Second West Liberty Win In A Row For Muscatine, Iowa Driver
By Tom Lathen
(West Liberty, IA) Brian Birkhofer raced past pole setter Steve Francis on lap 14 Monday night, and went on to grab the win in the Muscatine County Fair 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Super Series event, at West Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, Iowa.
The win was Birkhofer’s second WDRL win in a row at West Liberty, after the eastern Iowa driver scored the victory on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds ½ mile on April 3.
“I’ve been kind of down on myself after not qualifying for the race down at West Plains this weekend, so it’s great to get the win here,” said Birkhofer.
“We started seventh and I knew the track was latched up in a couple of spots, but on that one restart I just decided to run into turn one and see how hard I can go. I just got by Steve (Francis) and got the line before he knew it was there. If he would have moved up a little, he probably would have won the race.”
After an inside fourth row start, Birkhofer made steady progress through the field over the opening circuits, moving into the number four position behind Francis, Ace Ihm and Joe Kosiski, after a lap five caution flag regrouped the field.
Birkhofer’s Daufelt Transport/MasterSbilt/Grand Prix moved around Kosiski to grab third on lap nine, and following the third caution flag of the night on lap 12, when Jimmy Mars slowed in turn three with engine problems, roared into second behind the front-running Francis.
As the pair raced down the back straightaway on a lap later, Birkhofer nosed alongside of Francis, and then powered into the lead coming off the banking out of turn four and in front of the grandstand.
Birkhofer’s quest for victory was slowed only by a final caution flag on lap 17, but the Muscatine, Iowa fan favorite was able to negotiate lapped traffic over the last 20 laps to secure the win.
“Steve is one of the toughest guys, especially in the rubber, to keep behind you and he came up there and made me honest a couple of times in lapped traffic,” noted Birkhofer.
“I just told myself, don’t let the lapped traffic beat you – you’ve got to have the line off of the corner.”
Following Birkhofer and Francis at the line was Marquette, Nebraska’s Kyle Berck. Wisconsin driver Ace Ihm, who ran with the leaders all night, finished fourth, followed by Steve Kosiski and Andy Eckrich.
RACE REPORT:
First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Darren Miller (Chadwick, IL), 2. Chris Spieker (Massena, IA), 3. Mark Teske (Spring Valley, MN), 4. Rusty Zook (Riverside, IA), 5. Rob Moss (Iowa City, IA).
Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Jay Johnson (West Burlington, IA), 2. Joe Kosiski (Omaha, NE), 3. Kyle Berck (Marquette, NE), 4. Kurt Kile (Nichols, IA), 5. Nick Marolf (Moscow, IA).
Third PolyDome Qualifier; 1. Skip Frey (Ely, IA), 2. Tommy Elston (Keokuk, IA), 3. Alan Vaughn (Belton, MO), 4. John Hampel (Nodaway, IA), 5. Greg Peck (Sioux City, IA).
Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Ace Ihm (Hazel Green, WI), 2. Denny Eckrich (Tiffin, IA), 3. Ryan Dolan (Lisbon, IA), 4. Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, IA), 5. Todd Davis (Iowa City, IA).
Fifth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brian Birkhofer (Muscatine, IA), 2. Andy Eckrich (Oxford, IA), 3. Ray Guss, Jr. (Milan, IL), 4. Matt Furman (Iowa City, IA), 5. Mike Miller (Green Valley, IL).
Sixth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY), 2. Keith Foss (Winona, MN), 3. Steve Kosiski (Papillion, NE), 4. Johnny Johnson (West Burlington, IA), 5. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, IA).
First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Hampel, 2. Da. Eckrich, 3. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 4. Davis, 5. Dana Wells (Muscatine, IA).
Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Furman, 2. Matt Gilchrist (Grandview, IA), 3. Moss, 4. Teske, 5. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI).
Third KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Jimmy Mars (Elk Mound, WI), 2. Jo. Johnson, 3. Guss, 4. Steve Boley (West Liberty, IA), 5. Peck.
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Francis, 2. J. Kosiski, 3. Ihm, 4. Miller, 5. Frey, 6. Ja. Johnson.
Muscatine Co. Fair 50: 1. Birkhofer, 2. Francis, 3. Berck, 4. Ihm, 5. S. Kosiski, 6. A. Eckrich, 7. Anderson, 8. Gilchrist, 9. D. Miller, 10. Ja. Johnson, 11. Dolan, 12. Hampel, 13. Vaughn, 14. Zook, 15. Foss, 16. Teske, 17. Smith, 18. De. Eckrich, 19. Spieker, 20. Furman, 21. Da. Eckrich, 22. Jo. Johnson, 23. Frey, 24. J. Kosiski, 25. Elston, 26. Mars, 27. Simpson.
