CHAD SIMPSON GRABS WILD WDRL OPENING NIGHT CORNHUSKER CLASSIC WIN
Mount Vernon, Iowa, driver survives four caution flags to score first-ever series feature win
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

GREENWOOD, Neb. (Sept. 23, 2006) -- Chad Simpson survived 25 laps of wild, caution flag-filled racing Friday night to grab the opening-night victory at the annual Cornhusker Classic, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series event here at I-80 Speedway.

Simpson led from flag to flag to secure his first-ever WDRL feature race victory and collect the $2,500 top prize in the event, which attracted 64 Late Models from nine different states.

"It's great to get that first WDRL win," commented Simpson in AMSOIL Victory Lane. "We've struggled a lot this year, but hopefully we're finally starting to getting things figured out.

"We were hoping to get a couple of these things this year," he added. "But the guys who you travel with on this series are just outstanding. On any given night there are 10 or 12 different guys who can win so you have to come with your A-game’ and you've got to be on top of things."

Simpson, who started on the outside front row, bolted into the lead on the opening circuit, powering off the banking out of turn two to outrun polesitter Kelly Boen.

"I knew it was going to be a key getting to the front right away," noted Simpson. "There was a lot of momentum and speed right up against that cushion, and I knew I had to get there."

Added Simpson, "I knew I had to beat him into that first corner because I knew he was going to get in there pretty hard. We just ran her in there hard on that first lap."

The 27-year old Mount Vernon, Iowa, driver roared to a 10 car-length advantage over the second-place Boen by lap five, before the first of four caution flags appeared when Ed Kosiski slowed in turn three with a flat tire.

A second caution flag was waved a pair of laps later when Shelton, Nebraska's Steve Kempt coasted to a halt in turn four, following a brief tangle with Davey Nall as the duo raced wheel to wheel through turns one and two.

The ensuing restart spelled disaster for a number of top contenders when Boen and Brian Harris collided in turn four as the pair wrestled for the same spot on the race track, collecting series points leader Denny Eckrich; Papillion, Nebraska's Steve Kosiski; and Cosgrove, Iowa's Dave Eckrich in the multi-car melee. Both Harris' and Denny Eckrich's cars were badly damaged in the mishap, with Eckrich suffering an apparent broken wrist as his race car slammed hard into the turn four guard rail.

When racing resumed, Simpson returned to the point, with Brady Smith wheeling into the runner-up position, followed closely by Mound, Minn., hotshoe Justin Fegers; Omaha's John Anderson; and southwest Iowa pilot Chris Spieker.

Caution flags again appeared on laps 11 and 13. But on each restart, Simpson was able to outmuscle the second-place running Smith to retain the advantage. Smith's car number 2 pulled to the inside of the frontrunner heading into turn one on lap 17, but as the two drivers roared out of turn four, Simpson again clung to a razor-thin advantage.

Over the final half-dozen circuits, Simpson's Five-Star Shop Service/MasterSbilt/Pro Power Chevrolet Monte Carlo was able to pull away from Smith's second-place entry, allowing the eastern Iowa driver to win the race to the flag by a handful of car lengths.

"The last 10 laps I was just pushing the car for all it had because I knew I had to," said the winner. "I saw Brady (Smith) get underneath me that one time down in turn one, so I knew there was no messing around any more.

"I just pushed it for all it had, and this MasterSbilt race car just worked fantastic."

Two-time WDRL champion Kyle Berck raced to a strong third-place finish, with Boen, who came from the rear of the field following his lap-seven tangle, finishing fourth. Chris Simpson, who started 25th in the field, finished fifth, followed by Chris Spieker, Dave Eckrich and Trent Follmer.

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.

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RACE REPORT
NEBRASKA RACEWAY PARK
GREENWOOD, NEB.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22, 2006

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brady Smith; Solon Springs, WI (61.25), 2. John Anderson; Omaha, NE (60.0), 3. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (65.5), 4. Kurt Kile; Nichols, IA (55.25), 5. Jerry Warner; LaVista, NE (51.75), 6. Todd Shute; Des Moines, IA (41.5), 7. Mike Wallace; Carter Lake, IA (44.75), 8. Darrell DeFrance; Marshalltown, IA (34.5), 9. Corey Zeitner; Bellevue, NE (31.0), 10. Johnny Bone, Jr.; Pea Ridge, AR (27.5).

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Steve Kempt; Shelton, NE (61.25), 2. Chris Spieker; Massena, IA (57.75), 3. Kelly Boen; Henderson, CO (67.75), 4. Kyle Berck; Marquette, NE (53.0), 5. Todd McKee; Massena, IA (51.75), 6. Craig Preble; Yutan, NE (48.25), 7. Ben Schaller; Norfolk, NE (38.0), 8. Rusty Miller; Norton, KS (34.5), 9. Chris Cox; Denver, CO (31.0), 10. Todd Seig; Slayton, OR (27.5).

