnellson; 6. Beau Taylor, Canton, Mo.; 7. Stevie Shull, Rome. Heat 02 -- 1. Rodger Dresden, Keokuk; 2. Rob Wilsey, Keokuk; 3. Jake Wenig, Burlington; 4. Jon Rooney, Donnellson; 5. Jason Billings, Keokuk; 6. Jacob Smith, Argyle.

Heat 03 -- 1. Dean Kratzer, Montrose; 2. KevinCheney, Quincy, Ill.; 3. Doug Fenton, Burlington; 4.Ray Raker, Danville; 5. Jarod Conrad, Wayland; 6. Justin Hamelton, Hamilton, Ill..


IMCA Modifieds

A-Main 01 -- 1. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 2. Josh Foster, Montrose; 3. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 4. Darin Thye, Burlington; 5. Rich Smith, Davenport; 6. Dean McGee, Sr., Galesburg, Ill.; 7. Mike Weikert Jr., Muscatine; 8. Bill Roberts, Burlington; 9. Phillip Cossel, Montrose; 10. Bill Parks, Colchester, Ill.; 11. Brad Carson, Colchester, Ill.; 12. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison; 13. Michael Irwin, Kahoka, Mo.; 14. Tyler Cale, Donnellson.

Heat 01 -- 1. Darin Thye, Burlington; 2. Tyler Cale, Donnellson; 3. Kevin Cale, Donnellson; 4. Brandon Savage, Keokuk; 5. Dean McGee, Sr., Galesburg, Ill.; 6. Josh Foster, Montrose; 7. Phillip Cossel, Montrose.

Heat 02 -- 1. Mike Weikert Jr., Muscatine; 2. Rich Smith, Davenport; 3. Mitch Higdon, Fort Madison; 4. Brad Carson, Colchester, Ill.; 5. Michael Irwin, Kahoka, Mo.; 6. Bill Parks, Colchester, Ill.; 7. Bill Roberts, Burlington.

 

IMCA Stock Cars

A-Main 01 -- 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Jeff Mueller, New London; 3. Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, Ill.; 4. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 5. Brett Swyter, Donnellson; 6. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 7. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 8. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Ill.; 9. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant; 10. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant; 11. Derek Goble, Burlington; 12. Steve Steinkuhrer, Camp
Point, Ill.; 13. Doug Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 14. Dennis Harwood, West Point; 15. Corey Strothman, New London; 16. DiAnna Chamberlin-Johnson, Montrose.

Heat 01 -- 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville; 2. Chris Wibbell, Dallas City, Ill.; 3. Doug Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 4. Dennis Harwood, West Point; 5. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Ill.; 6. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 7. Corey Strothman, New London;8. DiAnna Chamberlin-Johnson, Montrose.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant; 2. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant; 3. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Ill.; 4. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello; 5. Brett Swyter, Donnellson; 6. Derek Goble, Burlington; 7. Jeff Mueller, New London; 8. Steve Steinkuhler, Camp Point, Ill..


4 Cyl. Wild Things


A-Main 01 -- 1. Gordon Blankenship, Jr., Keokuk; 2. Michael Grossman, Keokuk; 3. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 4. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 5. Brent Hartley, Niota, Ill.; 6. Chuck Fullenkamp, Fort Madison; 7. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, Mo.; 8. Tyler Westercamp, Rome; 9. Ryan Atkinson, Mt. Pleasant; 10. Philip Palmer, Mount Pleasant; 11. Tim Brown, Fort Madison; 12. Michael Forbess, Mount Pleasant; 13. Jerry Taft, Donnellson; 14. Brock Sammons, Rome; 15. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 16. Rodney Prewett, Warsaw, Ill.; 17. David Helenthal, Fort Madision; 18. Jeremy Corson, West Point; 19. Lew Aikmen, Hannibal, Mo.; 20. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 21.Hamza Smavcovic, Hamilton, Ill.; 22. Bryan Rodefer, Fort Madison; 23. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson; 24. Gabe Harrison, Warsaw,Ill.; 25. Jermy Billings, Keokuk; 26. Seth Logsdon, Keokuk; 27. Brian Polson, Burlington.

Heat 01 -- 1. David Helenthal, Fort Madision; 2. Brent Hartley, Niota, Ill.; 3. Gordon Blankenship, Jr., Keokuk; 4. Tyler Westercamp, Rome; 5. Hamza Smavcovic, Hamilton, Ill.; 6. Seth Logsdon, Keokuk; 7. Rob Hammel, Hamilton, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Brian Polson, Burlington; 2. Chuck Fullenkamp, Fort Madison; 3. Ryan Anderson, Donnellson; 4. Lew Aikmen, Hannibal, Mo.; 5. Philip Palmer, Mount Pleasant; 6. Bryan Rodefer, Fort Madison; 7. Jermy Billings, Keokuk.

Heat 03 -- 1. Travis DeMint, Basco, Ill.; 2. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson; 3. Gabe Harrison, Warsaw, Ill.; 4. Ryan Atkinson, Mt. Pleasant; 5. Brock Sammons, Rome; 6. Eric Palmer, Burlington; 7. Tim Brown, Fort Madison.

Heat 04 -- 1. James Oliver III, Hamilton, Ill.; 2. Michael Grossman, Keokuk; 3. Jayson Barnes, Alexandria, Mo.; 4. Michael Forbess, Mount Pleasant; 5. Jerry Taft, Donnellson; 6.Rodney Prewett, Warsaw, Ill.; 7. Jeremy Corson, West Point