It's Back to Racing at BVR this past Wednesday Night!
By Denny Grabenbauer

BUENA VISTA, IA. (Aug. 9, 2006) - It was back to racing as usual this past Wednesday night at the Buena Vista Raceway as a full pit area of competitors were on hand for the Ag Partners night at the raceway. After last weeks down pour of liquid sunshine cancelled the racing action for the second time this year, fans and race teams were eager to get back into the racing action. Reverend Jeff Barber started the night off with an invocation and then it was time to bring the racecars out onto the raceway.

Qualifying heat races were run off without a hitch as the drivers would make up there starting positions for the up coming feature events. After the heat races a kids coin toss would find the youngsters out on the raceway picking up coins that were sprinkled onto the raceway. Also included in this week seventeen would be a Hobby Stock Trophy Dash, a Powder Puff and Mechanic Race for the Bomber division.

With an extra week of track prep, the racetrack would be smooth and fast, for the feature events. “When you have that extra week, like we did last week, it gives you plenty of time to get things perfected, and we were able to do that this week,” said promoter Lee Meyer. “Our guys just keep working the track to get it the way we liked it tonight,” fast and smooth.

The feature events would pull out on to the raceway with the Rasmussen Ford BVR Bomber feature coming up first. Tim Hansen would lead during the opening lap of the event. On lap two, Jess Bieret would take the lead on lap two and lead until the checkered flag would come out. A red flag on lap seven would slow the event as Steve Wetherell would slide off of turn two, roll up against the tires and then with the cushioning his blow, would end up back on his wheels. Steve was unhurt, and the car wasn’t badly damaged but his night did come to an end. An unusual turn of events would follow as Bieret and Shawn Halder would cross the finish line one and two, but both drivers would be disqualified for illegal parts on there cars. This would give the win to point leader Adam Hicks, followed by Devin Smith, Ramon Luna and Eric Puhrman.

Next onto the raceway would be the Storm Lake Truck & Trailer I.M.C.A. Hobby Stock feature. On the opening lap, before the first lap was scored, Dustin Smith would climb the wall on the back straight a way knocking down the cement barriers and sending Smith’s car into the pit area. When the race finally was resumed, Doug Smith would emerge the early leader. Lap traffic would be a factor through the entire event, as the leaders would have to deal with it by lap four. Doug Smith would lead up through lap seven when Donovan Smith would take the lead. The two brothers would exchange the lead back and forth until Donovan would take the lead back on lap nine, and then coast to his tenth feature win of the season. Doug would finish second followed by Matt Schmillen and Tony Pogeler finishing out the top four.

A pair of yellow flags would slow the Storm Lake Artic Cat 360 B-Mod feature in the early going with Chris Grothe leading the first circuit around the speedway. On lap two, Casey Friedrichsen would take the lead coming off of turn four, then battle bumper to bumper with Jake Simpson right to the checkered flag to go on and score his second feature of the season and first one since the third week of the season. Simpson, Harvey VanDeWeerd and Matt Sangwin would follow Frederickson across the finish line.

Mike Scharn would have a career night in the Scooters Bar & Grill I.M.C.A. Stock Car division. Scharn would jump into the lead on the opening lap and would lead through out the fifteen-lap event. Scharn would hit his mark, and stay perfect until point leader David Smith would make his way to the front and start to put the pressure on Scharn. With five laps to go, Smith would now be running second on the back bumper of leader Scharn. With four laps to go the duo would cross the finish line running side by side. Three laps to go, Smith would again have the lead but Scharn, not giving up, would pull to the out side and again be tied coming across the finish line. On the white flag lap, Smith would again stay strong on the inside of Scharn and take the lead. Smith would lead the last lap and would cross the finish line as the winner of the race; his ninth win of the year. Scharn would finish second, posting his first top four of the year. Jason Mickelson and Brian Blessington would finish third and forth.