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Justin Fegers; Mound, MN (72.5), 2. Davey Nall; Phillips, NE (55.5), 3. Steve Kosiski; Papillion, NE (65.5), 4. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (48.5), 5. Jeff Tilley; Glenwood, IA (45.0), 6. Jeff Aikey; Cedar Falls, IA (46.0), 7. Rob Moss; Iowa City, IA (44.75), 8. Briank Kenkel; Elkhorn, NE (34.5), 9. Kevin Stoa; Polk City, IA (31.0), 10. Tony Daly; Aberdeen, SD (27.5), 11. Mike Nanfito; Omaha, NE (24.0).

Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (61.25), 2. Kevin Kile; West Liberty, IA (62.25), 3. Gary Dechant; North Glenn, CO (52.0), 4. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (48.5), 5. John Nicholson; Beaver Lake, NE (56.25), 6. Troy Daly; Omaha, NE (46.0), 7. Scott Daly; Elkhorn, NE (38.0), 8. Greg Larsen; Plattsmouth, NE (36.75), 9. Terry Boushee; Aurora, CO (35.5), 10. Jason Schobinger; Wiggins, CO (27.5), 11. Billy Murphy; Kearney, NE (24.0).

Fifth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Chad Simpson; Mount Vernon, IA (65.75), 2. Ed Kosiski; Ralston, NE (57.75), 3. Al Humphrey; Giltner, NE (52.0), 4. Trent Follmer; Elk River, MN (55.25), 5. Joe Kosiski; Omaha, NE (56.25), 6. David Jorgenson; Omaha, NE (41.5), 7. Doug Warner; Minden, NE (38.0), 8. Alonzo Grosse; Council Bluffs, IA (34.5), 9. John Hampel; Union, NE (31.0), 10. Dan Shepherd; Greeley, CO (29.75), 11. Casey Vitale; Lebanon, OR (24.0).

Sixth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (63.5), 2. Matt Furman; Iowa City, IA (71.25), 3. Eddie Moore; Milford, NE (54.25), 4. Larry Clausen; Kansas City, MO (55.25), 5. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction, IA (56.25), 6. Ryan Vicker; Creston, IA (46.0), 7. Mike Smith; Jewell, IA (38.0), 8. Bill Koons; Omaha, NE (41.25), 9. Jeremy Grady; Story City, IA (31.0), 10. Jason Keeshan; Grand Island, NE (27.5), 11. Darren Miller; Milledgeville, IL (24.0).

First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Berck, 2. Clausen, 3. Kurt Kile, 4. Aikey, 5. Wallace, 6. Vicker, 7. Rusty Miller, 8. Boushee, 9. Cox, 10. Grosse, 11. Koons, 12. Schobinger, 13. Sieg, 14. Nanfito, 15. McKee, 16. Scott Daly, 17. Shepherd, 18. Shute, 19. Humphrey, 20. Chris Simpson, 21. Mike Smith, 22. Hampel, 23. Vitale.

Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Moore, 2. Pember, 3. Follmer, 4. Preble, 5. Moss, 6. Schaller, 7. Troy Daly, 8. Tony Daly, 9. Grady, 10. Stoa, 11. Doug Warner, 12. Kenkel, 13. Keeshan, 14. Tilley, 15. Jerry Warner, 16. Murphy, 17. DeFrance, 18. Dechant, 19. Zeitner, 20. Bone, Jr., 21. Jorgenson, 22. Larsen.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Boen, 2. Chad Simpson, 3. Furman, 4. Fegers, 5. Harris, 6. Steve Kosiski, 7. Dave Eckrich, 8. Kevin Kile.

Cornhusker Classic 25: 1. Chad Simpson, 2. Brady Smith, 3. Berck, 4. Boen, 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Spieker, 7. Dave Eckrich, 8. Follmer, 9. Anderson, 10. Utter, 11. Nall, 12. Pember, 13. Moore, 14. Fegers, 15. Kurt Kile, 16. Moss, 17. Kevin Kile, 18. Denny Eckrich, 19. Joe Kosiski, 20. Steve Kosiski, 21. Nicholson, 22. Furman, 23. Kempt, 24. Harris, 25. Clausen, 26. Ed Kosiski.

Additional Information of Interest:

Number of Entrants: 64

Lap Leaders: Chad Simpson (1-25)

Time of Race: 46:25

Margin of Victory: .849

Caution Flags: 4 (Laps 5, 7, 11, 13)

Red Flags: 1 (Lap 7)

Fastest Lap: Chad Simpson (17.704)

Series Provisionals: Chris Simpson, Moss

Rookie-of-the-Race: Spieker

Hard Luck Driver: Denny Eckrich

Contingency Award Winners:

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Boen, Chad Simpson, Furman

QA1 Motorsports: Fegers

The Brake Man: Chad Simpson

Champ Pans: Smith

Joie of Seating: Berck

Performance Bodies: Boen

Design 500 Racewear: Chris Simpson

V-Performance Batteries: Spieker

Fast Shafts: Dave Eckrich

Hooker Harness: Follmer

Weld Wheels: Pember

Scott Performance Wire: Fegers

Design 500 Racewear (non-qualifier): Humphrey

KSE Racing Products: Berck, Pember

Chase Race Decals: Denny Eckrich