The JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour IMCA Modifieds got there 2012 season underway at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Tuesday Night and there was 81 total cars sign in to compete on the night in 4 classes. There was 38 IMCA Modifieds Signed in.
This year also will see the Hawkeye Dirt Tour featured on Fuel the Thunder Season 2 that will follow 13 drivers at all 13 events. Those drivers include Ray Cox Jr of Maquoketa, Mark Elliott of Webster City, Darin Duffy of Hazleton, Jimmy Gustin of Marshalltown, Richie Gustin Jr. of Marshalltown, Ronn Lauritzen of Jesup, Jeremy Mills of Garner, Jay Noteboom of Hinton, Mark Schulte of Delhi, Rich Smith of Davenport, Mike Van Genderen of Newton, Jason Schoenberger of Gorham (KS) and Jeff Waterman of Quincy (IL).
First feature of the night was the 15 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature and before they could get a single lap in the caution would fly twice when the race got going Scott Pippert would take the race lead but after one lap was completed the caution would come out for Rod Grother breaking something and coming to a stop in turn four. Just 3 laps later the caution would again fly on lap 3 for a car getting into the tractor tire on the bottom of turn 4. Pippert wouldn't let that bother him as he would end up leading all fifteen laps and go on and take the win. John Watson, Doug Laughridge, Matt Brown and Brad Forbes completed the top 5.
In the IMCA Sport Compacts feature it was IMCA National Points Leader Merv Chandler leading flag-to-flag to take the win in the twelve lapper. Nathan Chandler was 2nd, Andy Wagener was 3rd, Tyler Whalen in the normally Bill Whalen Jr ride was 4th and Adam Gates was 5th.
Carter Vandenberg would take the early lead in the IMCA Sport Mods feature but the caution would come out on lap 2. Vandenberg would maintain the lead until lap 6 when Jim Gillenwater would make the pass and take the lead. Just 2 laps after Gillenwater took the lead the caution would come out for a couple of cars getting together in turn 3. Gillenwater would go on and lead the final 7 laps that would go caution free to take the win. Newly Married Racer Hulin, Scott Davis, Vandenberg and Austin Kaplan, who experience troubles on the last lap would completed out the top 5.
The final feature of the night was the IMCA Modifieds feature and it was Jeff Waterman leading all thirty laps. The first race caution came out on lap 8 and then the remaining two cautions came out on lap 15. Waterman would take the win his 2nd in the history of the Hawkeye Dirt Tour. JD Auringer would start 9th and finish 2nd. Richie Gustin Jr. would finish 3rd, Mitch Morris would finish 4th and Mark Schulte was 5th.
Fuel The Thunder Drivers
Ray Cox Jr of Maquoketa - DNQ
Mark Elliott of Webster City - 7th
Darin Duffy of
Hazleton - 18th
Jimmy Gustin of Marshalltown - 8th
Richie Gustin Jr. of
Marshalltown - 3rd
Ronn Lauritzen of Jesup - 16th
Jeremy Mills of Garner - 11th
Jay
Noteboom of Hinton - 12th
Mark Schulte of Delhi - 5th
Rich Smith of Davenport - 10th
Mike
Van Genderen of Newton - 20th
Jason Schoenberger of Gorham (KS)- DNQ
Jeff
Waterman of Quincy (IL) - 1st
Racing came to an end just shortly before 9:45 pm and the track was in great shape thanks to Don and Aaron Burkey. Special thanks to Brett Root, Bill Martin, Bucky Doren, Mick Trier, Ryan Clark and Dana Benning for the great hospitality.
Next event for the Hawkeye Dirt Tour is Memorial Day May 28th at the I-35 Speedway in Mason City, the night before you can get a tune up with the Skip Rose Memorial. Next up for the Benton County Speedway in Vinton is Sunday Night for their weekly show.
