After a two week hiatus courtesy of Mother Nature, racing returned to West Liberty Raceway

WEST LIBERTY, IA. (Sept. 2, 2006) - After a two week hiatus courtesy of Mother Nature, racing returned to West Liberty Raceway. It was Back to School and Monsanto Night. The West Liberty Raceway Boosters handed out notebooks and pencils to kids in attendance. Eight lucky kids went home with a new bicycle and helmet. Bikes were sponsored by Kile Motorsports, Farmers Bar and Grill, Letts; Valley Racing Team and #7 Modified and Photos by Lynne. The bike helmets were sponsored by Monsanto Company, Muscatine. The nickel scramble featured $1000 worth of nickels for the 12 and under crowd to pick up, and not one was left. Nickels were sponsored by Cooper Gutter Service, Letts; First National Bank of Muscatine; Miracle Car Wash, Muscatine; Toolwise, Muscatine; Corner Tap, Atalissa; West Liberty State Bank, West Liberty; Iowa State Bank, West Liberty; Phelps Cleaning, Muscatine; and US 6 Body Works, West Liberty.

The JC Dubil Late Model feature went flag to flag without the mishaps that had plagued the other divisions. Kurt Kile held the lead early, and held off the challenge by Nick Marolf until lap 12, when Marolf got by him. Marolf held on for the win, his first of the season. Second place went to Andy Eckrich, followed by Kevin Kile, Matt Gilchrist and Kurt Kile.

The Miller Time Modified feature was cruising along with Rich Smith leading until a lap 8 caution that brought the field together. The ever-present #96 of Larry Herring grabbed the lead, but the race was red-lighted at lap 9 for a rollover in turn 2 involving Robbie Verbeck. Verbeck crawled out of his #60 machine unscathed, but was done for the evening. Herring led the field to the end, followed by Bruce Hanford, Brad Dubil Rick Hixson and Mike Thomas.

The Corner Tap Limited Late Models were led for the first eight laps by Dale Franklin, who had built a comfortable lead until a caution for a single car incident. When the green flag dropped for the restart, Franklin and the second place car of Jake Meier tangled going into turn 1. Heads-up driving on the part of the rest of the field prevented what would have been a major pileup. Franklin was forced to retire to the pits with rear end damage. Sam Harroun and Ron Schreurs held the front row for the following restart, and Harroun made the most of the opportunity, holding on to take the checkers. Schreurs finished second, followed by Dan Brockert, Troy Philpott and Brian VanDusen.

The Kile Motorsports Stock Cars seemed to have a tough time getting going. The caution flew before a lap could be scored and again just as the first lap was completed by the leaders. The field saw red on lap 2 for a pileup in turn 1 that sent David Brandies and Kim Weber to the infield for major repairs. Lap 3 brought out yet another red light as new daddy Mike Cole’s #19C machine rolled, landed on its wheels and was hit by #66 Bub Erwin. Drivers were OK. Lap 4 saw Scotty Pratt take the lead from Jerrod Collins and hold on for the win. Second went to Adam Bell, followed by Collins, Ryan Buffington and Jamie Figg.

The QCSA Auto Auction Hornets kept the flagman and wreckers busy with two multi-car pileups before a single lap was scored. Another caution on lap 2 bunched the competitors together again. 2005 Hornet champion Bryan Klein led Jarrod McMichael to the checkers. Finishing third was Chris Havel, followed by Brian Tipps and Robert Harding Jr. The point chase in this division is extremely tight, since current point leader Shaun Slaughter finished ninth.

Season championship racing will end the 2006 points chase on September 9, with hot laps at 6 PM and racing at 6:30 PM. The postponed Faster Pastor race will take place as well. With points championships up for grabs in three divisions, you’ll want to make plans to attend.

