Frank, Schramm, Struck also take checkers
By ROB HINCKLEY
KNOXVILLE, Ill. (July 11) – The challenges were accepted.
DIRTcar UMP Modified national point leader Ray Bollinger would start at the back. A.J. Fike had to win on his home track.
Fike made the most of his challenge, passed four of the area’s best drivers, waited out cautions, and still pulled away to win the Knox County Fair 25-lap feature Wednesday evening.
“The car was good all night,” Fike said in Galesburg Toyota Victory Lane about his New Look Sealcoating/Big Catz BBQ Lethal Chassis. “Early I thought I heard someone close, but the track was smooth and we were able to ride it out. They did a great job getting this track ready for the feature.”
A special Kook Su Won of Knoxville Back Row Challenge was accepted by Bollinger. He gave up his P2 start for a shot at an extra $4,125 and to send a lucky fan home with $1,375.
The packed grandstand wailed in approval every lap as Bollinger charged toward the front. The Kewanee, Ill. ace was caught in a lap one caution, but then quickly sliced through the 16-car field to second behind Fike by Lap 7. Following another caution, his trek came to an end as the Save A Lot/Factory Tire Outlet/Ince’s Towing/Allgaier Race Products Impressive Chassis jumped the turn one cushion and the right rear brushed the wall. The crew changed tires, but the car would not respond as well the rest of the way and finished third behind Donovan Lodge.
Dugan Thye and Dustin Schram survived the attrition to round out the top five. Several SportMod teams on hand joined the field as well. Fike, the USAC and NASCAR veteran from nearby Galesburg, pocketed $1,000.
A new car was not a new challenge for Todd Frank.
The Montrose, Iowa veteran raced from the pole and led the entire 18-lap Late Model feature.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect with this new car on the big track,” Frank said. “First night out, it came off the corners well and we had enough. I had talked to Todd Cooney and other IMCA guys so that really helped.”
Tommy Elston, Joe Zrostlik, Rob Toland and Sam Halstead came next.
Dustin Schram diced through a strong SportMod/BMod field and took the 15-lap feature. Schram took the green from the back row and hit the point with five laps to go.
Early leader Matt Parrott, Kevin Goben, Dan Hahn and Randy LaMar followed.
Keith Siegel was involved in a hefty crash in turn one early in the evening. He walked away, but his No. M68 was twisted and heavily damaged.
Before the rains came during the 2017 KCF race events, Davenport, Iowa’s Jeff Struck, Jr. picked up the only checkered flag. He made it two straight winning the Street Stock 15-lap finale.
Struck wrestled the lead from Scott Barker and sped away with a near straightaway victory. Barker, Alan Cottom, Ed White and Steve Miller all battled near the top and finished behind in that order.
The count of race teams increased from years past at the historic half-mile dirt oval with a great crowd under the covered grandstand for day two of the fair.
The stock car event, put on by Hulett Promotions, was completed for only the second time in four years as the fair race has been plagued by rain. A scenic Illinois sky greeted the teams and fans.
Grandstand action continues at the fair with Overlanders Mud Drags, Kids Power Wheels, Western Illinois Figure 8 Racing Series and Demolition Derby.
For more information, log on to knoxfair.com, call 309-289-2714 or log on to the Knox County Fair Race Facebook page.
Following are results from stock car racing Wednesday evening at Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, Ill.
DirtCar Modifieds
Feature (25 laps) – 1. 10 A.J. Fike 2. 32 Donovan Lodge 3. 77 Ray Bollinger 4. 11T Dugan Thye 5. 92 Schram 6. 5D Bob Dominacki 7. 93 Matt Werner 8. 613 Dan Hahn 9. 97 Charlie Hess 10. T17 James Thompson 11. 5 Rob Dominacki 12. 34 Josh Marth 13. 12P Matt Parrott 14. 1 Dave Wietholder 15. 19C Mark VerVynck 16. 12 Jared Coppenjans.
1st Heat (8 laps) – 1. Lodge 2. Werner 3. Hess 4. Thye
2nd Heat (8 laps) – 1. Bollinger 2. Wietholder 3. Fike 4. B. Dominacki
Late Models
Feature (18 laps) – 1. 21 Todd Frank 2. 45 Tommy Elston 3. Z50 Joe Zrostlik 4. 39 Rob Toland 5. 84 Sam Halstead 6. 21F Gunner Frank 7. 8 Matt Murphy 8. 1 Jim Hagedorn 9. 007 David Norton 10. W56 Gary Webb 11. 05 Michael Hynes
1st Heat (8 laps) – 1. Halstead 2. T. Frank 3. Elston 4. Murphy
2nd Heat (8 laps) – 1. Webb 2. Toland 3. Zrostlik 4. Hagedorn
SportMods/BMods
Feature (15 laps) – 1. 92 Dustin Schram 2. 12P Matt Parrott 3. 4G Kevin Goben 4. 613 Dan Hahn 5. 4R Randy LaMar 6. 12 Jared Coppejans 7. 3 Chris McMahill 8. 88C Daniel Campbell 9. 17T James Thompson 10. 86R Levi Layman 11. 34 Josh Marth 12. M68 Keith Siegel
1st Heat (6 laps) – 1. Thompson 2. Siegel 3. Goben 4. Layman
2nd Heat (6 laps) – 1. Parrott 2. LaMar 3. Hahn 4. Coppejans
Street Stocks
Feature (15 laps) – 1. 4S Jeff Struck, Jr. 2. 11 Scott Barker 3. 1X Alan Cottom 4. 14E Ed White 5. 4B Steve Miller 6. 1 Robert Cottom 7. G1 Tyler Gilmour 8. 95 Jesse Owen
1st Heat (6 laps) – 1. Struck 2. Owen 3. Gilmour 4. R. Cottom