By Brad Grupe
Cedar Rapids,IA 041202- Justin Diercks hasn’t made many appearances at Hawkeye Downs in the past couple years but he apparently still know his way around the Hawkeye Downs half-mile as he captured the 30-lap Performance Concepts Late Model Feature on Friday night. Diercks started in the second row of the feature behind a formidable front row consisting of Johnny Spaw and Steve Carlson.
Spaw led the first 29 trips around the half-mile but Diercks applied heavy pressure on the closing lap and was able to nudge his way into the lead. Carlson slipped around Spaw into second to cap off a thrilling finish. Brian Gibson finished in fourth and Doug Hite was fifth.
Diercks win took the chill off a cool evening on the first night of racing for the 2002 season. The season opener, sponsored by KHAK-FM drew a great crowd and the rest of the features proved to be equally exciting for the fans.
Arlo Becker returned to victory lane Friday night after winning the 25-lap Miller Time Modified feature and he has now collected feature wins in five different decades. Becker started on the point but surrendered the lead to Jim Williams on the first lap. Williams was in command until Becker slipped by with 10 laps to go and then held off a furious charge by Larry Clausen to secure the win. Defending champ Mike Schulte finished third, Williams was fourth and Trent Ross finished fifth.
The Budweiser Sportsman feature saw an equally wild finish with Curt Van De Wal, last years champion, taking home the checkers. Van Der Wal took the lead on the last lap when Craig Bender and Kevin Lee touched while battling for the top spot and had to back out of the throttle. That left a hole big enough for Van Der Wal to scoot through and earned him the trip to victory lane. Lee salvaged second with Steve Kibort slipping into third. Bender finished fourth ahead of Brian Franks.
Kurt Bohnsack scored a flag-to-flag win in the Barron Motor Suppy Super Stock feature but not without heavy pressure from Doug Simon, Derrick Griesehop, and Randy Filling. Filling crossed the stripe in second, with Filling, Griesehop, and last years champion, Brad Dvorak, rounding out the top five.
The Foreman Hydraulics Legends, which will run weekly this season, are without last years season champ, BJ Goodin. Al Smith staked his claim for the this years title by winning Friday night’s feature. Smith started on the point and was never seriously challenged, finishing ahead of Kevin Foreman, Kyle Hinrichs, Chris Sevey, and Tom Frady.
By popular demand Hawkeye Downs returned to a previous format which includes dashes and heats in addition to the features.
DASH-
1.
Doug Hite, Urbana; 2. Greg Kastli, Waterloo; 3. Mike Ehde, Prarie Du Chien, WI;
4. Wade Prasil, Cedar Rapids; Jeff King, Cedar Rapids
HEAT
#2- Steve
Carlson, West Salem, WI; 2. Brian Gibson, Walford; 3. Art Christoffersen,
Toddville; 4. Les Cady, Oswego, IL; 5. Brad Osborn, Janesville, IA; 6. Lorin
Kurth, Waukon; 7. Scot Johnson, Ankeny;
8.
Scot Delsing, Marion
FEATURE
-1.
Justin Diercks, Davenport; 2. Steve Carlson, West Salem, WI; 3. Johnny Spaw,
Hiawatha; 4. Brian Gibson, Walford; 5. Doug Hite, Urbana; 6. Greg Kastli,
Waterloo; 7. Mike Ehde, Prarie Du Chien, WI; 8. Wade Prasil, Cedar Rapids; 9.
Max Corporon, Marion; 10. Randy Coghlan, Toddville; 11. Brad Osborn,
Janesville; 12. Lorin Kurth, Waukon; 13. Scot Johnson, Ankeny; 14. Art
Christoffersen, Toddville; 15. Matt Lundberg, Johnston; 16. TJ Schaefer, Solon;
17. Dave Johnson, Ankeny; 18. Les Cady, Oswego, IL;
19.
Scott Delsing, Marion; 20. Jeff King, Cedar Rapids
HEAT
#1-
1. Mel Schappert, Cedar Rapids; 2. Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids; 3. Steve Kibort,
Milan, IL; 4. Pete Alepra, Cedar Rapids; 5. Paul Walder, Cedar Rapids; 6. Jason
Vincent, Nevada; 7. Kim Schlitter, Central City; 8. Ron Fisher, Shellsburg
HEAT
#2-
1.Kevin Lee, Cedar Rapids; 2. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 3. Johnny Mudd,
Cedar Rapids; 4. Brian Franks, Central City; 5. Lyle Williams, Center Point; 6.
Bruce Scheff, Swisher; 7. Matt Van Gelder, Oskaloosa; 8. Jake Ludeking, Decorah
FEATURE-
1.
Curt Van Der Wal, Ankeny; 2. Kevin Lee, Cedar Rapids; 3. Steve Kibort, Milan,
IL; 4. Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids; 5. Brian Franks, Central City; 6. JJ Meyer,
Cedar Rapids; 7. Martin Ballard, Marengo; 8. Paul Walder, Cedar Rapids; 9. Tom
Burke, Nevada; 10. Andy Duggan, Marion; 11. Lyle Williams, Center Point; 12.