JC Dubil Late Models:

Feature: 1. Nick Marolf; 2. Andy Eckrich; 3. Kevin Kile; 4. Matt Gilchrist; 5. Kurt Kile; 6. Todd Davis; 7. Jeff Guengerich; 8. Chuck Mayerhofer; 9. Mike Klinkkammer; 10. Jody Metzger; 11. Jay Chenoweth; 12. Wayne Brau; 13. Hal Russell; 14. David Schrier; 15. Todd Hormel; 16. DJ Burke; 17. Jason Rauen Did Not Start: Michael Dominguez

Heat 1: Matt Gilchrist, Kevin Kile, Andy Eckrich, Nick Marolf, Jody Metzger

Heat 2: Todd Davis, Jeff Guengerich, Kurt Kile, Jason Rauen, Hal Russell

Miller Time Modifieds:

Feature: 1. Larry Herring; 2. Bruce Hanford; 3. Brad Dubil; 4. Rick Hixson; 5. Mike Thomas; 6. Rich Smith; 7. Adam Davis; 8. Steve Stewart; 9. Terry Walker; 10. Scott Stecher; 11. Wade Lee; 12. Ryan Dolan; 13. Brandon Banks; 14. Mike Zogg; 15. Todd Hansen; 16. Bill Butteris; 17. Dan Albright; 18. Mike Schump; 19. Tim Grief; 20. Scott Hill; 21. Doug Yates; 22. Leon Wilson; 23. Tim Sands; 24. Robbie Verbeck; 25. Clayton Jensen

Heat 1: Bruce Hanford, Rich Smith, Steve Stewart, Robbie Verbeck, Mike Thomas

Heat 2: Larry Herring, Rick Hixson, Terry Walker, Mike Zogg, Dan Albright

Heat 3: Adam Davis, Scott Stecher, Ryan Dolan, Brad Dubil, Leon Wilson

Corner Tap Limited Late Models:

Feature: 1. Sam Harroun; 2. Ron Schreurs; 3. Dan Brockert; 4. Troy Philpott; 5. Brian VanDusen; 6. Matt Bodman; 7. Kyle Lackey; 8. Matt Brockert; 9. John Maher; 10. Gary Beuter; 11. Jake Meier; 12. Dan Lange; 13. Tim Rock; 14. Derrin Voss; 15. Monte Hayden; 16. Jesse Smith; 17. Dale Franklin. Did Not Start: Austin Schmidt

Heat 1: Sam Harroun, Jake Meier, Ron Schreurs, Troy Philpott, Matt Bodman

Heat 2: Dale Franklin, Dan Brockert, Derrin Voss, Matt Brockert, Kyle Lackey

Kile Motorsports Stock Cars:

Feature: 1. Scotty Pratt; 2. Adam Bell; 3. Jerrod Collins; 4. Ryan Buffington; 5. Jamie Figg; 6. Mike Pothoff; 7. Eric Poggemiller; 8. Jason Blok; 9. Bub Erwin; 10. Matt Picray; 11. Bryan Wonick; 12. Scott Walker; 13. Greg Gill; 14. Buck Harmening; 15. Dustin Morden; 16. Mike Cole; 17. David Brandies; 18. Kim Weber; 19. Trent Vrchoticky; 20. Steve Doughty

Heat 1: Jerrod Collins, Trent Vrchoticky, Jamie Figg, Jason Blok, Bryan Wonick

Heat 2: Mike Pothoff, Mike Cole, Ryan Buffington, David Brandies, Eric Poggemiller

QCSA Auto Auction Hornets:

Feature: 1. Bryan Klein; 2. Jarrod McMichael; 3. Chris Havel; 4. Brian Tipps; 5. Robert Harding Jr; 6. Andy Burns; 7. Jeff Miller; 8. Raymond Carpenter; 9. Shaun Slaughter; 10. Alex Buffington; 11. Ross Davisson; 12. Jake Purdy; 13. Roger Whitcomb; 14. Wayne Noble; 15. Robert Axsom; 16. Keith Headly; 17. Derek Simpson; 18. Tyson Lee; 19. Michael Frank; 20. David Snyder; 21. Jess Jondle; 22. Dakota Hayden; 23. Jeremy Williams; 24. Geoffrey Theobald; 25. Rex Tomasson; 26. Darin Smith; 27. Mike Gesling

Did Not Start: Joe Zrostlick

Heat 1: Andy Burns, Brian Tipps, Jeff Miller, Jarrod McMichael, Ross Davisson

Heat 2: Chris Havel, #92X, Bryan Klein, Robert Harding Jr

Heat 3: Shaun Slaughter, Alex Buffington, Jeremy Williams, David Snyder