Des Moines, Iowa

JJAM Racing Promotions

Mick Trier

(515) 201-JJAM

For questions on this story, contact

(515) 265-9983 home

(515) 229-7929 cell

dwilkinson45@mchsi.com

May 30, 2003

by David Wilkinson

(Des Moines, Iowa) (May 30, 2003) The near gale-force winds Friday night at the Iowa State Fair Speedway made the flags of starter Bob Moses look like heavily starched and well-pressed linens instead of limp cloths. The flags were difficult to wave in the wind and the cars were even faster than the northern airstream. Nick Houseman won his second IMCA late model feature of the season and Ricky "The Racer" Stephan had a worthwhile long haul from South Sioux City NE as he prevailed in the IMCA modified main. Matt Hidlebaugh claimed the IMCA stock victory and Randy Strong won the Karl Chevrolet dirt truck feature. Rex Bonnett, Gene Behle, and Jason Murray won IMCA hobby stock features.

Todd Johnson shot out into the lead of the IMCA late model feature from his outside front row starting position. He gradually pulled away from the field and looked the likely winner. Near the end of the 18-lap race, Nick Houseman and Tony Moro reduced the gap with Johnson. Moro and Houseman fought back and forth for second and then Houseman passed Johnson on the 16^th lap. Moro took second on the next lap and tried going deep into turns one and two. He spun and was unable to restart. A last lap caution was called and the race ended under a yellow-checkered with the top finishers being Houseman, Todd Cooney, Johnson and Mike Smith.

The 15-lap IMCA modified main opened with Kevin Danielson leading and Kendall Sather chasing. Danielson widened the lead until Danny Wallace moved into second and narrowed the lead by the halfway point of the race. Ricky Stephan had started twelfth and advanced through the field so he racing with Chris Wilke for fourth. On lap thirteen, Wallace and Stephan passed Danielson and raced side-by-side for the next two laps with Stephan overtaking Wallace at the checkered for the win. Danielson finished third and Pat Graham fourth.

Matt Hidlebaugh led every lap of the IMCA stock car feature and Matt Pinegar followed him closely in second for the entire race. Don Killen finished third behind them and Carl Yaw Jr. finished fourth.

The Karl Chevrolet dirt trucks roared out of turn four of the first lap three-wide: Carl Moyer, Mike Hoffman, and Roger Schlenker. Moyer took the early lead, but Randy Strong passed him on lap three. Strong pulled away from the field, but there was a quite a race behind him. Schlenker ran in second the rest of the race, but Lou Sipolt, Brett Moyer, Sean Allen and Moyer fought hard behind them. On lap 12, Sipolt and Brett Moyer bumped, sending Moyer hard into the wall at the end the front stretch. After the restart, Strong led the dash to the finish followed by Schlenker, Allen and Sipolt.

In the first of three IMCA hobby stock features, Randy Bradshaw captured the early lead followed closely by Gene Behle. Behle passed Bradshaw on the fourth lap and was leading when the red light came on during the last lap. Kevin Hay’s car slammed hard into the wall at the turn one exit. The race ended under a red-checkered with the top four as Behle, Ralph Jones, Jacob Murray, and Mike Meyer. Hay climbed out of his wrecked car and later was transferred by ambulance to a local hospital. After the race, Ryan Lundy claimed Behle’s engine.

The second hobby feature went to the Bonnett brothers. Rex Bonnett led all ten laps and brother Bill passed Larry Embrey on the last lap to finish second. Embrey pulled off the track with a tire down. Don Wear finished third and Keith Williamson fourth.

John Thoren led the final hobby race green to white, but Jason Murray made a last lap pass to beat Thoren to the finish by one-half of a car length. Rick Gladson rounds out the field at third and Randy Embrey in fourth. After the race, Bret Reynolds claimed the engine of Thoren.

No racing next Friday as the Polk Expo occupies the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Racing continues June 13 with IMCA late models, modifieds, stock cars, and hobby stocks as well as Karl Chevrolet dirt trucks competing. Hot laps are at 6:00 PM with racing following around 6:30 PM.

IMCA Late Models

Heat Winners

1. Todd Johnson, Mitchellville

2. Mike Smith, Jewell

Feature

IMCA Modifieds

Heat Winners

1. Danny Wallace, Des Moines

2. Travis DeWitt, Indianola

3. Maynard Davis III, Des Moines

Feature

1. Ricky Stephan, So. Sioux City, NE

2. Danny Wallace

3. Kevin Danielson, Grimes

4. Pat Graham, Ames

5. Chris Wilke, Polk City

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat Winners

1. Matt Hidlebaugh, Grimes

2. Travis DeWitt, Indianola

3. Maynard Davis III, Des Moines

Feature

IMCA Hobby Stock

Heat Winners

1. Gene Behle, Des Moines

2. Rex Bonnett, Pleasantville

3. Randy Bradshaw, Des Moines

4. John Thoren, Des Moines

5. Justin Maschke, Des Moines

6. Jacob Murray, Hartford

Feature # 1

Feature # 2

Feature # 3

Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks

Heat Winners

1. Lou Sipolt, Altoona

2. Randy Strong, Ankeny

Feature