Ron Fisher, Shellsburg; 13. Jason Vincent, Nevada; 14. Bruce Scheff, Cedar
Rapids; 15. Kim Schlitter, Central City; 16. Matt Van Gelder, Oskaloosa; 17.
Pete Alepra, Cedar Rapids; 18. Johnny Mudd, Cedar Rapids; 19. Mel Schappert,
Cedar Rapids; 20. Jake Ludeking, Decorah; 21. John Henecke, Hiawatha; 22. Bob
Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids
DASH- 1. Bob Gase, Cedar Rapids;
2. Trent Ross, Cedar Rapids; 3. Mike Schulte, Norway; 4. Larry Clausen, Cedar
Rapids; 5. Keith Gogel, Solon; 6. Brian Allen, Hiawatha
HEAT
– 1.
Arlo Becker, Atkins; 2. Jim Williams, Cedar Rapids; 3. Landon Cassill, Cedar
Rapids; 4. Sonny Parker, Cedar Rapids; 5. James Lamphier, Urbana; 6. Mike Thomas,
Cedar Rapids; 7. Eric Lampier, Urbana
FEATURE-
1.
Arlo Becker, Atkins; 2. Larry Clausen, Cedar Rapids; 3. Mike Schulte, Norway;
4. Jim Williams, Cedar Rapids; 5. Trent Ross, Cedar Rapids; 6. Brian Allen,
Hiawatha; 7. Bob Gase, Cedar Rapids; 8. James Lamphier, Urbana; 9. Sonny
Parker, Cedar Rapids; 10. Eric Lamphier, Urbana; 11. Keith Gogel, Solon; 12.
Landon Cassill, Cedar Rapids
DASH-
1.
Doug Simon, Cedar Rapids; 2. Don Johnson, Cedar rapids; 3. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar
Rapids; 4.
Jeff
Franks, Rowley; 5. Brad Dvorak, Mt. Vernon; 6. Aric Becker,Cedar Rapids
HEAT #1- 1. Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City;
2. Randy Filling, Toddville; 3. Chad Siems, Mt. Auburn; 4. Cory Houdek,
Anamosa; 5. Arnie Reif, Hiawatha; 6. Jim Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 7. Brenda
Thomsen, Cedar Rapids
HEAT
# 2- 1.
Jayson Scott, Cedar Rapids; 2. Derrick Griesehop, Mt. Vernon; 3. Greg Hentrich,
Cedar Rapids,; 4. Paul Nagle, Nevada; 5. Jerry Meyerhoff, Cedar Rapids; 6. John
Ness, Cedar Rapids
FEATURE-
1.
Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City; 2. Doug Simon, Cedar Rapids; 3. Randy Filling,
Toddville; 4. Derrick Griesehop, Mt. Vernon; 5. Brad Dvorak, Mt. Vernon; 6.
Jayson, Scott, Cedar Rapids; 7. John Ness, Cedar Rapids; 8. Chad Siems, Mt.
Auburn; 9. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 10. Arnie Rief, Hiawatha; 11. Jerry
Meyerhoff, Cedar Rapids; 12. Cory Houdek, Anamosa; 13. Don Johnson, Cedar
Rapids; 14. Paul Nagle, Nevada; 15. Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha; 16. Jeff Franks,
Rowley; 17. Aric Becker, Cedar Rapids; 18. Brenda Thomsen, Cedar Rapids
DASH-
1.
Eric Appleget, Ely; 2. Kevin Foreman,Cedar Rapids; 3. Chris Sevey, Waterloo; 4.
Tom Frady, Cedar Rapids; 5. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 6. Gene Peterson, Des
Moines
HEAT
#1- Al Amith, Rockford, IL; 2. Keith Moline,
Cedar Rapids; 3. Lane Swearinger, Davenport; 4. Matt Montieth, Port Byron, IL:
5. Jim Black
HEAT
#2- 1.
Warren Ropp. Kalona; 2. Larry Will; 3.David Stafford; 4. Allsion Quick, Cedar
Rapids; 5. Ross Zumbach; 6. Tom Butler
FEATURE-
1.
Al Smith, Rockford, IL; 2. Kevin Foreman, Cedar Rapids; 3. Kyle Hinrichs,
Swisher; 4. Chris Sevey, Waterloo; 5. Tom Frady, Cedar Rapids; 6. Larry Will;
7. Lane Swearinger, Davenport; 8. Eric Appleget, Ely; 9. Matt Montieth, Port
Byron, IL; 10. Jim Black; 11. Warren Ropp, Kalona; 12. Allsion Quick, Cedar
Rapids; 13. Ross Zumbach; 14. David Stafford; 15. Tom Butler; 16. Gene
Peterson, Des Moines; 17. Keith Moline, Cedar Rapids