BIRKHOFER SCORES IMPRESSIVE WDRL VICTORY AT WEST LIBERTY
Muscatine, Iowa, driver continues West Liberty dominance with fifth career series win
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

WEST LIBERTY, Ia (May 30, 2006) - Brian Birkhofer outran Dave Eckrich on lap 16 Monday night and went on to win the West Liberty 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series event here at West Liberty Raceway.

The win was Birkhofer's fifth career WDRL victory on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds half-mile and the second in a row for the popular eastern Iowa hot shoe at the venue after an impressive win in last fall's second-annual Liberty Fall Classic.

"It's great to get back here and get a win," said Birkhofer in Victory Lane. "We've been racing all week, and it's been kind of a rough week. But when I came home I had a bunch of guys waiting at the shop to help me, and we kind of regrouped a little bit and got it done tonight.

"It wasn't the best car," he added. "But I feel a little bit more positive about which way I'm going now with it."

Coming from an inside second-row starting position, Birkhofer raced into second on the opening circuit, with Eckrich powering off the banking out of turn two to grab the early advantage.

The race was halted by a caution flag on lap five when Iowa City driver Matt Furman coasted to a stop just outside of turn four. When racing resumed, Eckrich again darted into the lead with Birkhofer running in his tracks as the pair began to separate from the remainder of the field.

A dozen laps in, Eckrich and Birkhofer began to run up on slower traffic, and on lap 15, Eckrich planted his Precision Performance/Barry Wright/Grove Automotive Pontiac Grand Prix at the bottom of the race track heading into turn one, with Birkhofer taking the longer way around as the pair chased each other through congested traffic. The two were virtually side by side out of turn four, with Birkhofer storming into the lead as the front runners roared in front of the grandstands.

Disaster struck Eckrich on the following circuit, however, when Elk Grove, Minn., series rookie Trent Follmer got upside down in turn three and Eckrich's car number 58 clipped the disabled race car as he was trying to avoid the slower car of Jay Johnson.

From there to the finish, Birkhofer proved untouchable, lapping all but four cars en route to the $5,000 victory.

"I felt bad for Dave (Eckrich) because he had an awesome car tonight," noted Birkhofer. "He probably had a better car than I did, and he could have won the race depending on what lapped traffic would have done for him."

Twenty-three year old Andy Eckrich crossed the stripe in the runner-up position, followed by defending WDRL champion Denny Eckrich. Chad Simpson, who started 10th in the field, raced to a fourth-place finish followed by Kyle Berck, who rolled out his back-up car to finish fifth, the final car on the lead lap.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, veteran Johnny Spaw raced to a sixth-place finish, followed closely by Dave Eckrich, who salvaged a respectable seventh-place run after his lap 17 tangle.

For more information on WDRL or the latest PolyDome Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.

RACE REPORT
WEST LIBERTY RACEWAY
WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
MONDAY, MAY 29, 2006

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brian Birkhofer; Muscatine, IA (59.0), 2. Chad Simpson; Mount Vernon (55.0), 3. Ray Guss, Jr.; Milan, IL (54.52), 4. Ace Ihm; Hazel Green, WI (47.0), 5. Steve Boley; West Liberty, IA (46.52), 6. Kurt Kile; Nichols, IA (46.04), 7. John Hampel; Union, NE (35.0), 8. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction (32.76), 9. Joe Kosiski; Omaha, NE (27.0), 10. Ron Boyse; Kalona, IA (23.0).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Chris Smyser; Lancaster, MO (62.52), 2. Todd Gehl; Solon Springs, WI (60.28), 3. Tonny Izzo, Jr.; Utica, IL (58.04), 4. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (55.8), 5. Scott Lemke; Rockford, IL (48.28), 6. Rob Moss; Iowa City, IA (39.0), 7. Bill Koons; Omaha, NE (35.0), 8. Al Humphrey; Giltner, NE (34.52), 9. Jody Metzger; Muscatine, IA (27.0), 10. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (23.0).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (60.76), 2. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (60.28), 3. Chris Spieker; Massena, IA (51.0), 4. Andy Eckrich; Iowa City, IA (57.56), 5. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (44.76), 6. Trent Follmer; Elk River, MN (44.28), 7. Jay Johnson; West Burlington, IA (36.76), 8. Kyle Berck; Marquette, NE (31.0), 9. Kevin Kile; West Liberty, IA (27.0), 10. John Anderson; Omaha, NE (23.0).

Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Johnny Spaw; Cedar Rapids, IA (59.0), 2. Tommy Elston; Keokuk, IA (55.0), 3. Matt Furman; Iowa City, IA (51.0), 4. Nick Marolf; Moscow, IA (52.28), 5. Matt Gilchrist; Muscatine, IA (50.04), 6. Steve Kempt; Shelton, NE (39.0), 7. Johnny Johnson; West Burlington, IA (35.0), 8. Wayne Brau; Anawan, IL (31.0), 9. Rusty Daufeldt; Blue Grass, IA (27.0).

KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Boley, 2. Harris, 3. Jay Johnson, 4. Utter, 5. Kurt Kile, 6. Anderson, 7. Koons, 8. Metzger, 9. Brau, 10. Humphrey, 11. Hampel, 12. Moss, 13. Kosiski, 14. Johnny Johnson, 15. Boyse, 16. Kempt, 17. Daufeldt, 18. Follmer.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Dave Eckrich, 2. Pember, 3. Birkhofer, 4. Andy Eckrich, 5. Smyser, 6. Izzo, Jr., 7. Spaw, 8. Gehl (DNS).

West Liberty 50-Lap Feature: 1. Birkhofer, 2. Andy Eckrich, 3. Denny Eckrich, 4. Chad Simpson, 5. Berck, 6. Spaw, 7. Dave Eckrich, 8. Harris, 9. Utter, 10. Ihm, 11. Spieker, 12. Gilchrist, 13. Jay Johnson, 14. Lemke, 15. Pember, 16. Anderson, 17. Elston, 18. Smyser, 19. Humphrey, 20. Izzo, Jr.; 21. Follmer, 22. Guss, Jr., 23. Boley, 24. Furman.

Additional information of interest:
* Number of Entrants: 39
* Lap Leaders: Dave Eckrich (1-15), Birkhofer (16-50)
* Caution Flags: 2 (5, 17)
* Margin of Victory: 4.882 seconds
* Fastest Lap: Dave Eckrich (20.067)
* Rookie-of-the-Race: Utter
* Hard Luck Driver: Follmer

Contingency award winners:
* Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Dave Eckrich, Pember, Birkhofer
* QA1 Motorsports: Smyser
* The Brake Man: Birkhofer
* Champ Pans: Eenny Eckrich
* Joie of Seating: Chad Simpson
* Performance Bodies: Berck
* Design 500 Racewear: Dave Eckrich
* V-Performance Batteries: Harris
* Fast Shafts: Utter
* Hooker Harness: Ihm
* Weld Wheels: Spieker
* Scott Performance Wire: Lemke
* Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Kurt Kile
* KSE Racing Products: Boley
* Chase Race Decals: Follmer