FLECK FINDS VICTORY LANE TWICE AT HAWKEYE DOWNS

 

Cedar Rapids, IA  5/13/05—Count Hawkeye Downs veteran driver Dudley Fleck among those that like the “cone rule” that has been reinstated on restarts this season. On restarts after a caution the leader stays in the inside lane and the rest of the field then has to choose whether to take the low or high line as they pass a cone on the front stretch.

 

            On lap 15 of the first 20 lap feature Landon Cassill and Kyle Hinrichs got tangled up while fighting for the lead bringing out a caution. That sent Johnny Spaw into the lead and as the field passed the cone Fleck, who had been running in fifth, pulled alongside. On the restart Fleck was able to power around Spaw and on to Coca-Cola Victory Lane, taking the checkers with just over a half-second margin of victory.

 

            Finishing behind the second car of Spaw were Brad Osborn, Jeff King, and Denny Osborn.

 

            The second 20-lap Performance Concepts Late Models feature saw Fleck and Spaw end up at the front of the pack again. Spaw quickly took an eight car length lead at the drop of the green but Scott Wennermark reeled Spaw in with a dozen laps remaining. Dudley Fleck was right behind and one lap later he nabbed the second spot from Wennermark and set his sights on Spaw.

 

            Fleck nosed under Spaw in turn two with four laps to go and then survived a restart to bring home his third victory of the season. Spaw finished second, followed by Wennermark, Jeff King and Landon Cassill.

 

            The fledgling Marines.com Hornets class grew by a couple more cars Friday night and it’s evident from the action that this is going to be an exciting group to watch as they pick up even more cars.

 

            Joe Zrostlick of Eldridge took the checkers in an entertaining 12-lap feature event for the four-cylinder front wheel drive cars. Jeff Ballard held a brief early lead before Zrostlick, who has previously raced at “the Downs” during a couple of specials, took the point. Brian Klein battled with Zrostlick before the two pulled away from the field in the closing laps. Rick Gallo finished in third followed by Brian Bries and Derrick Beadle.

 

            Terry Shaffar of State Center recovered nicely from a pair of blown engines the first two weeks of the season, winning the Barron Motor Supply IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Shaffar took the wire-to-wire win in impressive fashion finishing well ahead of Brandon Herb. Scott Siems crossed the stripe in third while Roland Bohnsack and Ron Dighton finished fourth and fifth.

 

            Cory Houdek started on the pole of the 20 lap Barron Motor Supply IMCA Stock Car feature and led nearly every lap before posting the win. Houdek lost the lead briefly to Bob Ahrendsen near the mid-point of the race but powered back into the lead on the next lap.  Doug Simon and Chad Siems were able to slip around Ahrendsen to finish in second and third, Ahrendsen held on to fourth with Logan Hale fifth. The win was Houdeks first career win in this class.

 

            Another solid field of Miller Time IMCA Miller Time Modifieds took to the track for a 30-lap feature that saw defending champion Tim Plummer pick up his second win of the season.  Jim Hanson started on the pole and took a big lead early on. By lap seven Rodney Rocarek and Plummer had caught Hanson and just a couple laps later Plummer slipped around Rocarek and Plummer to take the lead for good.  A couple YellowBook Yellow Flags kept the field bunched but as the final laps ticked off  Plummer amassed over a second and a half margin on the field.

 

            Rocarek finished second, and was  followed to the Lint Millwright Finish Line by Larry Clausen, Bob Gase and Chad Willet.

 

            Brothers Kevin and Brian Franks started in the front row of the first 20-lap Budweiser late Model Sportsmen feature Friday night. Brian took control of the race in the early going but by the halfway point Martin Ballard had reeled Franks in. The pair split lapped traffic on the 13th circuit and Ballard, running the high line,  gained a slight advantage and took the lead on the next lap.           According to Alliant Energy Electronic Scoring Ballard recorded a 1.025 second victory over Landon Cassill who snuck into the fray in the closing laps. Brian Franks was third, Andy Duggan fourth, and Kevin Korsmo fifth.

 

            The second Sportsmen feature saw Kevin Korsmo use the cone rule to perfection after Mel Schappert tagged the wall in turn two bringing out a yellow on lap three. Korsmo elected to take the outside on the restart and he motored around last weeks’ feature winner Craig Bender to take command of the race. A couple more cautions put a couple challengers alongside Korsmo but he was able to power away on each restart.

