PATIENT MATTHEES GRABS WORLD DIRT RACING LEAGUE WIN AT DEER CREEK SPEEDWAY
Local favorite inherits the lead 16 laps from the checkers to secure first-ever WDRL victory
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

SPRING VALLEY, MINN. (Sept. 3, 2006) - Patience paid huge dividends Saturday night for local favorite Lance Matthees in the Midwest Wireless 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series-sanctioned event, here at Deer Creek Speedway.

The 49-year-old veteran Late Model driver took what appeared to be a third-place race car to AMSOIL Victory Lane after eastern Iowa racing brothers Dave and Denny Eckrich both encountered problems while holding what appeared to be insurmountable advantages in the $5,000-to-win event.

"I've had a lot of wins over the years, but this is definitely one of the better paying ones," commented Matthees, the winner of over 350 Late Model feature races in his successful 29-year racing career. "Our highest paying win was when we won The Yankee Dirt Track Classic a number of years ago, but this one is right up there."

Added the winner, "Denny (Eckrich) and his brother (Dave) were both really fast tonight, and I kind of thought one of those guys was going to win it. I just wanted to be patient and be good to my tires so I would have something at the end."

Matthees, who started sixth in the 24-car field, powered into the number-four position the first trip in front of the packed grandstands as pole sitter Dave Eckrich rocketed to the early advantage, with Denny Eckrich running in his tracks in second place followed closely by Chris Simpson.

When the frontrunners encountered slower traffic on lap 13, the elder Eckrich had wheeled to a comfortable eight car-length advantage over his younger brother, with Simpson continuing to run just ahead of the fourth-place running Matthees.

The two Eckrich brothers continued to run one and two in heavy traffic with Denny, the defending series champion and current points leader, taking advantage of the congestion to close in on the race leader by lap 15. On the following circuit, the pair were virtually side by side as they stormed out of turn four and in front of the grandstands.

Dave Eckrich's chance for his second series win of the season ended abruptly a lap later however, when the Cosgrove, Iowa, driver got turned sideways in turn four as the two leaders battled door to door for the lead through the corners.

The caution flag again waved on lap 21 when Scott Cramer coasted to a halt just outside of turn four, with Matthees racing past Simpson and into second on the subsequent restart.

By the race's midpoint, Denny Eckrich had roared to a 10 car-length advantage over the second-place Matthees, but 16 laps from the checkers, disaster struck the talented Tiffin, Iowa, chauffeur when a flat tire, caused by rear quarter panel damage, brought his Precision Performance/Barry Wright Race Cars/Grove Automotive Pontiac Grand Prix to an unexpected halt as the lead cars raced down the back straightaway and into turn three.

Matthees inherited the advantage on the restart and survived an early challenge from Simpson and two late-race caution flags to secure his first-ever PolyDome Late Model Series victory.

"Early on, I was just trying to save my tires," he said. "I run here all the time, and I know sometimes this place can eat your tires up.

"It really helps when you run a place like this weekly because you kind of know what to expect," he added.

With Simpson being a late-race tire casualty, Justin "The Jet" Fegers wheeled his car number F15 to a second-place finish, followed closely by Davenport, Iowa's Brian Harris, who had started 11th. Cannon Falls, Minnesota's Barry Underdahl finished fourth, followed by Ron Schreiner, Chad Simpson, Todd Gehl and Kyle Berck.

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
DEER CREEK SPEEDWAY
SPRING VALLEY, MINN.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2, 2006

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (61.25), 2. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (62.25), 3. Ron Schreiner; Hudson, WI (61.0), 4. Chad Simpson; Marion, IA (48.5), 5. Brent Laursen; Osceola, WI (45.0), 6. Mike Prochnow; Menomonie, WI (41.5), 7. Mark Teske; Spring Valley, MN (40.25), 8. Jeff Matejka; Winona, MN (scratch).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Scott Cramer; Random Lake, WI (61.25), 2. Barry Underdahl; Cannon Falls, MN (55.5), 3. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (52.0), 4. Todd Gehl; Solon Springs, WI (55.25), 5. Andrew McCay; Edina, MN (51.75), 6. Rob Moss; Iowa City, IA (41.5), 7. Kevin Mudrak; Superior, WI (38.0), 8. Nick Kramer; Pine Island, MN (34.5).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (61.25), 2. Lance Matthees; Winona, MN (57.75), 3. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction, IA (52.0), 4. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (55.25), 5. Trent Follmer; Elk River, MN (45.0), 6. Tony Bloom; Grand Meadow, MN (41.5), 7. Dennis Hillson; Blooming Prairie, MN (40.25), 8. Joe Ludemann; Grand Meadow, MN (34.5).

Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Justin Fegers; Mound, MN (59.0), 2. Mike Sorenson; Rochester, MN (55.5), 3. Nick Herrick; West Concord, MN (54.25), 4. Kerry Hansen; Spencer, WI (48.5), 5. Kyle Berck; Marquette, NE (51.75), 6. Matt Furman; Iowa City, IA (41.5), 7. Jerry Bloom; Grand Meadow, MN (38.0), 8. Chris Smyser; Lancaster, MO (34.5).

KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Follmer, 2. Laursen, 3. Teske, 4. Prochnow, 5. Furman, 6. Smyser, 7. Jerry Bloom, 8. Hillson, 9. Tony Bloom, 10. Kramer, 11. Matjka, 12. Ludemann, 13. Moss, 14. Mudrak.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Dave Eckrich, 2. Denny Eckrich, 3. Cramer, 4. Chris Simpson, 5. Fegers, 6. Matthees, 7. Underdahl, 8. Schreiner.

Midwest Wireless 50-Lap Feature: 1. Matthees, 2. Fegers, 3. Harris, 4. Underdahl, 5. Schreiner, 6. Chad Simpson, 7. Gehl, 8. Berck, 9. Follmer, 10. Prochnow, 11. Denny Eckrich, 12. Teske, 13. Dave Eckrich, 14. Smyser, 15. Pember, 16. Utter, 17. Chris Simpson, 18. Herrick, 19. Furman, 20. Hansen, 21. McKay, 22. Cramer, 23. Sorenson, 24. Laursen.

Additional Information of Interest:

Number of Entrants: 32

Lap Leaders: Dave Eckrich (1-15), Denny Eckrich (16-34), Matthees (35-50)

Time of Race: N/A

Margin of Victory: N/A

Caution Flags: 9 (Laps 16, 21, 34, 44, 47)

Red Flags: None

Fastest Lap: N/A

Series Provisionals: Furman, Smyser

Rookie-of-the-Race: Follmer

Hard Luck Driver: Moss

Contingency Award Winners:

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Dave Eckrich, Denny Eckrich, Cramer

QA1 Motorsports: Denny Eckrich

The Brake Man: Fegers

Champ Pans: Harris

Joie of Seating: Chad Simpson

Performance Bodies: Gehl

Design 500 Racewear: Berck

V-Performance Batteries: Follmer

Fast Shafts: Denny Eckrich

Hooker Harness: Dave Eckrich

Weld Wheels: Chris Simpson

Scott Performance Wire: Pember

Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Moss

KSE Racing Products: Follmer

Chase Race Decals: Moss