In the final event of the night, defending track Champion Bruce Bonnesen would lead the first five laps of the Fitzpatrick Auto Center I.M.C.A. Modified feature. Brad Williams would take the lead from Bonnesen on lap six and would go on to hold off the challenges of point leader Jay Noteboom to score his fifth feature win of the year. Williams would prove to be quicker than the hard charging Noteboom, giving him the advantage coming off of the corners. Behind Williams and Noteboom were Jeff Stephens and Bonnesen.

Next week the racing season will continue with First Coop and KAYL – KKIA Radio night at the speedway. Next Wednesday will also be the debut of the new “Four Banger Class” that will be taking to the raceway. Hot laps will start at 6:45 and the first green flag event of the night will roar to life at 7:30.



Wednesday Race Results:

FITZPATRICK AUTO CENTER I.M.C.A. MODIFIED:

HEAT 1: Bruce Bonnesen-Aurelia—Jim Thies-Mapleton—Joel Ziegmann-Odebolt

HEAT 2: Brian Schmitt-Wall Lake—Brad Williams-Lytton—Mike Hansen-Alton

FEATURE: Brad Williams—Jay Noteboom—Jeff Stephens—Bruce Bonnesen—Mike Hansen—Joel Ziegmann—Brian Schmitt—Jeff Herrig—Ricky Stephan—Jim Thies—Loren Reuter—Jason Briese—James Slawson



SCOOTERS BAR & GRILL I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR:

HEAT 1: Mark Stanley-Storm Lake—Bud Mattson-Alta—Stefan Sebesma-Sanborn

HEAT 2: Mike Scharn-Sac City—Jason Mickelson-Storm Lake—David Smith-Lake City

FEATURE: David Smith—Mike Scharn—Jason Mickelson—Brian Blessington—Randy Lawrey—Dale Woodard—Josh Suhr—Brian Mattson—Mark Stanley—Stefan Sebesma—Sam Monahan—Jay Lockwood—Roger Tripp—Bud Mattson—Tom Sierck



STORM LAKE TRUCK & TRAILER I.M.C.A HOBBY STOCK:

HEAT 1: Dustin Smith-Lake City—Doug Smith-Lake City—Galen Freese-Galva

HEAT 2: Donovan Smith-Lake City—Merle Bass-Varina—Kyle Timmerman-Lake City

Bob’s Garage & Sales Trophy Dash: Dustin Smith—Kyle Timmerman—Merle Bass

FEATURE: Donovan Smith—Doug Smith—Matt Schmillen—Tony Pogeler—Galen Freese—Troy Woelbur—Kyle Robinson—Cody Lucas—Merle Bass—Kyle Timmerman—Matt Mahoney—Brian Beal—Mark Hill—Bill Woodcock—Paul Toms—Dustin Smith—Trent Murphy



RASMUSSENS FORD BVR BOMBERS:

HEAT 1: Justin Nehring-Newell—Adam Hicks-Lake City—Tim Hansen-Newell

HEAT 2: Jess Bieret-Wall Lake—Devin Smith-Lake City—Ramon Luna-Spencer

FEATURE: Adam Hicks—Devin Smith—Ramon Luna—Eric Puhrmann—Colby Winter—Nick Smith—Tim Hansen—Justin Nehring—Tim Rupp—Chris Duitsman—Thomas Haukap—Steve Wetherell—Dave Hildreth—William Miller

Powder Puff: Amanda Hanson—Erin Puhrmann—Lori Smith—Becky Bouchard

Mechanics Race: Mark Puhrmann



STORM LAKE HONDA ARTIC CAT BVR 360 B-Mods:

HEAT 1: Tony Ross-Marcus—Jake Simpson-Algona—Matt Sangwin-Aurelia

HEAT 2: Casey Friedrichsen-Arthur—Brandon Lucas-Cherokee—Dan Hanselman-Algona

FEATURE: Casey Friedrichsen—Jake Simpson—Harvey VanDeWeerd—Matt Sangwin—Dan Hanselman—Dan VanBruggen—Austin-Lucas—Mike Bailey—Brandon Lucas—Mark White—Nick DeLeeuw—Chris Grothe—Travis Schueller—Tony Ross—Ronnie Fogelman—Brett Meyer