 

            Brian Franks had another strong finish, crossing the flagstand in second. Division rookie Dave McCalla finished in third followed by Landon Cassill and Andy Duggan.

 

            Racing resumes Friday night May 20 with all six divisions in action.

 

 

Feature Results-May 13, 2005

Marines.com Hornets

Feature (12 laps)

  1. Joe Zrostlick, Eldridge; 2. Bryan Klein, Cedar Rapids; 3. Rick Gallo, Center Point; 4. Brian Bries, Norway; 5. Derrick Beadle, Hiawatha; 6. Jeff Ballard, Marengo; 7. Connie Binder, Clutier; 8. Jose DeJesus, Cedar Rapids

 

Barron Motor Supply IMCA Hobby Stocks

Feature (15 laps)

  1. Terry Shaffar, State Center; 2. Brandon Herb, Marion; 3. Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids; 4. Roland Bohnsack, Clutier; 5. Ron Dighton, Cedar Rapids; 6. Chad Vozenilek, Fairfax; 7. Rodney Grother, Cedar Rapids; 8. Tim Dains, Cedar Rapids; 9. Perry Thomsen, Cedar Rapids; 10. Kandi Floyd, Cedar Rapids; 11. Deb Mefford, Marion; 12. Roger Lacoursiere, Cedar Rapids

 

Barron Motor Supply IMCA Stock Cars

Feature (20 laps)

  1. Cory Houdek, Marion; 2. Doug Simon, Marion; 3. Chad Siems, Mt. Auburn; 4. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 5. Logan Hale, Cedar Rapids; 6. Randy Filling, Toddville; 7. Brad Dvorak, Cedar Rapids; 8. Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City; 9. Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha; 10. Wendy Carnahan, Cedar Rapids

 

Miller Time IMCA Asphalt Modifieds

Feature (30 laps)

1. Tim Plummer, Norway; 2. Rodney Rocarek, Mt. Vernon; 3. Larry Clausen, Cedar Rapids; 4. Bob Gase, Cedar Rapids; 5. Chad Willett, Alburnett; 6. Brian Allen, Cedar Rapids; 7. Arlo Becker, Norway; 8. Jim Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 9. Pat Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 10. Scott Grady, Cedar Rapids; 11. Shawn Stinger, Palo; 12. Scott Strauss, Cedar Rapids; 13. Keith Siefken, Cedar Rapids; 14. Griffin McGrath, Cedar Rapids; 15. Darrell Long, Cedar Rapids; 16. Aric Becker, Cedar Rapids

 

Performance Concepts Late Models

Feature #1 (20laps)

  1. Dudley Fleck, Cedar Rapids; 2. Johnny Spaw, Cedar Rapids; 3. Brad Osborn, Janesville; 4. Jeff King, Cedar Rapids; 5. Denny Osborn, Janesville; 6. Chris Sevey, Waterloo; 7. Scott Wennermark, Ely; 8. Lyle Williams, Center Point; 9. Landon Cassill, Fairfax; 10. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher

 

Feature #2 (20laps)

  1. Dudley Fleck, Cedar Rapids; 2. Johnny Spaw, Cedar Rapids; 3. Scott Wennermark, Ely; 4. Jeff King, Cedar Rapids; 5. Landon Cassill, Fairfax; 6. Denny Osborn, Janesville; 7. Lyle Williams, Center Point; 8. Brad Osborn, Janesville; 9. Chris Sevey, Waterloo; 10. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher

 

Budweiser Late Model Sportsmen

Feature #1 (20 laps)

  1. Martin Ballard, Marengo; 2. Landon Cassill, Fairfax; 3. Brian Franks, Central City; 4. andy Duggan, Marion; 5. Kevin Korsmo; 6. Mel Schappert, Cedar Rapids; 7. Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids; 8. Dave McCalla, Cedar Rapids; 9. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 10. Kevin Franks, Cedar Rapids; 11. Ricky Archer, Kearney, MO; 12. Mark Hauder, Dubuque

 

Feature #2 (20 laps)

  1. Korsmo  2. Brian Franks  3. McCalla  4. Cassill  5. Duggan  6. Ballard  7. Kevin Franks  8. Bender  9. Archer  10. Hauder  11. Schappert  DNS- Ahrendsen