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Francis (1-13), Birkhofer (14-50)
QA1 Shocks Passing points: D. Miller (66.04)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Foss
Chase Decals Hard Luck Award: J. Kosiski
By Tom Lathen
(West Liberty, IA) Brian Birkhofer raced past pole setter Steve Francis on lap 14 Monday night, and went on to grab the win in the Muscatine County Fair 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Super Series event, at West Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, Iowa.
The win was Birkhofer’s second WDRL win in a row at West Liberty, after the eastern Iowa driver scored the victory on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds ½ mile on April 3.
“I’ve been kind of down on myself after not qualifying for the race down at West Plains this weekend, so it’s great to get the win here,” said Birkhofer.
“We started seventh and I knew the track was latched up in a couple of spots, but on that one restart I just decided to run into turn one and see how hard I can go. I just got by Steve (Francis) and got the line before he knew it was there. If he would have moved up a little, he probably would have won the race.”
After an inside fourth row start, Birkhofer made steady progress through the field over the opening circuits, moving into the number four position behind Francis, Ace Ihm and Joe Kosiski, after a lap five caution flag regrouped the field.
Birkhofer’s Daufelt Transport/MasterSbilt/Grand Prix moved around Kosiski to grab third on lap nine, and following the third caution flag of the night on lap 12, when Jimmy Mars slowed in turn three with engine problems, roared into second behind the front-running Francis.
As the pair raced down the back straightaway on a lap later, Birkhofer nosed alongside of Francis, and then powered into the lead coming off the banking out of turn four and in front of the grandstand.
Birkhofer’s quest for victory was slowed only by a final caution flag on lap 17, but the Muscatine, Iowa fan favorite was able to negotiate lapped traffic over the last 20 laps to secure the win.
“Steve is one of the toughest guys, especially in the rubber, to keep behind you and he came up there and made me honest a couple of times in lapped traffic,” noted Birkhofer.
“I just told myself, don’t let the lapped traffic beat you – you’ve got to have the line off of the corner.”
Following Birkhofer and Francis at the line was Marquette, Nebraska’s Kyle Berck. Wisconsin driver Ace Ihm, who ran with the leaders all night, finished fourth, followed by Steve Kosiski and Andy Eckrich.
RACE REPORT:
First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Darren Miller (Chadwick, IL), 2. Chris Spieker (Massena, IA), 3. Mark Teske (Spring Valley, MN), 4. Rusty Zook (Riverside, IA), 5. Rob Moss (Iowa City, IA).
Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Jay Johnson (West Burlington, IA), 2. Joe Kosiski (Omaha, NE), 3. Kyle Berck (Marquette, NE), 4. Kurt Kile (Nichols, IA), 5. Nick Marolf (Moscow, IA).
Third PolyDome Qualifier; 1. Skip Frey (Ely, IA), 2. Tommy Elston (Keokuk, IA), 3. Alan Vaughn (Belton, MO), 4. John Hampel (Nodaway, IA), 5. Greg Peck (Sioux City, IA).
Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Ace Ihm (Hazel Green, WI), 2. Denny Eckrich (Tiffin, IA), 3. Ryan Dolan (Lisbon, IA), 4. Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, IA), 5. Todd Davis (Iowa City, IA).
Fifth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Brian Birkhofer (Muscatine, IA), 2. Andy Eckrich (Oxford, IA), 3. Ray Guss, Jr. (Milan, IL), 4. Matt Furman (Iowa City, IA), 5. Mike Miller (Green Valley, IL).
Sixth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY), 2. Keith Foss (Winona, MN), 3. Steve Kosiski (Papillion, NE), 4. Johnny Johnson (West Burlington, IA), 5. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, IA).
First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Hampel, 2. Da. Eckrich, 3. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 4. Davis, 5. Dana Wells (Muscatine, IA).
Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Furman, 2. Matt Gilchrist (Grandview, IA), 3. Moss, 4. Teske, 5. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI).
Third KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Jimmy Mars (Elk Mound, WI), 2. Jo. Johnson, 3. Guss, 4. Steve Boley (West Liberty, IA), 5. Peck.
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Francis, 2. J. Kosiski, 3. Ihm, 4. Miller, 5. Frey, 6. Ja. Johnson.
Muscatine Co. Fair 50: 1. Birkhofer, 2. Francis, 3. Berck, 4. Ihm, 5. S. Kosiski, 6. A. Eckrich, 7. Anderson, 8. Gilchrist, 9. D. Miller, 10. Ja. Johnson, 11. Dolan, 12. Hampel, 13. Vaughn, 14. Zook, 15. Foss, 16. Teske, 17. Smith, 18. De. Eckrich, 19. Spieker, 20. Furman, 21. Da. Eckrich, 22. Jo. Johnson, 23. Frey, 24. J. Kosiski, 25. Elston, 26. Mars, 27. Simpson.
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Francis (1-13), Birkhofer (14-50)
QA1 Shocks Passing points: D. Miller (66.04)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Foss
Chase Decals Hard Luck Award: J. Kosiski
