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HERNANDEZ WINS MID-AM STOCKS
CARS
PRIETZEL TOPS MID-AM TRUCKS
HERNANDEZ WINS CARS VS.
TRUCKS RUMBLE
WALSH, CARNAHAN AND SHELDON TOP LOCAL DIVISIONS AT HAWKEYE DOWNS
By Brad Grupe
(Cedar Rapids, IA 072101)—Peter Hernandez of Mokena, IL has
Hawkeye Downs number, so to speak. He scored his second straight win in as many
appearances at Hawkeye Downs Speedway Saturday night July 21.
The McLeodUSA Mid-American Stock Cars and their sister
series, the McLeodUSA Mid-American Super Trucks were both in action on the
Cedar Rapids half-mile Saturday night running combined heats, separate
features, and a special Trucks vs. Stock Cars “rumble.”
Twenty-two Mid-American Stock Cars took the green flag
for their thirty-lap feature with Jamie Dorsey of Rockford, IL on the pole.
Jimmy Becker of Burlington, IL quickly mounted a challenge for the top spot and
as the first two cars touched on the front stretch during the third lap George Schulz
of Park City, IL slipped into the lead.
Schultz, an off- road racer with limited pavement
experience, began to stretch his lead while the battle for the other top slots
went on behind him. Caution bunched the field at the halfway point. On the restart,
the car of Peter Hernandez started a march toward the front running in 4th
with 14 laps to go and up to 3rd on the following lap.
Hernandez moved into second with ten laps to go and began
to cut into the lead of Schultz as the laps ticked off. With five laps to go
Schultz’s margin was down to two car lengths and one lap later Hernandez was
glued to the rear of Schultz’s car. Hernandez made his move on the outside with
just one lap to go and pulled alongside in turn two of the final lap.
Schultz bobbled a bit exiting the second turn, which gave
Hernandez a clear shot at the lead and sealed the win for the Mokena, IL
driver. Schultz maintained second with
Becker finishing third, Bill Prietzel fourth and Warren Doranki fifth.
The McLeodUSA
Mid-American Super Trucks made their second visit of the season to Cedar Rapids
Saturday night July 21 with over twenty trucks on hand to battle the Hawkeye
Downs half-mile. Cedar Rapids is the corporate headquarters of series sponsor
McLeodUSA.
Gary Fredrickson of Lakeville, MN grabbed the early lead
in the thirty lap feature for the Mid-Am Super Trucks with Gordy Swanson
quickly moving in to challenge for the top spot. The two touched in turn two on
the fourth lap and were both able to maintain control but not before Darren
Wolke slipped into the lead.
Jamie Farrell and Bill Prietzel quickly joined in the
fray with Prietzel advancing to second with just eight laps scored. Prietzel,
of Franklin, WI, took command of the race on the 13th lap but he had
a mirror full of action behind him.
The trucks of Swanson,
Jamie Farrell and Art Christofferesen waged a furious battle for third
with positions changing in every corner for several laps before Farrell seized
control of the spot.
The field bunched again with nine laps to go as the
caution flag waved for a spin. Prietzel again began to stretch out the lead on
the restart as Art Christoffersen, who won the Spring race at Hawkeye Downs,
mounted a challenge for third. Christoffersen, theCEO of McleodUSA Publishing,
slipped into third with four laps to go and then moved in on the second place
truck of Wolke. Christoffersen made a charge for the second spot on the
last lap but Wolke prevailed by the width of the front bumper as Prietzel
collected the win.
Gordy Swanson finished in fourth with Jason Hicks of Lake
Geneva, WI rounding out the top five.
Peter Hernandez scored his
second victory of the evening by winning a special 25-lap “rumble” pitting
Mid-American Stock Cars against Mid-American Super Trucks at Hawkeye Downs
Speedway on Saturday night.
The unique format including the stock cars and trucks
running combined heats and separate 30-lap features. The top eight finishers
from each race were then put in the “Mid-AM Stock Cars vs. Mid-Am Super Tucks
Rumble.”
Warren Doranski held the early advantage in a stock car
before the truck of Jason Hicks took command just five laps into the race. The
cars of James Swan and Peter Hernandez as well as the trucks of Bill Prietzel
and Art Christoffersen made their stale early also as cars and trucks swapped
positions throughout the field.
With fifteen laps to go Peter Hernandez had slid into
second with Bill Prietzel piloting his truck into third. With ten laps to go
the front four ran nose to tail and with seven laps remaining Hernandez made a
move to the inside of Jason Hicks. Hernandez scored the lead with six laps to
go with Hicks, Swan, Prietzel and Christoffersen right behind.
After another caution Hernandez pulled away while Swan
zipped around Hicks into second. The rest of the top five remained the same as
the field took the checkered flag.
The Hawkeye Downs Two-Driver Cruisers, Barron Motor
Supply Thunderstocks and Coca-Cola Women On Wheels were also in action on
Hawkeye Labor Council Night.
US Senator Tom
Harkin waved the green flag to start the Two driver Cruiser feature. The race
was a crash marred contest of endurance which saw officials reverse the
direction the drivers were running with eight laps to go. Whe all the smoke,
tires, and car parts were cleared the tandem of Ken Perry and Darin O’Brien
collected thew win. Daryl and Scott Jones were second with Brian Dvorak and
Matt Poduska finsiehd third.
Mike Walsh of Cedar Rapids dominated the first of two
Barron Motor Supply Thunder Stock features winning handily over Mike
Desotel. Walsh started deep in the
field and quickly worked his way to the front.
Ron Dighton finished in third with Marty Sea fourth and Chip Kohl fifth.
The second feature in the Thunderstocks went to Shawn
Carnahan after the original winner didn’t pass tech. Carnahan started in row
three and was followed across the stripe by Scott Strauss and Daryl Jones. Chad
Vozenilek posted a fourth place finish and Jeremy Meyer was fifth.
Sandra Sheldon posted a wire-to wire win in the Coca Cola
Women On Wheels division. Sheldon started on the pole and never faced a serious
challenge from the second place car of Gwen Christensen. Deb Mefford finished
in third with Linn Hite fourth and Dana Scott fifth.