CRAIG STEPANEK BRINGS HOME FIRST SPORTSMEN WIN AT HAWKEYE DOWNS

By Brad Grupe

Photos: Jim Wittke- Speedway Souvenir/Touch of Class Photo

(Cedar Rapids, IA 08/05/2011)—All six divisions of the Papa Johns Cup/ I-Wireless Championship Series were in action Friday night at Hawkeye Downs Speedway with Budweiser Modifieds and Sunline Hornets also running make-up features for earlier rainouts.

BARRON MOTOR SUPPLY HOBBY STOCKS

After Jeremy Robbins and Roland Bohnsack traded the lead early in the Barron Motor Supply Hobby Stocks, Matt Petrzelka scored the lead on lap six and never looked back in winning his sixth feature of 2011. Bohnsack maintained second while Robbins was third.

Heat- 1. Jeremy Robbins, Swisher; 2.Matt Petrzelka, Norway; 3.Roland Bohnsack, Clutier; 4.Brian Bries, Noway; 5.Bryan Galde, Maron; 6.Brad Chandler, Cedar Rapids

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

COCA-COLA SPORTSMAN

Craig Stepanek scored an emotional Coca-Cola Sportsmen win Friday night after bolting into the lead at the drop of the green and then cruising to his first win in the division. Bob Ahrendsen and Cory Houdek battled back and forth for the second slot with Ahrendsen prevailing for the position. Houdek was scored third on the track with Greg Hentrich and Josh Williams also running in the top five.

Heat- 1. Craig Stepanek, Cedar Rapids; 2.Cory Houdek, Marion 3.Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 4.Greg Hentrich, Hiawatha; 5.Dave Ballstaedt, Marion; 6.Josh Williams, Cedar Rapids; 7. Al Jarvis, Center Point; 8. Malena Betzer

FEATURE (20 laps) 1. Stepanek 2.Ahrendsen 3.Houdek 4.Hentrich 5.Williams 6.Jarvis 7.Betzer DQ-Ballstaedt

Rod McGlothlen seems to be able to show up, jump in whatever McGrath Powersports Legends ride is available and then find his way to victory lane. Friday night was no exception as he put the #95 normally driven by Al Diercks into victory lane. McGlothlen needed all of four laps to get the lead from Dennis Diercks before scoring his fifth feature win of the season. Diercks finished second with Brogan Fiala bringing home third.

Heat- 1. Rod McGlothlen, Oskaloosa; 2.Dennis Diercks, Davenport; 3.Bryce Bailey, Cedar Rapids; 4.Brogan Fiala, Fairfax; 5.Jason Beauregard, Cedar Rapids; 6. Heath Ropp, Ames; 7.Matt Blake, Cedar Rapids

FEATURE (20 laps) 1. McGlothlen 2.Diercks 3.Fiala 4.Bailey 5.Beauregard 6.Blake 7. Ropp

BUDWEISER MODIFIEDS

In a Budweiser Modified make-up feature, Johnny Spaw started on the pole and took an early lead before caution slowed the action when Jason Beauregard and james Dixon touched tires sending them both spinning on lap two. Spaw bolted from the back on the restart and while last week’s feature winner Ryan Luedtke appeared to make up some ground as the laps ticked off Spaw easily outran him to the finish line. Craig bender finished third with Beauregard and Steve Lindell running fourth and fifth.

In the regularly scheduled Budweiser Modified feature, Ryan Luedtke charged into the lead from outside row one and simply outran the rest of the field. Johnny Spaw was his closest pursuer but he faded over the final three laps with a tire going away which cost him a top five finish. Craig Bender crossed the stripe in second followed by Jason Beauregard, Steve Lindell, and James Dixon.

The current Budweiser Modified point leader, Brian Gibson was on a family vacation and last year’s champion Tim Plummer was running the ASA Midwest Tour event at iowa Speedway Friday night.