For more information about the Hawkeye Dirt Tour check out http://www.dirttour.com/ or http://www.imca.com/ and about the Benton County Speedway check out http://www.jjamracing.net/
Results
HDT MODIFIED
1. (1) 71W Jeff Waterman (Quincy, IL)
2. (9) 00J J.D. Auringer (Evansdale)
3. (4) 19G Richie Gustin (Marshalltown)
4. (19) 70 Mitch Morris (Eldridge)
5. (12) 27M Mark Schulte (Delhi)
6. (7) 21A Kelly Meyer (Big Rock)
7. (18) 12 Mark Elliott (Webster City)
8. (10) 19 Jimmy Gustin (Marshalltown)
9. (13) 33D Scott Hogan (Vinton)
10. (20) 8 Rich Smith (Davenport)
11. (14) 10M Jerry Mills (Garner)
12. (15) 7N Jay Noteboom (Hinton)
13. (6) 1 Dan Chapman (Clarence)
14. (24) 96 Larry Herring (Lone Tree)
15. (17) 64 Vern Jackson (Waterloo)
16. (23) 10K Ronn Lauritzen (Jesup)
17. (2) 11D Ryan Dolan (Lisbon)
18. (21) 19D Darin Duffy (Hazleton)
19. (16) 37 Mike Jurgens (Plover)
20. (22) 57V Mike Van Genderen (Newton)
21. (3) 25X Jake Bowman (Maquoketa)
22. (5) 11B Mike Burbridge (Delhi)
23. (8) 10 Cayden Carter (Oskaloosa)
24. (11/DNS) 71 Troy Cordes (Dunkerton)
First heat (top 2 redraw) - 1. Jeff Waterman; 2. Dolan; 3. Hogan; 4. 01 Ed Thomas (Waterloo); 5. Herring; 6. 1JR Ben Chapman (Clarence); 7. K1 Kyle Krampe (Baxter); DNS 8 Rich Smith (Davenport).
Second heat - 1. R. Gustin; 2. Carter; 3. Van Genderen; 4. Cordes; 5. Elliott; 6. Duffy; 7. 21K Dan Klatt (Wheatland); 8. 55 Jacob Waterman (Milan, IL).
Third heat - 1. Burbridge; 2. Meyer; 3. Noteboom; 4. Jergens; 5. 11 Ray Cox Jr. (Maquoketa); 6. 36 Jeff Connor (Panora); 7. 57B Dennis Betzer (Central City).
Fourth heat - 1. J. Gustin; 2. Auringer; 3. Schulte; 4. 6 Jason Schoenberger (Russell, KS); 5. 17 Todd Dykema (Davenport); 6. 1W Al Wolfgram (Boone); 7. 02 Ben Traver (Lowden).
Fifth heat (top 6 advance) - 1. D. Chapman; 2. Bowman; 3. Jackson; 4. Mills; 5. 12D Joe Docekal (Dysart); 6. Lauritzen; 7. Morris; 8. 32 Rick Speck (Garwin).
First B feature - 1. Cordes; 2. Hogan; 2. Noteboom; 4. Jackson; 5. Morris; 6. Duffy; 7. Cox; 8. Schoenberger; 9. Herring; 10. Wolfgram; 11. Docekal; 12. Krampe; 13. Betzer; 14. Jacob Waterman.
Second B feature - 1. Schulte; 2. Mills; 3. Jergens; 4. Elliott; 5. Smith; 6. Van Genderen; 7. Lauritzen; 8. Traver; 9. Connor; 10. Speck; 11. Thomas; 12. Dykema; 13. Klatt; 14. B. Chapman.
Provisional feature starters - Lauritzen and Herring (based on final 2011 series standings)
IMCA SPORTMOD
1. 10 Jim Gillenwater
2. 505 Racer Hulin
3. 81D Scott Davis
4. 7 Carter Vandenberg
5. 1 Austin Kaplan
6. 7R Ryan Ashton
7. 7M Kurt Moeding
8. 00 Jim Buhlman
9. 22H Curt Hilmer
10. 777 Jamie Duinink
11. 3 Ryan Coleman
12. 28P Rick Paulson
13. 21R Randy Butterbrodt
14. 11 Bob Ebaugh
15. 26J Joel Rust
16. 36 Jason Mallicoat
17. 23JR Nick Roberts
18. K3 Kyle Olson (DNS)
19. 72 Mike Hogencamp (DNS)
20. 57G Rich Gerhold (DNS)
IMCA HOBBY STOCK
1. 47 Scott Pippert
2. 4W John Watson
3. 25 Doug Laughridge
4. 78 Matt Brown
5. 09 Brad Forbes
6. 55 Vince Buchholz
7. 51D Dustin Filloon
8. 67 Justin Stander
9. 45 Justin Wacha
10. 29 Nathan Ballard
11. 4 Cory Tharp
12. 6 Randy Vandevegte
13. 2P Cale Petersen
14. 1S Greg Sweerin
15. 77 Rod Grother
IMCA SPORT COMPACT
1. 2 Merv Chandler
2. 22 Nathan Chandler
3. 21 Andy Wagner
4. 00W Tyler Whalen
5. 007 Adam Gates
6. 75 Louis Trachta
7. 111 A.J. Witten
8. 8M Jacob McVay (DNS)
