Des Moines, Iowa

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April 16, 2004

by David Wilkinson

(Des Moines, Iowa) (April 16, 2004) It was a summer-like evening of racing Friday at the Iowa State Fair Speedway that concluded just before a thunderstorm roared into town. Ricky Stephan repeated his IMCA modified win from last week and Todd Inman captured the IMCA stock car main. Jacob Murray, Bill Bonnett, and Rick Gladson won IMCA hobby stock features. Mike Stark acquired the Karl Chevrolet dirt truck feature, while Mike Morrill won the special for dwarf cars and Lyle Sylvester took the 305 Winged sprint cars race.

In the IMCA modified feature, Ricky Stephan got a break when the two cars scheduled to start ahead of him in the lineup did not, allowing him to move from tenth to six. At the start, Todd Shute vaulted to the lead ahead of Kevin Lovell. On lap five, Shute had a flat tire and Stephan, who had passed Lovell, became the leader. He built a lead nearly the length of the front straightaway, but two late-race cautions narrowed the field. Stephan was able to hold off Lovell who finished second with Joe McBirnie third and John Davis fourth.

David Foster took the early lead in the IMCA stock car main. On lap five, Todd Inman powered past Foster on the outside of turn four. Inman maintained the lead to the checkered flag followed by Maynard Davis III, Foster, and Josh Daniels.

Mike Stark led the entire Karl Chevrolet dirt truck feature distancing himself from second place Carl Moyer, third-place finisher Ben Nading and Bret Moyer, who finished fourth.

Jacob Murray led from the drop of the green to the checkered in the first IMCA hobby stock feature. Following him to the finish was Adam Hagen, Don Wear, and Matt Inman. Rusty Groves took the lead of the second hobby main, but right behind him were Bill Bonnett and Mike Egenberger. On the eighth lap of the 10-lap race, Groves bobbled after hitting a rut in turn three and Bonnett sailed by and was the winner. Groves finished second, Egenberger third, and Steve Curtis fourth. The third hobby feature belonged to Rick Gladson who led the entire race. There was a fierce battle behind him that formed the finishing order of John Watson, Rob Allison, and Frank Grove.

There were only six 305 winged sprint cars in competition, but it was quite a battle. Michael Thomas led the first two laps, then Larry Webb passed him. Lyle Sylvester started to chase down Webb, and on lap seven he rode the rim of turns three and four and roared past Webb. Webb did not give up and came back on the last two laps trying to make the low groove work, but he was unsuccessful. The top finishers were Sylvester, Webb, and Thomas.

Eleven dwarf cars hit the big half-mile track and the finish was Mike Morrill, Ryan Bryan, Jimmy May, and Fred Schimmels.

Racing continues next Friday evening with the return of IMCA late models. Also competing will be IMCA modifieds, stock cars, and hobby stocks as well as Karl Chevrolet dirt trucks. Hot laps are at 6:00 PM with racing following around 7:00 PM.

Heat Winners

1. Ricky Stephan, S. Sioux City, NE

2. Bill Davis Jr., DM

3. Russ Gladson, DM

Feature

Heat Winners

1. Maynard Davis III, Runnells

2. Todd Fisher, Altoona

3. Todd Inman

Feature

Heat Winners

1. Bill Bonnett, Knoxville

2. Jacob Murray, Hartford

3. Ray Stock Jr.

4. Rick Gladson, Des Moines

5. Michael Davis, Des Moines

6. Danny Watson, Des Moines

Feature # 1

Feature # 2

Feature # 3

Heat Winners

1. Carl Moyer, Ankeny

2. Bret Moyer, Polk City

3.

Feature

Heat Winners

1. Lyle Sylvester

Feature

1. Lyle Sylvester

2. Larry Webb

3. Michael Thomas

4. Louis Lynch

5. Bud Reifenstahl

6. Jim Cook

Heat Winners

1. Michael Thomas, Des Moines

2. Mike Morrill, Altoona

Feature