Darbyshire Takes Davenport Points Opener
by Mike McGuire

Davenport, IA (April 28, 2006) – Koehler Electric Season Opening night was full of surprises and at times full of cautions Friday night at the Davenport Speedway.

Yarmouth, Iowa’s Tom Darbyshire made the trek to Davenport pay off as he captured the IMCA Late Model feature win. Darbyshire also won his heat race on the evening.

The feature started with Rick Wages and Terry Neal leading the pack. Neal quickly established a lead and looked unstoppable. Unfortunately a tie rod problem around lap ten, caused Neal to carry the left front at an odd angle for the remainder of the 25-lap main.

Darbyshire slowly worked through the top five and caught the slowing Neal around lap 18. Once in the lead, Tom managed to pull away for the win. Jim Sandusky, who finished second to Darbyshire in his heat would repeat the result in the feature. Bryan Kammer was closing quickly on the leaders and would settle for third after starting 14th. Neal and his mis-guided tire would take fourth, followed by Mike Murphy Jr. and Mark Preston.

Murphy and Kevin Blum won the other heats, while Fred Remley won the semi-feature. Twenty-seven IMCA late models were on hand for the season’s first points night.

John Bull ended a long drought at the Davenport by winning the V-8 modified feature. Bull managed to wrestle away the lead from Andy Cook en route for the win. Cook would finish second, with Troy Emerick third, Chuck Hanna fourth, and Thad Wilson fifth. Cook, Rick Ratliff, and Jerry Connors were modified heat winners.

Street stocks ran one of several races filled with cautions. When the dust settled, Arthur Carle emerged with the win. Matt Zumwalt survived the yellows to finish second. Bruce Fosdyck, Tim Koehler, and Rob Henry filled out the top five in that order. All three drivers had been sent to the rear at sometime during the feature. Henry and Randy Exline won the street stock heats.

B-Mods also had a handful of yellows in their feature, causing the race to be cut short by several laps. Yellows or no yellows, no one was able to catch Pat Fennelly who took the win. Fennelly grabbed the lead off the start of the race and each ensuing restart. Craig Crawford worked his way up to a second place finish, followed by Jeremy Marquette, BJ Jackson, and Josh Giegle. Fennelly and Dan Anderson were heat winners.

INEX Legend Cars made their first appearance of the year at Davenport with over twenty cars

competing in the show. Wisconsin’s Eric Barth came ready to race as he took home the feature trophy. Barth started the feature from the fourth row and took the lead by the fourth lap. Barth still had to work for the win as defending track champion Rick Harris chased Barth down, but could not mount a pass for the lead. Following the lead duo were Keith Moline, Joel Wyttenbach, and Perry Mitchell. Barth, Harris, and Warren Ropp were heat winners.

Justin Kay held off Joe Zrostlik to take the 4-Cylinder main. Kay jumped out to the early lead, while Zrostlik started dead last on the field. Kay celebrated his victory by racing off to Cedar County Raceway in Tipton and winning the feature there also. Todd Sibley finished third in the feature, with Dustin Kay fourth, and Mike Morrow fifth.



IMCA Late Models
Heat 1: 1. Mike Murphy Jr.; 2. Terry Neal; 3. Matt Ryan; 4. Rob Toland; 5. Eric Gustaf;

Heat 2: 1. Kevin Blum; 2. Ron Gustaf; 3. Rick Wages; 4. Adam Oppendike; 5. Fred Remley;
Heat 3: 1. Tom Darbyshire; 2. Jim Sandusky; 3. Ray Guss Jr. ; 4. Mark Preston; 5. Mike Cothron;
Semi #1: 1. Fred Remley; 2. Bryan Kammer; 3. Mike Cothron; 4. Ryan Duhme; 5. Andy Nezworski;
Feature: 1. Tom Darbyshire; 2. Jim Sandusky; 3. Bryan Kammer; 4. Terry Neal; 5. Mike Murphy Jr; 6. Mark Preston; 7. Kevin Blum; 8. Ray Guss Jr; 9. Rob Toland;10. Rick Wages; 11. Ron Gustaf; 12. Mike Cothron; 13. Fred Remley; 14. Ryan Duhme; 15. Matt Ryan; 16. Andy Nezworski; 17. Nate Buesling; 18. Adam Oppendike; 19. Joe Zrostlik; 20. Cory Goldbeck;