BUDWEISER MODIFIEDS ( July 15 Make-up Feature)

FEATURE (15 laps) 1. Johnny Spaw, Cedar Rapids; 2.Ryan Luedtke, Norway; 3.Craig Bender, Cedar Rapids; 4.Jason Beauregard, Cedar Rapids; 5.Steve Lindell, Marion; 6.James Dixon, Cedar Rapids; 7.Tim Dains, Marion

BUDWEISER MODIFIEDS (August 5)

FEATURE (15 laps) 1. Luedtke 2.Bender 3. Beauregard 4.Lindell 5.Dixon 6. Spaw 7. Dains

SUNLINE HORNETS

Brad Chandler took the lead on lap three of the 15-lap Sunline Hornets make-up feature and then held off his brother Nate through two restarts to take the feature win.

The second of those two cautions occurred on lap ten just as Nate appeared to be making a pass over Brad but the move was negated bu the yellow flag. On that restart, Nate didn’t appear to have the same handling and was unable to chase down Brad as the final laps ticked off. Kurt Bohnsack scored third with Derek Parrott and Dallas Chandler also in the top five.

The second Sunline Hornets feature of the night saw the entire contigent of the Chandler family charging through the pack in a wild affair that saw Jeff Dvorak and Kurt Bohnsack both hold leads before Brad Chandler took the point with just two laps to go. The action was interrupted by the caution flag a couple times when the dust, tire smoke, and parts quit flying Brad Chandler wound up collecting his 7^th win of the season. Kurt Bohnsack finished second followed to the strip by Nate Chandler, Dallas Chandler, and Merv Chandler.

SUNLINE HORNETS (July 22 Make-up Feature)

FEATURE( 15 laps) 1. Brad Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 2.Nate Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 3. Kurt Bohnsack, Iowa City; 4.Derek Parrott, Marion; 6.Todd Ness, Cedar Rapids; 7.Jose deJesus, Cedar Rapids; 8.Merv Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 9.Jeff Dvorak, Lisbon; 10. Prestin Witham, Cedar Rapids; 11.Dakota Dains, Marion; 12. John Ness, Cedar Rapids; 13.Kevin Bailey, Cedar Rapids; 14.Shane Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 15. Chuck Hanson, Cedar Rapids; 16.Casey Bilden, Cedar Rapids; 17.Joe Bean, Cedar Rapids; 18.Jasen Freeman, Cedar Rapids; 19. Aaron Jarvis, Center Point; 20. James Stevens, Cedar Rapids; 21. Jamie Witham, Cedar Rapids DNS- Dan Hartman, Cedar Rapids

SUNLINE HORNETS

FEATURE (15 laps) 1. Brad Chandler 2.Bohnsack 3.Nate Chandler 4.Dallas Chandler 5.Merv Chandler 6.Dvorak 7.DeJesus 8. Parrott 9.Bilden 10.John Ness 11. Jamie Witham 12. Todd Ness 13.Bailey 14. Prestin Witham 15.Dains 16. Shane Hanson 17.Bean 18. Chuck Hanson 19. Jarvis 20. Hartman 21. Johnny Navarro, Cedar Rapids; DNS- Freeman DNS- Stevens

INNOVATIVE SIGNS PROMOTORS CHOICE TROPHY DASH

JASEN FREEMAN

PERFORMANCE CONCEPTS LATE MODELS

The field of cars in Performance Concepts Late Models was somewhat diminished Friday night as several regular drivers, including the current point leader Brad Osborn, participated in the ASA Midwest Tour event at Iowa Speedway.

Kyle Hinrichs started on point and was never seriously challenged in the 25-lap feature. The action was slowed early when Jay Jaspers and Travis Thompson tangled in turn three but both drivers were able to continue and post top finishes. The field ran pretty much status quo from start to finish with the top five being Hinrichs, Jaspers, Thompson, Scott Siems, and Darrell Long.

The win was the second of the season for Hinrichs.

Heat- 1. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher 2. Travis Thompson, Cedar Rapids; 3.Jay Jaspers, Steamboat Rock; 4.Chad Siems, Shellsburg 5.Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids; 6. Darrell Long, Cedar Rapids; 7. Brian Allen, Hiawatha

FEATURE (25 laps) 1. Hinrichs 2.Jaspers 3.Thompson 4. Scott Siems 5.Long 6. Chad Siems DNS- Allen

The 39^th annual Miller 100 is coming up Friday night, August 12 with all the regular divisions getting the night off except the Sunline Hornets. Several Performance Concepts Late Model drivers are expected to participate in the ASA Midwest Tour event and Sportsmen drivers are eligible to participate with the ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour as well.