ROBBINS, BALLSTAEDT, MCGLOTHLEN WIN FEATURES IN RAIN SHORTENED HAWKEYE DOWNS PROGRAM

By Brad Grupe

Photos: Jim Wittke- Speedway Souvenir

(CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 07/15/2011)—Some exceptional racing, The Great American Ice Cream Giveaway, ormer Hawkeye Wrestler Mark Ironside, and a little controversy were all part of the annual 100.7 “The Fox” Free Race Friday night at Hawkeye Downs Speedway…….. Until rain halted the fun with three features in the books.

INNOVATIVE SIGNS TROPHY DASH

West Palm Beach, Florida driver Jeff Choquette captured the Innovative Signs Promoters Choice Trophy Dash for McGrath Powersports Legends to start the evening. Choquette was actually at Hawkeye Downs testing for the upcoming ASA Midwest Tour event and he secured the Legend ride for the evening.

JEFF CHOQUETTE

BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY HOBBY STOCKS

JEREMY ROBBINS

Jeremy Robbins landed in victory lane in a wild and somewhat controversial 15-lap Barron Motor Supply Hobby Stock feature. Robbins was actually running third on the final lap behind Nathan Ballard and Matt Petrzelka who were battling for the lead. Ballard and Petrzelka had been running side-by-side over the last three laps and their battle included quite a bit of beating and banging including Petrzelka turning Ballard and sending him spinning on the final lap. Officials deemed both drivers were making excessive contact and awarded the win to Robbins. Kandi Floyd earned second in her first appearance of the season.

HEAT- 1. Matt Petrzelka, Norway; 2.Nathan Ballard, Marengo; 3.Jeremy Robbins, Swisher; 4.Brian Bries, Norway; 5.Kandi Floyd, Cedar Rapids; 6.Brad Chandler, Cedar Rapids

FEATURE (15 laps) 1. Robbins 2.Floyd 3.Bries 4. Ballard 5.Petrzelka DNS- Chandler

COCA - COLA SPORTSMEN

Dave Ballstaedt

Dave Ballstaedt started up front in the 20-lap Coca-Cola Sportsmen Feature enabling him to pull away from the field early while Craig Stepanek and point leader Cory Houdek battled for the second spot. Once Houdek took second he and Stepanek pulled up on to the rear of Ballstaedt with the trio running nose-to-tail with six laps remaining. Neither Houdek or Stepanek could mount a challenge for the lead over the last couple laps with Ballsteadt prevailing for his second win of the season. Houdek crossed the stripe in second with Stepanek third.

HEAT- 1. Craig Stepanek, Cedar Rapids; 2.Dave Ballstaedt, Marion; 3.Cory Houdek, Marion; 4.Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha; 5.Ben Glascock, Indianola; 6.Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 7.Josh Williams

FEATURE (20 laps) 1. Ballstaedt 2.Houdek 3.Stepanek 4.Glascock 5.Ahrendsen 6.Hentrich DNS-Williams

MCGRATH POWERSPORTS LEGENDS

ROD MCGLOTHLEN

The final feature run before rain hit the speedway was the McGrath Powersports Legends 30-lap event. Once the green waved it was essentially a two-man race with both Rod McGlothlen and Jeff Choquette getting around point leader Matt Blake. McGlothlen and Choquette swapped the lead a couple times with McGlothlen leading the pack as the yellow and checkered flags waved when rain started. Blake maintained third.

The win for McGlothlen was his fourth trip to victory lane in three different cars.

INNOVATIVE SIGNS TROPHY DASH- Jeff Choquette, West Palm Beach, FL

HEAT 1- 1.Rod McGlothlen, Oskaloosa; 2.Dennis Diercks, Davenport; 3.Chris Jansen; 4.Bryce Bailey, Cedar Rapids; 5.Caleb Adrian, Davenport

HEAT 2-1.Jeff Choquette, West Palm Beach, FL; 2.Matt Blake, Cedar Rapids; 3.Jason Beauregard, Cedar Rapids; 4.Rusty Shadden

FEATURE(30 laps) 1. McGlothlen 2.Choquette 3.Blake 4.Diercks 5.Jansen 6.Shadden 7.Beauregard 8.Al Diercks 9.Bailey 10.Adrian

The remaining features will be run as part of later race dates.

Nest week, Fiday, July 22 is Hochstetler Towing Night with all six divisions again in action.

BUDWEISER MODIFIEDS

HEAT- 1. Brian Gibson, Walford; 2.Tim Plummer, Cedar Rapids; 3.Johnny Spaw, Cedar Rapids; 4.Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids; 5.Steve Lindell, Marion; 6.Jason Beauregard, Cedar Rapids; 7.James Dixon, Cedar Rapids; DNS-Ryan Luedtke, Norway

FEATURE (Tentative Make-up date August 19)

SUNLINE HORNETS

HEAT 1- 1. Derek Parrott, Marion; 2.JR Dvorak, Lisbon; 3.Joe Bean, Cedar Rapids; 4.Dakota Dains, Marion; 5.Prestin Witham, Cedar Rapids

HEAT 2- 1.Todd Ness, Cedar Rapids; 2.Aaron Jarvis, Center Point; 3.Hallie Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 4.Casey Bilden, Cedar Rapids; 5.John Ness, Cedar Rapids; 6.Shane Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 7. Patty Fossum, Cedar Rapids

HEAT 3- Brad Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 2.Dallas Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 3.Jose DeJesus, Cedar Rapids; 4.Parker Anderson, Cedar Rapids; 5.Dan Hartman; 6.Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City

FEATURE (Tentative Make-up date August 5)

PERFORMANCE CONCEPTS LATE MODELS

HEAT 1. Brad Osborn, Janesville; 2.Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 3.Andy Edwards, New Hartford; 4.Tim Plummer, Cedar Rapids; 5.Brian Allen, Hiawatha; 6.Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids

HEAT 2- 1.Thor Anderson, Bonduraunt; 2.Joey Gase, Cedar Rapids; 3.Jay Jaspers, Steamboat Rock; 4.Mason Mitchell, West Des Moines; 5.Chad Siems, Shellsburg; 6.Darrell Long, Cedar Rapids

FEATURE (Make-up date July 22)