BRIAN FRANKS WINS BUDWEISER SPORTSMEN 50 THRILLER

GRADY PICKS UP FIRST MODIFIED WIN

(Cedar Rapids, IA 070706)-- Brian Franks of Central City picked up his first victory of the season in thrilling fashion Friday night, leading the Budweiser Sportsman 50 from start to finish. However, getting to the finish was the tough part.

The field was set after each car took two laps on time and the fast qualifier Brian Franks drew a ‘2’ setting a two car invert.

After the green dropped and a couple early cautions Franks built a substantial lead as Martin Ballard and Dave McCalla slugged it out for second. Kevin Lee took advantage of the battle and slipped into second just past the halfway mark of the race and set his sights on the leader Franks.

While Lee had cut into Franks lead, it appeared that Franks had the win tucked away with four laps to go when an incident between the cars of Andy Duggan and Gene Peterson brought out the yellow flag. That set up a four lap shootout that saw Lee catch Franks on the final lap. Lee bumped Franks a little too hard sending both cars spinning and bringing out the yellow flag once again. Officials sent Lee to the rear and gave Franks the lead back rewinding the lap counter for a green-white-checker finish.

Franks prevailed at the stripe, finishing ahead of Dave McCalla, Martin Ballard, Ross Zumbach, and Joey King.

The Miller Time Modifieds staged an equally thrilling 25 lap feature as Scott Grady picked up his first win since moving to the half-mile. Grady, who started up front, watched a big lead evaporate as the laps ticked off and then held off a determined Griffin McGrath for the win. McGrath finished a scant .299 second behind Grady.

Arlo Becker made up some ground on current point leader Tim Plummer by finishing third. Rodney Rocarek finished in fourth while Chad Willet crossed the stripe in fifth. The point leader, Plummer, finished in sixth.

In other Papa Johns Cup/ I Wireless Championship action, Brad Dvorak picked up his second win of the season in the Barron Motor Supply IMCA Stock Car division edging Chad Siems by just .058 seconds. Siems led much of the race but Dvorak worked to the outside and made the winning pass as the duo approached the Coors Light Finish Line. Logan Hale finished a strong third with Bob Ahrendsen fourth and Randy Filling fifth.

The win broke a three way tie for the division lead between Dvorak, Arendsen, and Filling.

Scott Wennermark posted a relatively easy win over a slim field of Performance Concepts Late Models. His run to the checkers was interrupted briefly for a caution of Lap 14 but once green flag racing resumed Wennermark again put some distance between himself and the second place car of Brad Osborn. The current division point leader, Kyle Hinrichs finished in third. Jeff King took the fourth spot and Danny Ouderkirk finished fifth.

The two divisions that make up the Full Throttle Energy Drink Stars of Tomorrow were in action as well.

The Barron Motor Supply IMCA Hobby Stock feature went to Rodney Grother, who picked up his fifth trip to Coca-Cola Victory Lane this season. Grother, who leads the point chase, edged out Tim Dains, who is chasing him in the point race. Dennis Klinsky finished a very strong third while Terry Shaffar was fourth and Scot Siems, fifth.

Shawn Meyers put the 701 Dodge Rampage in victory lane once again. Myers shares driving duties with Brian Beaty and the two have become regular visitors to the podium of late. Jeff Selfridge piloted the Bighouse Motorsports VW Golf to second place with Brian Bries finishing third. Point leader Nathan Ballard crossed the line in fourth and defending champion Connie Binder was fifth.

FEATURE RESULTS

BUDWEISER SPORTSMEN

FEATURE (50 laps)

1. Brian Franks, Central City, IA; 2. Dave McCalla, Cedar Rapids, IA; 3. Martin Ballard, Marengo, IA : 4. Ross Zumbach, Racine, MN; 5. Joey King, Silvis, IL; 6. Kevin Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Andy Duggan, Marion, IA; 9. Gene Peterson, Des Moines, IA; 10. Sonny Parker, Cedar Rapids, IA; 11. Mel Schappert, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Ben Glascock, Indianola, IA; 13. Mark Hauder, Dubuque; DNS- Kevin Franks, Cedar Rapids FAST QUALIFIER- Dave McCalla 20.094

MILLER TIME MODIFIEDS

FEATURE ( 25 laps)

1. Scott Grady, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Griffin McGrath, Cedar Rapids, IA; 3. Arlo Becker, Norway; 4. Rodney Rocarek, Mt. Vernon, IA; 5. Chad Willet, Alburnett, IA; 6. Tim Plummer, Norway, IA; 7. Larry Clausen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids, IA; 9. Shawn Stinger, Palo, IA; 10. Jim Hanson, Cedar Rapids, IA; 11. Aric Becker, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Darrell Long, Cedar Rapids, IA; 13. Cory Houdek, Marion, IA DNS- Scott Strauss, Cedar Rapids, IA

PERFORMANCE CONCEPTS ASA LATE MODELS

FEATURE ( 25 laps)

1. Scott Wennermark, Ely, IA; 2. Brad Osborn, Janesville, IA; 3. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher, IA; 4. Jeff King, Cedar Rapids, IA; 5. Danny Ouderkirk, Lawson, MO

BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY IMCA STOCK CARS

FEATURE (20 laps)

1. Brad Dvorak, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Chad Siems, Marion, IA; 3. Logan Hale, Cedar Rapids, IA; 4. Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids, IA; 5. Randy Filling, Toddville, IA; 6. Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City, IA; 7. Dennis Hundley, Center Point, IA; 8. Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha, IA; 9. Seth Thomas, Center Point, IA; 10. Wendy Carnahan, Cedar Rapids, IA DNS- Terry Clayton, Brooklyn, IA; DNS- Doug Otto, Cedar Falls, IA

BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY IMCA HOBBY STOCKS

FEATURE (15 laps)

1. Rodney Grother, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Tim Dains, Marion, IA; 3. Dennis Klinsky, Ely, IA; 4. Terry Shaffar, State Center, IA; 5. Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids, IA; 6. Kandi Floyd, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Ron Fare, Cedar Rapids, IA; 8. Duayne Herb, Marion, IA; 9. Chad Vozenilek, Cedar Rapids, IA; 10. Roland Bohnsack, Clutier, IA; 11. Matt Lacoursiere, Cedar Rapids, IA; 12. Kris Jones, Cedar Rapids, IA; 13. Deb Mefford, Cedar Rapids, IA; 14. Gary Pfantz, State Center, IA ;DNS- Joe Sprague, Independence, IA

SUNLINE HORNETS

FEATURE ( 12 laps)

1. Shawn Myers, Cedar Rapids, IA; 2. Jeff Selfridge, Marion, IA; 3. Brian Bries, Norway, IA; 4. Nathan Ballard, Marengo, IA; 5. Connie Binder, Clutier, IA; 6. Dennis Preston, Cedar Rapids, IA; 7. Derrick Beadle, Hiawatha, IA; 8. Brad Fisher, Oxford, IA; 9. Dan Vincent, Solon, IA