V-8 Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Andy Cook; 2. Bob Dominacki; 3. Mike Zemo Jr; 4. Ray Cox Jr.; 5. Milo Veloz Jr;

Heat 2: 1. Rick Ratliff; 2. Troy Emerick; 3. Jake Bowman; 4. Tony VonDresky; 5. Jerry Durbin:

Heat 3: 1. Jerry Connors; 2. Thad Wilson 3. John Bull; 4. Chuck Hanna; 5. Matt Stein

Feature: 1. John Bull; 2. Andy Cook; 3. Troy Emerick; 4. Chuck Hanna; 5. Thad Wilson; 6. Mike Zemo Jr; 7. Ray Cox Jr; 8. Jerry Connors; 9. Bob Dominacki; 10. John Bull; 11. John Schultz; 12. Jerry Durbin; 13. Jake Bowman; 14. Scott Mabeus; 15. Tony VonDresky; 16. Milo Veloz Jr; 17. Rick Ratliff;



Street Stocks
Heat 1: 1. Randy Exline; 2. Arthur Carle; 3. Rick Schriner; 4. Bruce Fosdyck; 5. Henry Carson;
Heat 2: 1. Rob Henry; 2. Korey Peterson; 3. Matt Burroughs; 4. Brad Tyler; 5. Cary Brown;
Feature: 1. Arthur Carle; 2.Matt Zumwalt; 3. Bruce Fosdyck; 4. Tim Koehler; 5. Rob Henry; 6. Rick Schriner; 7. Cary Brown; 8. Henry Carson; 9. Don Hatfield; 10. Korey Peterson; 11. Randy Exline; 12. Nick McCrady; 13. Matt Burroughs; 14. Brad Tyler;



B-modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Dan Anderson; 2. Jeremy Marquette; 3. BJ Jackson; 4. Craig Crawford; 5. Kevin Fitzgibbon;

Heat 2: 1. Pat Fennelley; 2. Nick Hixson; 3. Jason Pershy; 4. Brad Pershy; 5. Josh Giegle;
Feature: 1. Pat Fennelley; 2. Craig Crawford; 3. Jeremy Marquette; 4. BJ Jackson; 5. Josh Giegle; 6. Brad Pershy; 7. Jason Pershy; 8. Lane Swearinger; 9. Tony Baker; 10. Kevin Fitzgibbon; 11. Jake Waterman; 12. Matt Irwin; 13. Dan Anderson; 14. Mike Fluegel; 15. Nick Hixson; 16. Dennis Williamson;



INEX Legend Cars

Heat 1: 1. Eric Barth; 2. Chad Patch; 3. David Dvorak; 4. Brandon Hentges; 5. Jeremy Meyer;

Heat 2: 1. Warren Ropp; 2. Matt Montieth; 3. Ryan VanderBoom; 4. Lane Swearinger; 5. Perry Mitchell;

Heat 3: 1. Rick Harris; 2. Joel Wyttenbach; 3. Bethany Wyttenbach; 4. Keith Meyer; 5. Trevor Latham;

Feature: 1. Eric Barth; 2. Rick Harris; 3. Keith Moline; 4. Joel Wyttenbach; 5. Perry Mitchell; 6. Lane Swearinger; 7. Ryan VanderBoom; 8. Craig Peekenschnieder; 9. Keith Meyer; 10. Bethany Wyttenbach; 11. Brandon Hentges; 12. Warren Ropp; 13. David Dvorak; 14. Trevor Latham; 15. Aaron Meyer; 16. Chase Diercks; 17. Cody Moline; 18. Edward Surprise; 19. Matt Montieth; 20. Jeremy Meyer; 21. Chad Patch;



4-Cylinders

Heat: 1. Dustin Kay; 2. Todd Sibley; 3. Justin Kay; 4. Mike Morrow; 5. Kevin Haury;

Feature: 1. Justin Kay; 2. Joe Zrostlik; 3. Todd Sibley; 4. Dustin Kay; 5. Mike Morrow; 6. Josh LaFrancois; 7. Kevin Haury; 8. Stacy Nall;